5 things you need to know about AEW's Owen Hart Cup
Back in September, AEW announced its partnership with Owen Hart's family to honor the late pro-wrestling legend’s legacy. It was a vindication for longtime fans who feared Owen's memory had been lost forever due to the contentious relationship between WWE and Martha Hart, Owen's widow.
Proud to announce that #OwenHart is #AllElite!!! @aew @owen_foundation https://t.co/VF3de0oVzk
Owen Hart’s death at the 1999 PPV event Over The Edge in Kansas City was one of the most tragic moments in wrestling history. Allegations of negligence on WWE’s part and criticism of the decision to continue with the show ensued.
A lawsuit filed by Martha related to WWE’s use of his name and likeness was settled out of court in 2013 and has resulted in the beloved wrestler being relegated to the margins of the company’s version of wrestling history.
While WWE could never truly honor Owen Hart, AEW offers a clean slate for Martha and her family to keep his legacy alive. This comes in the form of a tournament named after the legend, amongst other collaborative efforts between the two parties. Here's everything you need to know about AEW's Owen Hart Cup.
#5. AEW collaborated with the Owen Hart Foundation and Martha Hart to create the tournament
AEW's relationship with the Hart family dates back to 2019 and their inaugural PPV Double or Nothing. When AEW debuted their World Championship belt, it was Bret Hart who presented it.
AEW's owner Tony Khan revealed that the company had been in talks with Martha for over a year before the announcement. She started a non-profit charity in his honor, named the Owen Hart Foundation.
“I talked to Martha (Hart) about this for over a year on a regular basis.”
“She’s a really good person and I think she wanted to make sure we’re good people too.”
- Tony Khan on the AEW/Owen Hart Foundation relationship https://t.co/eibAvAfZSI
While Martha was adamant about not doing business with WWE and has kept her distance for close to 20 years, it seems like Tony Khan's sincerity eventually won her over. They released a joint statement announcing the partnership, which can be read in full below:
September 20, 2021 - All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and the Owen Hart Foundation (OHF), a nonprofit charity which provides a vast range of assistance and opportunities to individuals in-need across the world, are collaborating to honor the legacy of late wrestler Owen Hart, a beloved figure in the professional wrestling community and beyond. This collaboration included 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 good as well as the upcoming AEW console video game.
The most exciting about the news was the debut of a new tournament by AEW, dubbed the Owen Hart Cup, which not only pays tribute to the wrestling legend but figures to be an exciting platform to build up new talent in the company, something a consummate professional like Owen would have appreciated.