Franklin County Times

THARPTOWN  — The Tharptown Youth Football and Cheerleading League recently found itself with an opportunity to put on a fundraiser that strays a bit from the ordinary path.

Due to a mutual connection, the league was able to host Ultimate NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) at the Tharptown Elementary School gym Saturday night.

“We had a kid in the league whose grandfather is a promoter,” said Ken Riley, Jr., president of the league.

“They approached me about doing an event as a fundraiser, and I said OK. We don’t get to do things like this much around here.”

From that point on Ultimate NWA took care of the vast majority of the planning and undertaking needed to put the event together.

“We got with them and they did most of the work,” Riley, Jr., said. “It was relatively easy for us. They provided us with the flyers and the tickets to sell, we mostly just had to be here.”

The excitement over the upcoming event grew by the day in the community, especially among the young football players.

“This is all the kids have talked about since they found out we were having it,” Riley, Jr., said. “I started getting excited when they started putting the ring up.”

When all was said and done over 100 people were treated to six matches including wrestlers like Adam Jacobs and Chrisjen Hayme, who quickly became fan favorites. Jacobs participated in three matches on the night, including a title shot against “Temptation” Shaun Tempers in the main event match.

Before that match, however, Jacobs had to defeat “Wild Thing” Will Owens and Bobby Moore, Hitman for Hire.

Jacobs won the matches against Owens and Moore before winning the main event by disqualification after the referee discovered that Tempers and his “one-time” manager Owens had illegally used a metal chain.

Since the match ended in this manner, Tempers got to hold onto his title belt.

Other wrestlers included Phil Macchio, Freakshow, Jeremy Flynt and Kevin Andrews.

“I thought it was excellent,” Riley, Jr., said. “The kids were so into it, the turnout was great and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I’d like to make this an annual event.”