Wadsworth getting ready to rumble with live wrestling promotion downtown

For Jason Sanders, the Sept. 10 Rumble on Main Street is more than just another unconventional marketing idea from the fructuous minds at Main Street Wadsworth.

Over the years, the organization dedicated to revitalizing the city’s historic downtown has come up with memorable promotions like the Scare on the Square, featuring a recreation of Michael Jackson’s iconic “Thriller” video.

Along with the upcoming paean to professional wrestling, the group devised a “Pickle Palooza” last week to celebrate the tartly flavored cucumbers.

But it’s the wrestling match, and the childhood memories that come with it, that has Sanders, a Main Street Wadsworth board member, excited.

Akron and professional wrestling:Local history: Infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard wrestled at Akron Armory

“I’ve been a huge pro wrestling fan all my life,” Sanders said in a recent phone interview. “It was the one thing my dad and I bonded over.”

Sanders said he wants the event to draw families who come for the excitement and leave with similar memories. In between, of course, he’s hoping the event will generate business downtown and be a boost to merchants there.

“The main thing we want to do is attract people to our downtown,” Sanders said.

Wrestling with an idea

After hearing about North Canton’s positive experience with Absolute Intense Wrestling, a Cleveland pro-wrestling company, Sanders became confident that Wadsworth-area residents would embrace a downtown match like a bear hug on a wily opponent.

“I had been toying with the idea of bringing in a wrestling show,” he said, “but I wasn’t sure how people would respond.”

He reached out to organizers of the North Canton festival where AIW had appeared, and the response was thoroughly positive.

“She said the community loved it,” he said.

A downtown parking lot will be roped off for the Rumble, with about 550 seats available, Sanders said. Another 550 or so bring-your-own-lawnchair spaces will also be available. Ticket prices range from about $50 for ringside seating that includes meet-and-greet privileges with AIW personalities to $10 for general admission.

Akron and professional wrestling:Akron Armory wrestling promoter did a lot of grunt work

Pedro DeLuca, chief financial officer of AIW, said the wrestling promotion company has gradually expanded its presence and impact. Several AIW personalities have gone on to more prominent organizations, including the WWE. AIW puts on shows in Akron, North Canton, Ashtabula and other Northeast Ohio locations. The Wadsworth event, though, will be its first in Medina County.

“We try to make it very family friendly,” said DeLuca, a Norton High School graduate. “It’s homegrown Ohio students that we have trained … [it’s] a chance to see the stars of tomorrow today.”

DeLuca said the North Canton show helped create new fans who hadn’t been exposed to live wrestling.

“Ninety percent of the people there weren’t wrestling fans,” he said. “But by the end of the show, they were.”

Jake Clemons from Barberton, who appeared with the WWE as an official and worked with AIW, will be at the Rumble, Sanders said. Wrestling legend Arn Anderson will also make an appearance.

Bringing back downtown Wadsworth

Adrianne L. Patrick, executive director of Main Street Wadsworth, said the wrestling event is drawing interest.

“We will definitely have a full section of people for the event,” she said. “The goal is for people to have fun.”

Patrick said that if the event is successful, MSW will consider making it a regular rumble, adding it to the quirky events in the organization's lineup.

“We would be absolutely hope to make it an annual event like North Canton did,” she said. “The response was so overwhelming. We’ll see how things go and we’re excited to try something new in our downtown.”

Patrick said Main Street Wadsworth was founded to revitalize the city’s downtown, and has had success drawing businesses and increasing traffic.

“We have seen over 30 new businesses open in downtown Wadsworth since 2016,” she said. “Over 150 new jobs have been created downtown. There were so many empty storefronts.”

Now, Patrick said, only one first-floor vacancy remains.

“Property values have gone up [more than] 30% since 2016,” she said. “Building owners used to get $7 to $9 a square foot for their buildings. Now we’re seeing $12 to $15 a square foot.”

If Wadsworth fans respond to the wresting event the way North Canton did, DeLuca said, AIW could be back every year.

He said that people who aren't familiar with professional wrestling and the story lines that come with it often become fans when they watch a performance.

That's what happened in North Canton.

“Fans were lining up to get pictures in the ring with the wrestlers,” he said. “There wasn’t a seat to be had. [Pro wrestling] is basically a male soap opera, but female fans really get into it as well.”

AIW has a base roster of about 40 performers, DeLuca said, and uses about that many to fill roles on a rotating basis.

Sanders said he’s also hoping the event will be a financial and popular success.

“From a personal note, I’m doing this because I want people to make special memories and for those memories to be made in our downtown,” he said. “I hope 10 years later they look back at it and they think, ‘Gosh, that was a special moment.’ ”

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj.

AIW performers who have signed with WWE or AEW:

• Johnny Gargano

• Juaquin Wilde

• Britt Baker

• Erik of the Viking Raiders

• MJF

• Eddie Kingston

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: AIW pro wrestling coming to Wadsworth