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After years of playing and promoting punk rock music at venues in and around Fargo, Grand Forks resident Eric Morrison decided it was time for a change. Morrison started his wrestling promotion at the Aquarium in downtown Fargo, and over the years the crowds have grown and they now hold events at the Sanctuary Events Center. Even without a writing background, Morrison has and will continue to create storylines that keep audiences coming back for more!
North Dakota native Eric Morrison starts time bomb pro wrestling Indie Wrestling’s promotion has been growing since 2018!
humble beginnings
In 2018, after taking time off from promoting tours for local bands and performing as a musician, Eric Morrison needed to figure out what he wanted to do next. He’s been a wrestling fan for years, and with Fully Loaded Wrestling (another local wrestling company) closing its doors in 2018, he knows what he wants to do. Since he loves wrestling so much, he sets out on a mission to start an independent pro wrestling promotion in town. Although he was certain of his plan, it was not easy to realize it.
“We started off super nude because the first show was a no-ring show,” Morrison said of the promotion’s early start. “us [did] They were in the aquarium before, with people in the open air. ”
Soon, Morrison was planning more shows and building a brand, and the company was born. The name Timebomb Pro Wrestling was inspired by an old Japanese wrestling promotion called Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW).
“They’d put dynamite around the ring. They were like fireworks,” he explained. “[They’d] There are 15 minutes to wrestle, and then at the end of the bout, the timer goes off, the ‘bomb’ goes off, and the wrestlers try to knock each other out of the ring. “
These matches, Morrison explained, are known as “time bomb” matches — a type of deathmatch. The FMW Time Bomb game initially got Morrison hooked on wrestling, so he decided to start selling bootleg FMW shirts under the Timebomb USA name. When he started wrestling, the name slowly became what it is now, and even if he didn’t mean it, it’s stuck to this day.
did you know?
deathmatch is a professional wrestling match that adds an extra element of danger such as wire rope, glass, thumbtacks, nails or fire, just to name a few!
Indie pro wrestling like Timebomb Pro Wrestling is very similar to big-name pro wrestling promotions like World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) or All Elite Wrestling (AEW), however, Morrison explained, they have fewer rules because North Dakota The state does not regulate professional wrestling.
“For the most part, in pro wrestling, you’re on your own…you [have to] Discipline yourself and make sure you are doing things [right]’” Morrison explained. “So I’m always trying to make sure there’s someone—not necessarily a doctor, but someone who can sew or glue someone.” ”
Also, since all of the wrestlers are essentially “freelancers” rather than contracted as they would be with a larger wrestling company, Morrison can always hire new wrestlers for a fight or two, making it easier for those who regularly race people keep it fresh
A ring match A typical professional wrestling match, with a standard elevated square ring, opponents fight inside the ring most of the time, while spectators sit near the ring. A acyclic matching It’s a match without a formal ring, with spectators surrounding the wrestlers.
Moving from an aquarium to a sanctuary
COVID came even two years after Morrison started Timebomb Pro Wrestling. With these shows previously without rings and large crowds, the company has had to rethink how it continues to hold events. Morrison had to find a new strategy, turning to the ring and the seat. He held a small event at the Riverhaven Events Center in Moorhead and the people of Riverhaven helped him connect with what would become his current venue. Their next event was held at the Sanctuary Event Center and the rest is history.
When the Timebomb moved to the Sanctuary, attendance did drop a bit. While the transition to owning the ring is easy for wrestlers, it can be difficult for spectators.
“When we moved to Sanctuary, it was a difficult process because people were used to things without rings,” Morrison explained. “So, there are some rough shows that draw about 75-100 people.”
did you know?
exist professional wrestlingbad guys are called “heels” and good guys are called “faces”.
But now, after a few shows, attendees have gotten used to the new setup, and attendance is up again. Morrison estimates they average around 250 people per show, which he says is a good number. However, he does hope to keep growing and attracting more and more people with each show. His goal is to grow the business as organically as possible, gaining a loyal audience who keep coming back. The venue, the Sanctuary Events Center, is a big crowd draw, he added.
