(And Why It Matters More Than You Think)
By Joe Clark, a Veteran Kentucky Promoter
The pro wrestling business is competitive in a way outsiders seldom understand. Promoters aren’t just selling tickets—they’re fighting for towns, buildings, sponsors, and talent. In small-town America, especially throughout Kentucky and Appalachia, three or four promotions may be fighting over the same high school gym or community center.
It can get ugly. And too often, it does.
Dishonesty, sabotage, and ego have killed more wrestling companies than bad crowds ever did. But oddly enough, the same competitive landscape also produces some of the best examples of respect, professionalism, and even genuine kindness among promoters.
I’ve lived through both extremes.
Below are a few stories—names changed, but the lessons true—that show exactly why getting along with your competitors isn’t just “nice.”
It’s necessary for survival.
When Promoters Lie: The Dark Side of Competition
In 2024, the town of Cedar Ridge, Kentucky (not the real town name) found itself in a bind. The city hired a wrestling company—let’s call them Blaze Pro Wrestling— to do a show. Posters were made, sponsors lined up, talent excited.
Then, without a word, Blaze vanished.
No message to the town.
No call to their talent.
No explanation.
Just gone.
Scrambling to save their date, the town reached out to another company—Elevation Championship Wrestling. And during the first conversation, the promoter immediately started making promises.
“You want a legend on the show?” he said confidently. “No problem. I’m close with him—I’ll text him right now.”
He pantomimed texting while bragging about his connections.
The only problem? - The town’s representative was actually friends with the legend.
He called him and asked if he’d been contacted.
The legend replied, “I don’t even know that promoter, brother. And he sure hasn’t texted me.”
As a result, the show didn’t go to Elevation. It went to Mountain Valley Wrestling, a company that simply told the truth.
This story sums up the reality of indie wrestling:
Three companies fight for the same show.
Two lied.
One didn’t.
And the honest one got the booking.
Imagine that.
A Competitor Saved My Show
But the wrestling business isn’t always cutthroat.
Back in 1999, I was a brand-new greenhorn promoter. I had my license, a little momentum, and a whole lot of arrogance. In my head, I was going to be the promotion in Kentucky. Nobody was going to out-hustle me.
I booked a show in a town that two or three companies were already running. I hung my posters right beside theirs. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful—I was just trying to prove myself.
Fast forward to show day.
Car full of talent? There.
Venue? Ready.
Crowd? Already gathering.
Ring?
Broken down on the side of the road.
Minutes before showtime.
I was panicked. Embarrassed. Sick to my stomach.
We delayed the show until the ring could get there.
But something completely unexpected happened.
The promoter from United States Wrestling Alliance—one of the companies also running that building—walked right up to me and said:
“Why didn’t you say something? I’m here. I could’ve gone and got my ring for you.”
No ego.
No competition.
Just respect for the business and for another promoter trying to make it.
That gesture stayed with me forever.
Passing the Torch Without Losing the Town
Around 2001, I was promoting in a rural area of Pike County. The town was good to me. Crowds were steady. But after moving back to my hometown, the trip became a four-hour haul every month—not sustainable for long.
One night, a new promoter—let’s call his company Ironclad Wrestling Federation—came to my show. A mutual friend introduced us, and instantly I felt something:
“This is my way out.”
I didn’t ask for anything.
I didn’t negotiate a deal.
I didn’t try to hold on out of pride.
Instead, I got in the ring, introduced him to my crowd, and encouraged them to support him.
Unexpected to him, I basically handed him the town right then and there.
It was better for him.
It was better for me.
And it was better for the fans.
That’s how the business should work.
When a Rival Roster Saved My Final Show
My very last show as the Appalachian Wrestling Federation was nearly a disaster.
One by one, wrestlers called with excuses.
“I can’t make it.”
“Something came up.”
“Car trouble.”
“Family emergency.”
By the afternoon, I was down to three or four guys—not enough for a card.
I had two options:
-
Cancel at the last minute and disappoint a community that had supported me.
-
Call another promoter who I’d had a little bit heat with in the past.
I chose option two.
And wouldn’t you know it?
That promoter brought an entire roster and saved my final show.
Competitor or not, he was a professional. And professionals help each other.
And guess what else happened? - That little bit of heat, which really wasn't much, that existed between us got squashed. We became friends after that night. He is no longer in the business but he is still a friend that I respect tremendously.
Why Respect Matters in a Business Built on Competition
The wrestling world is too small—and too unpredictable—to make enemies out of everyone in your orbit.
Today you’re fighting over a town.
Tomorrow you might need:
-
A ring
-
A replacement talent
-
A venue referral
-
A shared fundraiser
-
Coverage after a no-show
-
Someone to step in when disaster hits
And when you treat people with honesty and respect, they remember.
Fans notice too.
A promoter who lies to towns, sponsors, and wrestlers gets exposed faster than a bad finish.
A promoter who helps others earns trust, goodwill, and longevity.
You don’t have to like every other promoter.
You don’t have to work with all of them.
You don’t even have to agree with them.
But maintaining a respectful, professional relationship might one day save your show…
your reputation…or even your entire promotion.
Final Thought
Wrestling is built on cooperation.
Every match, every angle, every show requires trust.
The same goes for the promoters who build the towns, book the talent, and keep the business alive.
Help where you can.
Be honest where others lie.
And never burn a bridge you might someday walk across.
Because in this business, you will need help again.
And the ones who get it…
are the ones who gave it.
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