Owen Hart’s blood had stained the canvas, but that wasn’t enough for Vince McMahon to end the show after the wrestler died in the ring.
The former WWE head honcho revealed his reasoning for continuing the show after Hart had plunged 78 feet to his death in front of a live crowd during a pay-per-view event in 1999.
And it’s just as cold as you would imagine.
During the Over The Edge show at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo., the 34-year-old wrestler, who was performing as the Blue Blazer, was being lowered from the rafters with the lights down before a match with the Godfather when his harness failed.
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The Calgary-born grappler fell into the ring, crashing onto the top rope and dying from the impact.
Viewers at home nor the crowd witnessed the fall, only realizing Hart was in danger as medical teams rushed into the ring.
In an interview for the recently released Netflix docuseries Mr. McMahon, the ex-WWE kingpin explained his rationale for continuing the show after the tragedy.
“The decision I had to make was whether the show would continue or not,” he said.
“The live audience didn’t really see what happened. If they had, I would have had to end the show.”
After roughly an hour, commentator Jim Ross delivered the news of Hart’s death to the audience on TV – but not to those in attendance.
“These people came to see a show. They didn’t come to see someone die,” McMahon said. “And for me as a businessman, it’s, ‘OK, let’s move on. Let’s keep the show going.’”
Owen’s brother Bret Hart, a former WWE wrestler who had left the company in 1997, slammed McMahon for his cold response to the tragedy.
Bret claimed McMahon would have stopped the event if it had been his son Shane “splatted on the mat.”
McMahon replied, saying: “There were a lot of negative comments actually as to whether or not the show should have continued.
“Naturally, Bret’s gonna feel like, you know, like a brother should. He had every right to say anything negative about our company.
“Had it been me, not just my son, had it been me who was ‘splatted on the mat’ as Bret said, I would want the show to go on.
“So get me out of there, you know, and let the show go on. I’d do it with me and to this day I would.”
McMahon and WWE were sued by Owen Hart’s widow, Martha, but the two sides settled in 2000.