AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com
This past Tuesday, America and the world lost one of its
greatest treasures, as Dolly Parton passed away from cancer
at age 80.
In this time and place, it is exceedingly rare to find
someone so universally beloved as was Dolly Parton. Her
career saw her write 3,000 songs, win 11 Grammy Awards,
three Emmy Awards, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and
inductions into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during her legendary career. She
was offered the Congressional Gold Medal by two Presidential
administrations, but declined, not wanting to seem overtly
partisan.
Yet she stood by LGBT people, Black Lives Matter activists,
all the way to her home folk in the Smokies developing
Pigeon Forge and Dollywood treating them all as her equal
under God.
Dolly Parton rose from poverty much like the character in
her legendary song "Coat of Many Colors" in a one-room
shack, to become a legend through all genres of music and
entertainment. The Dollywood theme park and associated
businesses came from her desire to see the people of the
Smoky Mountains employed. It brought $1.8 billion into the
Smoky Mountain region. Her Imagination Library has gifted
332 million books to children through the United States and
Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of
Ireland, since the program's founding 31 years ago.
She also donated millions of dollars to children’s hospitals
and provided substantial aid to communities affected by
natural disasters. In 1988 her Dollywood Foundation was
launched in her home county of Sevier County, TN, with the
goal of decreasing high school drop out rates, including
giving $500 to every seventh and eighth grader who finished
high school, with the the dropout rate decling from 35
percent to just 6 percent. In 1991, she established the
Eagle Mountain Sanctuary at Dollywood. The 30,000-square-
foot aviary managed by the American Eagle Foundation
shelters the largest collection of “non-releasable” bald
eagles. Parton’s efforts to preserve the bald eagle earned
her the Partnership Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service in 2003. In one of her final major efforts in 2024,
she and her Dolllywood Foundation each contributed $1
million toward Hurricane Helene relief efforts in her
beloved East Tennessee.
In April 2020, Parton donated $1 million to the Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, which directly helped fund
critical early research and clinical trials for the Moderna
mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. According to The Guardian newspaper,
her contribution, made through the then-newly formed Dolly
Parton COVID-19 Research Fund, was credited with
accelerating the vaccine’s development process up to 10
times faster than standard timelines.
She literally saved lives of millions she'd never meet, and
did all she could to improve the lives of all.
In all, she loved everyone.
Dolly, the world will always love you. May you see the light
of a clear blue morning for all eternity.
All Elite Wrestling will stage its first live event in
France this fall when AEW Grand Slam: France takes place at
Adidas Arena in Paris on October 6. The show will include
tapings of both AEW Dynamite and AEW Collision. Tickets went
on sale Friday, August 28, at 10 a.m. CEST through
AEWTix.com and LiveNation.
The Paris event will air on TBS and HBO Max and marks the
ninth edition of the Grand Slam series, following previous
specials in New York, Brisbane, Mexico City and Sydney. AEW
CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan said France emerged
as a logical next step because of the number of French fans
traveling to London for AEW shows like “All In” and Paris’
status as a marquee global sports and entertainment market.
“There are so many great wrestling fans in France, and a
lot of fans from France have made the trek to London to see
AEW, and we believe there’s a lot of excitement around All
Elite Wrestling in Paris, and it just felt like this would
be the perfect time to launch with a huge event,” Khan
said.
Khan said he is hopeful AEW can run additional events in
France and “continue to make Paris a major live event site”
for the company. Adidas Arena, which opened in 2024 and cost
approximately $15 million, has a capacity of 8,000 seats.
AEW’s most recent Grand Slam event in Mexico saw an
attendance of over 13,000 at Arena México in Mexico City.
Over the course of its eight Grand Slam events, the company
has averaged over 12,000 in attendance.
It's a hot end to late August as you read this, but it's
never too soon for local independent wrestling promotions to
think about what efforts they can undertake to help their
communities during 2026's Holiday season. Given the
political environment, more help will be needed from every
private source possible to help the hungry, the sick, the
cold, the homeless, sexual/domestic violence victims, animal
welfare, and too many more.
There are already 59 shows scheduled in 40 promotions in 16 states and 2 Canadian
provinces with 16already held, with
$136,965.76 US raised, 50 backpacks filled with
school supplies, and at least 500 other assorted school
supplies
* Mystery Wrestling/Fighting Back: Wrestling With Cancer
together presented the Infinite Rumble June 22-23 and again
set a record for the longest wrestling match in history;
while raising $33,106 CA/23,362.54 US for Fighting Back:
Wrestling with Cancer.
