Main Event Championship Wrestling

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Main Event Championship Wrestling (MECW) is a private professional wrestling company based in Evansville, Indiana. It was founded by Jason Daniel, who serves as the president and head booker, and occasionally wrestles on camera. MECW runs TV and internet broadcasts, live events, licensing, and merchandise.

The MECW name has a longer history. Reno Riggins and Steve Doll used it to run a promotion starting in 1999. In 2001, Jason Daniel and Tracy Smothers helped John Collins acquire the MECW ring, banners, and title belts. After Collins ran into legal trouble in 2001, that version of MECW ended. Daniel revived MECW and created MECW, LLC as a legal company, later filing for a trademark in 2011.

MECW’s revival began after a group left another Evansville-area promotion to pursue a bigger vision. They organized a debut show called MECW Arrives in Evansville, featuring two major matches: Chase Stevens vs. Jeff Jarrett and Dirty Money vs. Jerry Lawler. MECW started airing a TV show on September 4, 2010, and added talk-show segments called the Main Event Freestyle. The company planned to expand to larger networks and launch a new territory system in late 2011. They have released several DVDs of live events.

Live MECW events have taken place in Evansville, Vincennes, Monroe City, Cannelton, and other Indiana towns, with some public shows in Tennessee. A charity benefit show was held on July 31, 2010, featuring MECW.

Management and creative teams include Jason Daniel as head talent booker, with Chris Thomas and Wade Givens as part of the creative team, and TV staff providing production input. On-air, the authority figure character has included Alexander C. West (Executive Vice President) and later Chad Matthews. West later returned as Manager of Champions, though the storyline depicted him as an independent contractor rather than a regular MECW employee.

Wrestlers in MECW are paid per appearance and are not under exclusive contracts. Some performers may also have contracts with WWE or TNA. Like many promotions, MECW wrestlers are treated as independent contractors and do not have union or comprehensive employee benefits.