AEW is set to go where no wrestling company has gone before, signing on for the first-of-its-kind production, debuting later this year.
Four years ago, West End/Off Broadway performer and producer Jeremiah James teamed up with New Jersey wrestling promoter Tommy Fierro to create something that had never been done before: a pro wrestling musical. The product was The Last Match: A Pro-Wrestling Rock Experience, which tells the story of Ben Vengeance as he embarks on his final match while reflecting on his Hall of Fame career along the way.
During its early productions from White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, New Jersey, The Last Match enjoyed a successful, though limited, first run, winning 11 Broadway World awards including:
- Best Choreography of a Play or Musical (Bull James and Afa Anoa’i Jr.)
- Best Direction of a Musical (Jeremiah James)
- Best Ensemble Performance (Jersey City Theater Centre)
- Best Musical and Best New Musical
- Best Performer (Ramin Karimloo)
- Best Supporting Performer (Liz McCartney)
The show, which returned in 2024 in Rochester, New York, featured real wrestlers in both wrestling and non-wrestling roles, including Mickie James in a supporting role and Matt Cardona, who played one of the co-leads during the original run. Now, it is set for its biggest moment yet as AEW announced today that it has signed on as the first professional wrestling company to take part in the production.
AEW Announces Partnership to Bring the Ring to the Stage for The Last Match
On Monday, June 15, AEW announced it will go where no professional wrestling company has gone before, bringing the art form from the ring to the stage for the upcoming London West End production of The Last Match: A Pro-Wrestling Rock Experience, which is set to premiere at the end of this year.
“On behalf of AEW, we are thrilled to collaborate with The Last Match: A Pro-Wrestling Rock Experience in London this fall,” said AEW CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in the announcement. “This marks an incredible opportunity to partner All Elite Wrestling with an established theatrical production, showcase AEW stars during select performances and further expand our footprint in the London market.”
In its press release, AEW describes The Last Match as “a groundbreaking new live entertainment event” that “will transform an historic 52,000 square ft venue near Tottenham Court Road into an immersive wrestling and rock-and-roll wonderland, creating one of the most unique live entertainment experiences ever staged in the United Kingdom.”
The Last Match Blends Pro Wrestling with an 80s Rock Musical Vibe
As James describes it, The Last Match is a musical that just so happens to take place in the world of professional wrestling. Or perhaps, as he first described it during its debut in 2022, “a wrestling event that happens to be a musical.”
Designed with all ages in mind, The Last Match is part rock musical, part wrestling show. The show is set against the backdrop of a wrestler’s final pay-per-view, utilizing various elements known to the stage and the ring to tell its story. It is being executive produced by Emmy-nominated Frank Licari alongside Chavo Guerrero, whose television credits include Margo’s Got Money Troubles, The Iron Claw, GLOW, and various other productions where he served in roles including wrestling coordinator, stunt professional, performer, and creative consultant.
The book and lyrics are by Jason Huza, with additional book, music, and lyrics provided by Sylvana Joyce and C. Robert Smith. Former WWE wrestler Bull James is serving as the wrestling booker alongside Brandon Scott, the associate booker.
According to AEW’s release, “the production combines an original 1980s-inspired rock score, powerful theatrical storytelling, larger-than-life characters that audiences will cheer for and world-class professional wrestling into a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience that features unforgettable songs, emotional performances, romance, comedy and spectacle, while telling the universal experience of retirement, legacy, love, family and finding the courage to leave your life’s work behind with your head held high. Whether you’ve attended hundreds of wrestling events or have never seen a single match, fans in attendance will be able to follow every moment of the story.”
The 90-minute show centers around its lead, the highly decorated and current world champion, Ben Vengeance (originally played by Ramin Karimloo, known for such West End roles as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and Jean Val Jean in Les Miserables), faced with the end of his storied career.
Due to mounting injuries, some of which are life-threatening, doctors and his wrestler wife have urged Vengeance to retire. He plans to do just that at the company’s biggest show of the year, THE WORLD WAR 3. Vengeance is set to drop the belt to his rival, the cocky upstart third-generation heel, Alexander Swagger, whose disrespect for the so-called “business” is blatant. However, much like in pro wrestling, things don’t go as planned, creating the ultimate backdrop for the story.
“I am deeply grateful to Tony Khan and everyone at All Elite Wrestling for believing in this project and embracing a creative risk that has never been attempted before,” notes James. “Together, we’re helping to innovate a new form of live entertainment.”
“No Two Performances will Ever be the Same”
Through the storyline, fans are immersed in the behind-the-scenes side of wrestling, including the backstage drama and politics that are often heard about but not experienced firsthand. The musical, which is unique in so many ways, encourages fans to take photos and videos, sharing their experiences in real-time unlike most West End or other global theatrical productions. It is also a musical that can be seen multiple times, because each experience promises to be different due to the real wrestling matches taking place throughout the event.
“One of the things that drew me to AEW Presents The Last Match: A Pro-Wrestling Rock Experience is that no two performances will ever be exactly alike,” said Licari, elaborating that “the story, music, and characters remain the same, but the live wrestling element creates opportunities for surprises, special guests, and moments that can only happen in that room on that night.”
In addition to the show, each performance will feature an interactive pre-show experience with wrestling activations and exhibits designed to transport fans into the immersive world of wrestling’s golden age that they’ll experience on stage. It is all part of the transformative nature of the show, which truly places elements of the storytelling in the hands of the fans, or in this case, theatre-goers.
As described on their website, “In the world of The Last Match, the ring becomes a stage and the stage a battleground—a place where legends are born, and dreams realized. As long as there are stories to tell and battles to fight, The Last Match will endure as a testament to the power of imagination and the indomitable spirit of humanity, inviting audiences of all ages to join in the experience.”
Additional casting announcements, partnership news, and ticketing information will be released in the coming weeks. For more information, visit The Last Match official website.
