In the wake of last week’s release of the ‘Mr. McMahon’ docuseries on Netflix, the widow of Owen Hart released a statement Thursday condemning Vince McMahon and WWE’s management at the time of her husband’s death, adding she was never contacted by the team putting the series together.
The circumstances around Hart’s tragic death in 1999 was profiled as part of the six-episode series where McMahon denied any wrongdoing and said he had a decision to make about keeping the show going. He claimed that since the audience didn’t see what happened to Hart that night due to it being dark in the arena at the time, Over The Edge continued as the fans “came to see a show. They didn’t come to see somebody die.”
A wrongful lawsuit between Martha Hart and WWE was settled in 2000 for nearly $18 million.
The full statement:
“Netflix’s Mr. McMahon documentary series portrays the death of my husband, Owen Hart, as a mere accident. It also allows the disgraced former owner and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Vince McMahon, to claim that Owen’s death ‘wasn’t our fault.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. The real truth is that on May 23rd, 1999, out of a desire to cut costs and achieve a ‘quick release’ effect that a rigging expert specifically warned against, WWE hired unqualified riggers to arrange a stunt in which Owen was to rappel from the rafters during a wrestling event. As a result, the riggers used incorrect equipment that caused Owen to fall to his death. It was pure negligence that killed my husband.
“What the documentary fails to mention is that the equipment used was never meant for a rappelling stunt. Instead, a harness meant for dragging stunt people behind cars on movie shoots was used with a sailboat clip meant to release on load with only six pounds of pressure. Had the WWE hired qualified riggers who followed proper protocol that included redundancy, as is typical practice, and used the correct equipment, Owen would not have died that night.
“To be clear, no one involved in the making of this documentary attempted to contact me for comment or to obtain an accurate perspective. I continue to hold WWE and its then-management responsible for Owen’s death. I refuse to let Vince McMahon or anyone else rewrite that history.
“Instead, I remain focused on honouring Owen’s legacy through the charitable good work of the Owen Hart Foundation and via the AEW Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.”
Here’s some additional news and notes from today’s AEW All In from London’s Wembley Stadium:
MJF tweeted earlier in the day that his Dynamite Diamond ring was stolen, calling England “a lawless country.” However, there was some doubt as to whether it was a swerve for something to come in his American/International title defense against Will Ospreay later.
That was not the case as MJF intended to use wrapped brass knuckles instead but was thwarted by the returning Daniel Garcia, leading to his title loss to Ospreay.
No further details were revealed about the circumstances of the ring’s disappearance, assuming it is indeed stolen and not a storyline.
The Grizzled Young Veterans aren’t done with AEW quite yet.
James Drake & Zack Gibson made a surprise appearance following the Young Bucks’ successful AEW Tag Team title defense over FTR and The Acclaimed. The two stared down the Jackson brothers before turning their attention to Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler, beating them down further and leaving them laying after hitting Grit Your Teeth.
They made their promotional in-ring debut this past April with a loss to The Acclaimed. The duo lost their RevPro Tag Team titles on Saturday, perhaps indicating they have a new contractual home.
As of this writing, AEW head Tony Khan has not officially designated them as #AllElite and under contract although Drake later posted “GRIZZLED. ALL ELITE. VETERANS.” on X:
Willow Nightingale will get to choose what the stipulation is for her CMLL Women’s title defense against Kris Statlander at next month’s All Out.
She earned the honor after she and Tomohiro Ishii defeated Statlander and Stokely Hathaway on the Zero Hour pre-show.
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Martha Hart appeared during the pre-show alongside Tony Khan, congratulating both Owen Hart Foundation tournament winners ahead of their title shots at All In.
Dr. Martha Hart and #AEW President, CEO and founder@TonyKhan speaking on the night ahead as we are moments away from #AEWAllInLondon!
Bryan Danielson sees Dr. Martha Hart as an inspiration.
Last night, Danielson defeated Hangman Page to be crowned the winner of the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation men’s tournament. He got to share a moment with Martha after the match when she presented the winners’ trophy. In addition to the trophy, Danielson has earned an AEW World Championship shot against Swerve Strickland at All In 2024.
