All Elite Wrestling made sure to get the blessing of Dr. Martha Hart for Darby Allin’s entrance during the 250th episode of Dynamite.
Allin arrived inside the Simmons Bank Arena in Little Rock by descending from the rafters during a brawl between the Elite and those they’ll face in Blood & Guts. Allin confirmed that he will join Swerve Strickland, Mark Briscoe, and The Acclaimed in next week’s match.
AEW was mindful to consult Dr. Hart about the entrance, Fightful Select report, given the tragedy that took her husband Owen’s life at WWF Over the Edge 1999. This isn’t the first time that AEW has sought Martha’s blessing, as she approved of Sting making his iconic entrance from the rafters on the go-home Dynamite before AEW Revolution 2024.
In September 2021, it was announced that the Owen Hart Foundation and AEW would be working together to honor the legacy of the late wrestler. This partnership has seen six Owen Hart tournaments (three for men and three for women,) and Owen be included in the AEW Fight Forever video game. This partnership has allowed for a whole new generation of fans to celebrate the life and career of The Rocket who remains a beloved name in professional wrestling.
The pro wrestling world was turned upside down when Janel Grant’s lawsuit revealed heinous allegations against Vince McMahon. Now, someone who also had an intense battle with Vince and WWE is speaking out.
Martha Hart addressed the allegations against Vince McMahon, expressing her lack of surprise over Janel Grant’s lawsuit. She highlighted the gravity of the allegations and criticized the actions as incomprehensible.
Martha Hart Speaks on Vince McMahon Allegations
While speaking to News Nation, Martha Hart was asked about the allegations against Vince McMahon. She was quite candid as she said that the content of Janel Grant’s lawsuit did not surprise her.
“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 was also asked if she has any advice for Janel Grant. She suggested that Grant keep pressing this case, and not to back down.
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.
Martha Hart’s Legal Battle With WWE
Following Owen Hart’s tragic death in 1999, Martha Hart went to war with McMahon and WWE in court. A wrongful death lawsuit against WWE resulted in an alleged settlement of $18 million. Additionally, Hart pursued another lawsuit against WWE for unauthorized use of Owen Hart’s name and likeness, which was also resolved through a settlement.
Martha Hart recounted that her legal battles with WWE resembled a “David and Goliath” scenario. She explained the challenges she faced while confronting Vince McMahon and his company, describing it as a relentless struggle where they spared no effort to defend themselves.
WWE used their vast resources and ability to hire top lawyers for the fight against Hart. Martha also had a lot of frustration due to the tactics used to delay proceedings and divert attention from the core issues.
Owen Hart’s widow went on to note how wealth led to a sense of impunity for WWE, allowing individuals to believe they could act without constraints. Now, Vince McMahon is unable to escape this lawsuit against him that led to his resignation.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so many more, so keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines.
Sting surprised fans as he lowered from the rafters during his final appearance on AEW Dynamite. After that went down, plenty of fans were discussing things, and Owen Hart’s name was brought into the conversation. It seems that Tony Khan knew this was coming.
Owen Hart’s name trended on Google after Sting was lowered from the rafters. That stunt was nixed on a weekly basis after Hart’s tragic death at Over the Edge in 1999. Tony Khan reached out to make sure this was okay beforehand.
Tony Khan Contacted Martha Hart
Sting made what could potentially be his final descent from the rafters during the latest episode of AEW Dynamite.
Although Sting’s use of the entrance sparked discussions about its associated risks and potential insensitivity, Fightful Select reports that AEW and Tony Khan took proactive steps. They reached out to Martha Hart, Owen Hart’s widow, to discuss the spot and obtain her approval.
Martha ultimately gave her blessing for the entrance to proceed, leading to its inclusion in the show. In the end, Sting’s rafters stunt was a boost of nostalgia, and it was also approved by Owen Hart’s widow.
Sting utilizing the entrance led to some reference the dangers associated with the entrance and perceived insensitivities. However, we’re told that AEW and Tony Khan actually called Martha Hart in preparing for the spot to confer with her. Martha ended up giving her blessing, which is why the entrance happened.
That marked Sting’s first rafter drop since his entrance at TNA Slammiversary in 2007. Prior to that, his last one was in WCW back in 2000. Following the tragic passing of Owen Hart in May 1999, Sting had used this entrance sparingly.
