Natalya has opened up about Martha Hart’s return to a wrestling setting for the AEW Owen Hart Foundation tournament.
At Double or Nothing in May, Adam Cole and Britt Baker won their respective Owen Hart Foundation tournaments. Martha, the widow of Owen Hart, awarded Cole and Baker their commemorative title belts, after a heartfelt speech.
Eager to speak about the tribute, Natalya told Ariel Helwani of BT Sport that she had always respected Martha, noting that AEW did a really nice job honoring her late uncle.
When asked what she thought about Martha’s return to TV and the tribute tournaments, Natalya said:
“I’m so glad that you asked that, because I’ve been — it’s been so hard because I work for WWE, but I have a tremendous amount of respect for Martha. I really do. I think that she did such a beautiful job. She carries herself so well.
“She was so poised. It was the first time that fans really got the chance to see her and I thought she really — she just held herself so well and her kids just seem like such nice kids. I do speak, you know, message, communicate with her son Oje every so often and she just — she held herself so well.
“I thought they (AEW) did a really nice job honoring Owen and that’s the way Martha wanted to honor him and I respect that so much because nobody can understand or imagine what she went through. I always try to put myself — no matter what — I always, always try to put myself in her shoes when that incident happened.
“What would it be like if I got that phone call about T.J. (Wilson)? What would it be like trying to explain to my little children that they’re not gonna have a dad again? You know, so it’s like, I totally, totally understand why any way she feels. I think she’s totally justified.
“Not everybody has to agree with it but, I do respect her and I think that she did a beautiful job and I think they did a really nice job honoring him the way she wanted him honored and that was her call and it always should be her call.”
Natalya last wrestled on Friday’s episode of SmackDown, losing to Ronda Rousey.
Rousey is set to challenge for Liv Morgan’s SmackDown Women’s Championship at SummerSlam. Check out the updated card for the upcoming premium live event right here.
Transcription via POST Wrestling.
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