“They were in a fight” – JBL recalls real-life backstage WWE altercation

John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) joined WWE in 1995 when Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were two of the company’s biggest stars. In a recent podcast episode, the Hall of Famer recalled how the legendary rivals got into a real-life fight backstage.

On June 9, 1997, Hart and Michaels’ legitimate issues led to an altercation in a locker room bathroom before a RAW episode in Hartford, Connecticut. A month earlier, the tension between the two intensified when Michaels implied that Hart had been having an affair with fellow WWE star Sunny.

JBL said on Something to Wrestle that wrestler Davey Boy Smith and producer Pat Patterson stepped in to break things up. He also dismissed rumors that the fight only involved hair-pulling:

“It wasn’t a hair-pulling fight,” JBL stated. “They were in a fight. They came to blows. These are tough guys. They’re not gonna sit there and pull each other’s hair. Now, some hair did come out, but that’s what happens in a fight. You grab hold of whatever you can for leverage or whatever you need. That’s what happened. Bret pulled Shawn’s hair out.” [33:05 – 33:21]

Five months after the fight, the infamous Montreal Screwjob incident occurred at Survivor Series 1997. Hart, on the verge of joining WCW, refused to lose the WWE Championship to Michaels. As a result, Vince McMahon booked Michaels to win without informing The Hitman.

JBL reflects on Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels’ relationship

In the 1990s, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were widely viewed as two of the world’s best wrestlers. They met in a 60-minute Ironman match in the WrestleMania 12 main event in 1996, with Michaels securing the win in sudden death overtime.

JBL, a WWE rookie in those days, added that everyone in the locker room knew Hart and Michaels’ animosity would lead to a backstage incident:

“They didn’t like each other. There was a personality conflict and they both were going for the same spot. They’re both good guys. You knew this was gonna happen. I don’t think anybody was shocked that it happened. I think they were shocked that it took that long to happen. We knew it was gonna happen.” [33:36 – 33:54]

In 2024, Hart confirmed on Casual Conversations with The Classic that he and Michaels are “on good terms” and “respectful” when they see each other.

What are your thoughts on Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels’ past issues? Hit the discuss button and let us know.

Please credit Something to Wrestle and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.