Dr. Martha Hart and AEW have worked closely in the past. She agreed to let the company put out the first official Owen Hart merchandise in years. Now, they have a good relationship, and the company has run two Owen Hart Classic tournaments so far.
What’s Next For Sting in AEW.
Sting’s last match will go down at AEW Revolution this Sunday, live on pay-per-view. He will team with Darby Allin to take on The Young Bucks with the AEW World Tag Team Titles on the line.
SEScoops will have coverage of the event, just in case there are any big headlines. You never know what Tony Khan will book for the company’s next outing, which is likely to get a boost of interest because it is Sting’s last match.
AEW Revolution 2024 Card:
Sting and Darby Allin (c) (with Ric Flair) vs. The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson) in a Tornado tag team match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship, marking Sting’s retirement match.
Orange Cassidy (c) faces Roderick Strong (with Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) in a Singles match for the AEW International Championship.
Samoa Joe (c) defends against “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) in a Three-way match for the AEW World Championship.
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) (with Mariah May and Luther) takes on Deonna Purrazzo in a Singles match for the AEW Women’s World Championship.
Eddie Kingston (c) squares off against Bryan Danielson in a Singles match for the Continental Crown Championship, with the stipulation that if Danielson loses, he must shake Kingston’s hand.
Will Ospreay and Konosuke Takeshita collide in a Singles match.
Christian Cage (c) (with Killswitch, Mother Wayne, and “The Prodigy” Nick Wayne) defends the AEW TNT Championship against Daniel Garcia in a Singles match.
FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) battles Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli) in a Tag team match.
Chris Jericho faces Wardlow, Powerhouse Hobbs, Lance Archer, Hook, Brian Cage, Magnus, and Dante Martin in an All-Star Scramble match, with the winner earning a future AEW World Championship match.
Dr. Martha Hart has been taking part in several media interviews this week. Vice’s Dark Side of the Ring covered Owen Hart’s tragic fall in their season 2 finale Tuesday night. Martha spoke about WWE’s legal tactics as the wrongful death lawsuit was unfolding when speaking with Chris Jericho on Talk is Jericho and in an interview with CBS Sports. WWE lawyer Jerry McDevitt responded to her comments in a lengthy, and at times aggressive, statement to CBS Sports.
“We were basically trying to find out what happened that night. Martha wasn’t even interested from a distance to find out what had happened that night; she just wanted to use it as a vehicle to beat a business in which she didn’t like her husband being, the wrestling business,” McDevitt said about Martha.
“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!” Martha Hart said in a statement released to media.
“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.”
McDevitt’s full statement can be found here and Martha’s full response can be found here.
OHF Triumphant May Long-Weekend Sylvan Lake Food Bank Drive!
The OHF collected tons of much need food for the Sylvan Lake Food Bank over a two day haul with a $1000 in cash donations too! Well done Sylvan Lake neighbors and thanks to our fabulous OHF Committee! #caring#foodbankpic.twitter.com/kXMp1gooHm
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) May 20, 2020
Celebrate Owen Hart and Support The Owen Hart Foundation
Unfortunately, the nastiness involved in the aftermath of Owen Hart’s death remains even to this day. On May 23rd it will be exactly 21-years since the world lost Owen Hart. Fans of Owen’s do have an option to celebrate Owen’s life and career, however.
VICE media and the Owen Hart Foundation have teamed up to create the first official Owen Hart merchandise in over 20 years. All proceeds from the sales of the below t-shirts go to support the Owen Hart Foundation.
First Official Owen Hart T-Shirt in 20 Years – All Proceeds Go To The OHF!
To commemorate Vice Media's Dark Side of the Ring Episode 'Owen Hart's Final Days' the OHF has produced Owen Hart T-shirts with One Hour Tees. Includes a Authenticity Certificate. https://t.co/hcJOAvBgUtpic.twitter.com/sCSKnmo3jV
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) May 19, 2020
In an interview with Chris Jericho on Talk is Jericho, Dr. Martha Hart stated that much of the work the Owen Hart Foundation does mirror the kind of person Owen was in life. She told the story of Owen once offering a person experiencing homelessness use of his hotel room. The Owen Hart Foundation now offers programs to help low-income families and individuals purchase homes. The Foundation also provides scholarships for students.
The Foundation was created with funds from the wrongful death lawsuit against WWE.
