Ten years is a long time to be a wrestling fan. A cynical pro wrestling journalist may say that ten years is an eternity, but since I've been a wrestling journalist for only eight years and a cynic for barely six, I don't feel I'm qualified to make that statement.

But however long you've been with us, whether you've been with us since the beginning or whether you've come along in the last couple of years, we're glad to have you here now - we may be NZ's #1 pro wrestling journalists online, but our readers are NZ's #1 pro wrestling fans.

We invite you to join us as we count down the ten biggest moments in wrestling from 1999 - 2009. Once you're done reading, head to the NZPWI forum and our new Facebook group to share your views.

NZPWI's 10 GREATEST MOMENTS IN WRESTLING 1999-2009

#9: The death of Owen Hart: Gone in a blaze of glory
May 1999

Ten years sure is a long time indeed. Anyone who's been around the block long enough will remember the outpouring of grief, stories, and "he coulda been a contendah" statements that punctuated pro wrestling discussions on May 23rd 2000, 2001, 2002, and so forth until the flood became a trickle, the grief became a sad memory, and Owen Hart became another name in history.

This month marks a decade since Owen Hart fell from the rafters at the Kemper Arena in St Louis, Missouri during a World Wrestling Federation event. Thousands of fans present at the arena watched as his body crashed into the turnbuckle at terrifying speed; stared in disbelief as the ring quickly filled up with officials and medical personnel; cheered as he was transported from the arena on a stretcher; went crazy for the next performers to enter the ring.

The hundreds of thousands of people watching at home saw things differently. They laughed as Owen gave a hilarious backstage promo; raised an eyebrow as commentator Jim Ross cut in over the upcoming match graphic to say something had gone wrong; stared in disbelief as Ross and Jerry Lawler explained Owen Hart had been in an accident and was en route to a local hospital; felt their guts turn to lead as Ross explained that Hart had "tragically died" as a result of his injuries.

Ten years later, some people are still demanding proof that the wrestling business has learned from this incident. What is there to learn? That pageantry must be removed from the pageant? That showmanship must be removed from the show?

No such thing has happened. No such thing should happen. What these people are really looking for is an explanation for that which cannot possibly be explained. Everyone understands that the harness designed to lower Hart safely from the rafters to the ring was flawed, but it doesn't make what happened any less senseless - no more than anyone could get a grip on the driver who drank too much and drifted across the centre line, ending an innocent person's life. We know how that happens, but it'll never make sense.

Owen Hart's death was not the first shocking death in pro wrestling, but it was the first to happen in such a public manner. It happened live on pay-per-view at the height of the industry's new golden era. The mainstream media didn't have much to say when Bruiser Brody was knifed in Puerto Rico, or when Kerry Von Erich shot himself in Texas, or even when Brian Pillman's heart gave out in Minnesota, just as the wrestling business was finding traction again.

This time there was mainstream interest, and with it, the heroes and villains the media needed to sell the story effectively. The papers told the story of Hart, a hard-working everyman who happened to be working in the most hyperbolic profession of them all. His enemy was Vince McMahon, the marble-hearted billionaire tyrant who had already ruined the life of one Hart brother and felt no guilt about taking the life of another. When Hart died, McMahon was audacious in allowing the show to continue without interruption; to turn up to his funeral with flowers bearing a World Wrestling Federation logo; to try and "buy" the funeral out from under Hart's grieving widow, Martha.

The media encouraged a war of words between Martha Hart and the World Wrestling Federation, though in the Fed's case the words were calm and indirect. Regardless, the resulting wounds remain wide open to this day.

What the media got was a crash course in how to sensationalise death in pro wrestling. When Mrs Hart warned of an approaching "day of reckoning," it was soundbite gold.

Day of Reckoning. Sounds like a good name for a PPV, doesn't it? I think it made it as a video game title. It would have certainly made for a good headline, TV movie title, book... looking back on the whole situation it's amazing that the sensationalising didn't go further than it did.

But not to worry. There would be plenty of time for hysteria. Eight years later, wrestling fans would find that the Owen Hart media beat-up was only a warm-up for the main event: The harrowing, captivating story of the breakdown and death of a true Canadian wrestling superstar.

And we'll come to that when we're ready.

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WRESTLING'S 10 BIGGEST STARS 1999 - 2009

#9: Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan, more than any other wrestler, has in the last decade managed to turn semi-retirement into a business all its own.

After almost thirty years in the spotlight, Hogan remains one of wrestling's most recognisable faces and, thanks to the trash telly phenomenon Hogan Knows Best, his mustachioed mug is as well-known as ever outside of the business as well.

As well as he has done outside of the business, it's easy to forget that in the last ten years Hogan has:

• Held the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
• Held the WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship
• Headlined WrestleMania with The Rock
• Headlined SummerSlam with Shawn Michaels
• Been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
• Continued to rank among wrestling's top merchandise-shifters

Read last month's entry