The Resurrection of The Wrestling Estate
No need to bury the lede. The Wrestling Estate is coming back.
No need to bury the lede. The Wrestling Estate is coming back.
When John Corrigan, the former Editor in Chief of The Wrestling Estate, “lost his smile” with the world of pro wrestling around this time last year, it felt like the end of an era. Perhaps it was.
After six years of delivering on the mission to create original, engaging, daily pro wrestling content that can stand on its own without pulling from wrestling insiders like Dave Meltzer and Sean Ross Sapp, the site had run its course.
For six years, John did yeoman’s work with the site and developed a sound footprint in the tri-state area independent wrestling scene while remote writers like myself located around the world offered up exclusive interviews and editorial content pertaining to pro wrestling in its most mainstream form. It was a winning combination. The site even played a role in the creation of a new territory championship for some of New Jersey’s top independent promotions with “The Wrestling Estate” name brandished on the side plates of the belt. A proud moment for us O.G.’s, and one nobody will be able to take away.
Timing, as the old adage goes, is everything. When John relinquished the site and swore off wrestling, he did it because it felt like the right time to step aside. Today, I am happy to announce the time is right to bring the site back as it existed for six years previously, with daily, irreverent, and exclusive content wrestling fans won’t be able to get anywhere else.
Who am I? My name is Jack Goodwillie. I worked closely with John on The Wrestling Estate for the entirety of the site’s lifecycle and connected with John while attending Temple University in the wrestling capital of the world, Philadelphia. I have since gone on to contribute in-depth cover stories for Fightful magazine and have logged several bylines on feature stories for Wrestling Inc. I am thankful for the small amount I’ve done in pro wrestling journalism, as this is what I always saw for myself.
I remember logging onto sites like WrestleZone as a kid, feverishly pressing the “F5” key as I kept updated with results of pay-per-views I didn’t buy, thinking that maybe one day I could have my name on the byline next to those stories. Of course, there is a huge difference between wanting something for yourself and actually making it happen, and as trivial as it may seem to aspire for something so simple, I’m glad my love for pro wrestling and sports writing has led me down this path.
I mentioned earlier how timing is everything, and the same is certainly true for why I’ve decided to step in as the new Editor and Chief of The Wrestling Estate. For more on this, feel free to check out our first piece of video content for the revamped site above. John and I spent nearly an hour discussing the similarities and differences between our visions for the site, as well as everything I hope to accomplish as EIC.
I will not be alone in returning to the site. John will be helping out as well, contributing occasional pieces while I challenge him with discussion and discourse over modern wrestling and we reminisce about the past. Steven Jackson and Juan Bautista will also be returning to the team. Steven, a native of the greater Huddersfield area of England, developed a reputation for delivering some of most impassioned puroresu content on the web and will continue to do so in the weeks and months to come. Juan is an Atlanta, Ga. native who delivered steady fan-focused content for the site for several years. I’m excited to have them both back in the fold.
We are also actively recruiting new writers to the team. Interested parties should contact thewrestlingest@gmail.com. While I do request that you send a little bit about yourself and a sample so I can better familiarize myself with your work, (resume optional) I am open to working with anybody with a passion for pro wrestling. Ultimately, I want The Wrestling Estate to become a destination launching pad for those looking to launch their careers in pro wrestling journalism and am willing to help you and equip you with the tools to make that happen.
In the meantime, you can keep plugged into The Wrestling Estate through our Twitter account, @TheWrestlingEst. Additionally, you can follow me on all platforms @jackgoodwillie.
More news and fun coming in the days to follow, so don’t go anywhere. “We’ve only just begun.“
About Author
Jack Goodwillie, blessings and congrats on being the NEW editor-in-chief of The Wrestling Estate! Good to see familiar names like Steven Jackson, Juan Bautista and John Corrigan himself back on board, to continue to bring forth in-depth coverage of the current scene and the history of the business that is very thought-provoking and unique. It’s exciting to see “The Resurrection of The Wrestling Estate”!