Speaking in a post-show promo, Danielson said he’s honored to win the tournament not just because of what Owen Hart represents but because of what Martha Hart and the Owen Hart Foundation represent as well. He thinks of Martha as an inspiration and wants to be the kind of parent she is.
“I’m proud of what I did out there. And a lot of this, I’m proud of winning The Owen because Owen Hart meant so much to professional wrestling. He meant so much as far as what it means to be a father in professional wrestling. What it means to put your family first. Right? That’s what Owen Hart means,” Danielson said.
“But then also as Martha is shaking my hand and giving me the trophy — we call this the Owen Hart Memorial Foundation tournament, but I’m just as proud to shake her hand. Because what she’s done as a mother all on her own and raised those kids and started the Owen Hart Memorial Foundation. And all the good that she’s done. Getting her doctorate. The people that her children have become. That’s inspiring to me. And that — not because I can’t handle it anymore, not because I’m not good enough — because I want to be the type of parent that Martha Hart is. That’s why I’m stopping full-time wrestling.”
This is Danielson’s final year as a full-time wrestler. He wants to win the AEW World Championship at All In to show his family that he can be the best in the world.
“I’m not going out because I can’t do this anymore. I want to show my kids and my family that I can be the best in the motherf*cking world,” Danielson said. “And I’m not stopping because I can’t hang anymore, I’m stopping because I love my family so much. We talk about Owen Hart. Tonight, I’m talking about Martha Hart. That’s the kind of parent I want to be.”
The Owen Hart Foundation was started by Martha after Owen’s death in 1999. It supports local, national, and international communities through scholarships, housing, and partnership programs.
AEW and the Owen Hart Foundation entered into their partnership in 2021. The Owen Hart Foundation tournament has taken place every year since 2022.
Mariah May won the Owen Hart Foundation women’s tournament last night and will face Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s World Championship at All In. The pay-per-view is being held at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday, August 25.
For the second straight year, AEW’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments will culminate in Calgary.
The Calgary Sun reports that the winners of the 2024 men’s and women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments will be crowned when AEW returns to the Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday, July 10. There will be a live Dynamite episode that night along with a taping of Collision. The show is taking place during the Calgary Stampede rodeo festival.
Dr. Martha Hart will be at the show to present the tournament winners with the Owen Hart Cup.
Further details, including the participants for the tournaments and when they will begin, have not been announced.
To honor Owen Hart’s legacy, AEW and the Owen Hart Foundation entered into a partnership in 2021. The Owen Hart Foundation tournaments have taken place annually since 2022. Adam Cole, Britt Baker, Ricky Starks, and Willow Nightingale have won the tournaments since they were introduced.
This Thursday marked the 25th anniversary of Owen Hart’s death in a stunt gone wrong at WWF Over the Edge 1999. Martha Hart told the Calgary Sun that the month of May, which also includes Owen’s birthday, reminds her of all she’s lost.
“May is the month that reminds me of all that I lost,” Martha said. “It’s this wave that builds leading to his death date, and once the day passes all the heavy emotions wash over me, until, once again, I feel light, and I can move forward.”
The Owen Hart Foundation was started by Martha Hart in 2000 with funds that she received from the settlement of a wrongful death lawsuit against WWE. The foundation supports local, national, and international communities through scholarships, housing, and partnership programs.
Martha Hart isn’t surprised by the sexual abuse lawsuit that’s been filed against Vince McMahon.
Hart, the widow of wrestling legend Owen Hart, appeared as an in-studio guest on NewsNation’s Banfield on Thursday. Hart said she was “a little reluctant” to come on the show because she doesn’t do a lot of these types of interviews, but the importance of the topic made her want to contribute.
Ashleigh Banfield asked Hart if she was surprised by the details of Janel Grant’s lawsuit. Grant, a former WWE employee, filed the suit against McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis this January. It accuses McMahon of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking.
