From Haverfordwest to Kentucky: Rob Edwards relaunches iconic US wrestling brand
Rob Edwards, who took control of the Pembrokeshire club in 2019 and steered it from the brink of collapse to European competition, has relaunched Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), the US-based promotion that helped launch the careers of John Cena, Batista, Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton.
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Edwards' London-based sports management company, MSM, has taken a controlling stake in OVW, which featured in the popular Netflix documentary Wrestlers. He plans to transform the promotion into what he calls the world's 'top independent wrestling company.'
It marks an ambitious new chapter for Edwards, whose story began not with a sports background but with a wine business. Speaking to reporters this week, Edwards said the journey began during lockdown, when he was questioning the future of his company and clicked on a listing for a semi-professional Welsh football club – one with no staff, no players under contract, and gates under 100.
Six weeks later, he owned Haverfordwest County.
The club has since become one of Welsh football's most compelling success stories. It reached its highest league position in 20 years, secured its first-ever European win in 2023, and qualified again for Europe this year. The club's academy also claimed the FAW Youth Cup and a place in the UEFA Youth League.
Now, Edwards is applying the same strategy in Kentucky.
He told the Herald: 'It's completely surreal. But it all comes from the same place. I'm obsessed with sport and the positive impact it can have on people's lives. With OVW, I saw the same raw potential that Haverfordwest had when I first took over.'
Under Edwards' leadership, OVW has already begun to change. A fan-first strategy has been introduced, a new leadership team put in place, and surveys rolled out to reconnect the brand with its audience.
'There's something visceral about live wrestling,' Edwards said. 'The energy, the storytelling, the crowd – it's all there. But OVW needed a new identity and a fresh plan. That's what we're building.'
Comparisons have been drawn with the Hollywood-backed revival of Wrexham AFC, but Edwards is quick to distance himself from the celebrity-driven model.
'I was the first Rob to buy a football club in Wales,' he joked. 'But we're not Wrexham, and I'm not famous. This isn't about nostalgia or cameras. It's about real people, grassroots passion, and creating a lasting legacy through sport.'
Edwards says MSM's long-term vision is to own five to seven clubs across different sports – each rooted in its community, with strong commercial backing. OVW, he says, is a cornerstone of that plan.
'We're not just bringing OVW back,' he said. 'We want to show the world what modern wrestling can be – and build something that lasts.'
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