Deep South Wrestling (DSW) is a

professional wrestling promotion A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling that has little relationship to the rules of the amateur olympic form. "Promotion" also describes a role which entails man ...

in the state of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. Deep South worked in tandem with

World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...

(WWE) as a developmental territory from September 1, 2005, until April 18, 2007. Deep South was owned by

Jody Hamilton Joseph Hamilton (August 28, 1938 – August 3, 2021) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and trainer. He was best known as one half of the tag team The Assassins where he was called "Assassin #1". When the Assassins ended, He wrest ...

, former director of the

WCW Power Plant The WCW Power Plant was a professional wrestling school in Atlanta, Georgia, owned and operated by World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The school was founded by wrestler Jody Hamilton, who opened the training center in 1989 in Lovejoy, Georgia ...

First run (1986–1988)

and Bill Behrens founded Deep South Wrestling in 1986 as a wrestling promotion and training facility, setting their base of operations in

Lovejoy, Georgia Lovejoy is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,422, up from 2,495 in 2000. During the American Civil War, it was the site of the Battle of Lovejoy's Station during the Atlanta ...

. They had ties with both the

American Wrestling Association The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The territory was originally part o ...

and the

National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA ...

. After a career-ending back injury in October 1988, Hamilton folded the promotion and focused on his wrestling school, which by 1989, evolved into the

Second run (2005–2007)

In 2005,

WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...

decided to run a developmental territory in the

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

area and hired Hamilton to run the territory and resurrect the Deep South Wrestling promotion after seventeen years of inactivity and set their base of operations in nearby

McDonough, Georgia McDonough is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Its population was 22,084 at the 2010 census, up from 8,493 in 2000. The city is the county seat of Henry County. The unincorporated com ...

. Deep South Wrestling held their inaugural show under the WWE banner on September 1, 2005. Two months later, the promotion crowned

Mike Mizanin Michael Gregory Mizanin (born October 8, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name The Miz. Mizanin first gained fame ...

as their first Deep South Heavyweight Champion. The promotion gained a timeslot on

Comcast Comcast Corporation (formerly known as American Cable Systems and Comcast Holdings),Before the AT&T merger in 2001, the parent company was Comcast Holdings Corporation. Comcast Holdings Corporation now refers to a subsidiary of Comcast Corpora ...

Sports South on Sunday nights at 11:30 p.m. On July 9, 2006, the promotion debuted a live event at

Six Flags Over Georgia Six Flags Over Georgia is a theme park located in Mableton, Georgia. Opened in 1967, it is the second park in the Six Flags chain following the original Six Flags Over Texas, which opened in 1961. Six Flags Over Georgia is one of three park ...

Austell, Georgia Austell is a city in Cobb and Douglas Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 7,713. History The area that is now Austell was frequented by game ...

. It was announced that DSW would begin performing live shows at venues other than Six Flags, starting in the nearby town of

Griffin, Georgia Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County, Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 23,478. Griffin was founded in 1840 and named for landowner Col. Lewis Law ...

. On May 18, High Impact (Mike Taylor &

Tony Santarelli Anthony "Tony" Salantri (born October 4, 1980) is a former American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names Tony Santarelli or Tony Stradlin, who competed in North American promotions including Combat Zone Wrestling, the National Wre ...

) won a tournament to crown the first Deep South Tag Team Champions. It was announced on October 18, 2006, that Deep South Wrestling had landed a television deal with MAVTV. On April 18, 2007, WWE announced that they were ending its relationship with Deep South. Deep South confirmed the cancellation of their April 19, 2007 television taping on their website. The closure of the promotion was announced on Deep South's website on April 19, although Deep South held its final event on April 12. Because of Deep South parting ways, talent not under WWE developmental contracts left the promotion. Those that remained under contract were reassigned to

Ohio Valley Wrestling Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an American professional wrestling promotion and former developmental promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is currently run by Al Snow and Matt Jones and Louisville mayor elect, Craig Greenberg. ...

Third run (2021–present)

In February 2021, Hamilton's son Nick Patrick announced that he was reviving Deep South Wrestling, with Griffin, Georgia, as its new base of operations for the promotion and its training facility. On August 3, 2021, DSW founder Jody Hamilton died at the age of 82.

Champions

Authority figures

References

External links

Deep South Wrestling Title Histories
* ttp://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/promotions/deepsouth/ Deep South Wrestling at Online World of Wrestling {{Professional wrestling in the United States Companies based in Clayton County, Georgia Companies based in Henry County, Georgia 1986 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Independent professional wrestling promotions based in Georgia (U.S. state)