 |
By Ross Blair:
Coastal Empire Wrestling is on the eve of its biggest & most ambitious show to date: Legends of the Low Country 3 on July 25th. CEW owner Corey Williams, during this telephone interview from his home in Cobbtown, explains that this supershow is one of many stages of growth planned for the Savannah company. Williams also explores the early days of the company, his in-ring career as the dreaded heel Sergeant Scratch, and his parallel life as a real police sergeant.
GWH: Let’s begin by delving into the origin story of Coastal Empire Wrestling. Tell us why & how Coastal Empire Wrestling was created and what motivated you to do so.
CW: Coastal Empire Wrestling was thought up in 2019 by myself and my partner Voodoo. We were gonna try to start running then, but Covid kinda happened. We both worked several promotions together. We were a tag team when we weren't feuding against each other...so a lot of car rides & throwing ideas back and forth. We were both wrestling in Augusta, Statesboro, Portal...kind of all around the area, and we talked about how Savannah didn’t have a consistent independent company. During Covid, we came together & made a game plan of who we want on our roster from guys we knew around the state. Our first pick was Bryce Cannon. I was working at an all-night radio station at the time & was doing a weekly wrestling show. The first 30 minutes of it was running down the major wrestling news from WWE, AEW, Impact, etc. The last 30 minutes of it was interviewing local wrestlers. I had Bryce on the show and, at the end of the interview, I said "hey, we would like to officially offer you a roster spot at Coastal Empire Wrestling." We enlisted a few guys this way. Our first roster was a lot of guys we had worked with in the past like Exotic Youth, "Pretty Boy" Matt Odam, William Blackwell, and The Rapture (Jay Sky & Richard Adonis) who were one of our first solid tag teams. They were a team based out of Florida & both were phenomenal talents. We finally ran our first show on September the 20th in 2020 at Coach's Corner in Thunderbolt. We had a WWE Hall of Famer on that show, Robert Gibson of the Rock & Roll Express, who trained with a lot of guys on that first show like Zach Mosely, Cornelius Pepperbottom, Jordan Kingsley, and Landon Hale. There weren't a lot of storylines in the beginning, but our main one was between our top two guys, Bryce Cannon and Matt Odam. They were the first match at our first show, and we were able to keep that storyline going for well over a year. When Coastal first started, it was a really tight budget. I always laugh when I tell folks that Coastal was essentially funded through Uber and DoorDash. That's what we did...hustle and grind to make sure we had a ring & make sure it was the best quality show we could give Savannah. Because that's what Savannah deserves, with the rich wrestling history from eras past.
GWH: How did the new partnership with Nine Line Apparel come into fruition? CW: We had been trying to get in touch with Nine Line for a couple years now, and we're thrilled that it finally came together. They're very particular about who they decide to work with. I had been talking with their event coordinator & she told me that her boss was coming down to talk to me &, lo and behold, it was Matt Lyda who is one of the founders of The Undertaker's podcast "Six Feet Under". I think the fact that we're a law enforcement & veteran founded company made a difference…me being in law enforcement & co-founder Voodoo being a retiree from Fort Stewart. The opportunity to branch out with a nationally known company is opening a lot of doors & putting a lot of attention on us. Nine Line is an apparel company, so we're currently working on a CEW/Nine Line limited release T-shirt in addition to sponsoring our bigger shows. It's surreal that our company, the little indy that could, is now put on the same shirt as that nationally recognized company...the company that has printed & worked in conjunction with Cody Rhodes, The Undertaker, Golddust, and now us. As a kid, I grew up getting Nine Line stuff. To see that my company is now in the works with them...it's hard to put into words. I started negotiating with them in January, and we finally got the go-ahead in April to work with them.
GWH: Nine Line is sponsoring the big CEW supershow coming up: Legends of the Low Country 3. What is going to differentiate this show from the monthly VFW experience?
CW: Looking at the card for Legends 3, this is a pay per view quality lineup. We've got Bryce Cannon versus Cornelius Pepperbottom in a first ever match. You've got Hunter James versus the Atrocity Krule…that poor fella's got a mountain of a man to climb if he wants to hold onto his heavyweight title! Then, of course, you've got Michael Walker's retirement match. That's gonna be a wild match. His father's been in the business for decades, and I very much look forward to how that match turns out. That's not even counting the rest of the card, which is stacked talent top to bottom. Two top veterans like Action Mike Jackson and Simon Sermon colliding, a wild women's match, a war for the tag belts, and so much more. We've put a lot more into the production of this show, which of course is taking place in the parking lot of Nine Line. We might have some surprises for entrances. We've got pyro. We're gonna try to have a Titan tron. It is going to be a much bigger show all around. With it being outside, ringside is gonna be like 200 seats, with seating for another 500 including bleachers. Fans can even bring their own chairs if they want. The overall effort & manpower & planning that we have put into it is a lot more than normal. If the turnout is as good as we hope it is, we might try for a bigger venue in conjunction with Nine Line next year. If it goes well, it'll allow for some of these things to continue at our monthly VFW shows.