Examples of the great work done by the Owen Hart Foundation can be found in the below Tweets:
OHF Bids Farewell To Our Giant Pandas!
The OHF is a proud supporter of The Calgary Zoo & is very saddened to hear that due to the shortage & lack of access to fresh Bamboo our Giant Pandas need to be transported back to China. The OHF was there to welcome them & to say goodbye. pic.twitter.com/7Bs6XXNIuJ
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) May 12, 2020
Sylvan Lake Food Bank running low due to the Covid-19 crisis so the OHF has organized the OHF May Long-Weekend Sylvan Lake Food Bank Drive. All donations to the OHF up to May long-weekend will be donated to this great cause: https://t.co/n0d9hJwnp0pic.twitter.com/ywBlp7MlBH
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) May 1, 2020
Goal Reached For Nova Scotia Mass Murder Victims.
OHF thanks all for helping Barb Simic's family reach $75,000 gofundme goal. We celebrate with a tribute from Canadian Fiddler Natalie MacMaster who performed with a video of Barb's lost niece Emily Tuck NS Kitchen Party Style. pic.twitter.com/eL9GF5lD4K
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) April 25, 2020
The OHF support OHF Committee Member Ashid Bahl's (founder of For The Love of Children Society) initiative sending aid to Afghanistan where a hunger crisis beckons due to terrible food shortages from COVID-19. For more info on how to help contact us or: https://t.co/iHvKWS5wavpic.twitter.com/2LNoVIFSsW
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) April 19, 2020
Dark Side of the Ring’s season finale tonight will focus on Owen Hart’s tragic death at the Over the Edge PPV in 1999. In the build-up to the episode airing, Martha Hart has been taking part in media interviews and speaking about the events surrounding her husband’s death.
Bret Hart has since responded to comments Martha Hart made to the Wrap regarding the fallout between his and Martha’s relationship. Martha stated that her fallout with Bret had to do with Bret wanting access to his wrestling footage and rekindling his relationship with Vince McMahon.
“(Bret) was very upset that he didn’t get his footage. It prompted him to befriend Vince again so he could have access to his footage. That was the first fracture in our relationship,” Martha said.
Bret has since released the following statement on the matter:
“While I am not interested in engaging in any more media mudslinging between Martha and myself especially in light of a global pandemic, I will say that our fallout is multifaceted. To say that it only involved being able to access and use my WWE footage and photos for future projects would merely be an oversimplification and inaccurate. I will not comment any further on the matter.”
WWE Lawyer Comments On Martha Hart Statements
In a recent interview with CBS Sports and on Talk is Jericho, Martha Hart spoke about the negligence involved in Owen’s fall. She also spoke about WWE taking legal action against her in an attempt to force the wrongful death suit to be filed in Connecticut where punitive damages would be less of a factor.
“It was really tough. I have to say it was a knock-down-drag-out fight/battle against them,” Martha said on Talk is Jericho. “A lot of people might not realize this but they actually sued me for breach of Owen’s contract.”
“They had in their contract that you could only sue them in Connecticut but I wasn’t suing them about Owen’s contract, it was something totally different. But through that process of the lawsuit, they were trying anything and everything to muddy the waters or just intimidate me.”
Jerry McDevitt Comments
WWE lawyer Jerry McDevitt has since issued a response to CBS Sports.
“The reality is, we’ve never told our side of the story of what happened — at least not outside of court,” the statement McDevitt provided reads. “We told it in court, but when she talks about the way the lawsuit unfolded over the years, it really isn’t accurate what she’s saying.”
McDevitt then made accusation about Martha’s lawyers attempting to fix the judicial selection process to get a judge they favoured.
“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.”
McDevitt then stated that Owen Hart’s widow wanted to damage the wrestling business.
“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.”
McDevitt’s full statement along with Martha’s comments to CBS Sports can be read here.
Martha talking about WWE’s legal action against her can be heard in the player below:
Owen Hart was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2019. The Hall of Fame and Museum are located in Wichita Falls, Texas and was founded by Tony Vellano in 1999. Do not expect Owen to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, however. Owen Hart’s widow Martha Hart recently took part in an interview with CBS Sports and commented on WWE’s version of a pro-wrestling Hall of Fame.
