Major League Wrestling bringing show to Charleston

“The reception to MLW in Charleston has been incredible. Wrestling in the South isn’t just entertainment — it’s culture. That’s where MLW belongs.” — Court Bauer

Local fans will be in for a treat when Major League Wrestling makes its Lowcountry debut on Nov. 20.

Not only is the Court Bauer-led promotion coming into the area for the first time, it will mark the first-ever pro wrestling event at the Charleston Music Hall at 37 John St. in downtown Charleston.

The historic, repurposed, 19th-century train station-turned-music venue, with a seating capacity of around 900, is expected to be packed for the show.

Bauer, the founder and brainchild behind MLW, says the building provides a perfect setting for the company’s initial foray into the market.

“The Charleston Music Hall is perfect — intimate, historic, distinctly Charleston. Every seat is close to the action, and it gives us the atmosphere to deliver that immersive, high-energy experience MLW is known for.”

The show starts at 7:30 p.m., with special meet-and-greets at 6.

For fans who can’t be there live, the action will be nationally televised on beIN SPORTS and streamed live worldwide on MLW’s YouTube channel, with distribution in more than 60 countries. Between TV and digital platforms, MLW reaches several million viewers.

“It’s being filmed for national television — you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a classy fight club and then see yourself live on beIN SPORTS or YouTube,” said Bauer.

With ticket prices headed steadily upward for many major wrestling events around the country, Bauer has made a concerted effort to keep the cost of attending his shows affordable for fans.

“Wrestling should be accessible. You shouldn’t have to spend hundreds to experience a major event. We price tickets so families, longtime fans and newcomers can all be part of it. That connection is the point,” said Bauer.

Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster and MLWGo.com.

Actor and comedian Danny McBride, who recently wrapped up his HBO show “The Righteous Gemstones” filmed in the Lowcountry, is teaming up with MLW for the event.

A lifelong wrestling fan, McBride is bringing his new tequila brand, Don Gato Tequila, to MLW and will be involved in the creative elements of the “MLW x Don Gato: Lucha de los Muertos” event.

‘Soul of Wrestling’

Bauer, 47, a former WWE writer who founded MLW in 2002 in Philadelphia, is particularly excited about bringing his troupe to Charleston.

“The South is where the soul of wrestling lives. I grew up on Jim Crockett Promotions, WCW and Mid-South, where wrestling just hit harder, where gold and glory meant everything. It was raw and hard-hitting — in the ring and in the personalities — a combat sport before anyone used that term. That influence never left me. When I built Major League Wrestling, I wanted to carry that same spirit forward.”

For decades downtown Charleston was the place to be on Friday nights for wrestling shows at the former County Hall on 1000 King St. Bauer is very aware of the history and what it meant to thousands of fans in the Lowcountry.

“It was important to bring wrestling back to downtown Charleston,” he said. “It’s long overdue. It’s been 32 years since the city hosted a major event, going back to the 1992 Clash of Champions at The Citadel. For years it was a weekly tradition, and folks I meet in Charleston still reminisce about those days with a sparkle in their eye.”

The lineup for MLW’s Charleston debut includes: Killer Kross vs. Matt Riddle in a Pit Fight; MLW world tag-team champions The Good Brothers vs. The Skyscrapers; Mistico vs. Volador Jr. in the 2025 Opera Cup finals; Scarlett Bordeaux vs. Isla Dawn; Shotzi Blackheart vs. Priscilla Kelly; Brock Anderson (with Arn Anderson) vs. Mads Krugger for the MLW world heavyweight title; and Los Atlantic vs. Los Felinos vs. Los Panthers vs. El Galeón Fantasma in a Gato’s Gauntlet Lucha match.

Also on the bill will be a special appearance by Don Gato and a meet-and-greet with legendary Four Horseman Arn Anderson.

Additional talent for meet-and-greets include Killer Kross, Scarlett Bordeaux, Matt Riddle, the Good Brothers, Mistico, Shotzi Blackheart, Priscilla Kelly and more. The meet-and-greet starts at 6 p.m. and is only for 30 minutes, so fans are urged to get there early. Folks can pre-order in advance at MLWVIP.com (but must have a ticket to the show).

