SPW co-founder steps down from top role

On the way to building his dream, a southern businessman built a promotion and a brand, but after eight years at the helm he is stepping down from his role at the top.

Southern Professional Wrestling (SPW) co-founder Marc Perry paved the path to become a professional wrestler in Southland.

After eight years, Perry is leaving his managerial role at SPW, but he will still continue to wrestle for the promotion as the ‘Hooligan’ Marcus Kool.

Perry co-founded SPW with Southlander Troy Crosbie in 2015 because he wanted to live in Queenstown and there were no wrestling schools or promotions around that he could join.

"I just fell in love with the place here, but I couldn’t live my life without wrestling being a big part of it.

"So I was lucky enough to meet Troy who had just come back from training with Lance Storm for the WWE in Canada and he was looking to do a similar thing," he said.

The promotion put on about five shows every year in Invercargill and at least one in Queenstown.

Perry said nearly every show had been sold out of which two shows at ILT Stadium Southland set the attendance record with about 1200 people twice in 2018 and 2019.

However, Perry felt most proud of creating a platform for people who wanted to wrestle and be involved behind the scenes in the South Island, including creating opportunities to be in the ring with global superstars like Will Ospreay.

Perry had a neck injury two years ago that had given him a lot of time to reflect and he said after getting married and having two children, he needed to settle down and step away from the business end of things.

"It’s been a little bit emotional because it kind of feels like your baby and it’s hard to let go when you’ve found something and been involved in it for so long and it’s something you’re passionate about and it’s where all your spare and your free time goes."

However, he was happy to just be a wrestler moving forward.

"I never really got into wrestling to be a promoter or build a wrestling school or build a brand.

"That’s not why I got involved in it, my passion lies with just being a wrestler."

He said he was happy to be leaving the business where it was in the capable hands of homegrown wrestlers Kane Khan and JK Moody.

He wanted to thank Crosbie and Tyler King, who helped with production for the company, as well as the Invercargill community who had always been supportive and helpful.

The next SPW show, Fight for Gold would be on March 23.