New show, old-school attitude

In this new venture, Ambrose and Shaw have a vision for making Prime Time Wrestling more like the wrestling they remember from their childhoods, in the golden days of the sport. Ambrose says, “This is old-school wrestling meets the Attitude Era of the WWE.” The Attitude Era is widely considered the most popular period in the history of professional wrestling. Ambrose explains, “That was the time of Stone Cold Steve Austin, D-Generation X, and The Rock. It was reality-based, but it was edgy.”

Shaw and Ambrose agree that the most important thing in wrestling is the story, the narrative that is created to engage and entertain the fans. Ambrose goes on to explain that the 1980s were the best time for telling a story through wrestling. “That’s when it took three or four months to build up the story, then they’d pay it off on a big pay-per-view event. But nowadays, it all happens in only three or four weeks.” Prime Time Wrestling wants to bring that magic back to their beloved sport by reintroducing that slow- burn element to the drama. Ambrose says, “We want to draw the story out for a few months, let the characters build their grievances, and then settle it all with a big show. Then, we’ll start over with a new story. That’s how we’ll keep it fresh.”

Shaw sees classic wrestling narratives as abiding memories in the collective conscience of the fanbase. “Storytelling is the top of the pyramid,” he says. “Nobody can forget that great match between Hulk Hogan and André the Giant and all that led up to it. André had turned on Hogan and it broke Hogan’s heart. All of that led up to that Big Slam, and now it’s all history. It left its mark. The Four Horsemen were a big part of Georgia's history, and Art Anderson was born right here in Rome. So, this is our history, and we want to help keep that sort of thing alive in Georgia.”

Another way Prime Time Wrestling is seeking to evoke wrestling’s classic past is by restoring the territory system. Wrestling shows used to run in regional circuits. An organization would do a show in one town and then move on to the next city, making the rounds in the places where their fans lived and worked. Ambrose says, “Eventually, all the territories got eaten up by Vince McMahon and WWE, which basically eliminated all the competition.” Ambrose goes on to say, “So, we’re going to build our own territory, running shows not just in Georgia, but also in Alabama and Tennessee. A Tri-State territory. But our base will be in Rome.” Through this burgeoning territory system Prime Time Wrestling will not only produce regular shows featuring their top talent but will also continue offering their annual Superstars Fan Fest, where fans can come and meet some of their heroes of the ring. It’s oldfashioned family fun, with attitude.

Shaw says, “We want to bring back the passion for the sport—that sense we got from Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair. We want to let people live that story again and experience the physicality of it. And we want to be the people telling that story, honoring that history, and passing it on to the next generation.”

For more information go to www.primetime-wrestling.com or visit primetimewrestlingrome on Facebook.