AEW Dynamite took an emotional turn this week, as MJF evoked Owen Hart during his in-ring segment with Jeff Jarrett. During a tense promo, MJF suggested that Jarrett was leveraging his friendship with the late Owen Hart to maintain relevance on screen.
“What really makes me mad is that just because you were best friends with Owen Hart, you think you’re owed a grand finale.”
Jarrett had remained calm against MJF’s earlier barbs but this comment rattled the WWE Hall of Famer. However, this time, Jarrett snapped, landing a decisive right hand on MJF. Security and Jarrett’s crew rushed to separate the two, with MJF narrowly escaping the ring and nearly coming face-to-face with Karen Jarrett.
Jarrett had some choice words of his own for MJF in their promo, including labelling the former AEW World Champion a leech and stating that “I was MJF before you were MJF.” Jarrett recently shared that he is on his final contract as an in-ring talent, and plans to capture the AEW World Championship before he retires from competition.
Owen Hart’s tragic passing at WWF Over the Edge 1999 remains one of wrestling’s darkest moments, over 25 years after his fall. Nevertheless, the legacy of the Rocket carries on, with AEW hosting its annual Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Jeff Jarrett and his bitter feud with MJF.
The Godfather says he doesn’t remember much of what happened after Owen Hart’s tragic accident at the 1999 Over The Edge PPV.
The late star was supposed to be lowered down from the rafters through a grapple line for his entrance. Owen was set to challenge the WWE Hall of Famer for the Intercontinental Championship on the show. During the entrance, however, the quick-release mechanism of the grapple line failed and Hart fell to his death.
The Godfather talked about the unfortunate accident during a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet. The former WWE star said that he remembers spending the day with Owen and someone telling him that he fell during his entrance:
“I don’t remember. I remember spending the day with Owen. I remember talking with the girls and then Owen was coming out. I’ve never seen it. But when that happened, I was behind the curtain with the girls going through it. [I said] ‘Don’t worry if you mess up, if you fall, I’ll do this.’
I was telling them that then whoever it was, it might have been Bruce Prichard, I don’t know who was sitting at the table. I know it wasn’t Jim Ross. He goes ‘Owen fell!’ And then I’m like, what? He goes, ‘Owen just fell!’”
According to the wrestling veteran, he doesn’t remember much of what happened once he saw the body of Owen Hart. Everything after that is a blur to him:
“We were looking at the monitors and then it all went down. I just remembered what Owen looked like when he came through the curtain. And other than that, I don’t [remember]. I called my wife right away and she tells me a lot of things that I said that I don’t remember.
But she tells me you said this and you said that. And then I’m like well, I don’t remember that. So it was a blur after that. I don’t remember how or when I found out that there was no match or what’s going on. I really don’t remember.”
The Godfather also discussed being paired with Road Dogg for a match the next night on Raw and Vince McMahon telling them that they didn’t have to work if they didn’t want to. Both the wrestling stars, however, decided to smoke a joint together and wrestle the match to honor their friend.
The Undertaker also talked about wrestling on the PPV after Hart’s fall earlier this year. He detailed the locker room reaction to the whole incident saying that they were not ready to believe it. You can check out his comments on the matter here.
Owen Hart would have turned 59 years old on May 7, and his older brother Bret Hart wanted to be sure to share his love for the late King Of Harts.
The Hart Family are one of pro wrestling’s greatest families, but they are also a family mired in tragedy. The wrestling world was forever shaken on May 23, 1998 when Owen fell from the rafters and passed away at WWF Over The Edge.
Owen however, will forever been known for his amazing wrestling skill, but also his fun-loving sense of humor and his innate good-natured ability to rib “the boys.” Bret Hart took to social media on his younger brother’s birthday, telling fans how Owen happened to visit him in a dream and it warmed ‘The Hitman’s’ heart.
“I had a wonderful dream two days ago, Owen came to me briefly and it was that big smile that quickly brought about a bigger smile of my own. He was ribbing me and I was surprised that he almost got me again. I woke up smiling. I think of you in my happy thoughts, I often see you in the highest and farthest corner of a room. Those warm blue eyes and expressions of amusement and reflection. Sometimes I hear your voice often behind my right ear, or just driving down the highway. Hey Oje’, just so you know, that I know that it’s you.”
Owen is still honored in pro wrestling today in many ways. Kevin Owens took his last name in WWE in homage to Hart and AEW annually runs the Owen Hart Memorial Cup that involves his wife Martha Hart.
A wrestling talent is generally always looking forward to winning their next championship. The WWE Intercontinental Championship however is one belt Kevin Owens doesn’t want to win again because of a very good reason.
The Raw star has won the coveted title a total of two times in his career. Owens has held it for a combined 132 days in his two reigns.
KO recently took part in a Fanatics live auction on the UpUpDownDown channel. While signing an IC title replica for the auction, the WWE star mentioned how he doesn’t want to win the championship again because his record is tied with the late Owen Hart:
“This is the main event, it’s the replica championship of the Intercontinental Title I held for the exact same amount of days as Owen Hart. We both had two title runs, they total the exact same amount of days. So I technically don’t ever wanna win this again because I like that.”
Kevin Owens and Owen Hart
The Intercontinental Championship was Kevin Owens’ first singles title on WWE’s main roster. He defeated Ryback at the 2015 Night of Champions event to win the belt. His second title reign came not long after and he defeated Dean Ambrose at the February 21, 2016 episode of Raw for it.
