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Jessica McCumbers, the owner of Route 33 Wrestling, in the ring at the armory at Spencer. McCumbers is one of a few women owners of a wrestling company. (Photo Provided)
SPENCER — A Spencer woman who enjoyed theatrical combat in college has taken her interest to the wrestling ring.
Jessica McCumbers owns Route 33 Wrestling, one of the few professional wrestling companies owned by a woman. Route 33 stages bouts at Armory in Spencer and features a group of about a dozen experienced grapplers.
McCumbers herself used to wrestle, but decided in 2021 it was easier to promote matches than get in the ring.
“It’s a lot easier to run a company when I’m not fighting for my life,” she said.
She and her husband, Joshua, started Route 33 Wrestling in 2018. Joshua wrestled, too, and was known as the Mountain King.
From left, A.J. Alexander gives Riley Rose a backbreaker in a Route 33 Wrestling show at the armory in Spencer. Route 33 is owned by Jessica McCumbers. (Photo Provided)
Things were going OK, but then COVID-19 and the pandemic pulled the mat out from under them. Route 33 Wrestling, because of the emergency regulations to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, didn’t organize a show for two years in 2020 and 2021.
Then the pandemic started to lessen and the regulations preventing large audiences in indoor venues started to slacken.
“We came back with a vengeance last year,” she said.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: You can visit Route 33 Wrestling’s YouTube page.)
Among the wrestlers in the Route 33 Wrestling troupe is Becky Keaton, who wrestles under the name Sarah Bubbles.
Jeremy Rodriguez dives at Gorgeous Morgan Taylor, two wrestlers with the woman-owned Route 33 Wrestling in Spencer. (Photo Provided)
“My story actually is a little bit different than the others,” she said.
Keaton didn’t like wrestling when she was growing up. Two years ago while going through a divorce, a friend who was training as a wrestler suggested she, too, take the training.
It may help with releasing pent up frustration, she said. Keaton fell in love with the sport and is now approaching 100 matches in her career.
Route 33 wrestling is the best organized show, the best promotion and takes the best care of its wrestlers, Keaton said. The company makes sure the little things are right for the wrestlers, she said.
“Some wrestling promotions treat wrestlers like we’re lucky to be there, but Route 33 is different because they make the wrestlers feel like they are lucky to have you on their show,” said Keaton, who is the education coach for Head Start in Pike County, Ohio.
Rebecca Keaton, who wrestles as Sarah Bubbles, gets reday to body slam an opponent. Route 33 Wrestling, owned by Jessica McCumbers, is the best wrestling promotion company to work for, Keaton said. (Photo Provided)
“That’s the best wrestling promotion company I’ve ever worked for,” she said.
Route 33 Wrestling holds matches every other month at the Armory in Spencer. The next show is May 6.
“Our biggest goal right now is putting on quality entertainment,” McCumbers said.
Route 33 Wrestling’s stable of stars include Robbie E. Guy, who now works for WWE, Gary Gandee, who wrestled Kevin Owen in the 2017 Smackdown, and Chris LeRusso of Pittsburgh, a former champion who worked for the Ring of Honor in 2017.
“He’s a fantastic guy,” McCumbers said.
Chris LeRusso (Photo Provided)
McCumbers is a fantastic owner, according to LeRusso. Most promoters aren’t concerned with quality control, but McCumbers takes the steps for a quality show for the wrestlers and the audience, he said.
LeRusso said he’s worked for as many as 80 companies in his wrestling career. She is the only woman owner for whom he has wrestled.
“Jessi has done a fantastic job bringing a very professional product to Spencer, W.Va.,” said LeRusso.
McCumbers became interested in theater at age 9 when she took a ballet class. As a student at the University of the Arts at Philadelphia, she became fascinated in stage combat after taking a class on the technique.
“I just fell in love with theatrical violence,” she said.
McCumbers also graduated from the International Stunt School at Seattle before returning to West Virginia where she met Joshua, a friend, and they set up a wrestling company.
“That guy now is my husband,” she said.
Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.
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