Tag: owen hart foundation

AEW reveals Owen Hart Foundation Tournament brackets

Posted on by Ethan Renner

AEW has revealed the brackets for the 2025 Men’s and Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments.

The eight-person tournaments will commence in the coming weeks, with the finals for both set for the Double or Nothing pay-per-view in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday, May 25. The winners of the tournaments will receive a championship belt to commemorate their wins, plus a shot at the championship of their choice, typically a World title shot.

All eight competitors were named in the women’s bracket, while a wild card spot indicating a mystery debut is included in the men’s bracket.

Kevin Knight was named as a replacement for Jay White who had previously declared for the tournament, but was taken out by The Death Riders in an angle on Wednesday’s Dynamite.

The competitors and the first round matchups:

2025 AEW Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament first round matches —

  • Will Ospreay vs. Kevin Knight
  • Brody King vs. Konosuke Takeshita
  • Mark Briscoe vs. Kyle Fletcher
  • Hangman Adam Page vs. Wild Card

2025 AEW Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament first round matches —

  • Jamie Hayter vs. Billie Starkz
  • Thunder Rosa vs. Kris Statlander
  • Mercedes Mone vs. Julia Hart
  • Athena vs. Harley Cameron

Bryan Danielson praises Martha Hart: She’s the kind of parent I want to be

Posted on by Joseph Currier

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.

Jeff Jarrett honored to help introduce Owen Hart to new generation of fans

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Jeff Jarrett is grateful for the role he’s gotten to play in AEW’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament.

As one of Owen’s best friends in wrestling, Jarrett was a fan-favorite in this year’s tournament and gave an emotional speech about what his late friend meant to him. Though Jarrett lost to Hangman Page in the first round, he’ll still be part of the tournament finals when he serves as the special guest enforcer for Bryan Danielson vs. Page.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d be here,” Jarrett told Sports Illustrated. “I get to introduce my friend to an entirely new generation of wrestling fans.”

AEW has partnered with the Owen Hart Foundation to present the tournament annually since 2022. The 2024 finals are being held in Calgary on Dynamite this Wednesday with Danielson vs. Page on the men’s side and Willow Nightingale vs. Mariah May on the women’s side.

The Owen Hart Foundation was started by Dr. Martha Hart after her husband’s death in 1999. It supports local, national, and international communities through scholarships, housing, and partnership programs. Jarrett told Sports Illustrated he loves that Owen is being recognized for who he was both as a person and as a wrestler.

“It makes me very emotional. All the way back in May of 1999, I never thought that all these years later I would be continuing my in-ring career, which [is] a blessing beyond my wildest imaginations, or that there would be this Owen Hart Foundation, which Owen’s wife created and does so much good for so many people all over the world. Owen’s children are grown up, and they represent their father so proudly,” Jarrett said.

“I love that Owen is being recognized as a father, a family man, a husband, a brother, and a professional wrestler. And we’re doing it in Calgary, a place that meant a lot to him.”

Jarrett & Owen were tag team partners together, holding the WWF Tag Team titles one time.

The winner of Danielson vs. Page earns an AEW World Championship shot against Swerve Strickland at All In next month. Jarrett had huge praise for Danielson in his Sports Illustrated interview, saying he believes Danielson is “the epitome of professional wrestling.”

“It’s the guy who eliminated me against the guy who I think doesn’t have a peer among current full-time, active wrestlers,” Jarrett said. “That is no disrespect toward anybody else, but I don’t think Bryan Danielson has a peer. He’s that good, the epitome of professional wrestling. His storytelling is off the charts, his passion, his physicality–Bryan can do it all. So I feel incredibly grateful and honored to be part of it.”

Bryan Danielson declares for AEW Owen Hart Foundation tournament

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Bryan Danielson has declared for the AEW Owen Hart Foundation men’s tournament.

In a backstage promo on Wednesday’s Dynamite, Danielson announced his intention to enter the 2024 edition of the Owen Hart tournament, noting that it was his final year as a full-time pro wrestler and that winning the tournament could mean his last chance at winning the AEW World Championship.

AEW’s Tony Khan and the late Owen Hart’s widow Dr. Martha Hart announced the upcoming tournament at last month’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view, with the added twist that this year’s tournament winners will receive World title shots at All In at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, August 25.