“Fans can expect a stacked, nationally televised special on Nov. 20,” says Bauer. “We’ve got three title fights, several high-profile debuts, and the Opera Cup finals — the oldest tournament in wrestling, dating back to the 1800s. For the first time ever, Charleston hosts the finals.”

Plans for Holy City

Bauer’s affinity for the Charleston market is genuine. The upcoming show most certainly won’t be a one-and-done.

“Charleston checks every box: venue, passion and history being made. We’re already discussing a follow-up Charleston event in 2026,” said the New York native.

Bauer went an extra step, though, and revealed even bigger news.

“As MLW charts its path forward, the destination is the South. Back in the day, every territory had its own flavor. Memphis didn’t feel like New York or Detroit, just like the food and music didn’t. The style, the presentation, the energy — all different. That’s our goal here at MLW.

“We’re planting our roots in the South, and we’re exploring moving MLW’s league offices to Charleston. Wrestling here is taken seriously and loved, and it’s long overdue for a major league to call it home.”

“What separates us is our philosophy: we treat wrestling as a combat sport,” adds Bauer. “It’s about grit, glory, and gold with plenty of trash talk. MLW is for fans who want something that lands with consequence, with swagger and a little healthy danger. The reception to MLW in Charleston has been incredible. Wrestling in the South isn’t just entertainment — it’s culture. That’s where MLW belongs.”

Wrestling journey

Barely a quarter-century old, the risk-taking entrepreneur was already running his own wrestling company. A student of the game, Bauer learned the ropes from WWE Hall of Famer Afa Anoa’i and his Pennsylvania-based promotion while he was still attending college.

“I started in 1997 as a college freshman, spending weekends helping Afa the Wild Samoan and the Anoa’i family run shows in the Northeast. From there I worked for Giant Baba’s All Japan Pro Wrestling,” said Bauer.

Bauer launched MLW in 2002 and ran it for a couple of years until moving into other jobs, including writing for WWE and working for UFC. He restarted the company in 2017, and its weekly television show, MLW Fusion, debuted on beIN Sports the following year.

“We featured legends like Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes while giving a platform to the next generation, including a young CM Punk. Our weekly TV ran on regional sports networks and reached the U.K. and Japan.”

Bauer, by then described by some in the wrestling industry as a “whiz kid,” hit pause to join WWE as a creative executive from 2005-07.

“After that, I executive-produced for UFC Fight Pass, did TV projects outside wrestling and worked in Lucha Libre before relaunching MLW in 2017. That journey gave me a blueprint for promoting a modern wrestling product. A lot of UFC fans tell me MLW feels like what they used to love about wrestling — that’s the energy I want to bring back.”

Bauer promises fans won’t be disappointed.

“Buckle up. Once the bell rings, it’s chaos in the best way. You won’t get 25 minutes of monologues with wrestlers struggling to remember pages of a script a writer wrote for them. Our approach is all killer, no filler.”

MLW crowds, he says, are a mix: families with kids in lucha masks, college kids with signs, couples on date night.

“They’re not living online; they’re living in the moment … here for a wild night of truly major league wrestling.”

Along the way, Bauer says he has been blessed to have gleaned knowledge from some of the most creative minds in the business.

“I’ve been lucky with mentors. Gary Hart, co-creator of World Class Championship Wrestling, guided me — one of the most brilliant minds I’ve ever known. And I learned a ton from Dusty Rhodes, who had that rare gift to connect with people and present wrestling with soul.”

Tequila and wrestling

The friendship between Court Bauer and Danny McBride developed quite naturally.

“Like so many of us, Danny and the Rough House Pictures crew grew up watching wrestling – you can feel that influence in some of their characters and stories. We were in Mount Pleasant recently, crushing wings and swapping ‘90s wrestling memories — same era, same language — and then we started spitballing ideas for November. They don’t have to be taught wrestling; it’s in their DNA.

“When Danny and the crew rolled out Don Gato Tequila, the wild storytelling around it hooked me right away. It’s hands-down the best tequila I’ve ever had — smooth, clean, no additives, all attitude. It felt inevitable that their world and MLW’s would collide. The partnership’s been a blast — big personalities, big creativity — and the Rough House gang has become a cornerstone of Charleston’s creative scene.”

