Body Slams and Superstars: Cleveland's Wrestling History

WWE® SummerSlam® returns to Cleveland on Aug. 3 for the first time since 1996. Before you leap off the top rope, know that our history with turnbuckles, tables, ladders and chairs makes this event personal.

Flashback to WWE® SummerSlam® 1996, when we nearly joined the "Boiler Room Brawl" between Mankind and The Undertaker at then Gund Arena, now Rocket Arena. This time, Cleveland will witness hometown boys Logan Paul, Mike “The Miz” Mizanin and Johnny Gargano step into the ring at Huntington Bank Field with their fellow WWE superstars while the world watches from afar.

Cleveland’s turning up the heat all week, featuring Friday Night SmackDown at Rocket Arena on Aug. 2, a WWE® fan superstore and various other events surrounding SummerSlam®. But when the big show isn’t in town, you can rest assured that local independent wrestling companies near Lake Erie offer body-slamming, high-flying entertainment for fans of all ages all year long.

Ring Ropes & Relics

Cleveland-based wrestling promotions date back to the 1920s when promoter Charley Marotta ran shows out of Public Hall. Ed “The Sheik” Farhat brought several of his Detroit-based Big Time Wrestling shows to Cleveland Arena in the mid-'60s. Before J.T. Lightning, an iconic Cleveland promoter, took his Cleveland All-Pro shows to various locations, including Lakewood High School, Johnny Powers and Pedro Martinez held National Wrestling Federation gigs in the 1970s at Cleveland Arena and St. Joseph’s High School.

Cleveland’s wrestling hotspots like Central Armory, Municipal Stadium, Gray's Armory and the Equestrium frequently hosted matches until they were demolished. But just like the city itself, Cleveland's wrestling promoters know how to rebuild from the mat up.

Staying Power

TempleLive at Cleveland Masonic, established in 1920, is still frequented by promoters, showcasing the evergrowing wrestling scene in The Land. When Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW) first debuted, founder John Thorne remembers selling tickets for up to $7. “Now we’re running a fairly sized venue in downtown Cleveland consistently,” Thorne said. Today, the most expensive AIW ticket is $55.

J.T. Lightning is considered by most to be the godfather of Cleveland's independent wrestling. His connections set the blueprint for those who would come next. Notable alums of our longest-running wrestling promotions include The Miz, Johnny Gargano, Dr. Britt Baker, MJF, Matt Cardona, Gail Kim, Kevin Nash, Marty Jannetty, Rhino and Terry Funk.

“J.T. had an eye for talent and brought a lot of people through who went on to bigger promotions,” said MEGA Championship Wrestling Founder Jeff Traxler. “He was a good friend. I could talk about him all day.” Lightning passed away in 2011 after a long battle with cancer, but his legacy continues with each Cleveland wrestling talent that steps into the squared circle.

“No matter what you want to say about Northeast Ohio, it’s still a blue-collar area, and we cater to that in running wrestling companies,” Thorne concluded. “The city gravitates toward those stories and talent.”

The Land of the Unconventional

AIW, MEGA Championship Wrestling and Exodus Pro Wrestling currently reign supreme in Cleveland’s wrestling scene. With help from local legends, AIW and MEGA were born under unusual circumstances but built to last.

Thorne says Cleveland's independent wrestling scene constantly evolves to keep you hooked. “It’s always changing every week,” he said. “Something that worked for us a week ago might not work in another week.” At 15, Thorne witnessed the heyday of Extreme Championship Wrestling and the Attitude Era. Lightning provided gyms and rings for rent, and the young entrepreneur founded AIW in 2005. “Running a wrestling school is not the norm for anybody.” Thorne and his friends started promoting amateurs before turning 18, an origin story you won’t hear anywhere else. “It was just different times in the late '90s,” Thorne said. “As long as I had that $300, he was going to bring the ring where I told him.”

In line with Cleveland’s resilience and passion for athletic entertainment, these promotions have survived flying elbows and suplexes to create a cultural foundation from which future pro wrestling stars will continue to rise. Traxler maxed out all his credit cards to start promoting in 1998. Willoughby native and former WWE® wrestler Michael Hutter – known as EC3 or Ethan Carter III – introduced his brand new Exodus promotion to Midtown’s Masonic Auditorium last year. Exodus's debut event, “The Journey Home,” provided Hutter with a platform to announce plans to develop future talent for the National Wrestling Alliance, a cornerstone promotion in pro wrestling for over five decades.

Superman. Nick Chubb. Tim Misny. If we know two things about Cleveland, it's how to build character and how to build a character. SummerSlam® will grapple a new generation of fans and stars on its own while bringing more eyes to independent wrestling in The Land.

There’s no better place to watch WWE® than in CLE.