For Owen Hart, his first IC title run came very shortly after the formation of the legendary Hart Foundation in WWE in 1997. He defeated Rocky Maivia for his first title win and Faarooq for his second run with the title. Both times he would drop the championship to Steve Austin.
Kevin Owens is currently in pursuit of another championship in the form of the US title. The belt is held by Logan Paul at the moment. Both Owens and Randy Orton will be looking to dethrone the YouTube star in a triple-threat match at WrestleMania 40.
If you use the quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
The death of Owen Hart at WWE Over The Edge 1999 remains the most tragic incident to ever have taken place during a wrestling show. The decision to continue the PPV even after the veteran’s fall will forever be a controversial topic.
The Undertaker who was one of the stars that had to go out there and perform after the incident was recently asked about it during a Patreon Q&A. The WWE Hall of Famer explained that mentally it was one of the toughest days of his life, and questioned the decision to keep the show going even after Owen’s passing:
“Wow. Man, [it was] such an interesting time period. We’re all grinding, just trying to do the best that we could but trying to process the information that somebody just passed away due to some, whatever, the rigging accident.
A guy that you spent tonnes of time with and seen every day for years and you just losing. One minute he’s there and then the next he’s not. Then you have to go out and put the pieces together and try and perform, it was probably one of the most difficult…definitely, mentally one of the toughest days I think I’ve ever had.
If you go back and you watch the footage of that, you can see it on everybody’s face. There’s just a huge element to the match and everything that’s going on. You can just tell that no one really wanted to be out there. Like I said, it’s still very raw and you’re processing this information, but you also are trying to entertain these people. You lived by that motto back then ‘the show must go on.’ I just don’t know that that was the right thing to do.”
The Undertaker defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin to win the WWF Championship in the main event of the pay-per-view. He noted that nobody celebrated the title win and detailed the mindset of the locker room after the show had concluded:
“Although we’d already been told, it was kind of like you still didn’t believe it. When we came back we were hoping that something miraculous had happened and it wasn’t true. It was such a tough night. Hindsight being 20-20 [we should have stopped the show] but you also have an arena full of people too.
I don’t envy or didn’t envy Vince McMahon having to make that decision. It was a tough call in the heat of it. I just know it was extremely difficult to go out and do my job that night. It was tough man, we tried to do the best with what we had.”
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
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.
Given the popularity of The Iron Claw, there’s been speculation about other wrestling stories making it to the big screen. On Instagram, Natalya posted a photo of herself with Rory Culkin, the star of movies including Signs and Scream 4. Jordan Levine and Jordan Beckerman of Yale Productions were also in the photo.
Natalya’s caption made clear that she is working on something close to her heart. Fightful Select reports that this something involves possibly making a movie based on the Hart family. Levine and Beckerman have reportedly had an interest in the idea for some time. Culkin, like his brother Macauley, is a known long-time wrestling fan.
The Hart Family Out of the Ring
If this film makes it to the big screen, it won’t be the first time that the first family of Canadian wrestling has been covered. WWE has released several documentaries about the Harts including individual DVD sets about Bret and Owen Hart.
Outside of WWE, Bret and his family worked with Trimark Pictures to create 1998’s ‘Wrestling With Shadows.’ The documentary gives an in-depth look at the highs and lows of professional wrestling and features Bret recounting his life in the business from a wrestler’s perspective. Wrestling With Shadows, which also covers the Montreal Screwjob, received a 25th-anniversary Blu-Ray release last year.
The Undertaker is a WWE Hall of Famer who led the locker room for decades. While he led the troops for Vince McMahon backstage, he also saw many instances of tomfoolery along the way.
The Undertaker Speaks on Backstage Pranks in WWE
WWE Superstars spend their lives on the road, and sometimes they get bored. This was especially true during The Undertaker’s heyday, because WWE’s schedule was far more grueling. To pass the time, Superstars would often prank each other backstage.
The Undertaker is famously afraid of cucumbers. Owen Hart took advantage of this fact on several occasions, as he pranked the Deadman with the common vegetable. Through it all, things never got too intense as Taker remembers it. He did remember how The Rockers would tamper with other wrestlers’ belongings while they were busy in the ring.
During his Six Feet Under podcast, The Undertaker was asked what was the most juvenile prank he ever saw backstage in WWE.
“When I first started with WWE, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty. They were a couple little turds. That’s what they were. They were just bad. I would go out and have a match. Back then, we’d have somebody there that would bring our ring gear back. Every time I’d come back from a match, there would be my hat sitting on a case somewhere, and it would be poked. The top of it would be poked in. It’d be like sugar poured all over the top of it, flowers put in it. Just silly things that they would do to my hat. I didn’t know who was doing it. One thing with a rib when you’re in the wrestling business is, you don’t sell it. You don’t sell the rib. You don’t let anybody know that the rib’s getting to you. Because if it’s bothering you, it’s only gonna get worse. So I’m just playing it cool and I kind of set it up like a trap one day. I had my hat sitting out on the case. My coat was lying next to it and I’m kind of hiding.”
“This is kinda juvenile in its own right. I’m kind of hiding behind the curtain backstage, watching. I set a trap [and] here comes Shawn Michaels, just be-bopping down the hallway, and he stops. He walked in, he sees my hat and he stops. I remember him looking both ways like ‘Is there anybody around?’ I remember him pushing my hat, the top of my hat, caving my hat in, and I caught him right away. I was like, ‘You son of a bitch.’ And he about pissed himself like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’ That was some of the more juvenile. I’ve been fairly lucky.”
