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AEW Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Wild Card Entrant

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AEW's Willow Nightingale with Charlie and Owen Hart Foundation Tournament logo

On the May 20 edition of AEW Dynamite and Collision, Willow Nightingale announced that she suffered a serious shoulder injury that led to her being pulled from the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament.

In Nightingale’s place, a Wild Card entrant was scheduled to face Alex Windsor in the tournament with that match taking place on the June 3 episode of Dynamite.

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Considering the number of potential stars who could take her place, this Wild Card entrant is somewhat unpredictable with anyone might this opportunity for themselves.

Here are eight potential AEW Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Wild Card entrants.

8. Jamie Hayter

Over the past few months, Jamie Hayter has been in pursuit of Thekla’s AEW Women’s World Championship.

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Back at AEW Dynasty 2026, Hayter came up short against Thekla after “The Toxic Spider” held onto the ropes during her pinfall to win the match.

After being screwed at Dynasty and not involved in the finish at Double Or Nothing 2026, it feels like Hayter is more than deserving of a spot in the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament.

With Alex Windsor on the other side of the ring, Hayter being the Wild Card entrant would create a very intriguing battle of The Brawling Birds for this Quarterfinal bout.

7. Kris Statlander

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Coming into 2026, Kris Statlander held the AEW Women’s World Championship and proved herself to be a fighting champion.

However, Thekla defeated Statlander in a Strap Match to win the gold back in February of this year.

On the May 27 edition of AEW Dynamite and Collision, Statlander defeated Hikaru Shida in a Lights Out Philadelphia Street Fight.

After vanquishing her former tag team partner, Statlander can redirect her focus on the AEW Women’s World Championship again and enter the Owen Hart Cup as the Wild Card entrant in the place of her best friend Willow Nightingale.

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6. Riho

Riho is an AEW star who always seems to show up in the company when they most need her.

Despite being the first ever AEW Women’s World Champion, Riho does not always have a consistent role on the company’s television.

With her last appearance taking place at the tailend of 2025, Riho would be a nice surprise entrant for the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament.

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The former AEW Women’s World Champion competing in the Owen would be a welcoming sight and could lead to a compelling battle with her former tag team partner Alex Windsor in the tournament this year.

5. Dani Luna

In March 2026, Dani Luna left TNA Wrestling after her contract expired, officially making her a free agent.

Over the past few years, Luna has put her name on the map not only in TNA but also all around the wrestling world.

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Being a mainstay of the independent scene, Luna has earned the reputation as one of the most versatile and physically intense female stars anywhere in wrestling.

Feeling like someone who would be a great fit for the AEW women’s scene, Luna could make her debut in the company as the Wild Card entrant in the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament.

4. Killer Kelly

Another former TNA Wrestling star who recently left the company in 2026 is Killer Kelly.

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Over the course of a four-year tenure with the promotion, Kelly stood out from the pack due to her hard hitting style in the ring and her distinct look.

During her time with TNA Wrestling, Kelly was a former two-time TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Champion and someone who had what it took to become a singles champion as well.

Considering her fiancé Myron Reed of The Rascalz part of the company right now, it would make sense for Kelly to join the promotion as well and have a huge opportunity as the Wild Card in the Owen Hart Cup.

3. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.

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At the start of All Elite Wrestling, Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. came in as the first female star to sign with the promotion.

Over the course of her time in the company, Baker established herself as one of the first homegrown stars and is a former AEW Women’s World Champion.

Despite all of her accomplishments, Baker has not been seen on AEW programming since November 2024.

With such a lengthy absence from the company, it might be the right time for Baker to make her return as the Wild Card in the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament.

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2. Charlie (Dakota Kai)

In May 2025, Dakota Kai was perhaps the most surprising name involved in a round of mass talent cuts from WWE.

After her WWE release, Kai, now known as Charlie, made her in-ring return after nearly a year against former AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander at the EVE: Wrestle Queendom VIII event in March 2026.

Since then, Charlie has been performing all over the world, reestablishing her name outside of the WWE bubble.

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Having a ton of experience and several different AEW stars bringing her name up as a potential signing, Charlie would be a huge shock to take Willow Nightingale’s place as the Wild Card in the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament this year.

1. Mercedes Monè

When the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament bracket was revealed, many fans were shocked to see Mercedes Moné was not part of the field.

“The CEO” has not competed inside an AEW ring since the end of 2025 where she lost the TBS Title to Willow Nightingale.

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After losing her entire title collection all over the world and taking several months off from in-ring competition, it might be the right time for Moné to make her presence felt in AEW once again.

Considering her victory in last year’s tournament, Moné would be an excellent addition to the Owen Hart Cup and would become the odds-on favorite to win if she replaced Willow as the Wild Card against Alex Windsor.

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SP3 joined the WrestleTalk team as a feature writer in 2021. Known from his Tru Heel Heat Wrestling YouTube channel and co-host of Alex McCarthy's Wrestling Daily, SP3 brings his views and outlooks on professional wrestling in written form here. A long-time fan of WWE, WCW, ECW, NJPW, IMPACT and now AEW, SP3 will offer a wide range of features expressing his love affair with the business.

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