CBS 21 Story on The U.W.E’s show “Knight Of Glory 2“
HARRISBURG – A local man is building a small business while wearing tights.
Travis Shirk of Lebanon is living his dream by tapping into his childhood — one body slam at a time. He wants to move professional wrestling forward, by dialing it back.
Shirk knows minor league wrestling isn’t glamorous — or very profitable — but it’s what he’s always wanted to do.
“Wrestling has been with me since I was three-years-old,”said Shirk. “I was a Hulkamaniac, yeah know?
“That’s where it started.”
It continues in small arenas and school gymnasiums. That’s where Travis transforms into “The Thrill Seeker,” Sage Strong. He not only wrestles in the Ultimate Wrestling Experience (UWE) he owns it, along with his cousin, Kevin Murphy.
Both men can be seen in home videos as children — and then teenagers — wrestling in the garage; the basement or outdoors.
They’re trying now to bring the kind of wrestling they watched as a kid.”We call it old school thrill, new school skill.” said Travis. The characters of yesterday, the moves of today.”
“We want to have it so that its for all ages and something that everyone can enjoy,” added Murphy.
The UWE’s “Knight of Glory 2″ is Saturday, November 17 at the Advanced Hoops Gymnasium in Harrisburg. Former wrestling stars Jake “The Snake” Roberts and “The Honky Tonk Man” are each scheduled to attend.
Shirk says less than 50 tickets remain.
Shirk and Murphy started the UWE with nothing — except a lot of passion. They bought a wrestling ring for $8000; which they are still making payments on. They also found and trained other guys who love wrestling, too.
“As a wrestler, if you’re a heel, you want to be booed, you want to get heat from the crowd,” said Richie “Nightmare” Via. “That’s what you want.
“That’s what feeds you.”
Bad guys. Good guys. They’re all here.
Sage Strong is the undisputed star, however. “He’s that larger than life guy; that comes out of a comic book,” said Murphy, who wrestles as ‘Untouchable’ Kevin Matthews.
Shirk once spent $4000 to attend a professional wrestling training school and it shows.
“Its a challenge for me to be nice,” he said.
“It’s a challenge for you?” asked CBS 21 Sports Director Jason Bristol.
“I’m a big guy,” answered Shirk. “Big guys are bad.”
But Shirk is so good, he almost went big time. He claims he nearly signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE); but had a change of heart at the last second.
His mother was fine with that.
“I feel they probably chew you up and spit you out,” said Diane Miller, Travis’ mom. “That was a concern of mine; because he has such a good heart.
“Now that he has his own business, he can create it to be whatever he wants.”
Shirk believes he has created family-friendly entertainment.
Hosting shows in a small gym and barely making ends meet; the situation isn’t quite Travis’ ultimate wrestling experience.
He’s getting there, though.
“I’d like to retire soon, before I’m too old and I’m in a wheel chair,” he joked. ”(WWE CEO) Vince McMahon, if you want to buy my company, you know (I’m ready).”
CBS 21 Story on The U.W.E’s show “Meltdown”
HARRISBURG — Former ECW stars Dawn Marie and Tommy Dreamer will be the featured guests on Saturday at the Ultimate Wrestling Experience’s ‘Meltdown’ event.
The Ultimate Wrestling Experience (UWE) is a professional wrestling company based in central Pennsylvania. It promotes itself as ‘family-friendly’ entertainment and is appropriate for all ages.
The event begins at 6:15 p.m. at the Advanced Hoops Gym on Jonestown Road in Harrisburg.
The featured bout is a ‘ladder match,’ according to the Travis Shirk, the co-founder of the UWE. “Ladder match; you hang the belt high in the sky, about 15-20 feet high,” explained Shirk, who also wrestles as ‘Sage Strong.’ “(The wrestlers) have to climb to the top of the ladder and grab the belt. The first guy who grabs the belt, wins.”
Local wrestlers to raise money for Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka recovery
“The Thrill Seeker” Sage Strong is one of the wrestlers competing for The Ultimate Wrestling Experience.
The Ultimate Wrestling Experience will help raise money at its next local event on April 21 for legendary wrestler Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka.Snuka is recovering from ankle-replacement surgery. According to various accounts, Snuka had the procedure done in January at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia and his total recovery time will take approximately 6-8 months. During his recovery, he will not be able to work, obviously.The UWE is asking fans to bring used cell phones, ink cartridges and digital cameras which will later be recycled; the money from those recycled items will then go to Snuka’s recovery fund through www.wrestlersrescue.org, according to Travis Shirk, the owner of The Ultimate Wrestling Experience L.L.C.The UWE’s “Road to Revenge” night of wrestling will take place at the Advanced Hoops Gymnasium, 6003 Jonestown Road in Harrisburg. Tickets are $6 for kids and $12 for adults. Wrestlersrescue.org is hoping to raise $24,000 for Superfly’s recovery.
Making History at Zembo Shrine December 3rd. 2011
HARRISBURG — Professional wrestling is returning to Harrisburg’s Zembo Shrine on Saturday night.
The Ultimate Wrestling Experience consists of larger-than-life characters with big-time moves, according to its co-founder Travis Shirk, who resides in the area.
He also promises the action will be family-friendly.
“We’re doing family entertainment, we’re not doing blood and guts,” Shirk said. “We’re doing the big characters that everyone fell in love with (during the 1980s).”
Shirk believes this is the first time the Zembo has hosted professional wrestling in 35 years. Tickets for The Ultimate Wrestling Experience’s “Knight of Glory” event on December 3 are $12 for adults and $6 for children.
The event’s special referee will be “Honky Tonk Man,” a former WWE Intercontinental Champion.
Fly Magazine feature on The U.W.E December 2011 Issue
Fly Magazine Dec. 2011 Issue w/ The Ultimate Wrestling Experience
Fly Magazine Article w/ The Ultimate Wrestling Experience