* Dream Pro Wrestling held The Outrunners Summer Vacation
show on July 24 in Louisville, KY, raising $7,181.41 to benefit IAamALS.org andRebel Tanea Brooks
* Innovate Wrestling returned to Kingsport, TN on August 1
for Back To School Bash, collecting $3,000 of cash
donations and school supplies.
* Louisiana Wrestling Alliance returned to Scott, LA on
August 1 for Intro The Void, collecting at least 300 items
of school supplies for schools through Acadiana.
* Capital City Championship Combat returned to Ottawa, ON at
the Preston Event Center on August 14 for Fighting Back:
Wrestling with Cancer to benefit the Canadian Cancer Society
with Ortiz, Joseph Sawyer (fka Joe Gacy), raising
$100,169.35 US "and counting".
* Relentless Pro Wrestling returned to Garden Grove, CA on
August 15, benefited Roxy Astor's Wrestling is 4 the Dogs,
and The Good Pawject, with on-site opportunities for both
fostering and adopting new dogs into families.
* Championship Honor Wrestling returned to Springfield, TN
on August 15, distributing 50 backpacks full of school
supplies with a school supply drive.
* Midwest All-Star Wrestling returned to Mankato, MN on
August 15, benefiting Bravo Zulu Women’s House, a dedicated
sober living home for female veterans in recovery.
* Wrestling for Warriors/Midwest Premiere Wrestling returned
to Ft. Wayne, IN on August 16 raising $1,850 to
benefit Make-A-Wish.
* Girl Fight Wrestling returned to New Albany, IN on August
16, with a school supply drive, collecting three bags and a
large box of school supplies for Scribner Middle School in
New Albany, IN.
* United Wrestling returned to West Hants, NS, Canada on
August 16, distributing back to school supplies to 46
children.
* 1CW Pro Wrestling returns to Harrington, DE on August 22
to benefit the HPS Foundation, with $3,865 raised for
the HPS Foundation.
* Memphis Wrestling comes to Tupelo, MS at the Tupelo
Furniture Market on August 21 raising at least
$20,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
* Mutiny Wrestling Federation returns to Springdale, AR
on August 22, collecting supplies for 7hills Homeless
Center.
* Victory Pro Wrestling returns to Portland, CT on August
29, benefiting A Fight Against, raising $900 for funds and
awareness for cancer research.
* Rock Solid Wrestling presents Shake The Lake in
Kirkland, ON this August 29; benefiting Community Living
Kirkland Lake
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* GCW Charity Wrestling/Comic Con comes to Barrie, ON this
September 5, collecting canned and non-perishables for the
local food bank.
* Wrestling for a Cause returns to Broken Arrow, OK on
September 5, raising money to combat childhood cancer
* EMERGE Wrestling presents Stock The Shelves on Columbus,
IN on September 5, collecting food for the Love Chapel Food
Pantry
* GCW Charity Wrestling/Comic Con comes to Kingston, ON this
September 12 collecting canned and non-perishables for the
local food bank.
* 1CW Pro Wrestling returns to Harrington, DE on September
12 to benefit a local family through the Milford Moose.
* Wrestle Against Hunger returned to Tulsa, OK on September
13, distributing an average of 700 pounds of food,
including meats, canned goods, non-perishables, and assorted
foodstuffs.
* Magnum Wrestling returns to Ralston, NE on September 19,
proceeds from this event will benefit Nebraska Adaptive
Sports.
* Neo Pro Wrestling returns to Niagara Falls, ON on
September 19 for the Jesse Scott Memorial Show, benefiting
the Scott Family
* IHB The Chains comes to Atlantic City, NJ on September
26, raising funds for Jeff Cannonball
* House of Heat Pro Wrestling returns to Lafayette, IN on
September 26 with RVD and Kelly Kelly, raising funds for MDA
* GCW Charity Wrestling comes to Shelbourne, ON this
September 27 collecting canned and non-perishables for the
local food bank.
* FLEX Wrestling returns to the LECOM Event Center in
Elmira, NY on October 2 for Toys for Tots.
* Crossfire Wrestling returns to St Catharines, ON on
October 3; partial proceeds will go to The Niagara Peninsula
Foundation for Children
* IWF Wrestling returns on October 3 in Nutley, NJ to
benefit the Greater Nutley Cancer Foundation
* GCW Charity Wrestling/Comic Con comes to Aurora, ON this
October 4 collecting canned and non-perishables for the
local food bank.