“There’s only been a few guys that would rib me. Paul Bearer would rib me and Brian Adams would rib me. Those are the only two. Yeah, those are the only two guys or whatever. I mean Vince. Yeah, he went out of his way to rib me. He would spend thousands and thousands of dollars just to rib me and get a kick out of it. But as far as the talent, though, the only two guys that would rib me were Paul Bearer and Bryan Adams.”
The Deadman was also asked if he ever saw a prank go too far. That is when the former judge of Wrestlers Court was candid in his response. There were what he called “close calls,” and cucumbers were involved. In the end, those ribs were relatively harmless.
“There were a couple of close calls with cucumbers, that got a little bit too close to consumption, which would have been really bad. But most of them were pretty harmless.”
History of Practical Jokes in Pro Wrestling
Another notable instance of a famous backstage rib went down during a European tour in 1993 when Owen Hart switched his brother Bret Hart’s wrestling gear with a smaller-sized version, so the Hitman had to go out alone. Owen Hart also put sliced cucumbers in The Undertaker’s boots, which caused quite a reaction from the Deadman.
Mr. Fuji, who was a legendary prankster backstage, was known for mischievous ribs. He did things like filling babyface wrestlers’ water bottles with salt. Bobby Heenan was also legendary for his outlandish ribs, one that would entertain Superstars for hours on the road.
The infamous “Plane Ride from Hell” in 2002 saw various disruptive ribs, including Ric Flair’s naked antics, which did not age well at all. A wrestling match also broke out between Brock Lesnar and Mr. Perfect, who also allegedly dosed wrestlers with halcion tablets for giggles at times as well.
Everybody loves a title change, right? The joy of seeing history being made, and another name being added to a litany of champions.
For wrestlers, title victories mean that long after their careers are over, long after their lives are over, what they achieved will live on in the annals of history.
But for some wrestlers, their title changes were not meant to be, and while they had the joy of winning, they also felt the pain of having that win taken away.
With Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal almost becoming AEW World Tag Team Champions this week, we’re looking back at six times titles changed hands, but then didn’t.
The Rocket’s Reign Fizzles Out
Owen Hart held plenty of gold in the WWE, but never held the World Championship, despite what this image may suggest.
Bret Hart is considered one of the greatest WWF Champions of all time, but despite an impressive career of his own, his younger brother Owen would never win the gold.
Well, not officially at least, as during the August 17, 1994 taping of WWF Superstars, Owen defeated his big brother to capture the gold.
The problem for the Rocket though, is that Jim Neidhart had been caught interfering on his behalf, and the match was restarted.
In another excellent collision between the two, Bret would defeat Owen to retain his title, but the image of the Rocket with the title remains an epic sight.
Y2J Plays the Game
Chris Jericho’s arrival in the WWF in 1999 was a huge deal, and it wasn’t long before one of WCW’s most popular stars was hanging with the top guys.
On the April 17, 2000 episode of Raw is War, Jericho’s insulted Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, and was able to goad Triple H into putting his WWF title on the line.
With the hired APA holding DX at bay, Jericho was able to get the win over the Game, thanks to a fast count from Earl Hebner.
Hebner had been bullied by DX for weeks, but even he knew the decision couldn’t stand, and Jericho would have to hand back the title.
With this stricken from the record, Jericho would have to wait until late 2001 until he became the WWF Undisputed title, a title he’d ironically lose to Triple H.
The Miz Goes Over the Limit
The Miz held nothing back in his efforts to make John Cena quit, even using a recording of the future Hollywood star.
Last year saw The Miz become a two-time WWE Champion, and while his reign was short, it was a long-time coming for fans of the A-Lister.
After losing the WWE title in 2011 to John Cena, Miz tried to win it back, and in a shocking turn of events, his I-Quit match with Cena saw Big Match John utter those two words.
As Miz celebrated, his NXT protege Alex Riley dropped an item, revealed to be a recording of Cena saying those words, and the jig was up.
With the match restarted, Cena made Miz quit for real, and the Marine star would wait a long time before he earned his real second WWE Championship.
The Wrong Rope Break
The Rockers held the WWF Tag Team titles for a brief moment, but a ring rope breaking snapped their run.
When you think of tag teams who never held gold in the WWF, few teams are more celebrated than The Rockers.
The pairing of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty would wow fans with their high-flying skills, and on one fateful night, would even win the WWF World Tag Team Titles.
During an October 1990 taping for Saturday Night’s Main Event, the Rockers dethroned the Hart Foundation in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match.
The ring-rope breaking mid-match did not stop the action, but it was this rope break that would cost them dearly.
Unsatisfied with the match because of the rope, WWF higher-ups planned for it to be re-taped, but that never happened.
Explaining rumors of a phantom title change, WWF President Jack Tunney reversed the decision because the broken ring rope meant the bout was partially contested in an unfair environment, and on this occasion, it was Shawn getting screwed out of a title that was back in the hands of Bret Hart.
Inoki Makes History
Inoki’s career would include an unofficial run as WWWF World Champion, making him the first Asian WWE Champion.
When Antonio Inoki died last October, fans reflected on his incredible career, which included a reign as WWWF Champion.
Unlike others on this list though, Inoki’s title win was not immediately reversed and would come in November 1979, with a win over Bob Backlund.
A title rematch between the two went to a no-content, and the decision was made to strip Inoki of the title.
