Tales From the Territories

Dark Side of the Ring creators Jason Eisener and Evan Husney are staying within the pro wrestling industry for their next TV venture. And they have one of the greatest to ever step in the ring collaborating with them.

According to Variety, Eisener and Husney, along with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia of Seven Bucks Productions, are teaming up for Tales From the Territories. The docuseries will debut Tuesday, October 4, at 10 PM ET on Vice.

Tales From the Territories will take a look at the NWA territory system that was the standard for pro wrestling until the 1980s. The United States and Canada was divided up in regions where a promoter ran shows in that area, and it was back in a time where many fans thought what they were seeing was real and kayfabe was protected at all costs. Some territories included the World Wrestling Federation (New England/Northeast), the American Wrestling Alliance (Minnesota/Dakotas), Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (Virginias/Carolinas), Mid-South Wrestling (Louisiana/Arkansas/Mississippi/Oklahoma), and Georgia Championship Wrestling (Georgia) to name a few.

While he himself never wrestled in a territory, Johnson grew up in a family that did. Grandfather Peter Maivia and father Rocky Johnson wrestled in various territories and Dwayne has always had a soft spot in telling the masses about the history of pro wrestling. For example, Johnson’s NBC show Young Rock is as much about the history of pro wrestling as it is about his life.

Dark Side of the Ring wound up being one of Vice’s most successful series, spawning spinoffs on similar “Dark Side” shows about the 1990s, football, and comedy. In May, in response to rumors that Dark Side of the Ring was canceled, Vice tweeted a statement about how they were “as committed as ever to both the series and the broader Dark Side franchise” so there remains a possibility that Dark Side of the Ring could someday come back.

[Variety]

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

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