WWE's Cody Rhodes Questions Legitimacy Of Famous Wrestling Documentary

In 1998, a film called "Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows" was released, depicting Bret Hart's final days with Vince McMahon's WWF before leaving for WCW. The documentary covers the "Montreal Screwjob," including the aftermath backstage, and over the years it's been maintained that the entire situation was real and not just a wrestling storyline. 

Appearing on "The Bill Simmons Podcast," Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes shared some doubt regarding the legitimacy of "Wrestling with Shadows." Explaining himself, Rhodes questioned the idea that the normally secretive McMahon would allow a documentary crew backstage without attempting to construct an angle around it.

"I've never heard from either [Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels] that it wasn't as real as it could possibly get, and maybe it was," Rhodes said. "It certainly ended up being real, no doubt. However, I have questions. There was a documentary crew backstage at a company that never, ever allows anything like that? There was a mic in the room? Hmm. Hmm."

Rhodes acknowledged that Hart spitting on McMahon did genuinely happen, but the WWE star implied that it all could've been planned in advance. He had a similar train of thought regarding the 2005 feud between Michaels and Hulk Hogan, when it was rumored that Michaels was angry about his storyline with Hogan and oversold all of his offense during their WWE SummerSlam match. 

"Shawn Michaels was my favorite wrestler growing up, and I'm probably sitting here making him mad. He's still my favorite wrestler," Rhodes continued. "[People] are like, 'Aw, you can tell he's mad at Hogan.' But is he? Or [does] this just seem like the one real thing on the show, when you knew everything else was fictional?"

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Bill Simmons Podcast" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.