Backlund would defeat Bobby Duncum in a Texas Death Match to fill the vacancy, but the title controversy was never acknowledged, and fans at the time wouldn’t learn about Inoki’s win until years later.
Dusty’s Dream is Shattered
The American Dream celebrated his NWA World title win, before learning his win was being reversed and the reign nullified.
We couldn’t have an article like this without the namesake of the ‘Dusty Finish:’ The American Dream Dusty Rhodes.
As a booker, Rhodes often used the trope of the face seemingly winning only to heel come out on top, but at Starrcade 1985, Rhodes got a taste of his own medicine.
The show’s main event, which pitted Rhodes against NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair was a match for the ages, and one that saw Rhodes win the gold.
It wasn’t until the next WCW show that the elated fans learned the truth that Flair was still champion, as referee Tommy Young had been knocked out during the title match, and that since the first ref was down, the pinfall wasn’t official.
Flair regained the gold in a crushing moment for the American Dream, as the master of the Dusty finish got a taste of his own medicine.
The Owen Hart Foundation tournaments will return to AEW in 2023.
AEW President Tony Khan revealed the news on Thursday’s Full Gear media call. He didn’t say when exactly it will happen. Chris Jericho was the bridge between Martha Hart and AEW through his friendship with the widow of Owen Hart.
“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.
History
The finals of last year’s tournament took place at AEW Double or Nothing in May.
Britt Baker won the inaugural women’s tournament when 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.
On the flip side, Adam Cole won the inaugural men’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament when he defeated Dax Harwood in the first round, Jeff Hardy in the semifinals, and Samoa Joe in the finals.
With a truly-historic 2022 coming to an end, the wrestling world is looking ahead to 2023, and what will happen over the next 12 months.
With January approaching, WrestleMania season is drawing near, and with WrestleMania comes the Hall of Fame.
Many of wrestling’s biggest stars have already received the nod, but not everyone and these are some of the huge names yet to go in.
5: The Great Muta
The Great Muta will retire from wrestling in 2023, but will he soon become a WWE Hall of Famer?
Right now, the Great Muta is on his retirement tour, after a truly iconic career in wrestling.
Considered by many to be one of, if not the greatest Japanese wrestler of all time, Muta has held gold with AJPW, NJPW, WCW, and Pro Wrestling NOAH, among others.
Away from titles, Muta has been an inspiration for so many wrestlers, yet a WWE Hall of Fame induction continues to allude the legend.
On January 1, Muta will compete against WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura, in a rare example of WWE allowing one of their stars to compete elsewhere.
Could a Hall of Fame induction have been part of the deal for Nakamura? Perhaps, but whether that happens or not, Muta is worthy of the induction.
4: Owen Hart
The Blackheart, Owen Hart will likely never be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame due to his tragic death in 1999.
It’s nothing short of a crime that for many wrestling fans (and non-fans alike) Owen Hart will be best known for his final moments.
Hart’s tragic passing at the Over the Edge 1999 event has forever cast a shadow on a career certainly worthy of the Hall of Fame.
In this instance, it is Owen’s widow, Martha Hart, who has rejected calls from WWE (and fans) to induct her husband, holding the company responsible for his death.
While Martha has been more open to wrestling this year, even appearing for AEW at their Double or Nothing Pay-Per-View, a relationship with WWE remains non-existent, so don’t expect to see the Rocket receive the nod next year.
3: Batista
The Animal was announced for the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020, but later pulled out because of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
When Batista broke into the wrestling business, it came at a time of his life when many would be considering winding up their careers.
Undeterred, the Animal not only became a wrestler but a six-time WWE World Champion, along with a handful of Tag title reigns.
Unlike many on this list, we know that Batista will be inducted, as he was announced in 2020, but pulled out due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It’s understandable, the Animal was worthy of headlining the ceremony, and the 2020/2021 dual induction would not have been right.
With The Undertaker headlining this year’s Hall of Fame, expect Batista to receive the long-awaited honors next year.
2: The Rock
The Brahma Bull electrified fans for years, but why is he not in WWE’s Hall of Fame.
The Bramha Bull. The People’s Champion. The Great One. The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment.
Whatever you call him, Dwayne Johnson should be called a WWE Hall of Famer.
Frankly, it’s baffling he’s not already been given the nod, and we can only imagine one reason for why either he’s said no, or WWE has refused to put him in.
Either Rock, WWE, or both, believe he’s not done in the ring.
It’s hardly a secret that WWE wants the Great One back, with many predicting the long-awaited match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39.
Will that match happen? At this time it’s difficult to say, but one thing we know for sure is that Dwayne Johnson is Hall of Fame bound.
1: Vince McMahon
McMahon changed the wrestling world, but his exit from WWE earlier this year could cause problems for an induction.
When fans think of the biggest star in wrestling, they may conjure names like Hulk Hogan, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, John Cena or even Roman Reigns.
Well none of these names would have reached the heights they soared to without Vince McMahon.
Of course, a McMahon induction is problematic, thanks in part to his controversial exit from WWE in July over allegations of misconduct.
As wrestling fans have made clear, they don’t forget. Just ask Hulk Hogan and the chilly reception he received at WrestleMania 37 in his home state of Florida.
There is perhaps no bigger name in wrestling who is more deserving than any induction than Vince McMahon, but whether it will ever happen is another matter entirely.
Owen Hart pulled a hilarious rib on a young Matt Hardy when the pair first met in WWE.
