Major League Wrestling announced today plans to bring back a long-running tournament from another era of professional wrestling. They are bringing back the Opera Cup.

The last time the cup was competed for was in 1948. The winner was Stu Hart. As the last champion, Hart still had possession of the trophy upon his death in 2003. Teddy Hart inherited the cup and is now bringing it out of retirement this December. MLW has announced the tournament will take place December 5th inside New York’s Melrose Ballroom.


“Held annually for nearly 50 years at various turn-of-the-century opera house locations from New York City to Boston, the Professional Wrestling Opera House Cup was a grueling multi-day tournament,” an MLW press release for the tournament reads.

“The best of the day competed in the tournament and would often be an entree to more success, including the World Heavyweight Championship of the day. For years the cup has sat in the attic of the Hart Mansion in Calgary until the tragic passing of the last cup recipient, Stu Hart (1948 winner).”

The event will be filmed for future episodes of MLW: Fusion on BeIN Sports.