Ahmed Johnson recently recalled how Vince McMahon told WWE Superstars they could leave if they had a problem with the Montreal Screwjob.
Vince McMahon held a meeting with the WWE roster one day after the incident took place at Survivor Series 1997. Johnson was one of the few WWE Superstars who spoke up about McMahon’s controversial decision to take the WWE Championship off Bret Hart.
Speaking on the LI#1 Pro Wrestling Broadcast, Johnson said McMahon thought he was right to make Shawn Michaels the new WWE Champion:
“Yeah, I did speak out during our meeting the next day. I did speak out against what I thought was wrong. Vince was leading the meeting and basically his answer was, ‘If you don’t like what we’re doing here, move on.’ Oh yeah, [nervous people backstage that day],” he said.
Johnson added that Michaels’ backstage group, The Kliq, were together more than usual on the day of Survivor Series 1997. He suspected that something major was going to happen later that night, but he did not know what they had planned.
Ahmed Johnson felt bad about Vince McMahon’s treatment of Bret Hart
WCW-bound Bret Hart thought he was going to retain the WWE Championship against Shawn Michaels in Montreal. However, fearing that Hart could appear in WCW with the WWE Championship, Vince McMahon changed the finish to the match without The Hitman knowing.
Ahmed Johnson had sympathy for Hart after the unexpected title change, especially as the match took place in his home country of Canada:
“Oh man, I felt so sorry for Bret on that one. I couldn’t believe they were gonna do that in his hometown, man. Yes, it did [give him second thoughts about the wrestling business]. It played a big part in my decision when I left. He [Bret Hart] was cool, he was Bret. I didn’t have a problem with him,” Johnson said.
Bret Hart left WWE immediately after the Montreal Screwjob incident in November 1997. Three months later, Ahmed Johnson also departed WWE after a three-year run with Vince McMahon’s company.
Please credit LI#1 Pro Wrestling Broadcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.