Matt Hardy was recently a guest on Chris Jericho’s podcast, “Talk Is Jericho,” where he detailed the first time he met the late great Owen Hart. Hart was known as a notorious ribber, and Matt Hardy was on the receiving end during their first encounter.
Hart took Hardy aside before one of their matches and went over a spot with him that put some pain on Hardy’s knees.
The spot was ridiculous and after a few repetitions, Hardy finally asked if Hart was joking, to which Hart admitted he was.
“One of my favorite Owen stories is the first time he ribbed me, so to say,” Hardy said. “Like I didn’t know him, we were just extra.
“This is the fall of 1994, and I’m wrestling Owen in the Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. So we’re there and he goes, ‘Oh yeah, people really like the Hardy kids.
“They take good bumps for all the guys. I really want to highlight you in the match. I have an idea, but I want to make sure you master it, that you’ve got it down.’ He said, ‘Follow me.’
“We walk out into the concourse, and he has this big tarp like you’d use to cover up something if it’s going to rain. A big plastic tarp.
“It’s laid out… he said, ‘Alright, let’s just get down on all fours in the center. Let’s pretend like this is the ring. Let’s say I take you down.
“I want you to take off like you’re trying to get to the ropes, but then I’ll stop you before you get there.
“Then you’ll go 90 degrees to your left and you try to get to the ropes there, and I’ll stop you again. Then you go 90 degrees to the left, and we’ll go to all four sides.
“It’ll really be like you’re resilient, and you’ll look great at this.’ I do it and we crawl, and he says, ‘That was really good. Let’s do it again.’ I was like, ‘God, this is going to hurt my knees.’ …
“We do it like four or five times, and then on the fifth time he’s asking me to do it, I go, ‘Dude, are you messing with me?’ He says, ‘Yes! What took you so long to catch on?!’”
Both Hardy brothers, Matt and Jeff, were fortunate enough to share the ring with Owen Hart in 1994, just before his untimely passing in 1999.
Hart was involved in a tragic accident during the Over The Edge pay-per-view (PPV) event in Kansas City, Missouri, where he fell from the rafters of the Kemper Arena, into the ring. This was prior to a scheduled match with The Godfather.
The match ultimately never took place due to Hart’s accident, which was briefly addressed by commentator Jim Ross on the live broadcast.
After being transferred to a nearby hospital, Hart was subsequently pronounced dead. Ross made the announcement on the show shortly thereafter, which continued on despite the incident.
The accident resulted in a broken relationship between WWE and Hart’s widow, Martha Hart. While WWE may not be getting Martha Hart’s blessing to go into the WWE Hall Of Fame anytime soon, she has allowed Hart’s name to resurface in professional wrestling.
Recently, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) hosted a men and women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, which was won by Adam Coleand Britt Baker, respectively. Martha Hart made appearances on AEW TV promoting the tournament.
As expected, FTR paid homage to wrestling royalty during their Owen Hart Cup Tournament qualifier match.
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler were in action on the April 27 episode of AEW Dynamite. The two have insisted that this was the first and last time they will wrestle each other and it lived up to the billing.
In the end, it was Dax Harwood who got the pinfall and he will move on to the opening round of the Owen Hart Cup.
Promo Joe has put together the tributes made by FTR. While the two honored Bret Hart and Owen Hart, they also paid homage to Scott Hall and Mr. Perfect.
The track is titled, “Legacy” and is composed by Mikey Rukus. We know the song has been in production for at least 6 months, since we got a sneak peek back in October.
AEW has partnered with the Owen Hart Foundation for a series of projects, including men’s and women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments. Qualifying matches for the inaugural tournaments are currently underway.
The finals of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments will take place at the annual AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view in May.
As you can hear below, Legacy pays homage to the classic Owen Hart theme song that blared through WWF arenas during the mid-1990’s.
Tony Khan is making a big promise to fans ahead of the Owen Hart Cup.
Back in Sept. 2021, AEW announced a partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation. The business relationship between AEW and the foundation means the company will be able to market merchandise using Owen’s likeness. This includes the upcoming AEW console game.
Tony Khan On Owen Hart Cup
AEW’s head honcho Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio and said he has high hopes for the tournaments and made a bold promise to fans (via Wrestling Inc).
“I’m excited, in May, we’re going to start the Owen Hart Cup tournament. And before the cup tournament starts, similar to the Olympics or the World Cup or a lot of the big tournament events out there, there’s qualifying. You know, pre-tournament qualifying. And we’re going to have that for The Owen Hart Cup, both the women’s tournament and the men’s tournament.
“And I’m really excited about getting in there and finding out who’s going to make the competition. I’ll have announcements coming up soon about The Owen Hart qualifying matches, but I promise the fans these tournaments, both the men’s tournament and the women’s tournament, will be excellent.”
There will be a men’s and women’s tournament for the cup. The widow of Owen, Dr. Martha Hart, will be presenting the trophies to the winners.
The primary focus of this working relationship will be the Owen Hart Foundation Men’s and Women’s Tournaments. The participants have yet to be announced, but we know the finals of the two tournaments will take place at AEW Double or Nothing in May.
Dr. Martha Hart, Owen Hart’s widow, will be on hand to present trophies to the winners.
AEW recently revealed that the Owen Hart Cup tournaments will take place this May and conclude at the Double or Nothing PPV in Las Vegas. Tony Khan was recently interviewed by PW Insider and spoke about the tournaments, his relationship with Dr. Martha Hart, and more.