Hart responded:
No, I was not surprised when I heard there was yet another lawsuit. Over the years, the WWE, they’ve had many lawsuits and they’ve had a lot of bad press. And I tell you, I read all of the 67 pages in that complaint – and it is absolutely horrific. And I have to say that the level of wickedness that’s described is beyond the pale in that complaint, and anyone with a shred of humanity would find the indignant acts just incomprehensible, frankly.
So it wasn’t a shock that there was another lawsuit, but the level of, I guess, depravity there certainly was. I’m a doctor in mental health and I’m also the founder and director of the Owen Hart Foundation, so no matter what hat I’m wearing, I always work with at-risk people. And I can tell you that – anyone that takes advantage of a vulnerable person is the most despicable type of person because these are people that need to be supported and protected, not exploited. And by Janel Grant’s own admission, she was a vulnerable person. She was unemployed, her parents had passed away, she was suffering with grief, and she was also just on the cusp of financial collapse. So these are all the makings of a very vulnerable person.
Hart had her own legal battles with McMahon and WWE following her husband’s death in 1999. A wrongful death lawsuit filed against WWE was settled for a reported $18 million. Hart later sued WWE again over using Owen Hart’s name and likeness without permission. That suit was also settled.
Hart told Banfield that her lawsuits against WWE were a “David and Goliath” battle:
I did go toe-to-toe twice with Vince McMahon, Linda McMahon, and their company – and it was a David and Goliath battle. And I’ll tell you that it was a tooth-and-nail fight, and they will stop at nothing to protect themselves for sure. They run a billion dollar company, and in doing that, they’re able to, like a lot of big companies, they’re able to delay cases, they’re able to muddy the waters, they’re able to detract and take everything away from the case at hand. And so in that sense, they can hire the best lawyers and they have that might on their side. And a lot of times what happens with wealthy people, their wealth – they feel – has no bounds, and so then they have no boundaries. And they feel that they can do anything and get away with anything.
Hart was asked if there’s any advice she has for Janel Grant:
I would say to just stay the course. And her claim is very credible, and I would be steadfast in my convictions, and don’t back down.
Vince McMahon resigned from WWE and its parent company TKO Group Holdings after Grant’s lawsuit was filed. McMahon has vowed to vigorously defend himself against the allegations.
Since 2022, Hart has partnered with AEW to present the annual Owen Hart Foundation tournament. The foundation supports local, national, and international communities through scholarships, housing, and partnership programs.
Before Sting made his entrance from the rafters on Dynamite this week, AEW checked with Dr. Martha Hart to see if it was ok.
Fightful reports that AEW and Tony Khan conferred with Martha Hart, the widow of Owen Hart, before Sting’s entrance on Dynamite this week. Martha gave her blessing for the entrance to happen.
A throwback to his Crow character from WCW, Sting descended from the rafters to help Darby Allin and Ric Flair after they were attacked by The Young Bucks in the main event angle of Dynamite this Wednesday night. It was Sting’s final Dynamite appearance before retirement. In the final match of his career, Sting is teaming with Allin to defend the AEW Tag Team titles against The Young Bucks at Revolution this Sunday (March 3).
Given the circumstances of Owen Hart’s death during his entrance from the rafters at Over the Edge 1999, Sting checked with Bret Hart and the Hart family before resuming the entrance in WCW.
I talked to Bret and I said, ‘What do you think? I’m not going to do it if you don’t want me to do it and if your family doesn’t want me to do it. I will not do it.’ He ended up talking to his family about it and he called me and said, ‘Steve, we’re all fine with it. Go ahead; it’s not going to hurt.’
Since 2022, Martha Hart and AEW have partnered together to present the annual Owen Hart Foundation tournament. The foundation was started by Martha Hart in 2000. It supports local, national, and international communities through scholarships, housing, and partnership programs.
Dr. Martha Hart, along with her family, were in attendance tonight for AEW Dynamite.
Hart was shown on camera prior to the start of tonight’s first Owen Hart Foundation match between Dax Harwood and Adam Cole. Tony Khan posted on social media a picture he took with Hart, her son Oje, and daughter Athena.
