WWE Hall of Famer The Godfather recently opened up about one of the darkest nights in wrestling history: the tragic death of Owen Hart during the Over The Edge pay-per-view in 1999. Appearing on the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast, The Godfather looked back on their deep friendship and the plans that were in place for what should have been an Intercontinental Championship match that night.

He spoke warmly about the kind of person Owen was behind the scenes, calling him “the best guy in the world” and a “badass jokester.” He credited Hart with guiding him through his early international experiences in the business. “When I went to Germany for the first time, he taught me how to go around and order food,” he said. “When I went to Japan for the first time, he taught me how to take the subway, the trolleys, eat food. Just, just good dude, man.”

The Godfather also revealed the plan for their match that never happened. He was set to drop the Intercontinental Championship to Owen that night, a creative decision made by Vince McMahon. “I was the Intercontinental champ at that time, and they were going to drop it on him, because Vince says that the belt, I had the girls, so that the belt didn’t really mean anything [on me],” he explained. “They wanted to put it on somebody that it would [mean something to]. So, you know, I’m like, ‘Hey, I’ll drop that belt to Owen.’ And then that happened that night.”

The tone shifted as The Godfather recounted the horrific moment he learned of the accident backstage. “Sad, very sad. I didn’t see it happen. I was behind the curtain with the girls firing them up, and then it was either Bruce Prichard or whoever was at the table, they like, ‘Owen fell,’” he remembered. “And I just remember seeing Owen when he came through the curtain and he was blue and he was, he’s already gone. And I really, honestly, I don’t remember much about that… sad night, man, sad night.”

He went on to recall the emotional toll the following night took on the roster. A taped WWE show went ahead just 24 hours later, and The Godfather was meant to wrestle Road Dogg. “I’m like, ‘Dude, you feel like doing this s, ?’ And he’s like, ‘No,’ and he’s like, ‘No,’ like, ‘Man, me and you go downtown St. Louis, man and roll up a fatty for Owen, man and smoke it out.’ You know, I think that’s what we did,” he said.

Owen Hart’s passing on May 23, 1999, remains one of wrestling’s most heartbreaking losses. His legacy is honored annually through the Owen Hart Foundation Cup, presented by AEW in partnership with Dr. Martha Hart.