Deep South Wrestling

Deep South Wrestling, commonly abbreviated DSW, is an American professional wrestling promotion and training organization associated with the state of Georgia. It was established in 1986 by wrestler and trainer Jody Hamilton and promoter Bill Behrens, initially operating from Lovejoy, Georgia. The original organization combined wrestling events with a training facility and maintained connections with the American Wrestling Association and the National Wrestling Alliance. After Hamilton suffered a career-ending back injury in October 1988, the original promotion was closed and Hamilton concentrated on training wrestlers. His school later developed into the WCW Power Plant, the training system operated by World Championship Wrestling. The Deep South Wrestling name was revived in 2005 when World Wrestling Entertainment selected Hamilton to operate a developmental territory in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The second incarnation was based in nearby McDonough, Georgia, and functioned in tandem with WWE from September 1, 2005, through April 18, 2007. Its first show under the WWE arrangement took place on September 1, 2005. The promotion subsequently established a championship structure, television exposure, and a schedule of live events. Mike Mizanin became the first Deep South Heavyweight Champion in 2005, while the team known as High Impact, Mike Taylor and Tony Santarelli, won a tournament in 2006 to determine the inaugural Deep South Tag Team Champions. During the WWE-affiliated period, Deep South Wrestling was presented as a developmental environment in which wrestlers could gain experience before possible movement to WWE’s main television programs. The promotion received a Sunday-night time slot on Comcast Sports South and later secured a television arrangement with MAVTV. It also expanded its live-event footprint. A live event was held at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell on July 9, 2006, followed by events in other Georgia communities, including Griffin. These activities made DSW both a local wrestling promotion and a training platform for WWE-contracted talent. WWE ended its relationship with Deep South Wrestling in April 2007. DSW held its final event on April 12, and the partnership formally concluded on April 18. Wrestlers who were not under WWE developmental contracts generally departed, while talent who remained under WWE contracts was reassigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling. The end of the WWE relationship effectively closed the second major phase of the promotion. In February 2021, Hamilton’s son, Nick Patrick, revived Deep South Wrestling. The renewed promotion and training facility were based in Griffin, Georgia. This third incarnation restored the Deep South name as a Georgia-centered wrestling brand while connecting it to the Hamilton family’s longstanding involvement in wrestler education and regional promotion. Jody Hamilton died on August 3, 2021, at age 82. Deep South Wrestling is therefore historically significant for its three distinct phases: an independent promotion and school in the 1980s, a WWE developmental territory from 2005 to 2007, and a revived Georgia promotion and training operation beginning in 2021.

Deep South Wrestling has existed in three principal periods. The first began in 1986, when Jody Hamilton and Bill Behrens founded a Georgia wrestling promotion and training facility. The organization operated from Lovejoy and maintained relationships with the American Wrestling Association and the National Wrestling Alliance. Its business model reflected the structure common to regional wrestling promotions: it presented live matches while also developing performers through a dedicated school. Hamilton’s experience as a wrestler and trainer was central to the organization’s identity. The initial run ended after Hamilton suffered a career-ending back injury in October 1988. Rather than continuing the promotion, he focused on wrestler training. By 1989, his school had evolved into the WCW Power Plant, which became associated with World Championship Wrestling’s wrestler-development system. Although the original DSW promotion was inactive, Hamilton’s training work continued to influence the wrestling scene in the southeastern United States. The second run began in 2005. WWE sought a developmental territory in the Atlanta area and hired Hamilton to operate a revived Deep South Wrestling. The new base was McDonough, Georgia. DSW held its first event under the WWE arrangement on September 1, 2005, and functioned as a training and performance environment for WWE developmental talent. The relationship gave the promotion a more formal connection to a national wrestling company while retaining its Georgia regional identity. During this period, Deep South Wrestling created a championship system. Mike Mizanin was recognized as the first Deep South Heavyweight Champion in 2005. In 2006, High Impact, consisting of Mike Taylor and Tony Santarelli, won a tournament to determine the inaugural Deep South Tag Team Champions. The promotion also pursued television distribution, obtaining a Sunday-night slot on Comcast Sports South and later a deal with MAVTV. Its event schedule expanded beyond its initial locations, including a July 9, 2006, live event at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell and subsequent shows in other communities such as Griffin. The WWE partnership ended in 2007. Deep South Wrestling held its final event on April 12, and WWE formally terminated the relationship on April 18. The separation affected the promotion’s talent base: wrestlers without WWE developmental contracts left, while those who remained under WWE contract were transferred to Ohio Valley Wrestling. The end of the arrangement marked the conclusion of DSW’s role as a WWE developmental territory. The brand returned for a third phase in February 2021, when Nick Patrick, Jody Hamilton’s son, revived Deep South Wrestling in Griffin, Georgia. The renewed operation included both promotion activity and a training facility, linking the modern organization to the Hamilton family’s earlier work. Jody Hamilton died on August 3, 2021, aged 82. Deep South Wrestling’s history consequently spans independent regional wrestling, major-company developmental wrestling, and a later family-led revival.

• 2021

  Deep South Wrestling is revived in Griffin

  [1]Deep South Wrestlingen.wikipedia.org

  Nick Patrick relaunches the promotion and training facility in Griffin, Georgia.

• 2007

  WWE partnership ends

  [1]Deep South Wrestlingen.wikipedia.org

  After its final event on April 12, DSW’s developmental relationship with WWE ends on April 18.

• 2006

  Live-event and television expansion

  [1]Deep South Wrestlingen.wikipedia.org

  DSW holds an event at Six Flags Over Georgia, expands to other Georgia venues, and obtains television exposure through Comcast Sports South and MAVTV.

• 2005

  DSW is revived as a WWE developmental territory

  [1]Deep South Wrestlingen.wikipedia.org

  WWE revives the Deep South Wrestling name in the Atlanta area, with Hamilton operating the territory from McDonough.

• 2005

  First WWE-banner event and heavyweight champion

  [1]Deep South Wrestlingen.wikipedia.org

  The first event under the WWE arrangement is held on September 1, and Mike Mizanin becomes the inaugural Deep South Heavyweight Champion.

• 1989

  Training school develops into WCW Power Plant

  [1]Deep South Wrestlingen.wikipedia.org

  Hamilton’s wrestling school evolves into the WCW Power Plant.

• 1988

  Original promotion closes

  [1]Deep South Wrestlingen.wikipedia.org

  Following Hamilton’s career-ending back injury, the original promotion is folded and Hamilton concentrates on training wrestlers.

• 1986

  Deep South Wrestling is founded

  [1]Deep South Wrestlingen.wikipedia.org

  Jody Hamilton and Bill Behrens establish Deep South Wrestling as a Georgia promotion and training facility based in Lovejoy.

A Georgia-based professional wrestling promotion that combines regional live events with wrestler training and developmental programming.

• Professional wrestling events · 1986

  Deep South Wrestling live events

  In-person wrestling cards are the promotion’s core offering. During its WWE developmental period, DSW staged events in McDonough, at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell, and in other Georgia communities including Griffin. The live-event format provided performance experience for developing wrestlers while serving regional audiences.

• Wrestler training · 1986

  Deep South Wrestling training facility

  Training has been part of the Deep South identity since its founding by Jody Hamilton and Bill Behrens. The organization’s original school continued in Hamilton’s work and later became associated with the WCW Power Plant. The revived operation in Griffin also includes a training facility.

• Wrestling championship · 2005

  Deep South Heavyweight Championship

  The principal singles championship introduced during the WWE-affiliated period. Mike Mizanin was crowned its first holder in 2005, making the title a central competitive feature of the second DSW incarnation.

• Wrestling championship · 2006

  Deep South Tag Team Championship

  The promotion’s tag-team championship was established through a tournament in 2006. High Impact, comprising Mike Taylor and Tony Santarelli, won the tournament and became the inaugural champions.

• 2021

  Family-led revival in GriffinStrategy

  Background

  After years of inactivity following the end of the WWE partnership, the Deep South name was restored by Nick Patrick, Jody Hamilton’s son.

  Action taken

  Deep South Wrestling was relaunched as a promotion and training facility based in Griffin, Georgia.

  Aftermath

  The revival re-established the brand as a Georgia-centered wrestling operation independent of its former WWE developmental role.

  Source

• 2007

  Termination of WWE relationshipStrategy

  Background

  WWE and Deep South Wrestling ended their developmental partnership after DSW’s final event on April 12.

  Action taken

  WWE formally ended the relationship on April 18 and reassigned remaining WWE-contracted talent to Ohio Valley Wrestling.

  Aftermath

  Talent without WWE developmental contracts left the promotion, ending DSW’s second major phase as a WWE territory.

  Source

• 2005

  Revival as a WWE developmental territoryStrategy

  Background

  WWE wanted an official developmental operation in the Atlanta area and selected Jody Hamilton to run a revived Deep South Wrestling.

  Action taken

  The promotion was relaunched in McDonough, Georgia, and began presenting events and training talent under a WWE developmental arrangement.

  Aftermath

  DSW gained television exposure and a broader live-event schedule, but its WWE relationship ended in 2007.

  Source

1. 1Deep South Wrestlingen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Deep South Wrestling official websitedswrestling.com