On January 25th, 1999, Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett win the WWF Tag Team Championship. Many called Owen Hart a “tag team specialist.” Throughout his career, the late great King of Harts earned that reputation. He won the tag team title with several different partners. He was also WWF Intercontinental and European Champion. Jeff Jarrett was no stranger to championship gold either.
Son of the legendary Jerry Jarrett, became WWF Intercontinental Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion, United States Champion, NWA Champion, TNA Champion, and King Of the Mountain. On this day in wrestling history, this unlikely pair added to their collection wining the WWE tag team title.
King of Harts Owen Hart
Owen Hart of the Legendary Hart Family was a standout athlete. An all-around great technician with high flying ability. In Calgary Stampede Owen, the youngest of the Harts won several titles. It wasn’t long before he would follow his brother, Hall of Famer Bret “Hitman” Hart into the WWF. Owen started in WWF under the name Blue Blazer but quickly earned a spot in a tag team with his brother-in-law Jim the Anvil Neidhardt.
Much like his brother, Owen would be the technical side of this combo with Anvil as the power. Shortly after that Owen formed a brief partnership with Koko B. Ware in High Energy. Eventually, Owen’s winning ways led him on a path to singles glory in a family feud against then WWF Champion, his brother Bret “Hitman” Hart. He then teamed with Yokozuna to win the WWF Tag team titles.
Later on, in 1996, he teamed with another family member The British Bulldog and also won the titles. He also teamed with Nation Of Domination members The Rock, D lo Brown, and Mark Henry. Owen seemed to be able to tag with anyone and make it a success.
King of The Mountain Jeff Jarrett
Double J went through a metamorphosis in the WWF. He began as a cocky, country singer. With the Road Dogg at his side, he claimed to be the greatest wrestler and country singer ever. The country singing part was exposed to be a sham and was actually road dawgs voice. However, Jarretts’ in-ring skills spoke for themselves. He was the Intercontinental champion and after his WWE career a WCW Heavyweight Champion as well as NWA/TNA champion.
He is the founding father of TNA/IMPACT. At this point in time, Jarret did not tag much. Unless you count his valet, Deba. She was very good at using her assets to distract his opponents. Just whatever you do, don’t piss him off, or you might get a guitar to the skull.
Aint They Great
Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett became a must-see tag team. In a storyline, Hart accidentally injured Dan Sevren. Due to his disappointment in himself, he said he had left the WWF. Next week Harts’s alter ego the Blue Blazer appeared alongside Jarrett and Debra. Knowing Owen was not only the King of Harts but also a practical joker. He had fun with this, proclaiming the Blue Blazer in no way is Owen Hart.
They even went so far as to have Owen appear with Jarrett dressed as the Blazer.
Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett win the WWF Tag Team Championship
On Sunday Night Heat Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett challenged The Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock in a nontitle match. Boss Man and Shamrock represented the corporation led by Shane McMahon. Ironically Debroah wore a blue blazer. Arguably that was probably Owen’s idea. Needless to say, Debra distracted the Big Boss Man and Jarrett got the win. In the weeks that followed Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett defeated DX and Edge and Christian.
That earned them a title shot on January 25th, 1999, Raw is War against Big Boss Man and Shamrock. Boss Man and Jeff Jarrett started the match. The Big Boss Man quickly used his power to maul Jarrett. Boss Man was merciless during this time period. Everyone in the attitude era faced hard times. Finally, Jarrett dodged a Big Splash and tagged in Owen. Living up to his enough is enough motto Owen took it to the former corrections officer.
Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett win the WWF Tag Team Championship
Later in the match, Owen hit Shamrock with a brutal enzuguri. However, being the world’s most dangerous man, Shamrock fought back. Shamrock grabbed the ankle lock. Deborah hopped up on the apron and began teasing Shamrock. When that didn’t work a man dressed as the blue blazer hit Shamrock over the head with Jeff Jarrett’s guitar. Owen Hart got the win.
Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart were the new tag team champions. The two kept the titles until April 5th, 1999 losing to Kane and X-Pac.
Owen Hart tragically died shortly after on May 23, 1999, at Over the Edge. However, his legacy will always live on. Who can forget the Monday Night Raw tribute to Owen and those words from Jarret that night
“In this business, you got a lot of acquaintances, but very few friends. Owen was one of those friends. Now that he’s not here you look at it almost selfishly as I don’t have my buddy with me anymore. When you think about Owen’s life, I think about integrity. In this business it is cold, it’s callous, it is a fantasy world. Owen was real. He was a man’s man”.
WCW and TNA
Jeff Jarrett left WWF and became a major player in WCW. He was one of the companies last Heavyweight Champions. His battles with Booker T are some of the greatest matches of the time period. He always had a way of putting “slapnuts” in their place. Jeff Jarret also went on to become the founding father of TNA Non-stop Action Wrestling now known as IMPACT. He became their resident King of the Mountain.
He was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2018, Jeff Jarrett made his return to the WWE being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
In the Attitude Era technical wrestling often took a seat to brawling and debauchery. However, the tag team of Owen Hart and Jeff Jarret proved that wrestling was still the name of the game. The way they would isolate the ring and make their opponents struggle to get that tag was a highlight of many shows. This is a tag team title reign that sometimes gets forgotten, but it is definitely one that deserves to be remembered.
