The Beginning
Owen, the youngest son of the legendary Hart wrestling family,
was most likely fated to be a pro wrestler from the get go.... born in 1965, Owen began training to wrestle soon after finishing high school.
He was taught in the Dungeon (The name for the family basement) by his father, Stu, and made his pro wrestling first appearance in 1986 in Stu's Stampede Wrestling territory.
Then again, by 1986, Stampede Wrestling was becoming wiped out.
Owen only had about a year or so to stand out in Stampede (where he feuded unforgettably with Mike Shaw (Later known in the WWF as Bastion Booger) and Makhan Singh), winning titles at various stages in his early years and impressing almost one and all with his high-flying skill and technical ability. Owen would hold the International Tag Titles (with Ben Bassarab), the British Commonwealth Midheavyweight Title, and the North American Heavyweight Title (twice) through his first year or so in the sport throughout his stampede career.
But with Stu Harts Stampede territory on its last legs, it was Owen's tours of Japan that finally made him shine in the eyes of Wrestling fans the world over. Owen took to the high flying action of Japan like a duck to water, Owen well impressed the Japanese fans, and become the first North American wrestler to hold the high-status IWGP Junior Heavyweight title in May of 1988. He held the title for about a month mind you but nevertheless he held gold.
To this day, matches from Owen's Japanese tours are hot goods among tape traders, as they are widely measured to be among the best ever matches featuring a North American wrestler.
When the 1988 tour of Japan was done, Owen returned to North America to find that the WWF had grown enthusiastic in his immense in-ring skills. In an era when the WWF was dominated by super-heavyweights and often what appeared to look like over inflated bodybuilders, Owen was brought in as a masked lightweight with astounding moves. His name:
THE BLUE BLAZER.