AEW Gets it Right With Owen Hart Tournament Winners
AEW Gets it Right With Owen Hart Tournament Winners
Will Ospreay and Mercedes Mone are the 2026 Owen Hart Cup Tournament winners.Zack Heydorn|
And just like that, the 2026 AEW Owen Hart Cup Tournament is in the rearview mirror.
At the AEW Forbidden Door PPV event on Sunday night, both the men's and women's tournaments concluded with the finals. On the women's side of things, Mercedes Moné defeated Maya World to win. Moné is a repeat champion. She was the victor in the 2025 tournament.
Moné and World had a long match together and with each passing minute, the crowd in San Jose believed that an underdog victory from World was possible. There were near-fall and near-submissions, which kept the audience on the edge of their seat the entire time.
The CEO, @MercedesVarnado, is heading to Wembley to challenge for the AEW Women's World Championship!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 29, 2026
Watch #ForbiddenDoor LIVE on HBO Max PPV pic.twitter.com/8HqiX8dTuC
Both women exchanged Bank Statement submission holds during the match, but neither tapped. In the end, Moné connected with an inverted back stabber and then eventually did get World to tap out to her Bank Statement.
In the men's tournament final, Will Ospreay defeated Swerve Strickland to win his first Owen Hart Cup. The victory is the culmination of a long journey back from injury. Ospreay spent the end of 2025 and beginning of 2026 on the shelf recovering from a serious neck injury that required surgery.
IT'S WEMBLEY OR NOTHING!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 29, 2026
Watch #ForbiddenDoor LIVE on HBO Max PPV pic.twitter.com/MITNeetWT4
Ospreay and Strickland had an instant classic and it was bloody. Both guys kicked out of multiple finishing maneuvers from the other and both bled from the head. The Death Riders came out near the end of the match and it seemed to boost Ospreay. After a look from Moxley, Ospreay ate a House Call, but was unfazed by it. Ospreay hit a buckshot hidden blade and then a Tiger Driver 91 for the victory.
After the match, Ospreay celebrated with the audience and The Death Riders celebrated around the ringside area. Ospreay had words with Strickland and seemed appreciative of the match. The Death Riders lifted Ospreay up onto their shoulders with the Owen Hart Cup trophy in his hands. Ospreay and his wife, Alex Windsor, embraced as the show went off the air.
The 2026 Owen Hart Cup Tournament winners equal big business for AEW
With the tournament now complete, Ospreay and Moné now have a date with the world champion at All In. Like last year, The Owen winners earned a world title match at the biggest show of the year at the end of August.
When the brackets for the tournament were released, Ospreay was a standout to win. Since returning from his injury, Ospreay has been on a journey to find himself and swore he would win The Owen and main event All In. This year's All In takes place inside of Wembley Stadium in Ospreay's home country of the UK.
That's good business for AEW. With Ospreay winning the tournament, he's now on a hero's journey in AEW that will feature a comeback story and a homecoming story. Ospreay said that winning the world title in his home country is like England winning the World Cup.
He was an obvious choice, but the smartest choice because of the impact he can have for AEW overseas. Ospreay wrestling against MJF for the championship or someone else like Kenny Omega is more than a worthy main event for the AEW version of WrestleMania.
Same thing with Mercedes Moné. The CEO wasn't in this year's tournament at the start, but as soon as she took the place of Willow Nightingale, she was the instant right choice to win it.
Just like Ospreay, Moné is one of the top stars in AEW. She's also a credible main event talent and good for business.
The AEW women's division has suffered some turmoil because of injuries and other absences including that of Toni Storm. That limited the direction for top women's feuds, which forced Mone back into the title picture at the highest level.
With Storm gone, Thekla jumped to the top of the division and has held the championship now for seven different title defenses. The biggest women's match AEW can put on is with Thekla and Moné. Mercedes winning The Owen isn't a flashy or fresh choice, but it allows Tony Khan to hit go on a match that will move the needle for the company at the biggest show of the year.
AEW is where the best wrestle, but it's also where business is business. Both Ospreay and Mone as Owen winners help create money matches for Tony Khan. That matters more than the novelty of something new.
Published 19 hours ago | Modified 19 hours ago
ZACK HEYDORNZack Heydorn has been covering the pro wrestling industry for a decade and writes news, features, and interviews for The Takedown On SI. He also hosts and cohosts a variety of WWE and AEW shows on YouTube. Heydorn is a former Assistant Editor of PWTorch and Managing Editor of SEScoops. Zack is also the author of the Hybrid Shoot book Stunning: The Wrestling Artistry of Steve Austin, which is available on Amazon. You can follow Zack on X and Bluesky.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