“The plan going forward is when MLW rolls into town, you can expect several Don Gato mixed drinks, and that’s not just when we come to Charleston,” said Bauer. “When you hit an MLW show in Atlanta, Tampa or anywhere else, you’ll be able to enjoy some Don Gato Tequila. We’re all-in on it — it’s a vibe that fits MLW perfectly.”

The brand is named after ‘legendary’ luchador wrestler Don Gato, a fictional character who McBride created to be the face of the brand. He is a feline lover-turned-tequila maker.

“Don Gato was reluctant to enter the ring after the injuries he sustained spearfishing in Cambodia this summer,” McBride said in a statement. “But through my charm and constant nagging, I was able to get him on board. You’re welcome, Charleston. I am beyond psyched that he will bring his tequila and cool times to the MLW event here in the Holy City.”

Living best life

Bauer, who once described MLW as “territory-style wrestling for a millennial audience,” said the promotion is a true hybrid style that borrows from a number of international disciplines

“We’re in our own lane. MLW blends the best of classic Southern wrestling with a modern twist featuring Mexican lucha libre, Japanese strong style, and yes, ex-UFC fighters — a true hybrid that feels fresh and global. With partnerships with CMLL and New Japan, you’ll see international stars mixing it up with American talent.

“MLW presents wrestling as a combat sport, not ‘sports entertainment.’ This isn’t like WWE’s glossy, corporate, Disneyfied version of wrestling where they’ve recently begun using AI in their product and charging sky-high prices for five-match cards. What we do is the real deal: raw, physical and presented with respect for what makes this sport so damn great. Our goal is simple: overdeliver and give fans everything we can at a price that works.”

For Bauer, he’s living his best life running a major wrestling company and all the rewards and satisfaction that come with it.

“Early at WWE, Paul Heyman told me, ‘This is a very hard business.’ He was right. That’s what makes the wins so satisfying. This year we closed global Panini trading cards and an action figure line. I’m back and forth to L.A. for media rights talks. But when the lights go down and that first entrance hits, everything else fades. MLW has become a global platform and bringing that to Charleston, a city I genuinely love, is the most rewarding part of all.”

Reach Mike Mooneyham at [email protected], or follow him on X at @ByMikeMooneyham and on Facebook at Facebook.com/MikeMooneyham. His latest book – “Final Bell” – is available at https://evepostbooks.com and on Amazon.com

Did you know …

Former Mid-South Wrestling owner Cowboy Bill Watts, who called Playboy Gary Hart one of the greatest minds in the business, credits the manager with helping jump-start his Oklahoma-based territory in the early ’70s. Hart had been sent to Watts by Texas promoter Fritz Von Erich as part of his commitment to helping an early partnership that included Watts, Von Erich, Verne Gagne, Danny Hodge and Leroy McGuirk.

“Gary and I just clicked right off,” recalled Watts. “He wore quality handmade suits and alligator shoes, and that was an era where managers dressed on the cheap because they always had junk thrown at them and stuff thrown on them. But Gary had first-class, handmade suits, like you’d see on a banker, and sharp shoes to go with them. And he had a way of talking to people that really hit all their hot buttons, because he could get so down and dirty.”

Hart was regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time, and for a span of nearly 30 years managed such names as The Spoiler, Bruiser Brody, Great Kabuki, Great Muta, Terry Funk and Abdullah The Butcher, as well as such tag teams as Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson, and The Missouri Mauler and Brute Bernard.

Hart, whose real name was Gary Richard Williams, died on March 16, 2008, following a heart attack at his home in Euless, Texas, after returning from an autograph session in Pennsylvania. He was 66.

On this date

Eighteen years ago today on this date (Nov. 2, 2007): Mary Lillian Ellison, better known in mat circles as The Fabulous Moolah, died of a heart attack in Columbia at the age of 84.

Moolah, who was born on July 23, 1923, in South Carolina’s Kershaw County, was the first female to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Moolah won the NWA world women’s championship in 1956 and was the most prominent holder of the title for 28 years. An eight-time women’s world champion, she holds the record as the longest reigning world champion in combination of all her reigns.

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