“Tonight on #AEWDynamite next on @TBSNetwork @ 8pm ET/7pm CT, the inaugural Owen Hart Foundation Cup Tournament begins on a huge night of pro wrestling,” Khan wrote on Twitter. “Thank you Dr. Martha Hart, Oje Hart & Athena Hart for joining us tonight as @AEW honors the legacy of the late great Owen Hart!”
Tonight on #AEWDynamite next on @TBSNetwork @ 8pm ET/7pm CT, the inaugural Owen Hart Foundation Cup Tournament begins on a huge night of pro wrestling!
Thank you Dr. Martha Hart, Oje Hart & Athena Hart for joining us tonight as @AEW honors the legacy of the late great Owen Hart! pic.twitter.com/4vayhDLBwy
Hart is the founder of the Owen Hart Foundation, which was founded in December 2000 in memory of her husband.
Tonight marks the beginning of the men’s and women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournaments, with the finals taking place at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view on May 29.
A new double issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is out with a wider variety of news stories than any issue we’ve done in a long time.
From a perspective among leading sports doctors about opening up, to Becky Lynch’s pregnancy and what the plans for her that won’t happen were scheduled to be, to Money in the Bank coverage, Roman Reigns risk factors, New Japan talks its future, AEW profitability, Oliver Luck’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and Georges St-Pierre in the Hall of Fame, it’s all covered here.
The issue covers in detail:
Becky Lynch’s pregnancy, her comments on it, timing, what were the booking plans for her and how Money in the Bank changed, a look back at how Lynch got over when she wasn’t supposed to and the time frame where Lynch became the chosen one, while at the same time the crowd was mad, not realizing any of this.
Ronaldo Jacare Souza’s positive test for COVID, UFC handling the situation, and the key components of the story that have not been covered well elsewhere.
How UFC didn’t abide by its own policies, what UFC did learn, and what fighters and reporters signed to get in the door to the show.
Facts of the Coronavirus and on combat sports from three doctors who have extensive experience with combat sports.
Harold Meij talking about New Japan Pro Wrestling, why it made the choices it did not to turn, as well as its plans when it can run and the stages it will go through, why the company has been able to remain solvent while not running live events.
Complete coverage of UFC 249 and WWE Money in the Bank, including match-by-match coverage and poll results on both shows.
Behind the scenes notes on both shows, including UFC business, and interest level in WWE.
The arrest of Alberto Rodriguez, the former Alberto Del Rio, for sexual assault, the harrowing description of what happened and more.
Roman Reigns sitting it out including what he said and his risk factors.
Updated plans for SummerSlam and where Vince is coming from, plans for the next Takeover, WWE book on best sellers list, The softening of the brand split, update on Rey Mysterio, Rachael Ellering release info, NBA star says he’s going to WWE, Undertaker documentary notes, the story of how two different planned WrestleMania main events in 2011 fell through, Sting update, Canadian TV ratings, One of the best college wrestlers mentions going into pro wrestling, Raw DVR numbers, WWE market value and the most-watched shows on the WWE Network.
Smackdown’s renewal and what it means.
Feature on the career of Georges St-Pierre and his records and his legacy, as he gets inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Oliver Luck lawsuit against Vince McMahon, including details of his contract, Vince’s attempts and arguments to get out of paying him on that contract and arguments both sides are making.
AEW’s Double or Nothing plans as well as the return of some of the company’s biggest stars.
AEW’s profitability in April, the cost of production and cost savings, Mike Tyson, the casino ladder match and more.
May 13 UFC show.
Full coverage of all the WWE and AEW television shows from the past week.
Ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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Triple H posted a statement about Shad Gaspard’s passing: “I join fans around the world as we remember Shad Gaspard as a beloved performer and a caring father. In absolutely tragic circumstances, please keep his loved ones in your thoughts.”
