Matter of Opinion... WM 21 - HBK vs. Triple H. And your referee,...

October 14th, 2004

It’s after the Royal Rumble and Shawn Michaels has done the impossible, he has once again won the Royal Rumble match. He is now on the way to WM 21 to face Triple H, the World Champion.

Over the next few weeks, Michaels gets the upper hand on Triple H and Evolution. No matter Evolution does, Michaels seems to escape and ‘Pearl Harbor’ attacks and Evolution is getting frustrated.   Bischoff comes out on RAW and proclaims that the Triple H/HBK match set for WM 21 is carrying a lot of history and this will be the final and most explosive match of them all. Bischoff adds that he does not feel that just any referee can keep this match under control. One man knows both of these guys very well and would know what to expect in this type of match. Ladies and gentlemen, the special guest referee for the main event at WM 21………………Bret Hart! Bret comes down to the ring and stands beside Bischoff. Bret says that he has never forgotten how he was screwed in the WWE. He was screwed by Vince, by Shawn Michaels and by the fans. (Footage is played of the 1997 screw job).

Shawn comes out and lets Bret know that he was clean of the 1997 events and he is sorry for what happened. Shawn is also sorry for what happened to Bret in WCW, with the career ending kick to the head.   Bret ignores Shawn and simply walks out of the ring. Bischoff is laughing all by himself and Shawn hits him with some ‘Sweet Chin Music’.   The next week on RAW, Vince comes out and says he cannot believe that Bret has come back to the WWE, he never expected the Hitman to grace a WWE ring again. This brings out Bret. Bret says he used to look up to Vince, now he looks down on him. Bret says Vince should believe that he is here and the only reason he is here is because the one man who gave him a chance in WCW, has given him a chance to come home to the WWE, Eric Bischoff. Bret says he doesn’t care about the WWE or anyone else, he is just finishing off what started in 1997.

With that, Bret says he is going to finish off something he started in 1997. He spits in Vince’s face and then makes his way up the ramp. Bret takes the monitors from the announcers table and starts smashing them on the ramp. Bret then grabs a mic and as Vince is still standing in the ring, berates him. Bret tells Vince that if Vince decides to show up at WM 21, Bret just may knock him out again.

For the following weeks, Bischoff and Triple H are gloating about having Bret on their side. In one pre-tape, Triple H and Bret are conversing. Bret says he never blamed Triple H for what happened, even though Triple H and Shawn were good friends in 1997. Bret says he admires the athlete that Triple H has become.   WM 21: Los Angeles, CA   Bret comes out for the main event as cocky as ever and has little respect for the fans. Shawn Michaels comes out and he tries to talk to Bret, but Bret bails out of the ring. Here comes Triple H, all by himself.   The match starts and it seems like Bret is siding with Triple H. The match goes to the outside and all around the ring, until Bret finally gets both men inside. Triple H brings in a chair. The chair is on the mat as both men are going at it. Shawn goes down, Triple H grabs the chair. As Shawn is getting to his feet, Triple H swings the chair, but Bret grabs it. Triple H cannot believe it and is furious. Bret is yelling at Triple H.

This brings Bischoff down and gives Michaels some time to get to his feet. Shawn hits some moves on Triple H. Bischoff is on the apron and calls Bret over. Bret decks Bischoff. Michaels looks at Bret. Bret just stares at Michaels. Triple H is back up and Michaels and Triple H go toe to toe. Michaels gets the upper hand and knocks Triple H toward where the chair has landed. Triple picks it up and swings for Bret, Bret ducks and Triple H turns into some ‘Sweet Chin Music’, knocking Triple H out cold. Bischoff slides in and Bret puts Bischoff in a Sharp Shooter, with Bret facing Shawn on Triple H. Bret let’s go of Bischoff and counts, 1,2…..thinks about it and then 3. New World Champion, Shawn Michaels!
 
Bret and Shawn stare down again. Shawn puts out his hand and Bret gracefully shakes it, hands Shawn the title and another impossible has happened, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart standing hand in hand in the middle of a WWE ring!
 
The next night on RAW Bret could come out and do his retirement speech. Much like that of Foley, the WWE Superstars can come out and pay tribute to an amazing career and an amazing talent. Vince would then come out and offer his public apology for 1997. (Note: I’m not saying a public apology is warranted, but I’m sure to have Bret back in the WWE, this is something that Bret would want).
 
Comments: pete@irishpete.com