Height: 5'11"
Weight: 227 pounds
Finishing Move: The Sharpshooter
From: Calgary Alberta, Canada
Career Highlights:
Owen Hart joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1988-1989. He took on the persona of the Blue Blazer. Owen Hart was under a mask, and he was called the Blue Blazer, the story behind him being the Blazer is that he didn't want to be in the shadow of his older brother, Bret Hart. Bret Hart was doing so well for himself, that Owen wanted to try to make a name for himself. Owen didn't have much success as he was defeated many a time on PPV's and such.
Owen Hart was trained to wrestle right in his very own basement by his father, Stu Hart. Owen is one of the many wrestlers that was trained in Stu Hart's Dungeon. Big names such as Bret Hart, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho and many more have been trained in the Dungeon. The Harts are perhaps the most popular wrestlers that come from Canada.
Owen Hart was de-masked as the Blue Blazer in Mexico or Japan. He wrestled in a mask vs. mask match verses someone, and he lost the match. Owen then came out of the Blue Blazer gimmick and took on another persona known as "The Rocket" Owen Hart. In 1992, Owen Hart put together a Tag Team with former Tag Team Champion Jim "Anvil" Neidhart. Jim Neidhart was a Tag Team Champion with Owen's brother, Bret Hart during the late 80's and early 90's. Owen figured that he can put together a team with the Anvil and hopefully have the success that the original Hart Foundation had. They were called the New Foundation. This team didn't last very long as Jim Neidhart left the Federation for unknown reasons.
Owen Hart then put together a Tag Team called High Energy. Owen and his partner, Koko B. Ware had little success in the Tag Team ranks as they were an underrated team. They were always the underdogs. Many Tag Teams during that time would over power them and defeat them.
Soon after Owen was done being a Tag Team with Koko B. Ware, he decided to become a singles wrestler again. Owen put on tights similar to his brother Bret. He stepped into the shadow of his own brother, after not wanting to. Did it bother him? Did it bother the fans? Nope, the fans figured since they were brothers, they can wrestle and dress alike. Owen's tights were blue and white with a Hart logo on it. Hitman's were pink and black with a Hart logo. Owen and Bret dressed alike, but they sure didn't wrestle alike. Owen Hart was a high flying wrestler, Bret Hart was a technical wrestler. They had very different wrestling styles, thats what made them their own wrestler.
During the later half of 1993, Bret Hart was having problems with one Jerry "The King" Lawler, and at the 1993 Summer Slam, Bret Hart faced Jerry Lawler and Bret's family was in the audience in the front row, and his brothers almost got involved in the Jerry Lawler beating at the PPV. Owen did get involved, because he was allowed to without getting in trouble, because he was a wrestler for the World Wrestling Federation.
How much they'd compete with the 4 Horsemen even if they were in separate Federations, it would be awesome, but it didn't happen. At the Survivor Series, all the brothers wore pink and black tights. It was excellent, the pink and black attack was in full force. Owen Hart was the only one eliminated from that match due to the fact that during an Irish Whip, Bret was walking across the ring apron, and he got in the way of Owen Hart, and Owen knocked him off the apron, and Owen turned around wondering what was wrong, and that gave Shawn Michaels the opportunity to pin Owen, while the other Hart brothers were on the outside of the ring to make sure Bret was ok. After the match was over, the Hart Brothers were celebrating in the ring, and it seemed that Owen was coming back to the ring to celebrate with his brothers, but he didn't do that, he came and interrupted the party by getting in the face of one Bret Hart. There was friction in the Hart Family. Owen was jealous because he wasn't able to win and celebrate the match with his family, and rightfully so.
