10 Things Learned From Bruce Prichard's Something To Wrestle With Podcast On Owen Hart
6. Vince McMahon Always Thought Owen Was Too Small
When Owen Hart first signed with WWE in 1988, the landscape of professional wrestling was completely different to that of a few years later. Above all else, the talents that made it to the main events of the WrestleManias and SummerSlams were larger-than-life giants. With few exceptions, the premier performers of the time stood over 6'2" and/or weighed over 300 lbs, with muscles coming out of all places, natural or not.
Superstars like Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy, and The Ultimate Warrior had all occupied the top spots, and the Blue Blazer, in large part due to his smaller frame, was not seen as a future main eventer in the eyes of Vince McMahon.
In '88, Owen was smaller than the majority of the locker room, but by the mid-90s that environment had changed. In place of the muscled up monsters were more athletic talents, like Owen, capable of wrestling quicker, more exciting matches. Even then, Vince favored the bigger talents, especially for the top heel spots, and Owen constantly found himself struggling to surpass bigger bodies like Yokozuna, Mabel, and Diesel.