The Bell Is Set To Ring One Last Time For Local Entrepreneur

Austin Bayliss at a recent CEW show.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The familiar bell at ring-side will fall silent forever over CEW, Central Empire Wrestling, this Saturday night.

Bayliss brought his show to Oskaloosa in June of 2007, where he held monthly shows at the YMCA until 2009. The move was then made to its current venue of Bradbury Hall at Nelson Pioneer Farm back in 2010. But Oskaloosa isn’t the only place that has hosted CEW events, “We’ve performed throughout Iowa, including six charity shows for the The American Cancer Society. We’ve entertained at fundraisers for the Moravia High School Wrestling Team. We’ve also put together shows for the students at William Penn, communities of West Union, Wellman and Fairfield,” says Austin Bayliss, owner of CEW. “If we had the time and a place to set up a ring, we did.”

Bayliss first starting watching wrestling while he was in the 5th grade. “A lot of kids start to take an interest in team sports and develop into athletes around that age. I was never the fastest runner. I was short. And, I didn’t have a famous last name in my community, or father who coached. I was athletic, but didn’t have what it took to get playing time in school sports.”

So Bayliss refocused on his new passion of professional wrestling after his grandparents neighbor, “invited me to watch wrestling with him one night.”

“I was hooked from there on out… the other kids were playing sports and doing what kids are “supposed” to do, I was watching wrestling.”

“CEW is closing because I don’t have time to successfully maintain it,” says Bayliss. “Life has changed a lot for me since 2007. I have a Bachelors Degree and an amazing full-time job. I’m also now married and a home owner. My love for wrestling hasn’t left. My priorities in life have had to change. If I had more time to get wrestling things done that needed to be done, I would still be promoting shows. The last thing I want to see happen is a good company go bankrupt because the person in charge wasn’t making good decisions. This is the right time for me, personally and professionally, to close CEW.”

For those unable to make it on Saturday night to the final show, fittingly titled, “Final Fantasy”, Bayliss says this to those fans and supporters of him and CEW. “I want all of our fans to know that we appreciate them, and the support they’ve given us. The Oskaloosa community especially, has really believed in us and supported the things we’ve done. The fans needed wrestling, and we needed them just as much. The fans have became our friends. Some have become our co-workers outside of wrestling. Some have became bridesmaids or groomsmen in our weddings. Stories can go on and on. Looking back on everything, I can honestly say that CEW has changed many peoples lives for the better. It’s an incredible story.”

There are just a very few remaining tickets to Saturday’s “Final Fantasy” at Bradbury Hall at Nelson Pioneer Farm. Bayliss says that tickets can yet be purchased at Summers Car Credit and Precise Imaging in Oskaloosa. “Front Row is sold out,” Bayliss said.

The family friendly show gets underway at 7pm when that final bell rings.