The professional wrestling business has existed for more than a century, and one of the many reasons that it survived the tragedies and controversies, as well as flourished as a part of pop culture, over the decades, was its ability to take different forms, not only over the course of time, but around the world as well.
Jim Londos drew record-setting crowds throughout the first few decades of the 1900s in the United States. El Santo was so much of a real-life superhero for the people his country, fighting villains in the ring and on-screen in films, that a statue immortalized him in Mexico City. Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba, and their mentor, Rikidozan maintain mythical status in Japan to this day. Stu Hart was the patriarchy of Canada’s wrestling royal family. The UK’s infamous Snake Pit gym in Wigan was was responsible for bringing names like Billy Robinson and Dynamite Kid into the ring.
There’s no doubt that each location and its style brought something to the table that is the melting pot of sports entertainment. As we know, even the most sturdy roots of the grappling arts evolve over the course of time, as it’s one of the previously mentioned ways that the industry survived, it often moves with the direction of society to be able to stay current with its audience.
The multimillion dollar productions of 2026 certainly surpass the scope of the humid stadiums for matches in Puerto Rico of a bygone era, the smokey venues of the golden age of the northeast when Gorgeous George strutted to the ring in all of his splendor before huffing from a box of “imported Florida air” to get ready for battle, or the saunas that were the venues of the heyday in the south, a time period when fans packed into shoulder-to-shoulder, ignoring building codes for a true sell out at the matches. Sputnik Monroe wasn’t concerned about air conditioning when his efforts allowed for the desegregation of the wrestling contests in Memphis in 1959. The Mid-South Coliseum in that city was known for its souvenirs in the years that followed, the $0.50 program, and the special full-color photos that were sold for a dollar.
Today, t-shirts are usually $35, a hotdog will be about $9 and a Coca-Cola will run you somewhere in the neighborhood of $6. That’s not to mention that tickets to modern extravaganzas can literally be in the range of a car payment.
Maybe things have evolved too far?
Of course, professional wrestling, in its simplest form, originated on the carnival circuit. The barker at the entry of a tent would call in the audience, accepting challengers for that evening’s pro. Any takers would often be tempted with a cash prize. The audience that shuffled in around ringside saw these local-yokels get pummeled by the trained professional before they went to see the fire breathers, the acrobats, and the jugglers.
Considering the over-the-top spectacle that professional wrestling became, a genre with giants, minis, and dead men walking, maybe the genesis from the circus is apropos.
There’s one project based in the Buckeye state of Ohio that uses the nostalgia for that bygone era as its centerpiece. The seed of the idea was planted and cultivated by Justin Nottke, known inside the ring ropes as Marion Fontaine, a throwback persona himself, for more than twenty years.
“Back in 2013, I had the idea of running my own show, but I gave myself one rule: it can’t be like any typical show. There should be something unique about it, something that hasn’t been done or is rarely done. Someone suggested, ‘What about a show where everyone is old timey?’,” Nottke explained.
For more than a decade, Olde Wrestling has put a vaudeville spin on the squared circle that would make Moe Howard proud. Sure, Moe swatted his real-life brothers, Curly and Shemp, as well as their close friend, Larry Fine out of frustration rather than competition, but the Olde Wrestling brand made a name for itself through a whirling dervish of slapstick violence.
“I never could have envisioned all the things we’ve done. My dad built a 15 ft tall cage out of chicken wire and two-by-fours. That very cage match decided the future of prohibition in America. My good friend John Brickner has played William Howard Taft and even delivered a few body slams and clotheslines as the former President and Secretary of Slams. Tracy Smothers wrestled a ‘bear.’ Derek Dillinger and Jody Nation have killed multiple referees and a mayor via axe. So needless to say, it’s gone beyond my initial vision in the best and most ridiculous ways,” Justin said.
“Early on, I was selling the idea to many of my wrestling friends. Now that we’ve been around for a while, wrestlers in the community have heard of the show and want to take part. It’s a unique experience where wrestlers play characters completely different from what you’re used to seeing. MJF played a cocky (hard to believe) golfer named Sandy Bunker. Ruby Soho played Ruby the Riveter both before signing to WWE after signing AEW. Effy plays a death-defying motorcycle driver, FE Davidson,” he added.