Shane McMahon also wrote: “Saddened to hear the news of the passing of the ‘The Beast’ Shad Gaspard. A hero even to the end, my thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time. A great man in this world, you will be sorely missed. Rest In Peace, my friend.”
The Athletic has an article (subscription required) questioning if Vince McMahon is trying to buy the XFL out of Delaware bankruptcy court, saying that XFL creditors “seem to believe” that is the case.
It was announced on The Bump that a new WWE 24 episode on Ric Flair will premiere on the WWE Network on demand at 10 a.m. Eastern time on June 7. It’s titled Ric Flair: The Final Farewell and will also air after NXT TakeOver: In Your House later that night.
The episode of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression docuseries that aired on FS1 at 10 p.m. Eastern time last night averaged 214,000 viewers. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.06, ranking #105 for the night on cable. Another episode of Ruthless Aggression at 11 p.m. scored 177,000 viewers and did a 0.05 rating in 18-49, placing it at #114.
Stardom announced today that Arisa Hoshiki, who was their Wonder of Stardom champion, would be retiring due to head and neck injuries. Hoshiki, 24, has returned the championship to Stardom and will not be returning when Stardom resumes shows. She started wrestling for the promotion in 2011, but left the following year to pursue boxing and music. She returned in 2018. Stardom’s English Twitter account later shared a message from Hoshiki which explained why she chose to retire.
Martha Hart responded to the statement that WWE outside counsel Jerry McDevitt issued to CBS Sports: “In response to Jerry McDevitt’s recent comments I want to make it very clear, if there was one person on this planet who wanted to get to the bottom of what happened to my husband Owen it was me! The defense on the other hand was doing everything in their power to muddy the waters (as they try to continue to do) in an effort to detract from the case because they didn’t have one. I read every single affidavit taken, sat through endless face-to-face depositions, and spent over a year of my life dissecting every solitary fact of this case. To insinuate for one second that I of all people did not care about the truth behind Owen’s death, but instead was more interested in a ridiculous vendetta against the wrestling business, is beyond the pale. Jerry McDevitt’s comments are absolutely absurd, reckless, and pathetic. I am not surprised that the WWE would trot out Mr. McDevitt to do damage control. After all, the events surrounding Owen’s death and the aftermath that followed are extremely disturbing and do not reflect well on their company. Not to mention that Linda McMahon was the acting CEO of the WWF (now WWE) at the time of Owen’s death, which does not bode well for them either, especially given her ties to President Donald Trump and his administration. At the end of the day truth has always been my defense and for anyone who seeks it regarding this case and the events surrounding Owen’s death I suggest they read my book. It is all in there.”
AEW, ROH, and the NWA paid tribute to Shad Gaspard.
MLW CEO Court Bauer tweeted today: “The deal I’ve been hinting at is done! Cannot wait to share this one with our fans, locker room and crew. It fortifies our future. Truly transformative for @MLW.”
Dana White has announced that the May 30 UFC event, which will be headlined by Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns, will take place at the UFC Apex training center in Las Vegas.
Jim Ross spoke to Ariel Helwani about attending last week’s UFC event with Tony Khan and Jon Moxley.
Free fights that have been added to UFC’s YouTube channel include Matt Brown vs. Erick Silva from 2014 and Nate Diaz vs. Michael Johnson from 2016.
Roxanne Modafferi vs. Lauren Murphy is in the works for the June 20 UFC event.
Raquel Pennington vs. Marion Reneau is also slated for June 20.
With the debut of the Owen Hart episode of Dark Side of The Ring series hours away and discussion about his controversial and tragic death expected to be revived on social media afterward, his widow, Martha, has been doing interviews of late to tell her side of the story and to bring attention to the episode.
While her stance on what happened and her opinion of the company hasn’t changed throughout the years, Jerry McDevitt, outside legal council of WWE, wanted to have their side represented, and did just that with statements given to CBS Sports following the release of a Hart interview they did Monday.
