1. Owen Hart Tragically Dies Before Winning Title
Undoubtedly the most tragic thing to ever happen during a WWE event, Owen Hart's death in May, 1999 was a sobering moment, one which caused much debate over whether or not the entire show should have been scrapped right there and then. Instead, Vince McMahon made the decision to carry on with the event, a decision which can't have been easy to make in the heat of the moment. Working under a mask as the comical Blue Blazer, Hart was scheduled to descend to the ring via harness, stopping suddenly and taking a prat fall just a few feet above the ring. It's widely known that the safety measures of the device around his waist failed, and Owen horrifically fell from the arena rafters down to the ring below. Booked to win the Intercontinental Title from The Godfather at the Over The Edge show, the match obviously didn't take place, and Owen would sadly pass away whilst on his way to hospital from injuries sustained during the fall. Shortly afterwards on Raw, Jeff Jarrett would win the title in memory of his friend, in a nice touch from WWE. What other sad moments in the history of the Intercontinental Title do you recall? Do you remember the ones mentioned on this list? Let us know down in the comments section below!
Jamie Kennedy
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
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