WWE Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle has issued an emotional public plea in hopes of locating footage of one of the most historically significant — and elusive — matches of his early career: a dark match against the late, great Owen Hart, held just five days before Hart’s tragic passing in 1999.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Angle reached out to the wrestling community with a heartfelt message, hoping a long-lost piece of wrestling history might finally be unearthed.
“In 1999 I had the privilege of wrestling the legendary Owen Hart in a dark match in the WWE 5 days before his unfortunate death,” Angle wrote. “Til this day, I haven’t seen any video footage of it. If anyone has ever seen the footage of my match with Owen, message me in the comments below. Someone had to record it. #itstrue”
In 1999 I had the privilege of wrestling the legendary Owen Hart in a dark match in the WWE 5 days before his unfortunate death. Til this day, I haven’t seen any video footage of it. If anyone has ever seen the footage of my match with Owen, message me in the comments below.… pic.twitter.com/NT46RX7q9P
— Kurt Angle (@RealKurtAngle) July 17, 2025
The bout took place on May 17, 1999, prior to a taping of WWF Sunday Night Heat. At the time, Angle was still in developmental and had not debuted on television. The match served as a tryout, offering him a rare opportunity to step into the ring with one of wrestling’s most respected veterans — a man who would lose his life just days later at Over the Edge.
Because it was a dark match, the encounter was not broadcast or commercially released. Over the years, it has become a revered piece of “lost media” among wrestling historians and fans alike.
While fan-shot footage has yet to surface, there’s speculation that WWE might still possess a copy in their internal archives. The company frequently records non-televised matches for scouting and training purposes. If a master tape exists, supporters hope WWE could one day release it through a platform like the WWE Vault or the WWE YouTube channel — giving fans a glimpse into this incredible, unseen encounter.
The match is remembered as a symbolic “passing of the torch” moment — a showcase of technical wrestling between one of WWE’s most beloved veterans and a future Olympic hero-turned-WWE Champion.
Angle has often spoken about the experience in interviews, recalling how generous Owen Hart was in guiding him through the match. Reports from those backstage at the time suggest the match was a well-executed, technically sound contest that left a strong impression on WWE officials.
Now, with Kurt Angle’s public appeal gaining traction, fans across the world are hopeful this piece of wrestling history might finally come to light — not just as a tribute to Owen Hart’s legacy, but as a powerful chapter in the rise of one of WWE’s greatest performers.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for further updates on this developing story.