“I have so much respect for Dr. Martha Hart. She is a principled woman and cares so much about making sure the legacy of Owen Hart is treated with integrity. Integrity is something that is essential to AEW. I believe in personal integrity and try to maintain it in relationships. We’ve built a really strong relationship with Martha based on that,” Khan said.
Tony Khan Comments On Having The Tournament Conclude At Double or Nothing
Khan would continue to say that numerous factors went into when the tournament would be held. Some of this had to do with Hart’s teaching schedule in Canada and when she would be available to participate. They had considered the Revolution PPV in February but ultimately the decision was made to have the tournaments conclude at Double or Nothing.
“Talking to her about how the legacy of Owen would be treated, I told her we would make it a top priority to make sure we would do something that would have great impact on the fans, but also where she could participate,” Khan said.
“She’s a teacher in Canada and with her teaching schedule, we looked at AEW events. Double or Nothing is one of the most important shows we have, it’s where the company began, and it’s very fitting that on the three-year anniversary of our first AEW show, we will crown Owen Hart (Cup) winners.”
Tomorrow night on #AEWDynamite#HolidayBash LIVE on TNT @ 8ET/7CT/6MT/5PT we have a special video on the Owen Hart Cup Tournament including stars of multiple generations speaking about his legacy + footage of Owen wrestling in @njpw1972 & private home movies from Dr. Martha Hart! pic.twitter.com/N1vjAjgryB
Khan continued to speak about the decision to have both men’s and women’s winners fo the tournament. For Khan, the idea is that the Owen will be treated like other major tournaments in sports.
“I discussed it with Martha and I thought it would be cool to treat the Owen like other prestigious cups in sports. For example, Wimbledon, there is a men’s and women’s winner. Martha thought this was excellent and was in favor of it.”
Tony Khan broke the news that there will actually be two Owen Hart Cup tournaments One men’s singles tournament and one women’s singles tournament.
Dr. Martha Hart, widow of the late Owen Hart, will be on hand to present trophies to the winners.
The finals of the men’s and women’s Owen Hart Cup tournaments will take place in May at the annual Double or Nothing pay-per-view from Las Vegas.
Additional details will be given next week on the Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite. A video package will air on that show featuring Owen Hart from his days in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Khan thanked Rocky Romero for being instrumental in securing that footage.
You can listen to Tony Khan’s comments from Friday’s Busted Open here:
Tony Khan previously had this to say about AEW’s relationship with the Hart Family:
“AEW’s relationship with the Hart family dates back to our inaugural pay-per-view event, Double or Nothing in 2019, and Owen’s influence is still felt today,” said Khan. To extend his memory and his legacy even further through this agreement is a powerful and meaningful moment for the entire wrestling community.”
Martha Hart issued this statement on behalf of the Owen Hart Foundation regarding the Owen Hart Cup Tournament(s) and its decision to partner with All Elite Wrestling:
“The Owen Hart Foundation is extremely pleased to partner with AEW in this wonderful joint venture to honor Owen’s substantial international wrestling career and the lasting influence he and his craft has had in the sport.
AEW’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament serves as a tremendous tribute to Owen and provides an incredible way for professional wrestling enthusiasts to celebrate his work in a most fitting way.
We trust that Tony Khan and his amazing AEW team will do a brilliant job with this highly anticipated project. This OHF/AEW partnership is my special gift to all of Owen’s magnificent loyal fans who forever remember him and his inspiring repertoire of talents.”
Jeff Jarrett is all for the partnership between AEW and the Owen Hart Foundation.
Owen Hart tragically died on May 23, 1999. Jarrett and Owen were great friends and following Hart’s tragic fall at the Over The Edge PPV, Jarrett was visibly shaken and prayed for Owen before having a mixed tag team match.
Back in September, AEW announced a partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation. Through this partnership, AEW will be hosting a tournament called, “The Owen.”
Owen Hart’s likeness will also be used for the upcoming AEW console video game and retail goods.
Jeff Jarrett Praises AEW-Owen Hart Foundation Partnership
Jeff Jarrett appeared on That 90s Wrestling Podcast and expressed his joy in Owen Hart’s name being introduced to a fresh crop of fans.
“It’s excellent. At the very end of the day, father time’s undefeated. So, we all pass on and the only thing that sometimes living in our fast, busy world, material possessions or events or triumphs or tragedy, that really all comes and goes with life but a legacy like Owen left?
“Obviously, Owen passed away 22 years ago, so that in and of itself is amazing. But the legacy of Owen Hart is gonna be exposed to an entirely new generation in a very positive way.
“Hats off to everyone involved with all that, Martha, and Oje, Athena, the kids. Just how that legacy, but also the awareness it’s gonna bring to the foundation and doing good.
“Doing the next right thing and being able to take the life Owen lived and make an impact in a very positive way in a lot of folks’ lives.”
The Owen Hart Foundation has made it a mission to help those with limited resources. The efforts have led to those in need obtaining homeownership as well as scholarships for disadvantaged youth.
Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article
AEW’s music producer has treated fans to a preview of the theme song for Owen Hart.
Last month, AEW announced a partnership with The Owen Hart Foundation. AEW will be honoring the legacy of Hart with the Owen Hart Cup. The winner of this tournament will be presented with a trophy dubbed, “The Owen.”
In honor of the legend who tragically passed away in 1999, AEW’s music producer Mikey Rukus has posted a sneak peek at Owen Hart’s theme song in progress.
