Pro wrestling returns to Springfield’s Shrine Mosque, a haven for wrestling history

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The chairs will be set up. The ring will go in the middle of the floor. And on Saturday night, professional wrestling will return to one of Springfield's most historic wrestling venues.

Mid-States Wrestling is bringing its "Wrestling at the Shrine" event back to the Shrine Mosque, a building that has played host to generations of wrestling fans and some of the sport's biggest stars. Keep reading for a wrestling history lesson, and watch the video at the top of this page to see an interview and vintage archived footage.

For Space Cowboy Jason Jones, the return is about more than putting on another wrestling show. It's personal.

Jones has been wrestling for 30 years and promotes Mid-States Wrestling, which puts on shows throughout Missouri, Arkansas and the Mid-South.

His connection to the Shrine Mosque goes back to his childhood.

"My relationship with my father going here and then to be able to come here and actually promote an event with Mid-State Wrestling, it's full circle," Jones said. "And we want to create those memories that I got to create with my father."

Jones remembers coming to the Shrine as a 6- or 7-year-old and watching some of professional wrestling's biggest names.

Ric Flair. The Road Warriors. Dusty Rhodes.

At the time, the Shrine was part of the circuit for the National Wrestling Alliance, before later becoming a stop for World Championship Wrestling and eventually WWE.

"We saw Flair, we saw Steamboat, we saw Steve Austin back, you know, in the day, and Sting," Jones said. "Sting was such a big name here, the Junkyard Dog and all those greats that came through here. All the way up to WWE."

For younger wrestlers like Colton Theron Vaught, known as "Must CTV," the Shrine's history is part of what makes stepping into the ring there so meaningful.

Vaught is an MMA fighter and professional wrestler who recently returned from a WWE tryout during SummerSlam weekend in Minneapolis in August.

He said the experience put him around some of the most recognizable names in the business, including Shawn Michaels, William Regal and X-Pac.

"They were helping give me all this information," Vaught said. "I learned so much that it was absolutely incredible. And so I'm happy to implement everything that I've learned there and take it here to the Shrine."

But Vaught already had a personal connection to the building long before he ever had the chance to wrestle inside it.

One of his strongest Shrine memories involves WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero.

Guerrero had defeated Brock Lesnar to win a championship, and one of his first appearances afterward was at the Shrine Mosque. Vaught wanted to be there, but couldn't make the trip.

"It's almost like I'm fulfilling that to now be able to wrestle here and get to see what I didn't get to see Eddie do many years back here," Vaught said.

The building also has a direct connection to Vaught's own wrestling lineage.

His trainer was WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race, an eight-time NWA World Champion. Race also wrestled in the Shrine Mosque during the building's heyday.

"One of the title changes happened right here, man," Vaught said. "So it's an incredible venue."

Race also defended the title at the Shrine Mosque, with a defense over David Von Erich in May of 1980.

For longtime Springfield wrestling fans, the memories go even deeper.

"When you talk to people of a certain age, they all have those memories of turning on, watching the television show that was filmed here Wednesday nights," Jones said.

Names like Danny Hodge, Skandor Akbar, Bulldog Bob Brown and Harley Race still come up. Cowboy Bill Watts and other wrestling legends also made their mark at the Shrine.

WWE Hall of Famer Cowboy Bob Orton will be in attendance Saturday, along with WWE Hall of Famer The Godfather, who also wrestled as Papa Shango in WWE.

Now, a new generation of wrestlers is hoping to add its own memories to the building's history.

For Jones, bringing Mid-States Wrestling back to the Shrine is ultimately about reconnecting Springfield with a piece of its past.

"We're bringing back wrestling, the historic Shrine," Jones said.

And for the wrestlers who will enter the ring Saturday, the goal is to make sure the next generation has stories of its own to tell.

"We're so excited and honored to be here more than anything," Jones said.

Mid-State Wrestling's "Wrestling at the Shrine" is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the event beginning at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the event are available here.