The Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, also known as the Owen Hart Cup, is a series of professional wrestling tournaments produced annually by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in partnership with The Owen Hart Foundation. It consists of two single-elimination tournaments, one each for men and women, and the respective winners receive a trophy called "The Owen" as well as a commemorative championship belt, and beginning in 2024, matches for AEW's men's and women's world championships. Established in September 2021, the inaugural tournaments concluded at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view in May 2022 where Adam Cole and Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. won the men's and women's tournaments, respectively. It is named in honor of Owen Hart, who wrestled primarily in Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF; renamed WWE in 2002), and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) from 1986 until his death in 1999.

Official poster/logo of the tournament

Background

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In September 2021, the American professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced the establishment of the Owen Hart Cup, an annual tournament to honor the legacy of Owen Hart, a prominent wrestler during the 1980s and 1990s who died at the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF, now WWE) Over the Edge pay-per-view in 1999. The tournament was established in collaboration with The Owen Hart Foundation.[1] On December 17, AEW revealed that there would be both a men's and women's version of the tournament,[2] and the respective winners would receive a trophy called "The Owen Cup"[1] as well as championship belts modeled after the old Stampede Wrestling North American Championship. Based on the Hart Family pink and black, the Women's winner receives a pink belt while the Men's winner receives a black belt. It was also confirmed that the tournaments would begin in May, culminating with the finals at Double or Nothing.[3] In deciding why there would be both a men's and women's tournament, Tony Khan likened it to Wimbledon, which also has both men's and women's tournaments.[4]

On the April 26, 2023, episode of Dynamite, Khan announced that the 2023 tournament's opening ceremony would occur at that year's Double or Nothing PPV. He also said that tournament matches would happen in Owen's home country of Canada at the Forbidden Door PPV, and the tournament would conclude in Owen's hometown of Calgary, Alberta, on the fifth episode of Collision on July 15.[5] For 2023, both the men's and women's tournaments featured an eight wrestler field, and wrestlers from AEW partner promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) also participated.[6]

On the Double or Nothing Buy-In, Khan announced that the 2024 tournament would take place and the tournament would conclude in Owen's hometown of Calgary, Alberta, on Dynamite on July 10. The winners of both tournaments would receive a match for the respective world championship in their division (the AEW World Championship for the men, and the AEW Women's World Championship for the women) at All In.[7][8]

Winners

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Year Winners Event Date City Venue Notes
2022 Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. Double or Nothing May 29, 2022 Paradise, NV, United States T-Mobile Arena Defeated Ruby Soho in the final.
Adam Cole Defeated Samoa Joe in the final.
2023 Willow Nightingale Collision July 15, 2023 Calgary, AB, Canada Scotiabank Saddledome Defeated Ruby Soho in the final.
Ricky Starks Defeated CM Punk in the final.
2024 Bryan Danielson Dynamite July 10, 2024 Defeated "Hangman" Adam Page in the final and earned an AEW World Championship match at All In.
Mariah May Defeated Willow Nightingale in the final and earned an AEW Women's World Championship match at All In.

Tournament

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2022

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Women's

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Inaugural women's tournament winner Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.
Qualifiers
Dynamite
(March 30, April 6 and 20, 2022)
Rampage
(April 1, 8, and 15, May 6, 2022)
Quarterfinals
Dynamite
(May 11 and 18, 2022)
Rampage
(May 13 and 20, 2022)
Semifinals
Dynamite
(May 25, 2022)
Rampage
(May 27, 2022)
Final
Double or Nothing
(May 29, 2022)
        
The Bunny 8:41
Toni Storm Pin
Toni Storm Pin
Jamie Hayter 8:32
Jamie Hayter Pin
Skye Blue 5:38
Toni Storm 9:02
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. Pin
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. Sub
Danielle Kamela 6:12
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. Sub
Maki Itoh[a] 6:44
Bye
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. Pin
Ruby Soho 13:20
Riho Pin
Yuka Sakazaki 9:18
Riho 9:07
Ruby Soho Pin
Ruby Soho Pin
Robyn Renegade 8:22
Ruby Soho Pin
Kris Statlander 10:06
Red Velvet Pin
Willow Nightingale 5:16
Red Velvet 7:35
Kris Statlander[b] Pin
Hikaru Shida Pin
Julia Hart 7:08

Men's

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Inaugural men's tournament winner Adam Cole
Qualifiers
Dynamite
(April 6, 20, and 27, May 4, 2022)
Rampage
(April 22 and 29, 2022)
Quarterfinals
Dynamite
(May 11 and 18, 2022)
Semifinals
Dynamite
(May 18 and 25, 2022)
Final
Double or Nothing
(May 29, 2022)
        
Max Caster 2:43
Samoa Joe Pin
Samoa Joe Pin
Johnny Elite[a] 10:25
Bye
Samoa Joe TKO
Kyle O'Reilly 12:38
Dante Martin 9:38
Rey Fénix Pin
Rey Fénix 12:00
Kyle O'Reilly Sub
Kyle O'Reilly Pin
Jungle Boy 13:02
Samoa Joe 12:30
Adam Cole Pin
Adam Cole Pin
Tomohiro Ishii 11:14
Adam Cole Sub
Dax Harwood 15:34
Dax Harwood Pin
Cash Wheeler 15:05
Adam Cole Pin
Jeff Hardy 7:10
Swerve Strickland 10:23
Darby Allin Pin
Darby Allin 10:16
Jeff Hardy Pin[c]
Bobby Fish 10:20
Jeff Hardy Pin