McDevitt, who led the WWE legal team in the case, said that how Hart talks about the lawsuit is inaccurate and that her lawyer was trying to go about things the wrong way:
“What she did whenever this happened is, she hired a lawyer in Kansas City who we caught essentially trying to fix the judicial selection process to get a judge that was more to their liking. We caught them and went all the way to the Missouri Supreme Court. The Missouri Supreme Court said, ‘No, no, no. We’re not going to let that happen.’ They essentially appointed an independent judge to come in from outside of Kansas City to oversee the proceedings. We were basically trying to find out what happened that night. Martha was not even remotely interested in finding out what happened that night; she just wanted to used it as a vehicle to beat up a business that she didn’t like that her husband was in, the wrestling business.”
In her book “Broken Harts”, Hart didn’t speak favorably of McDevitt and said that WWE’s lawyers were claiming Kansas City police weren’t being impartial in an effort to get the case heard before a different judge.
McDevitt also addressed the rift in the Hart family which Martha said was caused by Vince McMahon. McDevitt said that Martha and her lawyer attempted to get family members to sign a document to support her side in exchange for money.
“In exchange for that, they were all promised a share of any verdict or settlement, which is highly illegal, completely improper and you can get in big trouble for that. What happened was some of the members of the Hart family were offended by this because they realized this was wrong…They knew this was wrong and they faxed me those documents, which I fell out of the chair when I read them. I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. This is completely illegal, you can’t do this stuff.’ All of that was then brought to the attention of the judge in Kansas City.”
Martha eventually settled for $18 million in the wrongful death settlement. McDevitt dismissed her claims that she only wanted justice and that she originally wanted $35 million and admission of punitive damages.
“Vince told her right there, ‘Look, Martha, I feel so bad for what happened. I feel responsible because this happened on my watch. I want to take care of you and your family, I loved Owen.’ He was almost crying. We offered $17 million to take care of her. How many times does a CEO walk in a room and say he feels responsible? ‘I’m not going to argue, I just feel responsible for what happened.’ They turned it down; they wanted to go to court for their $35 million. Fine, we’ll go and litigate. The next day, I get a call from her Canadian lawyer, saying they didn’t want to do it because they knew what they were facing with the other things I talked about. They said, ‘If you could put a little more money in. If you can go to $18 million we’ll settle right now.’ That’s how the settlement went down.”
Owen Hart died on May 23, 1999, at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, MO, following an equipment failure while he being lowered to the ring before his match at the Over The Edge pay-per-view. He was just 34 years old.
“Excited to announce that we signed a deal w/ both Martha Hart & @VICE to bring you BRAND NEW Owen Hart shirts along with the first @DarkSideOfRing shirts,” Pro Wrestling Tees owner Ryan Barkan wrote. “All profits from Owen’s tees will be donated to the Owen Hart Foundation.”
The death of Owen Hart is the subject of this Tuesday’s Dark Side of the Ring season two finale. The episode will premiere on Vice TV at 10 p.m. Eastern time.
A new double issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is out with a wider variety of news stories than any issue we’ve done in a long time.
From a perspective among leading sports doctors about opening up, to Becky Lynch’s pregnancy and what the plans for her that won’t happen were scheduled to be, to Money in the Bank coverage, Roman Reigns risk factors, New Japan talks its future, AEW profitability, Oliver Luck’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and Georges St-Pierre in the Hall of Fame, it’s all covered here.
The issue covers in detail:
Becky Lynch’s pregnancy, her comments on it, timing, what were the booking plans for her and how Money in the Bank changed, a look back at how Lynch got over when she wasn’t supposed to and the time frame where Lynch became the chosen one, while at the same time the crowd was mad, not realizing any of this.
Ronaldo Jacare Souza’s positive test for COVID, UFC handling the situation, and the key components of the story that have not been covered well elsewhere.
How UFC didn’t abide by its own policies, what UFC did learn, and what fighters and reporters signed to get in the door to the show.
Facts of the Coronavirus and on combat sports from three doctors who have extensive experience with combat sports.
Harold Meij talking about New Japan Pro Wrestling, why it made the choices it did not to turn, as well as its plans when it can run and the stages it will go through, why the company has been able to remain solvent while not running live events.
