WWE Hall of Famer The Godfather recently looked back on his friendship with the late Owen Hart and the tragic night of his passing at the Over The Edge pay-per-view in 1999. Speaking on the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast, he recounted the original plans for his scheduled Intercontinental Championship defense against Owen that fateful night.
The Godfather spoke fondly of his friendship with Owen, calling him the “best guy in the world” and a “badass jokester.” He credited Owen with helping him adjust during his first international tours. “When I went to Germany for the first time, he taught me how to go around and order food,” he recalled. “When I went to Japan for the first time, he taught me how to take the subway, the trolleys, eat food. Just, just good dude, man.”
The Match That Never Happened
He then discussed the creative plan for their Intercontinental Championship match, where he was set to lose the title to Hart. “I was the Intercontinental champ at that time, and they were going to drop it on him, because Vince says that the belt, I had the girls, so that the belt didn’t really mean anything [on me],” The Godfather explained. “They wanted to put it on somebody that it would [mean something to]. So, you know, I’m like, ‘Hey, I’ll drop that belt to Owen.’ And then that happened that night.”
A Tragic Night Backstage
The Godfather recounted being backstage when the accident occurred and the difficult moments that followed. “Sad, very sad. I didn’t see it happen. I was behind the curtain with the girls firing them up, and then it was either Bruce Prichard or whoever was at the table, they like, ‘Owen fell,'” he said. “And I just remember seeing Owen when he came through the curtain and he was blue and he was, he’s already gone. And I really, honestly, I don’t remember much about that… sad night, man, sad night.”
The Aftermath
He also remembered the emotional TV taping the following day, where the show went on despite the tragedy. He was scheduled to wrestle Road Dogg, and he recalled their conversation before the match. “I’m like, ‘Dude, you feel like doing this s—?’ And he’s like, ‘No,’ and he’s like, ‘No,’ like, ‘Man, me and you go downtown St. Louis, man and roll up a fatty for Owen, man and smoke it out.’ You know, I think that’s what we did,” he shared.
The death of Owen Hart on May 23, 1999, remains one of the most tragic events in the history of professional wrestling. His life and career are now celebrated annually through the Owen Hart Foundation Cup tournament, which is presented in partnership between AEW and his widow, Dr. Martha Hart.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit No Contest Wrestling Podcast with O’Shea Jackson with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
