This is a clip from the July 18, 2016 edition of WrestleZone Daily featuring the host of The Brand, former WCW World Heavyweight Champion and former WWE Head Writer Vince Russo discussing his memories of and involvement in the infamous Montreal Screwjob.
Vince is joined in the interview by WZ Daily host Nick Hausman and the director of the documentary The Montreal Theory, Joe Dombrowski.
You can find some of Vince’s comments transcribed below.
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On Joe’s documentary The Montreal Theory and whether or not the Montreal Screwjob was a work put together by Bret Hart and Vince McMahon:
VR: I wish it was a work. I really do. I wish it was a work because it was one of my worst days in the wrestling business. I wish it never happened. I was a part of it. I feel a bit responsible. I wish it was a work. I really do. I wish it was a work.
On why he would say he feels a little responsible for the Montreal Screwjob:
VR: Bro, I’m the one who gave Vince the idea for Shawn to put Bret in the Sharpshooter. I’m the one who told him in a creative meeting days before it happened. When I was on two phone calls with Vince and Bret that Bret did not know I was on. Vince pitched Bret every storyline you could imagine. Bret turned every single one of them down. We are getting in to 8 or 9 o’clock at night now and we’d been at the creative meeting since about 9 in the morning. Out of pure frustration I turned to Vince and said, “Freaking screw it, Vince. Have Shawn put Bret in the Sharpshooter and have the referee call for the bell.” That is the story. That is what happened. All I know is days before Survivor Series at the creative meeting when the finish was being discussed out of frustration because Bret wouldn’t agree to anything I just said, “Screw it! Let Shawn put him in the Sharpshooter. Have the referee call for the bell.” Done. I had no contact after that. This was probably on a Thursday. I did not know what he was going to do. I had no idea. He kind of kept his distance from me and looking back now I think that was an effort to protect me. I sat down next to Taker when the finish of the match took place and it was sure enough what I threw out at Vince at that booking meeting. I sat there and I was like, “Holy crap! I can’t believe he did that!” But he did. I had to talk to Bret Hart on the phone less than a week later. He was not very pleasant when I told Bret, “Bro, I support what Vince did. I understand why Vince did it, Bret, and you’ll never understand this side of it.” One of the hardest things I ever had to do in my life. So when I tell you I wish it was a work… I wish it was a work.
During Vince’s full appearance on WZ Daily he also discusses the rules for the upcoming WWE Draft as well as the potential USADA violation of Brock Lesnar.
You can find that episode as well as the full archives for WrestleZone Radio in the embedded audio player below:
