Vince McMahon Didn’t Regret Continuing Show After Owen Hart’s Death, Claims WWE Hall of Famer

After over two decades since the tragic passing of Owen Hart in the ring, a certain WWE Hall of Famer gives his take on Vince McMahon’s controversial call of action.

By Rishabh Singh

Published on Aug 15, 2024 | 12:22 AM IST | 77.8K

Owen Hart and Vince McMahon. Image Credits: Getty

The tragic demise of Owen Hart in the ring has left an indelible mark on wrestling history. However, Vince McMahon's decision to continue with the show despite Hart’s death sparked a huge controversy. Looking back, former WWE announcer Jim Ross believes McMahon doesn’t regret the call he made.

In 1999, during Over the Edge PPV, Owen Hart fell to his death due to an equipment malfunction while being lowered from the rafters via a harness and grapple line.

Nobody could predict that Owen Hart would meet his sad end at 34. The King of Harts was slated to face The Godfather in a match for the Intercontinental Championship. Sadly, the world witnessed Owen Hart die in the ring after he fell from 78 feet high.

In the midst of his shock over what transpired in the ring, former WWE chairman Vince McMahon was faced with the very tough decision of halting the show or having it continue. Much to many people’s chagrin, McMahon decided that the show must go on.

While speaking on his podcast, Grilling JR, Jim Ross shared his thoughts on whether McMahon regretted how he handled the situation. According to JR, McMahon doesn’t regret his choice to instruct the show to continue. Since McMahon had to think on his feet and there was no guide to handle such a situation, he acted on his instincts.

Jim Ross stated on Grilling JR: “I don’t think he had any regrets. He did what he thought was right, whether it was or it wasn’t. Somebody had to make the decision, and he was sitting in that chair—the emperor’s chair. So, I don’t think he had any reservations at all.”

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Furthermore, Ross argued that McMahon was in a tough spot because it was an unprecedented scenario with no previous examples to draw from. Whether or not what McMahon did was right, someone had to take a call, and at the time, McMahon was the man in charge.

Nonetheless, Owen Hart’s widow, Martha, sued the company on the grounds of negligence. However, she was then countersued by McMahon, who wanted the wrongful death case moved from Missouri to Connecticut, where WWE is headquartered.

Off-topic, Vince McMahon once humiliated Trish Stratus in a WWE storyline.

Consequently, Martha was forced to hire more lawyers in Connecticut, contending with the complications created by WWE. All in all, Vince McMahon’s decision to continue the show remains one of the most controversial decisions he made during his era.