GWH: Michael Walker’s wrestling career is synonymous with CEW & his final match is one of the biggest stories for Legends 3. What kind of feelings do you get when you think about the Flying Fro’s last match?
CW: I've got mixed feelings about it. When he gave his speech at the last show, there probably wasn't a dry eye in the house. That young man has put his body through SO much, and he has been so consistent for us. When I was a kid, his dad was the defending champion at the very first independent show I went to in Collins, Georgia. His father gave me my first bump, so I've known them for almost 20 years now. To watch Fro grow as a wrestler has been a pleasure. I remember working shows in Swainsboro with him back in the day when his fro wasn't all that big & he looked more like Screech from "Saved By the Bell". (laughs) To see him grow into the competitor that he is...even during his time as Main Event Mike…every match he put on was top tier quality. I'll safely say he was one of the greatest Coastal champions that we've had. He was kinda the gatekeeper at Coastal, where if he says you're good, you can come back...and he took that job very seriously. He's a phenomenal talent & a phenomenal person. I hate that his career is being ended so young because I feel like he's just started to hit his groove. He's easily an eventual contender for the Coastal Empire Hall of Fame, if we eventually have one. He's always got a good attitude, and hopefully we'll be able to keep him on helping train…that way he can continue to contribute his wealth of knowledge that he has for the business. I hate that his career is being cut short, but I'm glad that he's going out on his terms because this is his decision. And I'm glad that he's able to go out on a show as big as this. I wish the situation was a little bit different because I feel like he definitely could have had a career later on down the line at some of these bigger companies.
GWH: CEW has fared well in our annual awards over the last several years, including multiple wins for booking. How important is good storytelling to CEW?
CW: It is what helps us stand out so much, as compared to other companies. We've been a lot more story-driven over the last several years & I feel like it's really helped us out & it helps bring in more folks. It's necessary now. People want that excitement...that drama...that story going forward & I feel like our booking team is just phenomenal. We started having a lot more meetings to where everything is a lot more streamlined...the communication is a lot better… the communication with the talent & every department head is flowing a lot better. We try to at least have two meetings a month...that way we can sit down & go over the checklist for what we need to do & where we need to go in the future & work toward our end of year goals. We're working toward being a tv quality product & our booking and storylines are helping us get there.
GWH: Correct me if I’m wrong, but it appears as if women wrestlers such as Emily Locke & Kelsey Raegan have started up a women’s revolution of sorts in CEW. I say that because, since their recent debuts, we’re seeing female competitors on every show now. What’s your opinion on that & has there been any talks of a CEW women’s title?
CW: First off, there are indeed talks of a women's title. Honestly, I love the fact that we are now able to give women a place to wrestle in Savannah. I know our fans have been asking for it & the fact that we are able to now consistently provide it is something we're very proud of. With gals like Kelsey, Emily, Audrey Allen & several others we've featured thus far, our female talent is just as hard hitting as the male talent. I haven't seen a bad match yet with any of our female talent we've had here. Coastal is a very well-rounded show. We've got a very strong tag division. We've got a very strong mid card. Our top title scene is very, very strong. Even if you're not in a title hunt, there's something impactful going on. The fact that we're now able to have a strong women's division just makes our product stand out that much more.
GWH: As you look back at the promotion’s history, do you have a favorite match or moment? What are some of your favorite CEW memories & highlights?
CW: I'd have to include the first storyline I ever booked, which was Bryce Cannon versus Matt Odam. The year-long culmination of that storyline was our very first ladder match. Bryce about bled to death that night. Honestly, we just had to get rid of the canvas. It was done. It was ruined. It was definitely a big mistake to use a white canvas that night. The visual of it & the way the crowd reacted to that match was unforgettable. I still to this day tell stories about it...Matt Odam takes out every member of the Exotic Youth...accidentally takes out the referee...climbs to the ladder...pulls down the title...everybody in the crowd just loses their mind, screaming...and no bell...the referee's still down...Odam gets attacked...belt goes back up...Bryce gets hoisted up by Exotic Youth...pulls it down to crown the first CEW champ and...oh my God...just the emotions...you probably could've heard the screams from the end of the road/at the opposite end of Ross Road from those fans. Honestly, that's probably my favorite match of all time. Even Dave Meltzer saw the match & said it was phenomenal, which was a massive compliment to our roster/our company. Another favorite recently was Michael Walker versus Hunter James. Their most recent match was a master class in wrestling & storytelling in the ring. Another one, wildly enough, was another Hunter James match...this time against Jay Alpha Miller. It came by accident when the top rope snapped. Those two guys were still able to put on a phenomenal match & it shows the level of professionalism and the level of athleticism from both guys when they were like "OK, we don't have a top rope anymore. Alright, let's get in there & let's get the work done!".
GWH: You’re a former Coastal Chaos & CEW tag champ, but you don’t wrestle much at all anymore. Do you have any plans to return to the ring anytime soon?