Happy #AEWRampage day!! Buy-in on YouTube at 9PM EST and then Rampage at 10/9C on TNT!
But first take a quick trip back to 1992 with a bit of an edge to it. The honor is and always will be mine. 🙏🏽❤️ pic.twitter.com/IUCDV8gCY6
“Take a quick trip back to 1992 with a bit of an edge to it. The honor is and always will be mine.”
In addition to the tournament, AEW will also feature Hart’s likeness in an upcoming console video game and action figures.
The Owen Hart Foundation issued the following statement on its partnership with AEW.
“The OHF is extremely pleased to partner with AEW in this wonderful joint venture to honor Owen’s substantial international wrestling career and the lasting influence he and his craft has had in the sport. AEW’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament serves as a tremendous tribute to Owen and provides an incredible way for professional wrestling enthusiasts to celebrate his work in a most fitting way. We trust that Tony Khan and his amazing AEW team will do a brilliant job with this highly anticipated project. This OHF/AEW partnership is my special gift to all of Owen’s magnificent loyal fans who forever remember him and his inspiring repertoire of talents,” said Dr. Martha Hart.
CM Punk recently commented on the Owen Hart Cup tournament upcoming in AEW. He was on the Sport1 podcast and noted that he had heard about it before the official announcement was made. Still, he says the announcement had a big impact on him and he’s hoping to participate in the tournament.
“I knew about it beforehand, but it still hit me like a truck when I read the press release just because I think it’s such a staggering and monumental bridge,” Punk said (Transcriptions via Fightful). “I think it goes a long way to show and prove that Martha always wanted Owen’s memory to be revered and his legacy preserved. It just couldn’t be at WWE and if you really look at it, it makes a lot of sense. Now, the fans can embrace Owen again, like they’ve always wanted to, Martha can embrace the fans and support Owen’s legacy, like she’s always wanted to. There just wasn’t an outlet or a place to do it before. Now there is. It got me emotional reading the press release. I was like, ‘Wow.’ This is pretty special. Just as a wrestling fan.”
AEW announced a partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation last month. As part of the deal, AEW will be able to create merchandise featuring Owen’s likeness. This includes clothing, action figures, and his inclusion in the upcoming AEW console video game. The Owen Hart Foundation, run by Martha Hart, has various programs dedicated to underprivileged youth, education, and helping low-income families achieve home ownership.
“I’m not sure how the tournament is going to go, but I’m for sure throwing my name in that hat. I want to be in that tournament,” Punk continued.
The Owen Hart Cup
No details as to the format or schedule of the tournament have been announced thus far. Tony Khan has said he plans on it being an annual event, however.
Chris Jericho, who grew up idolizing Owen Hart and dreaming of being in a tag-team with him has also expressed his appreciation for AEW partnering with the Owen Hart Foundation.
Chris Jericho has mentioned in numerous interviews and his own books that Owen Hart was a huge influence on him. Jericho has also spoken of how when he was growing up, he dreamed of being in a tag team with Owen. Unfortunately, their careers never crossed paths and Jericho never did get to wrestle with or against his childhood hero.
During a recent interview with Stephanie Chase, Jericho spoke of what AEW’s deal with the Owen Hart Foundation means to him.
“It was a passion project for me and obviously for Martha and Tony,” Jericho said (Transcriptions via Fightful). “We worked on it for a long time, about a year and a half, to put the deal together and figure out what we wanted to do. I just knew I wanted Owen’s legacy to be something positive and something great as far as wrestling goes, rather than just be dwelling on his death. That’s the main reason why we all wanted this to happen, so we can celebrate Owen Hart’s career and the contributions that he made. He was a pioneer.”
There have been some fans questioning what connection Owen Hart has to AEW. Jericho commented on that during the interview as well. Jericho noted that he was the first world champion in AEW and he is an Owen Hart disciple.
“‘What’s his connection to AEW?’ some people are saying. Well, one of the connections is that he’s specifically the reason I got into wrestling. Owen Hart was the guy. To an extent, Shawn Michaels and Ricky Steamboat, but Owen Hart, to me, I thought, ‘I want to be like that guy.’ There is your connection to AEW.”
Jericho also commented on how the Owen Hart Cup will allow fans of Owen’s to celebrate his life and career rather than focus on his death. The tournament is set to be an annual tradition.
“We’ll do the Owen Hart Cup and tournament and make people feel good about Owen rather than sad. We know what happened, but that was over 20 years ago. Let’s move forward remembering his amazing contributions and legacy in the ring that still resonate to this day.”
In addition to the Owen Hart Cup tournament, AEW’s agreement with the Owen Hart Foundation also permits them to use his likeness for merchandise. This includes the upcoming AEW console video game. Owen Hart apparel is currently available at Pro Wrestling Tees here.
AEW announces a partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation yesterday. The agreement will see AEW produce apparel and action figures featuring Owen’s likeness. He will also appear in the upcoming AEW console video game. AEW also announced the Owen Hart Cup tournament, something that reportedly has been in the works for some time.
Dave Meltzer addressed the creation of the Owen Hart Cup during a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.
“They’ve been working on this for a long, long time,” Meltzer said. “It was months ago, I remember bringing up – and I don’t know if it was on a show, it may have just been in conversation – but I know that I brought up the idea to Tony Khan of a Brodie Lee tournament and he said ‘we have an idea for a tournament’ so this was the idea.”
