Ryse Wrestling, a local league that entered its tenth year in 2026, is set to debut at a new venue when the organization arrives at the All American Field House in Monroeville, PA on April 11th, the same weekend that will host the popular Steel City Con convention in the same town.
Ryse Wrestling has been very grassroots since its inception just over a decade ago when longtime veteran, Brandon K wanted to launch his own project in his hometown of Uniontown, a blue collar city just south of Pittsburgh. One of the most accomplished trainers in the area for the majority of his nearly 30-year career, one of the most important pieces of the puzzle for the real-life Jason Clements was the ability to teach the next generation. His list of students include AEW’s Lee Moriarty, NXT’s Thea Hail, and a slew of successful Pittsburgh grapplers in a myriad of promotions across the region.
“When I started Ryse, it was a place for young and new talent to have a space to learn and grow in the business while I learned and grew as a wrestler turned promoter. I feel like we were very successful in that. We evolved to be a main player in the area because as a team we worked to better each other,” Clements explained.
True to his hometown beginnings, Brandon looked to pattern his wrestling venture in the same fashion. He wanted to provide affordable, quality live wrestling for families, as well as true opportunities for the next generation of Pittsburgh performers. The logistics of independent wrestling can be complicated as far as the costs involved with hosting live cards, but it boiled down to a rather simple equation, Ryse Wrestling found it’s success through the efforts of the roster, and the fans that supported those efforts through ticket sales.
It was critically important for the Clements family to keep their brand of pro wrestling affordable for fans, but that situation comes with its own set of business hurdles.
The promotion started in an old movie theater, where pro wrestling was quite literally on the marquee. When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the entire world in early-2020, without the ability to run live events, there wasn’t a revenue stream for the organization to maintain its operations in the location. So, while the world was eerily quiet in the midst of stay-at-home orders and an unprecedented level of uncertainty in society, the equipment was packed up as the management team was unsure of what was next.
Eventually, the group landed at the Uniontown Mall as a part of select few businesses that looked to keep the shopping complex open. Once again, the training center was also housed at the mall complex, and the expanded space gave the organization the chance to expand its presentation with a new entrance way, new lights, video wall, and more seating for its dedicated fan base.
“I’ve had so many proud moments watching the guys and gals of our company get to do their thing at the Uniontown Mall. Lee Moriarty doing a seminar that many of my current students attended was a surreal experience as a trainer. There’s watching so so many..killer matches from the Ryse locker room to the things that many don’t see like the Meadow brothers overcoming so much to become a part of the business. Probably most of all, though the mall era was when everyone started to find their footing and pulled together to draw the fan base that made the era very successful,” Clements remarked.
After almost four years of successful events that saw the growth of local competitors such as Cowpoke Paul, Gianni Emricko, Tad Jarvis, and Jace Mara, while hosting such national stars as Dango, Donovan Dijak, Brian Pillman Jr., Shane Douglas, and Allie Katch, Ryse Wrestling found itself at an impasse.
A major snowstorm dumped over a foot of snow on most of the region in mid-January, prompting some cancellations of a few other promotions’ events on that particular weekend in an abundance of caution. Single digit temperatures in the weeks that followed kept the mounds of snow a visible sight around the area. When the weather finally broke and the temperature made its way above the freezing mark three weeks later, the ice and frozen precipitation began to melt. The owners of the Uniontown Mall had woefully neglected the maintenance of the building, and as the mounds of snow melted, the roof began to fold under the pressure, sending streams of water through the ceiling onto the floors of the wrestling venue. Merely leasing the space in the building, Clements’ hands were tied. There was simply no way that he would risk his roster or the fans under those conditions, particularly with water saturating much of the old Sears building where the wrestling events were held so he made the decision to cancel the February and March cards to be able to relocate in April.
“It was bitter sweet, I mentioned all the fond memories at the mall. Jace Mara was helping me move out and he looked at me and said, ‘I’m really going to miss this place.’ That’s when it hit me that this was a special place to so many people. But, it was also a building that didn’t represent the product. Everyone has worked too hard to be in a building that leaked during events. The wrestlers and fans alike deserve better. So, I’ll miss it, but it’s time to move on to a new and proper venues,” Clements said.
The All American Field House, a venue that has a history of local wrestling cards in years prior, was chosen, not only for its convenient location, but also because of the quality of the building itself.
Headlining the stacked line-up is one of the pillars of Ryse Wrestling, Tad Jarvis, a military veteran that started in the wrestling business under the Ryse banner after his service to the country, will defend the Ryse Grand Championship against AJ Alexander. Jarvis grew as an athlete in front of the Ryse audience over the years, as the fans saw him go from his debut bout in a preliminary match in 2019 to winning the championship with tears in his eyes in the main event of the 2025 anniversary spectacular in December. On the flip side, AJ Alexander might’ve started in the sport in Pittsburgh, but found himself as an athlete on the other side of the globe when he spent six months training in the dojos of Japan under the guidance of the legendary Yoshihiro Tajiri. While Jarvis rallied to the title with a combination of heart and fan support, AJ has spent the past two years since his return to America as one of the most vicious and sharpest athletes in the region. The anticipated clash for the belt could be a key factor to determine the direction of the next chapter of the organization.
“Being the Ryse Grand Champion helps put a chip on your shoulder, but it also help you stay aware and humble to maintain in the best shape so you can defend it against anyone who will come against you. AJ is a tough competitor, but I won’t let him stop the fact that I earned this. Plus, I’ll do everything to make sure I walk out as champion on April 11th,” Jarvis said.
Among other bouts on the card, two enthusiastic youngsters will collide when Fox Catcher will square off with Pat Angel, one of the most dynamic aerial wrestlers in the area. Women’s action will see Sam Street make her Ryse debut against the returning Megan Meyers. Other Ryse debuts schedule include Avalanche Adams and Colt Johnson. Ryse stalwarts Edric Everhart, Gorgeous Gregory, Glenn Spectre, John Lee Kirk, and Gory are also signed for the event. The tag team championships will also be decided in a wild four way tag team match.
“April 11th, Ryse Wrestling rolls into Monroeville at the All American Field House, and I guarantee it will be a night to remember. After months of fans waiting for the Ryse calendar year to start, we will leave the fans wanting more,” commented Dean Radford, one of the head organizers behind the scenes of the company.
With another event already scheduled for La Roche University on April 29th, Ryse looks to not only overcome the hurdles from the Uniontown Mall that delayed their 2026 schedule, but look to expand their schedule, as well as cement the All American Field House in Monroeville as a new home for the promotion.
For more information about the event, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/rysewrestling
To purchase tickets, you can go to www.rysewrestling.com
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
Email [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89