Road Dogg Recalls Backstage WWE Fight Similar To The Elite And CM Punk

The bad blood between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels that boiled over in the infamous Montreal Screwjob began to percolate six months earlier in a locker room brawl between the two wrestlers.

On the "Oh...You Didn't Know" podcast, Road Dogg recalled being present for the brawl that took place on June 9, 1997, after a "Raw" event in Hartford, Conn. Although he didn't see the fight begin, Road Dogg considered it childish.

"I've seen this same thing happen in my backyard a million times,'" he said, noting that Hart and Michaels were pulling each other's long hair. "They were locked up, not really throwing no punches, but Shawn lost a chunk of hair."

Rodd Dogg said that Jerry Lawler, whom he sarcastically referred to as "tough as shoe leather," separated the men, noting "the fact that he broke up the fight kind of tells me how vicious a fight it was at the time." He also stated that while he's "seen a lot better fights, [I'm] glad I didn't see a better one here."

Without mentioning specific names, Road Dogg acknowledged the recent backstage brawl involving AEW talent and pointed out the different reaction to that incident versus similar situations in the past.

"One just happened not long ago that made the stinking news, and people are getting fired," he said. "And, holy mackerel, it used to happen all the time ... it was just like, 'Oh, the boys will be boys and they'll beat each other up and then they'll fight together.'"

Road Dogg speculated that the fight between Hart and Michaels might have fueled the decision by then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon to ease Hart out of WWF and encourage him to sign with WCW, observing that "it was uncomfortable" to have dissension in the ranks.

"If there's real animosity in there, that's a cancer that needs to be extracted," Road Dog said, stressing that the level of rancor and not Hart himself was the cancer creating the "fevered pitch" atmosphere.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Oh... You Didn't Know" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.