“They are going to do an annual Owen Hart Cup. They are going to work with Martha Hart. it’s a win-win, there is nothing negative to say on this at all. It’s great, Martha Hart is a great person,” he continued. “I mean really a great person, it’s too bad people don’t get that but she really is.”
AEW may have considered the idea of naming the tournament “King of Harts” as they applied to trademark the term this summer.
Chris Jericho spoke to Sportskeeda last year about his hope that AEW will find a way to honor Owen.
“I think the family realises there’s other places to go other than WWE, there’s a lot of other Halls of Fame and a lot of other places where Owen could get some of the accolades that he deserves, 21 years later,” Jericho said. “I’d love to see (Martha) do something with AEW. I think the spirit of Owen Hart lives on in AEW for sure.”
Jericho also commented on Owen not going in the WWE Hall of Fame.
“I never thought Owen should go in the (WWE) Hall of Fame it’s just not right,” Jericho said. “I think anybody who had any problems with that should watch (The Dark Side episode on Owen) and will understand where the family’s coming from.”
AEW announced a partnership today with the Owen Hart Foundation. The agreement will honor the legendary wrestler’s memory and contributions to the wrestling industry.
The promotion has also announced the creation of an annual tournament named “The Owen Hart Cup”. The tournament winner will receive a trophy referred to as “The Owen.”
“AEW’s relationship with the Hart family dates back to our inaugural pay-per-view event, Double or Nothing in 2019, and Owen’s influence is still felt today,” said Tony Khan, AEW CEO, GM, and Head of Creative. “To extend his memory and his legacy even further through this agreement is a powerful and meaningful moment for the entire wrestling community.”
AEW X The Owen Hart Foundation
In addition to the Owen Hart tournament, AEW will also market merchandise featuring Owen Hart’s likeness. This includes apparel and Owen’s inclusion in the upcoming AEW console video game. Owen Hart action figures are also part of the agreement.
“The Owen Hart Foundation is extremely pleased to partner with AEW in this wonderful joint venture to honor Owen’s substantial international wrestling career and the lasting influence he and his craft has had in the sport. AEW’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament serves as a tremendous tribute to Owen and provides an incredible way for professional wrestling enthusiasts to celebrate his work in a most fitting way. We trust that Tony Khan and his amazing AEW team will do a brilliant job with this highly anticipated project. This OHF/AEW partnership is my special gift to all of Owen’s magnificent loyal fans who forever remember him and his inspiring repertoire of talents,” said Dr. Martha Hart.
Meet Our Newest Owen Hart Foundation Homeowner! Rocio is a single mum who started saving with Momentum 10+ years ago and recently purchased her dream home with the help of the Owen Hart Foundation Homeowners Program. Well done Rocio, so glad we could help you realize your dream! pic.twitter.com/88pN1sGUw9
The Owen Hart Foundation’s mandate is to help those who have “limited resources but unlimited potential”. Programs offered by the nonprofit include helping people with limited resources obtain homeownership and scholarships for disadvantaged youth.
AEW’s press release is below:
#AEW and The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) Enter Into A Relationship to Honor World Renowned Wrestler Owen Hart’s Legacy
All Elite Wrestling filed to trademark the term “King of Harts” on July 28th with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Martha Hart began selling Owen Hart merchandise on Pro Wrestling Tees not long after the Dark Side of the Ring documentary aired on Vice. Many of the items available have the “King of Harts” nickname on it. Sales of the merchandise go to benefit the Owen Hart Foundation.
OHF Backpack Giveaway 2021 Registration Open! The OHF is giving away 400+ backpacks for our annual OHF Backpack Giveaway! NOMINATE a local family in-need today or register your own family to receive a free kids stuffed back-to-school backpack at: https://t.co/n0d9hJwnp0! pic.twitter.com/5kQBdUEDh7
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) July 26, 2021
Chris Jericho spoke about AEW possibly doing something to honor Owen in an interview with Sportkeeda last year.
“I think the family realises there’s other places to go other than WWE, there’s a lot of other Halls of Fame and a lot of other places where Owen could get some of the accolades that he deserves, 21 years later.”
“I’d love to see (Martha) do something with AEW. I think the spirit of Owen Hart lives on in AEW for sure.”
Owen Hart Wins 1994 King of the Ring
Owen Hart began using the nickname shortly after winning the 1994 King of the Ring tournament. His brother Bret Hart had won the tournament the previous two years. Just a few months earlier, Owen had defeated Bret in the opening match of WrestleMania 10. Bret then defeated Yokozuna in the main event of that same show to win the WWF Championship, however. Bret and Owen would then face each other at SummerSlam 94 inside a steel cage.
The OHF is so proud to support these wonderful young local kids collecting bottles for the Mustard Seed Bottle Drive! Way to go parents for helping to create the next generation of caring philanthropists! Find out how you can help end poverty at https://t.co/cNasWNUk8hpic.twitter.com/H84Zl28yht
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) July 23, 2021
The states purposes of the trademark are listed as:
“Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing sporting events in the field of wrestling for wrestling fan club members; organizing social entertainment events for entertainment purposes for wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the field of sports entertainment.”
OHF Assists India Orphanage! The OHF partnered with FTLOCS to provide much needed food and clothing to the 80 children at Chandragiri Orphanage in India. Thanks to all our OHF supporters for helping us do this important humanitarian work! https://t.co/n0d9hJwnp0pic.twitter.com/S60l6Eyrs7
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) July 21, 2021
