In a significant update, AEW President Tony Khan announced a major enhancement to the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, raising the stakes for participants and adding new excitement to the tournament format.
Background of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament
AEW launched the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament in September 2021 to honor the legacy of the late Owen Hart, featuring both men’s and women’s brackets. The first winners were Adam Cole and Britt Baker, who triumphed at Double or Nothing 2022, while Willow Nightingale and Ricky Starks took home the honors in 2023 in Hart’s hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The 2024 Tournament Finals in Calgary
According to a report from the Calgary Herald, the finals of the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament will take place in Calgary on July 10th. Dr. Martha Hart, Owen’s widow, will be present to celebrate with the winners, continuing her partnership with AEW to honor her late husband’s legacy. She expressed her trust in AEW to properly honor Owen Hart’s memory and wrestling legacy, saying:
“To highlight, promote, and honour Owen’s wrestling legacy. We are now working together to ensure that legacy continues.”
New Stakes Announced by Tony Khan
On the pre-show for Double or Nothing, Tony Khan appeared alongside Dr. Martha Hart to reveal a groundbreaking change for the tournament: for the first time, the winners of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments will receive AEW World Title shots at AEW All In on August 25th in Wembley Stadium. This significant announcement adds substantial stakes to the tournament, providing an opportunity for the winners to challenge for the most prestigious titles in AEW.
Current Champions and Potential Matchups
Swerve Strickland and Toni Storm are the current AEW World Champion and AEW Women’s World Champion, respectively. Whether they will be the ones to face the tournament winners at Wembley remains to be seen, adding another layer of intrigue to the ongoing championship storylines.
This enhancement to the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament elevates its importance within AEW, making it not just a celebration of Owen Hart’s legacy but also a critical path to championship glory. The upcoming finals in Calgary and the title shots at AEW All In promise to deliver exciting and memorable moments for fans, honoring Owen Hart in a way that continues to impact the wrestling world.