CW: I'll make a return on occasion. During this growing period, there needs to be a captain at the helm. If a spot needs to be filled though, I'll be the one to do it...like I did at the recent pop up Two Tides show. I'm not gonna lie, I was a little nervous going into that because I hadn't been in the ring since October. It ended up being one of the most fun days I'd had in months though.
GWH: When exactly did pro wrestling come into your life? Were you a big fan as a kid?
CW: I loved it as a kid. I remember huddling around the computer with my brother watching pay per views, starting when I was like 12 years old. Even before that, we watched it on tv all the time — Raw, Smackdown, Nitro, all the shows. One of the core memories I have is a WCW autograph signing at a Chevy dealership in Statesboro. I got to meet guys like Big Show and Goldberg & I was hooked right then and there. It's always been a big part of my life.
GWH: Michael Walker told me that you showed up at his dad’s wrestling school when you were 16 years old, but you got the boot when it was discovered that you were underage. Is that true?
CW: (laughs) That is a hundred percent true. He was running out of Lyons, Georgia. I was a stalky kid...I played football & worked out everyday, so I looked a bit older. He gets me to run the ropes & clocked me for my first bump...then he gives me a look & goes "wait a second, weren't you at a one of the shows in Collins the other day?" I go "yeah" & he asked me my age. I told him 16 & he goes "Get out! Get out now! You can stay & watch the show, but you can not be in here!" (both laugh)
GWH: Where did you go from there to become a wrestler?
CW: There was a promotion out of Statesboro, Georgia called American Premier Wrestling...it was not the highest quality show, but that's where I really kinda cut my teeth. It was 2018 & a buddy of mine told me they were having tryouts, so I went down there…it was about a 30 minute drive from where I lived. I had a background in jiu jitsu, so bumps & rolling around kinda came naturally. My first match I ever wrestled, I got squashed by the defensive coordinator for Georgia Southern's football team. It just kinda took off from there. Statesboro is where I met Voodoo. I was there for about a year and half to two years. Then we started branching out a bit...there was Live Wire Wrestling up in Augusta...Alternative Pro Wrestling out of Royston, Georgia. I actually got to have a few matches out of Landmark Arena (Cornelia, GA) before they shut it down. I even met AJ Styles there one day.
GWH: Do have a favorite match of yours as an in-ring competitor?
 |
GWH: The Sergeant Scratch character is more than just a gimmick. Tell us about your career in law enforcement & how long you’ve been involved in that.
GWH: What are you passionate about outside of pro wrestling & law enforcement?
CW: I would say spending time with my wife & being a father. Starting a family was a definite change at first. That's when we got Zach & Bryce involved in the back end of CEW...because I told them I can't give it the effort that this company deserves right now with policing long hours and becoming a new father...it was a balance I knew I could not handle & those were the only two guys I really trusted to better Coastal. Other than my family, powerlifting has always been a fun hobby. GWH: What are your goals for the future of Coastal Empire Wrestling? CW: Short term goals, I'm very much looking forward to reaching a higher quality of product by the end of the year. Especially after this Nine Line show, hopefully we'll have a little bit more funding to be able to add that much more to the production of the show. We had our first tryout recently. We are looking to start our training school on a consistent basis because there has been a lot of interest from people wanting to become a professional wrestler in Savannah & a lot of wrestlers are looking for a place to train consistently as well. We're looking at running it at the VFW on the days the ballroom is open. That's only gonna help our talent & improve our product. Fro's father is about to be our head trainer. One thing that I've actively been trying to do for the past several months is trying to get on one of these local tv channels on whatever timeslot they need to fill to get more eyes on Coastal Empire Wrestling. We’re looking at a possible show coming up in conjunction with Harley Davidson in Savannah. We’re also looking at doing stuff with the Savannah Ghost Pirates hockey team. Right now we're pushing to try to have multiple shows in conjunction with Savannah's big St. Patrick's Day celebration downtown, which would put a lot of eyes on our product. I would love to eventually run a show at the Civic Center, where I went to WWE shows as a kid. At the rate we're currently growing, if that growth stays consistent, we could maybe pull something like that off in a couple years from now. One thing I've noticed about Savannah is they do embrace alternative sports very heavily. The Savannah Bananas (minor league baseball) have blown up in popularity. Nobody woulda thought that Savannah, Georgia would have a hockey team, but lo and behold the Ghost Pirates are kicking off & doing great. I feel like, with everything that we have planned for the future, Savannah is really going to start embracing wrestling a lot more heavily like it did in the past, in the 60s & 70s...to the point where you're gonna see Coastal Empire Wrestling on billboards and at every festival and anywhere & everywhere that something is going on. I want Coastal Empire Wrestling to become cemented in Savannah. I mean, you've seen our ring skirts -- it's got the skyline of the city of Savannah. The company colors are the city of Savannah's colors. Even our logo, I had it designed with the letters CEW in the shape of a crown for this area called the “Coastal Empire” with the silhouette of the Savannah bridge in the background.
——————
Special thanks to Alex Snider for the artsy graphic at the top of this article.