“Olde Wrestling is something I look forward too every year. I had my first professional wrestling match the night before the very first Extravaganza. The next day I showed up to help with Ring Crew and Fontaine sent me to the Thrift store to get some old looking clothes. The first Extravaganza was the second professional wrestling bookin ever. I’m very grateful for Marion Fontaine and his family. I’ve been on pretty much all of them, I’ve had two characters in Olde Wrestling. It’s such a fun environment to be a part of. My character now, Roscoe Grime is something Fontaine trusted me with and it works really well, I have a lot of fun portraying it. I highly recommend Olde Wrestling’s Extravaganza. It’s good family fun,” said Dillinger.
While a full-time career in marketing outside of pro wrestling keeps Nottke busy, he has found a way to juggle that with the expanding footprint of his vintage project, specifically over the past few years. What started as a potential one-off on his home turf ventured into the neighboring states of Michigan and Indiana. That first experimental production in 2013 will grow into Olde Wrestling’s 50th presentation this year. Along with that, there are 11 events slated for 2026, the most of a calendar year for the organization.
Still, despite the national stars that make their way through the time machine that is Olde Wrestling, and the road trips to other states, Nottke cited his hopes to continue to make his wrestling venture a part of the fabric of his home state. Many of the events serve as showcase attractions at local festivals or county fairs, requiring Nottke to trade his boots for dress shoes when he pitches the concept to board members and the Chamber of Commerce. So far, Olde Wrestling has worked its way around 11 of the counties of Ohio, giving it a very grassroots foundation, which is very on par for the promotion. The exploration of locations led the company to hold two of their 2026 events in an opera house that was true to the time period of the presentation.
“I often write shows with the mindset of starting and ending a story in one night. You never know if fans will follow your every move or attend every show, so I really enjoy wrapping up a story by the end of the night. Over time, I feel I’ve gotten better at laying it out and making it very easier for fans to understand and follow along. Many fans are families, so we try to appeal to everyone in a way that allows them to connect,” Nottke said.
The unique characters, storylines, confrontations, and debacles are all important ingredients in the Olde stew of entertainment, but the interactive nature brought to the buffet of the live spectacle takes the experience to the next level. It’s not just the stellar roster of names like Matt Cross, Rickey Shane Page, Cowpoke Paul, Gianni Emricko, and others that embrace the golden era trends, the fans have fun with the concept as well.
“Fans have gotten into the immersive experience and dressed in period attire. Flapper dresses, seersucker suits, suspenders, and more. They want to play a part in the overall presentation and make it feel more authentic. Some women have dressed in gowns with feathers and pearls. I could have never imagined that, but it shows the commitment others are willing to put in to help our show standout,” Nottke remarked.
On August 30th. Olde Wrestling will host arguably it’s biggest event in its history when former WWE and current Total Nonstop Action world champion, Nic Nemeth, a native of Cleveland will make his Olde debut when the promotion brings its brand of action to the Huron County Fairgrounds in Norwalk Ohio.
“He’s from Cleveland and has wanted to do an Olde Wrestling show for a little while now. Luckily, this date lines up perfectly with his busy schedule. He’ll be involved in the search for the next ‘Golden Boy.’ Our sponsor, Golden Fragrance is looking for its next poster boy and it could be Nic Nemeth, Handsome Harley, Carson Drake or Gorgeous Gregory. More than one of these men might even fight to earn the honor. There’s real excitement about a former WWE and current TNA champion coming to a town of under 18,000 residents,” Justin commented.
With the world titleholder of one of the top pro wrestling companies in the United States scheduled as the headliner, the throwback event on August 30th in Norwalk serves as somewhat of a culmination of the past 13 years of the efforts that brought Olde Wrestling together. Despite its homage to the past, the future also look bright for the vintage brand of the sport.
“It definitely became what I envisioned and more. We’ve gained a following of people who truly enjoy our presentation of wrestling. It’s where both diehard independent fans and casual fans alike chant ‘huzzah’ and ‘horsefeathers.’ I’d like to think we’ve cornered the market on that. It’s grown from this idea into something that has pleasantly consumed my life. I’ve affectionately called it my biggest art project,” Nottke concluded.
For more information and to order tickets, you can go to https://www.oldewrestling.com/13th-extravaganza-with-nic-nemeth
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
Email [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
