WWE Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle has taken to social media to launch a public search for one of the rarest and most historically significant matches of his early career: a lost bout against the legendary Owen Hart, which took place just five days before Hart’s tragic death.
In a recent post on X, Angle reached out to the wrestling community in hopes of finally seeing the footage of this memorable encounter, which has become a famous piece of “lost media” among wrestling fans.
Kurt Angle’s Public Plea
Angle shared his personal memories of the match and made a direct request to his followers for any existing recordings.
“In 1999 I had the privilege of wrestling the legendary Owen Hart in a dark match in the WWE 5 days before his unfortunate death,” Angle wrote. “Til this day, I haven’t seen any video footage of it. If anyone has ever seen the footage of my match with Owen, message me in the comments below. Someone had to record it. #itstrue”
The History of a Lost Match
The match in question took place on May 17, 1999, before a WWF Sunday Night Heat taping. As a “dark match,” it was not intended for television broadcast and served as a tryout for Angle, who had not yet made his official on-screen debut for the company. The bout pitted the legendary Owen Hart against the future main event star in what would tragically be one of Hart’s final performances.
Because the match never aired, no official footage has ever been commercially released. For decades, the primary hope has been that a fan in attendance might have recorded the bout. However, there is a possibility that WWE might possess a master tape in their extensive archives, as the company often recorded non-televised matches for internal purposes. If such a master recording exists, fans are hopeful it could one day be released on a platform like the official WWE Vault YouTube channel.
In 1999 I had the privilege of wrestling the legendary Owen Hart in a dark match in the WWE 5 days before his unfortunate death. Til this day, I haven’t seen any video footage of it. If anyone has ever seen the footage of my match with Owen, message me in the comments below.… pic.twitter.com/NT46RX7q9P
— Kurt Angle (@RealKurtAngle) July 17, 2025
A Historically Significant Encounter
The match holds a unique place in wrestling history. It represents a “passing of the torch” moment, albeit one that was never seen by a wide audience. It featured a beloved and highly respected veteran in Hart giving a future WWE Champion and Hall of Famer, Angle, one of his first experiences in a WWE ring.
Angle has spoken about the match in past interviews, recalling his nervousness and the kindness Hart showed him as a newcomer. The match itself was reportedly a solid, technical bout that impressed WWE officials at the time. Angle’s public search has renewed hope among fans that a recording of this significant, yet unseen, piece of wrestling history might finally surface.
