Hart tragedy overshadows Taker win
By JOHN POWELL -- SLAM!
Wrestling
The Undertaker chokes out Steve Austin as special guest ref Shane McMahon looks on.
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It is with a heavy heart that I write this wrestling report. Tonight
wrestling fans lost a talented athlete, a dedicated entertainer and a great
Canadian in a needless tragedy but more importantly, Owen Hart's friends
and family lost a son, a brother, a father and a good friend.
The last time I interviewed Owen at Toronto's SkyDome in 1998, he conveyed his desire to leave professional wrestling and become a teacher.
"I'd like to get out of wrestling totally when I'm done. I say that now
but I'll probably end up being involved with it until I'm Ric Flair's age,"
said Owen expressing his love for the sport. A sport he died for last night.
All of us at SLAM! Wrestling offer our prayers and condolences to the
family and friends of Owen Hart in their time of need.
I'll be honest. This won't be the most detailed or accurate report I've
ever written. Understandably, my thoughts and prayers were elsewhere
throughout the course of the broadcast and the meaningless events that
unfolded following Owen's accident.
Scheduled to wrestle at the third bout of the evening against The Godfather
in an Intercontinental Championship match, Owen fell 18 metres to his death from the ceiling of the Kemper Arena in Kansas City in front of a live
audience who were being shown a video clip package of Owen's interviews as the Blue Blazer. Hart was to repel down from the ceiling to the ring. The
pay-per-view audience watching at home did not see Owen's accident or the
aftermath. The producers cut to other promos, the live audience and a
serious Jim Ross at the announcer's table reiterating that the situation
was not any sort of wrestling angle but a real life catastrophe.
OWEN HART, GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN:
SLAM! Wrestling's John Powell (left) interviews Owen Hart (center) at SkyDome in 1998.
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Prior to The Rock and Triple H match, Jim Ross with a stone-faced Jerry
Lawler sitting beside him, broke the tragic news to the pay-per-view
audience.
"Ladies and gentleman, earlier tonight here in Kansas City tragedy befell
the World Wrestling Federation and all of us. Owen Hart was set to make an
entrance from the ceiling and he fell from the ceiling. I have the
unfortunate responsibility to let everyone know that Owen Hart has died.
Owen Hart has tragically died from that accident here tonight," said Ross
as the camera cut away to a full view of the arena.
Stunned by the accident, the WWF talent continued on with the Over The Edge
pay-per-view though the feelings over the loss of their friend and collegue
were visible in their somber ring entrances which were devoid of any
enthusiasm or excitement. Therefore, I can't in good conscience rate this
pay-per-view or any of its matches. It wouldn't be fair to you, the fans,
and the World Wrestling Federation.
Some wrestlers paid tribute throughout the pay-per-view to Owen in their
own way. Debra McMichael broke down and cried as she cut her promo hyping
the mixed tag team match. "We love you, Owen," she said sobbing. The Rock
echoed McMichael's statement over an announcer's headset in his match
against Hunter-Hearst Helmsley later in the evening. "Road Dogg" Jesse
Jaames ended his promo extending his prayers to Owen and his family.
There was no substitution for the Hart - Godfather match so Over The Edge
ended earlier a usual WWF pay-per-view. In the main event of the evening,
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin lost the WWF World Heavyweight Championship to
The Undertaker due to the chicanery of Shane McMahon.
On Sunday Night Heat, WWF owner Vince McMahon, slated to co-ref the world
title match with Shane, has his ankle snapped by the Corporate Ministry.
Pat Patterson attempted to take Vince's place however The Undertaker
chokeslammed him into oblivion. Austin and The Undertaker worked over each
other's legs all through the match. Brawling in the entrance way, The
Undertaker missed a punch and his hand went through one of the stained
glass window props hanging there. Austin slammed Taker's head through
another such window also.
Gerald Brisco tried to sub for Vince too. A big boot from The Undertaker
knocked him out of commission. McMahon did manage to limp out to the ring
slapping the canvass twice following a Stunner on The Undertaker but Shane
pulled Vince into a corner breaking the count. With his back turned to
Austin, Vince argued with Shane. As Austin spin Vince around, Shane shoved
McMahon into Austin. The Undertaker rolled on top of Austin. Shane hit a
quick three count declaring Taker the new WWF World Heavyweight Champion.
Austin stomped a mudhole in the Undertaker and fought off The Corporate
Ministry with a steel chair.
WWF pay-per-view is the King Of The Ring on June 27th.
WWF Over The Edge Results
X-Pac, Kane (champions) Vs D'Lo, Mark Henry (challengers) (WWF World
Tag Team Title Match)
Kane shows off some new moves. He chokeslams Mark Henry for the win.
Winners: ...and still WWF World Tag Team Champions...X-Pac, Kane.
Hardcore Holly (challenger) Vs Al Snow (champion)
(Hardcore Title Match)
Food fight. Snow and Holly brawl at a concession stand throwing pizza
and funnel cakes at each other.
Snow hits a powerbomb through a table to retain his title.
Winner: ...and still WWF Hardcore Champion...Al Snow.
Val Venis, Nicole Bass Vs Debra McMichael, Jeff Jarrett
Venis and Bass are victorious. Bass forcibly plants one on Venis and
he likes it!
Winners: Venis, Bass.
Billy Gunn Vs Road Dogg
Tape to the throat, Time-keeper's hammer to the head and a tug of the
tights gets Gunn the 1-2-3 over his former tag team partner.
Winner: Billy Gunn.
The Corporate Ministry Vs The Union
Test is pinned by Bradshaw. Bradshaw submits to Shamrock's Ankle Lock.
Shamrock is disqualified for belly to belly suplexing the ref. Wight
Chokeslams (now called The Showstopper) Faarooq and pins him. Wight and
Viscera brawl to the back and are counted out. Bossman submits to Mankind's
Socco.
Winner: Mankind , The Union.
Hunter-Hearst Helmsley Vs The Rock
Chyna and Triple H sneak attack The Rock cutting off his cast. Mankind
(carrying a steel pipe) saves The Rock.
Triple H is disqualified for punching the ref. Rocky chairs shots,
posts and smacks an electric fan into Triple H's head. Hunter bleeds.
Maivia Rock Bottoms Triple H in the middle of the ring. Chyna stops The
People's Elbow. Hunter chair shots The Rock. Mankind makes the save driving
Hunter and Chyna off.
Winner: By disqualification, The Rock.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin (champion) Vs The Undertaker (challenger)
(WWF World Heavyweight Title Match)
Winner: ...and new WWF World Heavyweight Champion...The Undertaker
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