The Patriot Del Wilkes Says It’s Good That Some People Think The Montreal Screwjob Was A Work

In an interview with Wrestling Inc, ‘The Patriot’ Del Wilkes said that he thinks it’s good that some people question whether or not the Montreal Screwjob was real or not, because that’s how the wrestling business used to be. Here are highlights:

On his return to WWF in 1997: “I felt like it was the right place to be. I’d spent a number of years working for All Japan and worked in the states for Global Wrestling Federation. Then of course the two-time tag team champions in WCW as Stars and Stripes with [Marcus] Bagwell. But I was nearing the end of my career and it was good to be able to come back home and do it in the WWF on a grand stage. There couldn’t be any better way to make my debut that night with Austin and Sid, Heartbreak Kid and Ken Shamrock and then having a stare down with the Hart Foundation.”

On who brought him back: “Well I talked with Jim Ross several times and Bruce Prichard reached out to me when I was in Global and first started doing The Patriot character. Bruce was there in Global and [Jim] Cornette contacted me and reached out to me. So, I had several people from WWF who reached out to me and eventually I set up a meeting with Vince. We talked one-on-one for about three hours and I walked out of there with a three-year contract offer. Within two days I contacted Vince and said I’m all on board and signed the contract. The rest is history.”

On working with Bret Hart while Hart was having issues with Shawn Michaels: “I’m working with Bret Hart every night for this America-Canada program and there’s issues between Bret and Shawn Michaels. Working so close with Bret, I get to hear his displeasure with the direction of the company and with Shawn. So, there were a lot of different things going on at that time that made it a really interesting time to be a part of that company.”

On the Attitude Era: “This is an industry that is built more to appeal to kids, but we’re gonna give this more adult-oriented appeal and content. Bret didn’t like it and to be honest, I didn’t really like it either. He didn’t feel that pro wrestling should stoop to that.”

On people who think the Montreal Screwjob was a work: “I think it’s good that many question if it was a work. There’s nothing wrong with that and that used to be the way the business was. Everybody would claim that it was fake…”