WWE: Top 10 Superstars To Never Be World Champion
By Tim Sherry
credit: wwe.com
1. Owen Hart
It truly is the saddest story in the history of professional wrestling. Owen Hart, husband and father of two, plummeted to his death during a stunt in Kansas City, Missouri at the Over The Edge pay per view. Known as “The Black Hart”, Owen was at a place in his career where it seemed like things were really going to pick up for him. Finally out of the shadow of his big brother and superstar, Bret Hart, Owen seemed poised to finally make a run at a world title that was eight years in the making. Everyone knew the extent of Owen’s talent. Trained in his father’s Dungeon, Owen came to the WWE in 1991 looked pretty green at first. But it didn’t take long before he began turning heads with his dynamic in-ring arsenal and gritty passion for the business. It wasn’t long before people started predicting him as a future main event superstar.
Owen’s first break came at the 1994 Royal Rumble, after becoming frustrated with Bret in a tag title match with The Quebecers. He viciously turned on his brother, which led to a match at WrestleMania X. The match not only turned out to be one of the best matches in the company’s history, but it was also a shocking upset win for Owen. He parlayed that victory into his first ever title shot at the following SummerSlam against Bret inside a steel cage, in which the two created another all-time classic. Although unsuccessful at SummerSlam, Owen used that momentum to start snatching up titles and honors all over the company. After winning the 1994 King Of The Ring, Owen would go on to four tag team championships, two Intercontinental championships, and a European Title. He had one last mountain to climb before it all ended so suddenly.
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To this day Owen’s legacy lives on in the WWE as many see him as the biggest case of what might’ve been. Word is that Triple H’s “The Game” nickname was originally intended for Owen. Triple H won 14 world titles. That sounds about right for Owen. Even though he was 34 at the time of his passing, Owen was just getting started in what would’ve been – and still is – a Hall of Fame career. Even though it all ended, he will forever be remembered for what the future of the company represented.