In 1989, Owen entered the WWF as the Blue Blazer, and split his time between the WWF, Japan, and Mexico until 1991 where he teamed with Jim Neidhart. They were known as the New Foundation and won impressive matches over the Nasty Boys and The Orient Express. When Neidhart left the WWF, Owen was on his own briefly, until teaming with Koko B. Ware to form High Energy. This team was impressive as well, but they never won the titles. In early 1993, Koko left the WWF, and Owen struggled for mid-card status throughout that year.
The turning point in his career came at the Survivor Series, where he teamed with his family members, Bret, Keith, and Bruce. They won over Shawn Michaels and his Knights, but Owen was the only Hart family member eliminated. He confronted Bret and pushed him, and in subsequent weeks demanded a match with him. Bret said no, and they seemed to reconcile. Bret and Owen teamed against the Quebecers at the Royal Rumble, but when the ref stopped the match due to Bret's severly injured knee, Owen got mad and kicked Bret in the leg. They had their first match at WrestleMania X, and Owen surprised everyone by winning! It was his only victory over Bret for awhile, as he lost to him again and again over the Spring and Summer. Owen stopped feuding with his brother long enough to beat Doink, Tatanka, The 123 Kid, and Razor Ramon to win the 1994 King of the Ring.
"From this day forth, I will be known as The King of Harts!"
Owen lost to Bret in a cage match at SummerSlam, and their feud slowly died out. In 1995, Owen said he had a mystery partner, and challenged the Smokin' Gunns to a tag title match at WrestleMania XI. It turned out to be Yokozuna, and Owen won his first WWF title belt. Throughout the summer, they scored impressive victories over the Gunns, The Allied Powers, and Razor Ramon & Savio Vega. At the September IYH, Owen didn't show up for the Triple Header match, Shawn Michaels and Diesel, vs. Himself and Yokozuna. Davey Boy Smith replaced him and at the end of the match Owen returned and was pinned by Diesel. The next day they regained the tag belts due to Jim Cornette's attorney Clarence Mason, only to lose them the same night to the Smokin' Gunns. He had a series of impressive matches with Shawn Michaels, and even sent him to the hospital once. He was a part of Camp Cornette who feuded with Michaels throughout 1996. Scored a win over Savio Vega at SummerSlam, and started teaming with Davey Boy Smith. They won the tag belts from The Smokin' Gunns at IYH: Mind Games in September.
They defended the belts against the likes of The new Razor and the new Diesel, Doug Furnas and Phillip LaFon, and Vader and Mankind. They seemed about to split up, but after WrestleMania, Bret Hart unified them and they joined the Hart Foundation. They barely held onto the belts during their feud with the Legion of Doom at IYH: Revenge of the Taker. They lost the belts to Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin just before King of the Ring. Owen won the IC belt from Rocky Maivia in May,
He came back at IYH: D-generation X, attacking Shawn Michaels. Michaels gave him to Triple H, but they didn't have a match because Goldust substituted for an injured Helmsley. When Owen beat Goldust, Sgt. Slaugher awarded Owen Helmsley's European title, since Goldust did such a good job portraying him. Owen defended it every chance he got, but lost it to Helmsley just before WrestleMania XIV. He lost to Triple H again at WrestleMania, and at IYH: Unforgiven. The next night, he turned against partner Ken Shamrock and became co-leader of the Nation. He beat 2 Cold Scorpio to qualify for the King of the Ring, but was beaten by Dan Severn. He lost to X-pac at King of the Ring, but won a match in his father's dungeon against Shamrock at IYH: Fully Loaded. They collided in a "Lion's Den" match at SummerSlam, in which Owen lost. He managed to beat Edge at IYH: Breakdown, but the next night injured Dan Severn, and seemed distraught. He claimed he had wrestled his last match in the WWF, but the next week, The Blue Blazer showed up! No one really knew if it's really Owen behind the mask or not.
When Hart was confronted by Dan Severn, Hart pushed him down, and Steve Blackman came to his aid. The Blazer joined Owen in an attack on Blackman. Owen came out of "retirement" and lost to Blackman at IYH: Rock Bottom. The next night, Blackman unmasked The Blue Blazer and it was Owen! However, Owen still denied that he was the Blazer. Blackman unmasked the Blazer again and it was Jeff Jarrett! Owen and Jarrett formed a team, and with the use of the lovely Debra's assets, won the tag team titles from The Big Bossman and Ken Shamrock the night after the Royal Rumble. They held onto the belts with wins over D'lo Brown and Mark Henry at IYH: St. Valentine's Day Massacre and over D'lo and Test at WrestleMania XV. A few weeks later, they lost the belts to X-pac and Kane. After being defeated by the New Age Outlaws at IYH: Backlash, they separated and Owen brought back the Blue Blazer gimmick.
He was slated for an IC title match with The Godfather at Over the Edge when tragedy occured. He was supposed to be lowered to the ring on a cable, but somehow he was released and fell fifty feet, and hit the turnbuckle. Paramedics rushed to the scene and performed external heart massage, but it was announced later that Owen had passed away. Owen was always a great entertainer and wrestler, and he will be sorely missed. He said the WWF needed a superhero, but Heaven needed him more.
You feel the burn when you cry,
It starts to come when someone dies.
The pain you feel as your eyes swell and the tears will up in the wells,
The burn starts to choke you up the words come out slow and shaken,
You close your eyes and wonder why,
There is a burn when you cry.
When Owen left it felt like hands around my throat,
I couldn't talk, I couldn't see,
The Burn over whelmed me,
My heart is heavy this is why,
You get the burn when you cry.
It digs down deep you can not sleep,
You toss and turn in your sheets,
Awaken with sobs and wet pillow cases,
You wander aimlessly looking to the sky,
You feel the burn when you cry.
--Mark Henry
