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Arkansas Pro Wrestling Grapples with Regulations

Posted: Apr 19th 2019 By: Jesse Inman

Promotions like Mid-States Wrestling are held to the same state rules as MMA and Boxing, and that presents challenges.

For the “Space Cowboy” Jason Jones, he spends his time in the ring, wrestling and training others for Mid-States Wrestling. Jones takes great pride seeing his students take strides as performers.

"Guys have reached out and went and got their first set of wrestling boots, they've went and got their first set of gear and their tights and they're ready to rock and roll,” Jones says.

These guys go through months -- even years of training to protect themselves, and their opponents before they get to a show.

Mid-States Wrestling puts on shows all over the region, but here in Arkansas, there's a lot more to it than learning to body slam your opponent.

"Where it used to be a very easy state to work in, obtain licenses in and everything else, over the last few years it's become progressively harder,” says Jones.

That's because the pro wrestling is overseen by the state's athletic commission and board of health, which puts the artform of pro wrestling under the same rules as MMA or Boxing.

"We are a form of entertainment,” Jones says.

House Bill 1907, has aimed to deregulate it from state control. Representative Dwight Tosh from Arkansas is cosponsoring the bill.

"There was so many requirements on them as far as gate fees, and permits, having paramedics at each wrestling event,” says Tosh.

Jones doesn’t feel like they are sacrificing safety by getting rid of those regulations.

"Not that ambulance service is a bad thing, there's times you go into certain communities, you're going to pay $500 for an ambulance just to sit there. If the ambulance leaves due to a car wreck across town, the show is immediately canceled,” says Jones. "911 can be there in a few moments anyway."

Tosh says they shouldn’t be held to those standards, as they don't technically get categorized as a competitive sport.

"Obviously there's always a chance of someone getting hurt but that's true in just about any profession and they aren't required to have somebody standing by,” Tosh says.

With part-time wrestlers forced to pay for medical tests, giving 30 days notice for a show appearance, and other fees, that makes it tougher to put on shows.

"We try our best not to pass that expense on to the people who buy our tickets, but little things like that make it very very hard to do,” says Jones.

HB1907 passed the House and Senate and currently sits on the Governors desk awaiting a signature.

Mid-States Wrestling held a show Saturday in Springfield and will be back in Springfield in August.