Were you for Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels?

[HBKperfect23]

So you're saying there is no such thing as returning the favour in wrestling? That that doesn't exist and hasn't existed ever? Can I get that in e-writing here please.

Please explain to me where returning the favor was relevant or necessary.

[harrythem]

If they were going to work the original trilogy of matches, like they've both said was the plan, then Shawn did owe Bret a victory at Wrestlemania 13 with the rubber match coming at a later point (which'd have to have been Survivor Series). HBK was clever enough to "lose his smile" and manage to sidestep two planned high profile loses (to Sid at IYH Feb 96, and to Bret at Mania 13) that screwed up major booking plans for the WWF in early 97. Hell, can you imagine the buy-rate for SS97 if they'd been 1-1 and booked as the decider of the "best ever"? Between that and the personal level it could've been monster.

[comrade_mario]

Originally Posted by HBKperfect23

Please explain to me where returning the favor was relevant or necessary.

Both admitted on the rivalries DVD that they intended to have a series of matches with Bret saying the idea would be for them to have a series where they traded wins with Shawn ultimately coming out the victor.

For this to work Bret would have needed to win their next match.

This is very basic stuff here yet again, but before you come in with 'where's the favour?' I'll add

Returning the favour in wrestling is when a guy on a rung higher than you does you a 'favour' by giving you a win over him so that you're elevated to their level. Remind you of WM 12?

[Slash-LN]

I was for Shawn all the way. I was a kid and didn't know about all the backstage stuff or Shawn's attitude or anything but every time they wrestled I wanted Shawn to come out with the win. He is my all time favorite wrestler and had been at the time. I was a fan of the Rockers and when they split I went with Shawn. Any feud he was in I wanted him to win every match. As I was growing up I still never knew about dirt sheets or anything so I still didn't know about the back stage stuff. I just knew that Shawn and Bret had great matches against each other. WM XII was a big moment for me as a wrestling fan and I still look back on that match with fondness.

[HBKperfect23]

Both admitted on the rivalries DVD that they intended to have a series of matches with Bret saying the idea would be for them to have a series where they traded wins with Shawn ultimately coming out the victor.

Trading wins maks sense, returning a favor does not.

For this to work Bret would have needed to win their next match.

I would have no problem with Bret winning the next match. Its the way he goes aout thinking everyone owes him.

Returning the favour in wrestling is when a guy on a rung higher than you does you a 'favour' by giving you a win over him so that you're elevated to their level. Remind you of WM 12?

That wasnt the situatuion at WM 12. Shawn was the number one guy in the company. It was clear who they were going with. They could have Shawn go over Diesil just as easily.

[lowandmighty]

Originally I liked Bret Hart more and was going for him in that iron man match because I still didn't like Shawn Michaels after he threw Marty Jannetti or however the fuck you spell his name through the barber shop window and I'd seen him as nothing more than a traitor ever since even though his character had evolved quite a bit since then.
However I didn't like the way Bret Hart reacted when they decided there must be a winner. I never suspected Bret Hart as being someone who didn't want to go all the way for the win and would settle with the draw happy to walk away and concede he couldn't beat Shawn Micheals.
I wanted Bret to teach young Shawn a lesson but when he clearly couldn't I gained respect for Shawn Michaels much in the same way Bret Hart said he did after Shawn had beaten him.

Shawn Michaels made me a believer after that and I no longer saw him as just a small wrestler with a big character but someone who was a genuine main event talent.

When the Montreal screw job happened I was happy about it and relieved that Bret Hart didn't take the WWF title to wcw. I wasn't sad to see him go, I actually wanted to see him in wcw cause I thought he belonged there with the other old school people and it would be complete while the WWF started a new era.

So my answer is Shawn Michaels.

[jacdnwarrior]

Originally Posted by lowandmighty

However I didn't like the way Bret Hart reacted when they decided there must be a winner. I never suspected Bret Hart as being someone who didn't want to go all the way for the win and would settle with the draw happy to walk away and concede he couldn't beat Shawn Micheals.
I wanted Bret to teach young Shawn a lesson but when he clearly couldn't I gained respect for Shawn Michaels much in the same way Bret Hart said he did after Shawn had beaten him.

That was part of the storyline. In any event

The other problem I had with Shawn was the over promotion of him, the fact he forfeited titles rather than lose them. Then there was the I lost my smile speech and the video as tribute to him. That was such a major turn off for me. I couldn't get behind him after all of that. I just didn't find him a character worth admiring from a fan point of view.

[theHeadliner]

Originally Posted by jacdnwarrior

That was part of the storyline. In any event

The other problem I had with Shawn was the over promotion of him, the fact he forfeited titles rather than lose them. Then there was the I lost my smile speech and the video as tribute to him. That was such a major turn off for me. I couldn't get behind him after all of that. I just didn't find him a character worth admiring from a fan point of view.

The ove promotion, Vince's commentary, his entrance all worked to get him over just as much as his ring work. I agree, his knee was messed up but he could have worked a match just to get the belt off him.

[CrucifiedRaven]

I was always for Bret Hart.

I started watching wrestling regularly around late '92, and Bret was and still is my favourite wrestler of all time. Being from Canada helped too.

I remember the build up to Survivor Series 92. The champion vs champion Bret vs Shawn match. Even back then, I never liked Shawn. Being a kid mark at the time, it was because he was the heel and Bret was the babyface but from WM12 on... and as their rivalry really heated up and got more real, I found myself disliking Shawn even more. I'll tell you, the Canada vs USA angle in '97 was very hot up here in Canada... And what Bret says in his documentary of how he felt like he got to "stand up for Canada" was very true. Myself as a fan really felt like he was.

After the screwjob I was obviously pro-Bret. As time went on though I've learned that neither of them were right in their actions leading up to the screwjob. I've always respected HBK's work in the ring, and now I can look at their rivalry from an unbiased POV. Seeing Bret make amends with both Vince and Shawn, seeing him back in the WWE, and the Greatest Rivalries DVD has given me all of the closure I need on the issue.