“[People] Actually want to see the show. They want to experience the venue because it’s a cool place to wrestle,” he said.
About the storyline
Even if wrestling isn’t your thing, or you’ve never competed, Timebomb Pro is a dynamic game that anyone can enjoy. A typical show consists of several races and a main event. Often, the goal is to win by pinfall — keeping the opponent’s shoulders on the mat for a three-count count — or submission — when the opponent “pats” or gives up. Similar to big promotions like WWE, Morrison works with his wrestlers to create storylines to keep viewers engaged and invested in the match. But Morrison did not create these stories himself.
“I’ll come up with something, and I’ll pitch it to [wrestler] I have this idea that we will learn from each other,” he explained. “If they want to change something, I will listen to them. Most of the time, I let them do whatever they want because they are the ones doing it. I don’t want to tell them how to make another person bleed or anything. “
Despite having no background in creative writing, Morrison was able to craft storylines that people loved because of his lifelong love of wrestling. When he’s stuck and can’t think of a storyline, he often turns to old pro-wrestling episodes for inspiration.
did you know?
Professional wrestling as we know it originated in the 19th century —200 years ago!
“If there is [a storyline] I’m not 100% sure what I want to do, I’ll just watch ECW episodes from the 90’s to see what they did… I don’t want to blatantly copy everything. But sometimes if I get stuck, I pull out of it,” he added.
And because the Timebomb Pro show is a 21+ show, they were able to make more extreme storylines. As Morrison puts it, “it’s probably more violent and gory than your average professional wrestling match” because the shows aren’t allowed for children.
Morrison also added that they usually only have wrestlers for a few shows, which can also make for a more interesting and unique storyline.
“You can get a bad guy to work with one of your good guys in three shows. Once that show is over, you never see that bad guy again,” he explained. “It adds to the mystery. You know some people are special because you’re not going to see them again. It makes people want to see them and be there for all three shows.”
stand out from the crowd
Timebomb Pro’s storyline isn’t the only thing that sets them apart from other wrestling games in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Morrisons prides itself on hosting a diverse and inclusive wrestling promotion.
“Our programming features people of color and LGBTQ+ talent, and our female talent is treated the same as our male talent (the tournament is gender-neutral and gender-neutral),” he said. “While we do deal with the occasional jerk heck, we don’t change to fit the comfort zone of the typical North Dakota crowd, which I think will make our true fans feel more comfortable where they are.”
F1RST wrestlinghosting a show on 1st Avenue in Minneapolis, is an inclusive wrestling promotion that even hosts a pride wrestling match!
Morrison held his promotions to the highest standard to ensure they remained North Dakota’s top wrestling promotion.
“The main guy who helps me with what I do is Arik Cannon. He runs a company in Minnesota called F1RST Wrestling. And F1RST Wrestling has always been number one in Minnesota, just based on who they book, programme [their wrestlers] It’s started, the crowds, the sweepstakes and everything like that,” he said. “A lot of the things I do I learn from him and I make sure I have high standards for the shows I do. ”
The quality and uniqueness of the talent they bring also sets them apart from other wrestling promotions, he added.
“I put on a show that brought in guys that you don’t see anywhere else in North Dakota. We brought in Minoru Suzuki. He’s from New Japan Pro Wrestling, so he’s a legend in Japanese wrestling—one you Someone you don’t see anywhere else in North Dakota, especially not anywhere else [independent wrestling] company,” he said.
Morrison believes that because of the quality of their programming, “someone can come and watch the show [and they’ve] Never watched wrestling before, be wary of that. By the end of the show, they love it, even if they don’t know who these people are. ”
Timebomb Pro is where anyone can have wrestling fun.
Support Timebomb Pro Wrestling
Morrison is always looking to bring new faces to the Timebomb Pro audience.Bring a friend to the next Timebomb Pro event, tickets are available at www.timebombpro.com
Watch more upcoming shows on their Facebook page, facebook.com/timebombpro
website: www.timebombpro.com
Facebook: /time bomb
Twitter: @TimebombPro
Instagram: @TimebombPro
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