Professional wrestling should no longer be governed by the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission, a city council committee decided on Wednesday.
The community and public services committee agreed that pro wrestling is unlike other combative sports, such as mixed martial arts and boxing, because the outcomes are pre-determined.
Coun. Scott McKeen said it finally dawned on councillors that professional wrestling is entertainment.
“It’s theatre,” he said. “So if you’re choreographing moves ahead of time, you know who the winner’s going to be, then I think there’s a lot less chance of injury.”
The amended bylaw needs final approval from council, expected during a meeting at the end of the month.
Last December, council put a moratorium on combative sports events in the city. The move was in response to the death of boxer Tim Hague, after a fight in an Edmonton ring in June 2017.
The decision drew loud opposition from mixed martial arts fighters and boxers, including the eight-time world boxing champion from Edmonton, Jelena Mrdjenovich, who was left not knowing whether she’d be able to defend her title on home turf.
Wrestlers also turned out at city hall in January to argue they shouldn’t be included under the combative sports bylaw because their events are overwhelmingly entertainment.
They told councillors that wrestlers are performers rather than “combatants.”
Council lifted the ban on combative sports after two and a half months, and asked city administration to remove wrestling from the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission bylaw.
“We got a sharp rebuke from the combative sports industry in Edmonton,” McKeen acknowledged. “I think we learned a lesson as a council from that, that maybe we need to pause before we make such drastic decisions.”
Mike Malowany runs Backbreaker Media, preparing podcasts and videos about wrestling matches around Alberta.
He welcomed the decision and said Edmonton is one of the last region’s in Canada where wrestling is governed by a bureaucratic body.
“They’re just catching up with the times right now,” he said. “Especially when you’re dealing with drama, you’re dealing with stunt acts.”
He said by removing wrestling from the combative sports bylaw, permit fees may change, making it more reasonable for promoters to hold events in Edmonton.