The Holidays were coming around, and Bret and Owen had made up, and formed a Tag Team. Bret dedicated his career to become a Tag Team with his very own brother Owen Hart. Bret and Owen as a Tag Team went to the 1994 Royal Rumble to go against then Tag Team Champions the Quebecers. The match ended when the Quebecers hurt Bret's leg, and Bret was no longer able to continue, so the ref awarded the match to the Quebecers. After the match, Owen Hart got mad saying all Bret had to do was tag, but he didn't, he tried to put the Sharpshooter on, and could no longer continue. After the match, Bret and Owen got into an argument, and Owen kicked Bret's leg out of his leg. "..thats why I kicked your leg out of your leg." said Owen Hart after the match in an interview. The Royal Rumble contest came along, and Bret and Lex Luger wound up being the winners.
Wrestlemania X was coming around, and being that Lex Luger and Bret Hart both won the 1994 Royal Rumble, they both had to wrestle 2 times that night on their mission to become the World Wrestling Federation Champion. Bret Hart had to go against Owen in the first match that night, and Owen Hart won the match by pinning Bret with a victory roll. Bret Hart then later that night went on to win the World Wrestling Federation Championship. Owen felt that he should be the champion, because he pinned Bret right in the middle of the ring, but that was before Bret was the WWF Champion, so he couldn't be the champion, but that would earn him shots at the WWF title eventually.
Owen Hart wasn't a major player in the World Wrestling Federation until Wrestlemania when he beat his own brother Bret "Hitman" Hart. Owen Hart went into the 1994 King Of The Ring, and defeated Tatanka in the first round, the 123 Kid in the second round, and in the third round, with the help of former Tag Team partner, Jim "Anvil" Neidhart, Owen defeated Razor Ramon to become the 1994 King Of The Ring. Owen was then dubbed the King Of Harts. It was official, the one giving all these bad thoughts to Owen Hart, making him evil was none other than former Tag Team partner of both Bret and Owen, Jim Neidhart. Many thought that it could be Jerry Lawler poisoning the mind of Owen Hart.
Owen Hart earned a shot at his brother in a WWF title match, this wasn't just any regular title match, it was a cage match. It was Summer Slam, cage match, Bret vs. Owen, why was it a cage match? To keep Jim Neidhart out of the ring, did it work? Till the match ended, yes. Bret Hart won the match after getting out of the cage, he retained the World Wrestling Federation Title. After the match ended, Owen and Anvil got Bret back in the ring, and they started beating on him, and brother-in-law that was in the audience, British Bulldog got in the ring to make the save for Bret Hart. Yes, the British Bulldog was back with the Federation.
The 1994 Survivor Series came around, and there was a match up set. Bret Hart vs. Bob Backlund in a Throw in the Towel match, and Owen Hart was in the corner of Bob Backlund, and if Owen threw in the towel during the match up, Bob Backlund would lose the match. The British Bulldog was in the corner of Bret Hart, and during the match, Owen Hart chased the Bulldog around the ring, causing him to get knocked out by falling into the steel stairs. Bret no longer had anyone in his corner to throw in the towel, and during this, Bob Backlund had the Cross Faced Chicken Wing on Bret. Bret and Owen's parents were in the front row of the audience, and Owen convinced his mother to throw in the towel for Bret, causing him to lose the match, and the World Wrestling Federation Championship. Bob Backlund was the new WWF Champion courtesy of Helen Hart. Also in the Survivor Series that year, Owen was involved in a Survivor Series match up, Diesel, Shawn Michaels, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart and Double J vs. Razor Ramon, The British Bulldog, 123 Kid and The Headshrinkers. The Teamsters eliminated everyone except for Razor Ramon, and when Shawn Michaels kicked Diesel with the super kick, accidentally. Shawn left the ring, and Diesel was chasing after him, and everyone was chasing after Diesel, so the whole team was counted out, and Razor Ramon won the match for The Bad Guys.
Owen Hart was entered into the 1995 Royal Rumble, but he was unable to win it as Shawn Michaels came out the winner of that one. Bret Hart had a match against Big Daddy Cool Diesel for the World Wrestling Federation Championship. Not too long after Bob Backlund beat Bret Hart for the WWF title, Diesel and Backlund had a match, and Diesel won the match and the WWF belt in 8 seconds. Perhaps this was record breaking history, fastest time for someone to win the WWF title. Anyway, Bret Hart and Diesel were going at it, and during the match, Owen Hart came to the ring and tried to cost his brother Bret the match, making it so Bret can't win the WWF title. The ref wouldn't allow it and made the match continue. Later in the match, a lot of people started interfering and the ref had no other choice but to award the match a draw. Diesel retained his title.
Owen Hart wasn't having much success in singles ranks, so eventually, he decided to go back to Tag Team Ranks. Wrestlemania XI came along, and Owen Hart was going into Wrestlemania with a mystery tag team partner against then Tag Team Champions, The Smoking Gunns. Owen's partner turned out to be the man that beat Bret Hart right there at Wrestlemania for the WWF Title 2 years before. He was none other than Yokozuna. Owen Hart and Yokozuna became a Tag Team in the World Wrestling Federation, and they won the WWF Tag Team Belts! They defeated the Smoking Gunns. As Owen Hart formed a team with Yokozuna, The British Bulldog formed a with Lex Luger called The Allied Powers. Two new teams were formed that night.
Owen Hart and Yokozuna went onto the first ever In Your House to defend the belts against former Champions, the Smoking Gunns. Of course, the Smoking Gunns deserved the rematch, and they got it, the only problem is that they weren't able to capture the gold again, they lost the match.
The July In Your House came along, and Owen and Yokozuna went on to defend their titles against a newly formed team in Lex Luger and the British Bulldog. Owen and Yokozuna defeated the Bulldog and Luger when Yokozuna was able to get a big legdrop on Lex Luger, then he pinned him. They retained the titles as a result of this.
Yokozuna and Owen Hart were supposed to defend their Tag Team Titles against the Intercontinental Champion and the World Wrestling Federation Champion. All four titles were supposed to be on the line, if Owen were to pin Diesel, he'd become the WWF Champion. If Yokozuna were to pin Shawn Michaels, he'd become the Intercontinental Champion. If Diesel or Shawn Michaels pinned either Yokozuna or Owen Hart, they'd become the Tag Team Champions. This was a bonus for Owen and Yokozuna because not only were they defending their titles, they also had a chance at the World Wrestling Federation and Intercontinental Championships. Well, the night came along, and Owen Hart did not show up to be in the Tag match. So Jim Cornette had to find a new partner for Yokozuna to defend the Tag Team Titles. The British Bulldog was the new partner for that one night for Yokozuna. They got into the match, and Owen Hart came to the ring and tried to interfere in the match trying to retain the titles for his team, but Big Daddy Cool Diesel got a hold of him and put him in the Jackknife and pinned him. Diesel and Shawn Michaels won the Tag Team Gold! Just one thing, Owen Hart was not the Tag Team Champion that night, so Owen Hart wasn't the legal man to pin. Therefore, Diesel and Shawn Michaels did not become the new WWF Tag Team Champions, and they also retained their gold.
Not too long after the September In Your House, Yokozuna and Owen Hart lost the WWF Tag Team Belts back to the Smoking Gunns on an edition of Monday Night RAW. Owen Hart and Yokozuna didn't stay as a Tag Team much long after they lost the belts.
Survivor Series 1995 came along, and Owen Hart was thrown into a mix in a Wild Card Survivor Series match up. It was Shawn Michaels, Sid, Ahmed Johnson and the British Bulldog vs. Owen Hart, Dean Douglas, Yokozuna and Razor Ramon. Owen Hart and his teammates were eliminated from the match up. Ahmed Johnson and Shawn Michaels won the match up. The next night on Monday Night RAW, Owen Hart and Shawn Michaels were going on one one against each other, and during that match, Owen got the enziguri on Shawn Michaels, and after that, Shawn Michaels collapsed in the middle of the ring. Why'd he collapse? Either Owen Hart just kicked him that hard, or Shawn was still suffering from the injury he sustained when 9 thugs attacked him in New York.
