close
close

Vince McMahon explains the shocking reason WWE did NOT shut down the show following Owen Hart’s death following a tragic fall on-air in 1999 as new details emerge

Posted on by angelo
Vince McMahon explains the shocking reason WWE did NOT shut down the show following Owen Hart’s death following a tragic fall on-air in 1999 as new details emerge

  • Wrestler Owen Hart died during a 1999 WWE pay-per-view event.
  • Vince McMahon then made the controversial decision not to end the series.

By Adrian Bishop

Published: | Updated:

On May 23, 1999, one of the most tragic incidents in professional wrestling history occurred at a WWE pay-per-view in Kansas City, Missouri.

That night, Owen Hart, a member of the famous Hart family dynasty, was scheduled to perform at the Blue Blazer in an intercontinental title match against the Godfather.

Hart’s entrance as the comic superhero character that night was to see him descend from the rafters before a harness malfunction saw him fall more than 78 feet to his death inside the ring.

While commentator Jim Ross later informed fans watching PPV of Hart’s tragic passing, the live audience in attendance was not informed of Hart’s condition.

The incident is one of the most infamous in WWE history, with then-owner Vince McMahon controversially choosing to continue with the event.

Vince McMahon explains the shocking reason WWE did NOT shut down the show following Owen Hart’s death following a tragic fall on-air in 1999 as new details emerge

New details have emerged more than 25 years after Owen Hart’s tragic death at a WWE event.

Speaking as part of the Netflix documentary Mr McMahon chronicling his life in wrestling, the 79-year-old explained why he decided the series would continue.

“The decision I had to make was whether or not the series would continue.” » McMahon said.

“The live audience didn’t really see what happened. If they had, I would have had to end the show.

“These people came to see a show. They didn’t come to see someone die. And for me, as a businessman, it’s, ‘Okay, let’s move on. Let’s keep the show going.’

McMahon added that he would have wanted the show to go on if he had been the one to take the fatal fall.

“I would like the show to go on,” he continued. “Get me out of here and start the show.”

The incident led to numerous lawsuits to determine who was responsible for this tragic accident.

Then, WWE chief Vince McMahon defended his decision to continue the show following Hart's death.

Then, WWE chief Vince McMahon defended his decision to continue the show following Hart’s death.

Hart’s widow, Martha Hart, sued WWE, with a settlement reached the following year that saw the company pay her estate $18 million.

WWE sued Lewmar LTD, the stunt company responsible for manufacturing the faulty harness that led to Hart’s death, and reached a $9 million settlement in 2003, with the company admitting no wrongdoing in the case .