10 Most Horrific Accidents In Wrestling History

1. Owen Hart Tragically Falls

Owen Hart Blue Bolt Owen Hart€™s tragic death is the most well known accident in the world of professional wrestling. May 23, 1999 was one of the saddest days in sports entertainment history, and it could have been completely avoided. Leading up to the Over the Edge €˜99 pay-per-view, Owen had rekindled his Blue Blazer gimmick. The character was meant to be a cheesy, over-the-top superhero who was often laughed at by fans, because he was essentially in the wrong decade. At the PPV event, Owen was set to make a grand entrance. He was to descend from the rafters -- similar to Sting€™s entrances in WCW. However, there was an added twist that would see Owen pretend to get stuck in his harness as he dangled mere inches above the ring. The Blazer would then undo his harness and fall face first into the mat -- a comedic triumph if fans had ever seen one. It was decided that quick release mechanism was needed in order to properly perform this stunt. This new harness system would be Hart€™s undoing. Controversy remains as to whether the harness was defective or if Owen accidentally triggered the quick release. Regardless of the cause, Owen fell nearly 80 feet into the ring. He landed on the ropes, bounced back, and landed on the mat. Luckily, PPV viewers would not witness the tragic accident, as a pre-recorded promo was being aired. Fans in the arena weren€™t so blessed, as many of them surely witnessed Owen€™s deadly fall. Personnel immediately began trying to assist Owen, but the damage was already down. Owen Hart was declared dead later that evening, with the official cause being internal bleeding due to blunt force trauma. Owen€™s death was sad and shocking for many reasons, but chief among them was that it was a stupid and pointless stunt. Did we miss any other tragic accidents from wrestling€™s history? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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Douglas Scarpa is a freelance writer, independent filmmaker, art school graduate, and pro wrestling aficionado -- all of which mean he is in financial ruin. He has no backup plan to speak of, yet maintains his abnormally high spirits. If he had only listened to the scorn of his childhood teachers, he wouldn't be in this situation.