“Their Hall of Fame? They don’t even have a Hallway of Fame. It doesn’t exist,” Martha said about the possibility of Owen being inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame. “There’s nothing. It’s a fake entity. There’s nothing real or tangible. It’s just an event they have to make money. They put it on TV and have a celebration, and it’s just so ridiculous. I would never even entertain it. It’s garbage.”
Owen was also inducted into the Lou Thesz/George Tragos Hall of Fame in 2018:
Martha Hart holding her husband’s Hall of Fame plaque. Owen Hart was inducted posthumously into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame on July 28. pic.twitter.com/ECYLzMKbFo
Martha Hart On Over The Edge PPV Continuing After Owen’s Death
Martha also spoke about how disrespectful it was for WWE to continue on with the Over the Edge PPV in 1999 after Owen had died.
“When Owen died, they scooped him out like a piece of garbage and they paraded wrestlers out to wrestle in a ring that had Owen’s blood, where the boards were broken from Owen’s fall and where the guys could feel the dip in the ring from where he fell. Just that disrespect and lack of respect for a human life that had just been lost,” Martha Hart said. “The fact that they didn’t stop the show is just appalling. Vince McMahon was a poor leader, and he failed because that talent was looking for leadership and he failed them.”
Martha’s full interview with CBS Sports can be found here.
Fans of Owen Hart are encouraged to support the Owen Hart Foundation. The organization was set-up following the wrongful death lawsuit against WWE. Martha has said that much of the work the Owen Hart Foundation does mirrors the kind of person Owen was in life.
Recently on Talk is Jericho, Martha spoke about how she remembered one time Owen offered a person experiencing homelessness use of his hotel room. Now, the Owen Hart Foundation helps low-income families and individuals purchase homes. The Owen Hart Foundation also offers scholarships for students.
“Owen was a practical man of profound integrity, a wonderful husband and devoted father. He would be extremely proud of the good work carried out by the Foundation and would be honoured to be remembered for what he loved best, which was his sincere kindness to all people,” reads the website of the Owen Hart Foundation.
Martha also noted recently that official Owen Hart merchandise will likely be available soon.
Dark Side the Ring’s season 2 finale will focus on the tragic death of Owen Hart.
The world lost Owen Hart on May 23rd, 1999. He fell to his death in front of thousands of onlookers from the Kemper Arena ceiling during the Over the Edge PPV in Kansas City. He was only 34-years-old at the time of his death. Owen left behind a wife, 2 children, and countless friends, family, and fans.
Owen’s tragic fall will be the topic of Dark Side of the Ring’s season 2 finale. His widow Martha appeared on Talk is Jericho recently to discuss Owen, the documentary, and more. During the conversation, Martha revealed the legal battles that have taken place between her and WWE.
“It was really tough. I have to say it was a knock-down-drag-out fight/battle against them,” Martha said during the discussion. “A lot of people might not realize this but they actually sued me for breach of Owen’s contract.”
“They had in their contract that you could only sue them in Connecticut but I wasn’t suing them about Owen’s contract, it was something totally different. But through that process of the lawsuit, they were trying anything and everything to muddy the waters or just intimidate me.”
“This was a company, they have deep pockets, and they can pay lawyers forever to just keep this case going and going.”
Martha continued to mention details of the lawsuit filed against her.
“Vince sued me because he wanted the case moved to Connecticut because in Missouri you are allowed punitive damages but in Connecticut you’re not. So he was so worried that ‘oh my god, there’s so much negligence here that the punitive damages are just going to be through the roof.’ So he sued me which was really tough because I had to actually hire lawyers in Connecticut to fight that lawsuit while I was battling the wrongful death lawsuit in Kansas City.”
Martha continued to talk about coming to the realization that the wrongful death lawsuit would only ever end up being about money. This motivated her to create the Owen Hart Foundation.
The Owen Hart Foundation
The Owen Hart foundation helps fund many charitable causes including a scholarship fund and a homeowners fund for low-income families and individuals. Martha would continue to talk about how the work of the foundation mirrors the kind of person Owen Hart was.
“Owen was a practical man of profound integrity, a wonderful husband and devoted father. He would be extremely proud of the good work carried out by the Foundation and would be honoured to be remembered for what he loved best, which was his sincere kindness to all people,” reads the website of the Owen Hart Foundation.
A clip from Talk is Jericho featuring Martha Hart’s comments can be heard in the player below:
