Natalya Praises Recent AEW Tournament

Natalya might be a WWE superstar, but first and foremost, she's a member of the Hart Family. WWE and the Harts have a tangled, conflicted history, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the death and legacy of Owen Hart.

"It's been so hard because I work for WWE," Natalya said during a recent appearance on BT Sport's "Ariel Helwani Meets." "But I have a tremendous amount of respect for Martha."

Dr. Martha Hart sued WWE in 2000 over the death of her husband, who perished in an elaborate entrance gone wrong at the Over The Edge pay-per-view in 1999. Hart and WWE settled the wrongful death suit for approx. $18 million, much of which went to found the Owen Hart Foundation, which provides scholarships for children in need.

While Dr. Hart has never allowed WWE to induct Owen into their Hall of Fame, competing promotion AEW recently held a tournament in Owen's honor, and with Martha's blessing and participation, as she came out on stage to present the tournament trophies at Double or Nothing 2022.

"I think that she did such a beautiful job," Natalya said. "She carries herself so well. She was so poised. It was the first time that fans really got a chance to like, see her."

As for the tournament and AEW, Natalya thought "they did a really nice job honoring Owen," saying that it was "the way Martha wanted to honor him."

"Nobody can understand or imagine what she went through," Natalya said. "What would it be like if I got that phone call about TJ [Natalya's husband, TJ Wilson, formerly known as Tyson Kidd]?" While she doesn't have children with Wilson, she tries to imagine what it would be like to explain to her children that they no longer have a father. "Any way that she feels, I think she's totally justified."

"That was her call," Natalya said of the tournament. "And it always should be her call."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Ariel Helwani Meets" and give a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.