Diana Hart Smith Talks WWE Changing Shawn Michaels - Davey Boy Smith Finish, Montreal Screwjob
I recently spoke with Diana Hart-Smith, member of the legendary Hart wrestling family about a variety of topics. During the conversation, naturally the topic of the Montreal Screwjob came up.
Several weeks prior to the Montreal incident, Diana's late husband, Davey Boy Smith, was booked to retain his WWF European Championship at the company's One Night Only pay-per-view in England. However, the day of the match, plans mysteriously changed, giving opponent Shawn Michaels the title win. Diana told me that later, the family wondered if the plan for Montreal was in motion as far back as One Night Only.
"I don't recall Davey having any hard feelings with anyone," Diana said. "When the Montreal thing happened with Bret, we started thinking back and wondering if there was more to that match. Suddenly the finish changing the afternoon of the pay-per-view, we wondered if things were being put in place where they were immobilizing The Hart Foundation, taking away all the power to get ready for the Montreal match with Bret. I'm thinking that we didn't know if Bret was going to give his notice. Bret might have known."
Davey Boy would leave the WWE immediately following the Montreal Screwjob, heading to WCW for a short stint. He returned to the company in 1999 before being released in 2000.
We'll have the full interview with Diana Hart-Smith next week, where she talks about her experience in wrestling, the rift between Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid, The Hart Wrestling Family, her son wrestling, and her new novel, Cauliflower Heart: A Romantic Wrestler. You can purchase her book at this link.