2023

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Women's

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2023 Women's Tournament winner Willow Nightingale
Quarterfinals
Rampage
(June 23, 2023)
Collision
(June 24, 2023)
Forbidden Door: Zero Hour
(June 25, 2023)
Dynamite
(July 5, 2023)
Semifinals
Dynamite
(July 12, 2023)
Rampage
(July 14, 2023)
Final
Collision
(July 15, 2023)
         
Anna Jay A.S. 9:20
Skye Blue Pin
Skye Blue 8:13
Ruby Soho Pin
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. 10:07
Ruby Soho Pin
Ruby Soho 9:12
Willow Nightingale Pin
Nyla Rose 8:55
Willow Nightingale Pin
Athena 10:00
Willow Nightingale Pin
Athena 7:50
Billie Starkz Pin

Men's

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2023 Men's Tournament winner Ricky Starks
Quarterfinals
Forbidden Door
(June 25, 2023)
Collision
(July 1, 2023)
Semifinals
Collision
(July 8, 2023)
Final
Collision
(July 15, 2023)
         
CM Punk Pin
Satoshi Kojima 13:40
CM Punk Pin
Samoa Joe 15:36
Samoa Joe Sub
Roderick Strong 12:42
CM Punk 19:36
Ricky Starks Pin
Dustin Rhodes 13:25
Powerhouse Hobbs Pin
Powerhouse Hobbs 10:44
Ricky Starks Pin
Ricky Starks Pin
Juice Robinson 12:32

2024

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Women's

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2024 Women's Tournament winner Mariah May holding the tournament belt
Quarterfinals
Dynamite
(June 19, 2024)

Rampage
(June 21, 2024)

Collision
(June 29, 2024)

Forbidden Door: Zero Hour
(June 30, 2024)
Semifinals
Dynamite: Beach Break
(July 3, 2024)

Rampage: Beach Break
(July 5, 2024)
Final
Dynamite
(July 10, 2024)
         
Willow Nightingale Pin
Serena Deeb 11:00
Willow Nightingale Pin
Kris Statlander 8:10
Kris Statlander Pin
Nyla Rose 7:50
Willow Nightingale 12:50
Mariah May Pin
Deonna Purrazzo 9:05
Hikaru Shida Pin
Hikaru Shida 12:00
Mariah May Pin
Mariah May Pin
Saraya 8:30

Men's

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2024 Men's Tournament winner Bryan Danielson
Quarterfinals
Dynamite
(June 19 and 26, 2024)

Forbidden Door
(June 30, 2024)

Dynamite: Beach Break
(July 3, 2024)
Semifinals
Dynamite: Beach Break
(July 3, 2024)

Collision
(July 6, 2024)
Final
Dynamite
(July 10, 2024)
         
Claudio Castagnoli 11:05
Pac Pin
Pac 16:45
Bryan Danielson Pin
Bryan Danielson Sub
Shingo Takagi 20:00
Bryan Danielson Pin
"Hangman" Adam Page 25:45
Rey Fenix 9:20
Jay White Pin
Jay White 15:40
"Hangman" Adam Page Pin
Jeff Jarrett 11:15
"Hangman" Adam Page[a] Pin

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Wild Card ("Joker") entrant not revealed until match time.
  2. ^ Hikaru Shida was originally scheduled to face Red Velvet, but was removed from the match after she returned to Japan. Statlander was announced as her replacement.
  3. ^ This was a no disqualification match.

References

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  1. ^ a b Currier, Joseph (September 20, 2021). "AEW Partners With Owen Hart's Family to Celebrate His Legacy". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  2. ^ Currier, Joseph (December 17, 2021). "AEW to hold men's and women's Owen Hart Cup tournaments". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  3. ^ Guzzo, Gisberto (December 17, 2021). "AEW's Owen Hart Cup Tournaments To Begin In May, Finals To Be Held At Double Or Nothing". Fightful. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  4. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (December 27, 2021). "Tony Khan Explains Why Owen Hart Cup Will Conclude At AEW Double Or Nothing". Fightful. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  5. ^ Boone, Matt (April 26, 2023). "Tony Khan Makes Big Owen Hart Cup Announcements On Dynamite". PWMania. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Thomas, Jeremy (June 21, 2023). "Brackets Revealed For Owen Hart Cup Tournament, Matches Set For Forbidden Door". 411Mania. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  7. ^ Powell, Jason (May 26, 2024). "AEW Double Or Nothing pre-show results: Thunder Rosa vs. Deonna Purrazzo, Max Caster, Anthony Bowens, and Billy Gunn vs. Brian Cage, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  8. ^ Defelice, Robert (May 26, 2024). "Owen Hart Foundation Cup Tournaments Announced, Winners To Receive World Title Shots At AEW All In". Fightful. Retrieved May 26, 2024.