* GCW Charity Wrestling comes to Peterborough, ON this
October 5 collecting canned and non-perishables for the
local food bank.
* Timmy Global Health presents the 25th annual Timmy
Takedown on October 10 in Kirklin, IN. The event is run by
Dr. Chuck Dietzen (fka independent professional wrestler Dr.
Death and Dr. Doom), founder of Timmy Global Health. Timmy
Global Health works to engage volunteers for global health
for children worldwide.
* Pro Wrestling Epic returns to Affton, MO on October 10,
partial proceeds benefit Children's Miracle Network
* Wrestle Against Hunger returned to Tulsa, OK on October
11, distributing an average of 700 pounds of food,
including meats, canned goods, non-perishables, and assorted
foodstuffs.
* 1CW Pro Wrestling returns to Harrington, DE on October 12
to benefit the Cancer Society
* Primetime Wrestling returns to Prince George, BC on
October 16 for its biggest show ever as a charity
fundraiser.
* Pro Wrestling Odyssey returns to Stevenson Ranch, CA on
October 17, to benefit Breast Cancer Angels
* GCW Charity Wrestling/Comic Con comes to North Bay, ON
this October 17 collecting canned and non-perishables for
the local food bank.
* Stunt Cat and Friends Save Christmas Stunt Cat & Friends
Save Christmas returns to Dunsmore, PA on November 7 in a
live professional wrestling event to raise money for the
United Cerebral Palsy Angel Tree, which provides Christmas
gifts for children and adults with medical challenges.
* 1CW Pro Wrestling returns to Harrington, DE on November 7
to benefit Autism Delaware
* EGCW Wrestling presents Christmasmania on November 7 in
DeBary, FL; collecting canned/boxed foods
* GCW Charity Wrestling/Comic Con comes to Lindsay, ON this
November 8 collecting canned and non-perishables for the
local food bank.
* IWF Wrestling returns on November 14 in North Arlington,
NJ to benefit the Michael Robert Cammett Memorial Foundation
* GCW Charity Wrestling/Comic Con comes to Newmarket, ON
this November 14 collecting canned and non-perishables for
the local food bank.
* Wrestle Against Hunger returned to Tulsa, OK on November
15, distributing an average of 700 pounds of food,
including meats, canned goods, non-perishables, and assorted
foodstuffs
* GCW Charity Wrestling/Comic Con comes to Owen Sound, ON
this November 21 collecting canned and non-perishables for
the local food bank.
* GCW Charity Wrestling/Comic Con comes to Thornbury, ON
this November 22 collecting canned and non-perishables for
the local food bank.
* LIVE Pro Wrestling & Portuguese Kids team up for Cojo's
Toy World annual Toy Drive event, presenting Wrestle Festa
(Dos) LIVE at The Vault Performing Arts Center & Pub on
November 22.
* UWC Pro Wrestling will return for its 32nd annual Toys for
Tots Show on November 29 in New Egypt, NJ, with admission a
new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots.
* Wrestling With Purpose presents December 4 in Pembroke, NC
for the Clash 4 The Kids Toys for Tots show.
* Generation Next Pro Wrestling returns to Cynthiana KY on
December 5 for GenNext Last Stand: Jingle Brawl benefiting
local families for Christmas.
* Total Wrestling Federation presents Wreck the Halls on
December 5 in Sacramento, CA, collecting toys for Shriners
Hospital
* APW returns to Statesboro, GA on December 5 for the
27th annual Steam Stampede Toys for Tots Dinner Show
* Stuff The Bus Panama City 14th annual Toy Drive in Panama
City, FL from December 6-16.
* 1CW Pro Wrestling returns to Harrington, DE on December 12
to benefit Toys for Tots
* Wrestle Against Hunger returned to Tulsa, OK on December
13, distributing an average of 700 pounds of food,
including meats, canned goods, non-perishables, and assorted
foodstuffs.
* Three Legacies Wrestling presents the Fill Our Ring Toy
Drive from August 4-December 21 in Lancaster, PA
* GCW Charity Wrestling/Comic Con comes to Oshawa, ON this
December 27 collecting canned and non-perishables for the
local food bank.
So...indies, start thinking about what you can do now. If
you're aware of shows your local indie is scheduling this
Christmas season, let me know at the addresses below.
If you'd like to contact me, you can do so at my
bobmagee1@hotmail.com account or to through Messenger at
https://www.facebook.com/bob.magee.180 , direct message me
at https://x.com/BobMage70323520 , or contact me at BlueSky
at https://bsky.app/profile/bobmagee940.bsky.social