The December 1995 In Your House came along, and being that Owen Hart put Shawn Michaels out of action, Big Daddy Cool Diesel wanted to get a little bit of payback, a little bit of revenge if you will. Owen Hart went against Diesel at the PPV, and he lost as a result of the Jackknife powerbomb.
Shawn Michaels won the 1996 Royal Rumble, and he earned a shot to go to Wrestlemania and wrestle for the World Wrestling Federation Title. Owen Hart felt that since he was the one to take Shawn Michaels out of action before the Royal Rumble, that he should be the one going to Wrestlemania fighting for the WWF title, so he challenged Shawn Michaels to put his title shot up for grabs, and he did that at the 1996 February In Your House. Owen Hart didn't win the match, but it was one hell of a match put on by both competitors.
Owen Hart went to Wrestlemania XII with Camp Cornette, Bulldog and Vader, to go against Ahmed Johnson, Yokozuna and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Camp Cornette won the match after Vader gave the Vader Bomb to Jake Roberts. Being that Yokozuna was no longer part of Camp Cornette, Owen Hart and Yokozuna were no longer a tag team.
Owen Hart and the British Bulldog eventually went on to form a Tag Team. They didn't have a Tag Team name, but they did good for themselves in the Tag Team ranks. The Bulldog and Owen Hart went onto the April 1996 In Your House to go against Ahmed Johnson and Jake Roberts. Bulldog and Owen Hart won the match after The Bulldog forced Roberts to submit to a boston crab. The British Bulldog got a shot at the World Wrestling Federation Title at the May 1996 In Your House and the Bulldog seemingly won the match and the World Wrestling Federation Belt, and Owen Hart came out to celebrate with his Tag Team Partner and brother-in-law, The British Bulldog. Davey Boy Smith did not win the WWF belt. Neither man won the match.
While the Slammy Award winning Owen Hart was injured during the King Of The Ring, he wasn't able to compete at the event. His Tag Team Partner got a rematch for the World Wrestling Federation Championship. It was a hard fought match by both men, but Shawn Michaels came out the winner and retained his World Wrestling Federation Belt.
The July 1996 In Your House came along, and it was supposed to be The Ultimate Warrior, Ahmed Johnson and Shawn Michaels to go against Owen Hart, The British Bulldog and Vader. Being that the Ultimate Warrior disappeared from the Federation, he wasn't able to be at the event. Sycho Sid took his spot in the six man tag team match up. The British Bulldog, Vader and Owen Hart walked out the winners of that match as Vader gave Shawn Michaels the Vader Bomb to get the win! It would have and could have been a much better match up if the Ultimate Warrior didn't walk out on the Federation, but shit happens.
Owen Hart went onto the 1996 Summer Slam in some more singles competition against one Savio Vega. Owen Hart won the match after he hit Savio Vega with his cast that he had on his injured arm, and then he locked the Sharpshooter on and Savio Vega gave up. "Unfortunately, Savio accidentally hit his head on my cast. After he knocked himself out, the rest was easy." said Owen Hart after the match up.
After being in singles competition for a while, Owen Hart and the British Bulldog decided to do more Tag Team matches, and they started at In Your House Mind Games in September 1996. Owen Hart and the British Bulldog went against the two men that beat Yokozuna and Owen Hart for the Tag Team gold. Owen Hart and the Bulldog got a shot at the Tag Team Belts instantly, they defeated The Smoking Gunns and won the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team straps for the first time as a team. Mind you, these two guys have held these belts with other partners, but this was the first time they held it as a team. The Smoking Gunns got a rematch for the Tag Team Gold at In Your House: Buried Alive in October of 1996, but they failed to capture the gold. Owen and Bulldog retained their titles.
Owen Hart and his partner were teamed up with the New Rockers in Marty Jannetty and Leif Cassidy, now known as Al Snow. They took on Doug Furnas and Philip LaFon along with the Godwinns. This was a Survivor Series match. It was part of the 1996 Survivor Series, Furnas and LaFon wound up winning that match being the Survivors of the match up. Being that they beat the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions, that would sure give them a shot at the Tag Team Belts.
