A western Pennsylvania-based league has scheduled its comeback event, as Prospect Pro Wrestling is slated to return after nearly a year on hiatus with “Resuscitated,” a showcase that will be held at its new home base venue The Elements building in Irwin, PA on Friday August, 15th with an 8 PM bell time. Founded by longtime pro and cornerstone of the Pittsburgh tag tag scene, Marshall Gambino in 2018, the premise of the organization was based on providing a platform for the next generation to not only hone their craft through valuable in-ring experience in front of a paying audience, but also to cement themselves as commodities among the landscape of the steel city circuit.
“Fans can expect the “new era” of 2PW to build on what made the promotion strong to begin with, but also stepping things up in several key ways. It’ll be fresher, adding new rising talent to the current roster; more intimate setting and storytelling.. It will be more ambitious with stronger branding and long-term growth goals. If you’re attending our show on August 15th, you’re likely catching it at the start of a real upward swing,” Prospect Pro management said via e-mail.
In the years prior to the launch of 2PW, the dynamics of the industry, both nationally and locally, shifted with less talent that traveled on a national level available to be brought in on the independent level. When multi-million dollar companies such as WWE and AEW offer many performers on the market hefty contracts, the trickle down effect was a more stringent approach for local leagues that still had to maintain their attendance numbers.
The unintended consequence of those efforts was that newer talent had less opportunities to cut their teeth or grow as performers with the chance to take the ball and run with it as stars among the regional landscape.
Marshall, who broke into the sport in 2004 with his former tag partner, Mickey at a time when the independent scene often had talent from either TNA in its early days or Ring Of Honor when that group was still independently-owned, wanted to remedy this predicament for the overall health of the local industry.
If there were limited spots for rookies within the established groups, Marshall would launch 2PW to allow for those enthusiastic youngsters to have a platform to flourish, resulting in a truly unique product to offer fans something that they weren’t going to see anywhere else in the area.
“If you look at the history of 2PW, you see names that have become the future of Pittsburgh wrestling. Elijah Dean was the Top Prospect Champ before he rose to take Pittsburgh by storm. Jami Jamison became the Hammer Lord through wars in 2PW. The Runway was walking the catwalk of 2PW en route to walking Enjoy and GCW. And the veterans who in this locker room like Marshall Gambino, Paul Atlas, Gory, John McChesney, Super Hentai, and CJ Sensation all helped sharpen them in combat in a 2PW ring.” said Tony Kincaid, a signature member of the 2PW broadcast team since the organization’s inception.
Motivated grapplers like Jami Jamison, Preston Everett, and Tad Jarvis were mixed with solid veterans such as Super Hentai, Troy Lords, and Andrew Palace to spotlight the young talent in a way that stayed true to the promotion’s original mission statement. Among its efforts was a focus of providing the audience with a variety of styles and a fresh blend of talent.
However, the nature of the independent scene can make for a harsh reality as far as the business side of the project. There weren’t corporate sponsors or massive television deals to provide the foundation of running the operations of the organization. Make no mistake about it, the pro wrestlers that step into the Prospect Pro ring aim to give the audience their money’s worth and make themselves stars in the process. But, when the final bell of the evening rings, the lights dim and everyone involved has their civilian life outside of the spectacle of the squared circle. Marshall is a promoter inside pro wrestling, but has a family with typical responsibilities outside of it. The same can be said for every member of the 2PW team, everyone juggles the dreams of pro wrestling glory with the mundane responsibilities of everyday life. On top of that, Marshall runs Sounds 4 Gotten, a DJ business that caters to everything from corporate events to private birthday parties, as well as spots at the Kennywood amusement park, for the past 16 years.
After six years, a portion of that through the uncharted waters of the pandemic, those forces behind Prospect Pro Wrestling knew that in order to maintain the high quality and standard that they set for themselves upon the start of the venture, that a hiatus was the best decision to recharge their batteries as a way to allow for a new chapter of the promotion to unfold, creating the chance for a new presentation for its dedicated fan base.
“Firstly, running shows consistently got tough financially. It wasn’t easy trying to keep everything funded while trying to also grow the promotion. Secondly, managing schedules as an entrepreneur, a wrestler, a husband, and a father made things a bit more complicated behind-the-scenes. On top of that, we felt we just needed to take a breather, take some time to rethink where 2PW was headed. We figured hitting pause would give us space and time to come up with fresh ideas from a restructured management team, improve storylines, and grow stronger and better. It was a chance for us to work on building better connections and figuring out how to reach more fans. So ultimately, the hiatus was a way to reset and make sure 2PW can come back stronger and better in the future,” Marshall Gambino explained.
It was a tough decision, as the company was on a continuous upward trajectory, drawing packed crowds on a regular basis, proving that its original mission statement was not only possible, but could truly thrive as a force within the storied Pittsburgh wrestling circuit The future of the company wasn’t in doubt, but rather the timing and opportunity to provide the best platform were cited by management as keys for the selection of The Elements venue and the return date of August 15 in Irwin, a location with its own unique wrestling lore that stenches back to the late-90s with Steel City Wrestling group that ran shows at the Sideshow Pizza entertainment center.
“If we were coming back was never a question, but more of a matter of when. The timing of our return came down to a combination of internal readiness and external opportunity. Since January, we met with several venues in the Irwin area, and Elements Venue gave us an opportunity to showcase what we can do and the entertainment we can bring to a new area, while also not only renewing current sponsorships, but obtaining several new sponsorships to help local businesses in the Irwin area. This rebranding isn’t just about coming back, it’s about leveling up, Gambino explained.
“We’re back and stronger than ever!”I cant wait to see the loyal fans again and what management has planned for the infinite future of Prospect Pro Wrestling,” added Doc Daugherty, one of the top voices of Pittsburgh wrestling and lead play-by play announcer for the promotion.
To say that the August 15th card is stacked would be an understatement. Top Prospect champion, Preston Everest defends his championship against longtime staple of the Pittsburgh scene, the accomplished Andrew Palace. Ron Hunt and Curtis Ray Goddi collide with Tad Jarvis and the iconic Super Hentai in tag team action. John McChesney squared off with talented youngster Zach Nystrom, and a four-way match scheduled with David Lawless, Anthony Young, Gianni Micheal Emricko, and Don Murphy promises to bring wild action. Pittsburgh legend Paul Atlas and Marshall Gambino are slated for a tag bout against Jami Jamison and Jason Tyler, collectively known as The Highway Outlaws.
Speaking of tag team action, Prospect Pro management cited the team effort as a critical piece of the puzzle for the immense success the upstart league had for its first six years of existence, and also for the excitement around the return showcase after a year away before the August 15th card in Irwin.
“2PW has always been run by a team of people, not one person in particular. What is nice about having a team mentality is that when something needs to be done it is picked up by someone on the team and followed through to completion,” Marshall concluded.
For more information about 2PW, you can go to https://www.prospectprowrestling.com
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Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
Email [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