This year’s men’s and women’s tournament finals will be held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on Wednesday, July 10.

AEW has yet to announce a start date or other participants for this year’s tournaments.

Danielson and his Blackpool Combat Club teammates Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and the returning Wheeler Yuta were victorious in eight-man tag team action on Wednesday’s Dynamite. Our full report from the show is here.

AEW Owen Hart Foundation tournament finals to take place this July

Posted on by Joseph Currier

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.

AEW’s Owen Hart Foundation tournaments to return in 2023

Posted on by Ian Carey

The Owen Hart Foundation tournaments will return in 2023. 

Tony Khan revealed the news on Thursday’s Full Gear media call in response to a question from our own Dave Meltzer. 

“I do plan to do the Owen Hart tournaments in 2023. I’d like to continue my great relationship with Dr. Martha Hart and her family. Oje Hart recently attended the Jaguars-Broncos game at Wembley Stadium. I really like Oje, he’s a tremendous guy, and Martha and the whole family, they’re great. We loved having them in AEW and the Owen Hart tournament tradition will continue,” Khan said on the call. 

“I really appreciate Chris Jericho facilitating that connection several years ago actually during the pandemic,” he continued.  

A timeline for the 2023 tournaments has not been revealed but the finals of last year’s tournament took place at AEW Double or Nothing in May. 

Britt Baker won the inaugural women’s tournament. She defeated Danielle Kamela in a qualifying match, Maki Itoh in the first round, Toni Storm in the semifinals, and Ruby Soho in the finals. 

Adam Cole won the inaugural men’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament. He defeated Dax Harwood in the first round, Jeff Hardy in the semifinals, and Samoa Joe in the finals. 

Britt Baker wins AEW women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament

Posted on by Ian Carey

Dr. Britt Baker DMD has won the first-ever women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. 

Baker defeated Ruby Soho in the finals at AEW Double or Nothing. The finish of the match saw Baker reverse a victory roll into a pinning combination of her own and get the three count. 

Following the match, Baker and men’s tournament winner, Adam Cole, were presented with championship belts and the Owen Hart Cup by Dr. Martha Hart. 

Leading up to the finals, Baker defeated Danielle Kamela (FKA Vanessa Borne) in a qualifying match, Maki Itoh in the quarter-finals, and Toni Storm in the semi-finals. Soho came into the finals after having defeated Robyn Renegade in a qualifying match, Riho in the quarter-finals, and Kris Statlander in the semi-finals. 

Baker’s three straight victories in the tournament come after she lost the AEW Women’s World Championship to Thunder Rosa at St. Patrick’s Day Slam on March 16. Her reign ended after 290 days and seven successful title defenses. 

Dr. Martha Hart & family attend AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Bryan Rose

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!”

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.

AEW to hold men’s and women’s Owen Hart Cup tournaments

Posted on by Joseph Currier

AEW will be holding both men’s and women’s versions of its Owen Hart Cup tournament.

During his appearance on Busted Open Radio on Friday, Tony Khan revealed that, in addition to the men’s tournament, there will be a women’s Owen Hart Cup. Khan said the when and where regarding the tournaments and where they will be culminating will be announced on tonight’s Rampage.

Khan said Dr. Martha Hart has been great to work with, and she’ll be presenting the trophies to both winners at the conclusion of the tournaments.

AEW has yet to reveal the participants for either tournament. Khan said both Owen Hart Cups will be singles tournaments.

More information will also be announced on next Wednesday’s Holiday Bash edition of Dynamite. A video about the Owen Hart Cup will be airing on that show, with Khan saying that Rocky Romero helped AEW get footage of Owen Hart from NJPW that will be used in the video. The video will tell fans more about the tournaments, the Owen Hart Foundation, and what AEW hopes to accomplish with the tournaments.

This September, it was announced that AEW and the Owen Hart Foundation had entered into a partnership to honor the legacy of the late Owen Hart.

“This collaboration includes launching the annual Owen Hart Cup Tournament within AEW, which will see the winner receive a Cup known as ‘The Owen,’ as well as the production and distribution of unique and original Owen Hart merchandise, including specified retail goods as well as the upcoming AEW console video game,” AEW announced

“This alliance incorporates opportunities to develop Owen Hart action figures via AEW’s partnership with Jazwares, apparel, posters, and additional collectable merchandise.”