Complete coverage of UFC 249 and WWE Money in the Bank, including match-by-match coverage and poll results on both shows.
Behind the scenes notes on both shows, including UFC business, and interest level in WWE.
The arrest of Alberto Rodriguez, the former Alberto Del Rio, for sexual assault, the harrowing description of what happened and more.
Roman Reigns sitting it out including what he said and his risk factors.
Updated plans for SummerSlam and where Vince is coming from, plans for the next Takeover, WWE book on best sellers list, The softening of the brand split, update on Rey Mysterio, Rachael Ellering release info, NBA star says he’s going to WWE, Undertaker documentary notes, the story of how two different planned WrestleMania main events in 2011 fell through, Sting update, Canadian TV ratings, One of the best college wrestlers mentions going into pro wrestling, Raw DVR numbers, WWE market value and the most-watched shows on the WWE Network.
Smackdown’s renewal and what it means.
Feature on the career of Georges St-Pierre and his records and his legacy, as he gets inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Oliver Luck lawsuit against Vince McMahon, including details of his contract, Vince’s attempts and arguments to get out of paying him on that contract and arguments both sides are making.
AEW’s Double or Nothing plans as well as the return of some of the company’s biggest stars.
AEW’s profitability in April, the cost of production and cost savings, Mike Tyson, the casino ladder match and more.
May 13 UFC show.
Full coverage of all the WWE and AEW television shows from the past week.
Ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].
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For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.
FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE
TNT will be airing a one hour Countdown to Double or Nothing II special on 5/22 at 10 p.m.
Weigh-ins for tomorrow night’s UFC show on ESPN+ which starts at 6 p.m. eastern:
Don’Tale Mayes (241) vs. Rodrigo Nascimento (255)
Mara Romero Borella (125.5) vs. Cortney Casey (126
Darren Elkins (146) vs. Nate Landwehr (146)
Giga Chikadze (145.5) vs. Irwin Rivera (not weighed in yet)
Anthony Hernandez (185.5) vs. Kevin Holland (182.5)
Miguel Baeza (170.5) vs. Matt Brown (171)
Marlon Vera (145.5) vs. Song Yadong (145.5)
Eryk Anders (186) vs. Krzysztof Jotko (185.5)
Edson Barboza (145.5) vs. Dan Ige (146)
Claudia Gadelha (115.5) vs. Angela Hill (115)
Alistair Overeem (253.5) vs. Walt Harris (264.5)
The main storyline for the show is Harris fighting for the first time since the murder of his stepdaughter. He is dedicating the fight to her so it will be a very emotional main event and probably some strong video packages that will air on Sports Center and in other places.
Urijah Faber weighed in, for the possibility he would face Marlon Vera, if Yadong’s visa issues aren’t settled. Faber weighed 153.5. So if he fights, Vera will have to move up a weight class.
Talk is Jericho features an interview with Martha Hart preceding Tuesday’s airing of the Vice special on Owen Hart. The interview can be found here. I have a feeling this coming week will feature a lot of talk of Owen Hart.
This week’s MLW TV show at 10 p.m. tomorrow night on Bein Sports will be built around L.A. Park, airing old matches with both Sabu and Shocker.
WWE
Scheduled for Smackdown tonight is an appearance by Charlotte Flair, the beginning of the IC title tournament and Miz TV with Otis.
The second part of the Undertaker documentary series will air Sunday night on the WWE Network.
More on the lawsuit by Oliver Luck on Vince McMahon can be found here and here.
FS1 will be airing the documentary on Florida Championship Wrestling that had previously aired on the WWE Network on 5/26 at 10 p.m. as the lead-in for WWE Backstage that week.
UFC
From Ronaldo Jacare Souza: “I was very sad to not be able to fight at UFC 249, but I want you to know that as soon as I’m medically cleared, I hope to reschedule my fight with Uriah Hall so that I can put on the show that everyone expects. I thank my corners for the partnership, my opponent for the words of support and the UFC for all the care. Thank you all for the kind messages I have received in the last few days. The upcoming weeks I will be secluded with my family and coaches and focused on our health so I can be back soon.”
Legacy Fighting, which airs on UFC Fight Pass, announced a new Top 10 Knockouts of its UFC Fight Pass era special that was released this week.
It’s been a topsy-turvy week for the WWF, plagued with internal turmoil and more bad economic signs everywhere, plus planning storyline changes many are dead set against, yet at the same time, first day ticket sales for next year’s Wrestlemania pretty well guarantee it will be the biggest live gate in the history of pro wrestling in North America.
As of 11/5, approximately 53,000 tickets were out for Mania, with 51,630 of them paid for $5,542,730 Canadian, which is $3,508,548 U.S. No doubt that by the middle of the week, the company’s all-time gate record set at the 4/1 Wrestlemania in Houston of $3,530,905 will have been broken and that it’s practically a lock the event will sellout the Skydome in Toronto since there is still four months to go, which legitimately put in 64,278 in 1990 for Wrestlemania. It showed that the Mania name, even with business down, has some incredible sizzle.
Martha Hart has responded to Bret Hart’s allegations that she is erasing the memory of her late husband.
The press release stems from a recent Bret Hart interview on CBS Sports’ In This Corner podcast where he said that he felt Martha had done more to erase Owen Hart’s memory than to preserve it.
“I think Martha, Owens’s widow, she is a very obtuse, square-headed person,” he said on the podcast. “I think she’s done more to erase my brother Owen’s memory than she ever did to remember him. I think it really bothers me that the fans that loved Owen so much don’t get a chance to remember him.”
Martha issued a press release yesterday defending her decisions, saying that she does not want WWE profiting off of Owen, as she blames the company for his death.
“Bret’s comments are rooted in the fact that I have steadfastly refused to work with the WWE to exploit Owen’s image for commercial gain,” she says in the release. “Owen was an incredible entertainer and I know that his many fans around the world enjoyed his wrestling career immensely. I encourage them to continue to do so. But I am firm in my belief that the WWE was responsible for Owen’s death. As a result, I cannot and will not support any efforts by the WWE to profit from Owen’s memory.”
“Bret Hart’s comments are disrespectful and cruel,” she continued. “It is disappointing that so many in the media have chosen to report them without seeking my perspective.”
The full statement can be read below:
CALGARY, Alberta, July 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dr. J. Martha Hart, PhD, released the following statement today in response to published comments attributed to the former WWE wrestler, Bret Hart:
The suggestion by Bret Hart that I am “erasing” the memory of my late husband, Owen Hart, is reckless, irresponsible, and clearly untrue.
Bret’s comments are rooted in the fact that I have steadfastly refused to work with the WWE to exploit Owen’s image for commercial gain. Owen was an incredible entertainer and I know that his many fans around the world enjoyed his wrestling career immensely. I encourage them to continue to do so. But I am firm in my belief that the WWE was responsible for Owen’s death. As a result, I cannot and will not support any efforts by the WWE to profit from Owen’s memory.
Instead, I, my son Oje and daughter Athena have worked tirelessly to honor Owen through the good works of The Owen Hart Foundation, which has exceeded $4 million in gift giving and contributions toward scholarships, homeowner bursaries, and other special projects that have greatly improved the lives of so many in Canada and around the world. We have always believed that this is the most fitting public tribute to a man of profound integrity; a wonderful human being who just happened to wrestle. I know that Owen would be very proud of the tremendous accomplishments the Foundation has achieved in his name.
Bret Hart’s comments are disrespectful and cruel. It is disappointing that so many in the media have chosen to report them without seeking my perspective. Whatever Bret may believe, the fact is that, far from “erasing” Owen’s memory, I have devoted the last 20 years to celebrating his life in a very public way. I can think of very few people who have been remembered so glowingly by their spouse.
Pro wrestling’s latest spill into the national headlines came with Rena Mero’s $140 million lawsuit filed on 6/3 against Titan Sports and her subsequent quitting of the company.
