Owner of Pembrokeshire football club is taking on wrestling
Rob Edwards has added Ohio Valley Wrestling to his sports portfolio, which includes Haverfordwest County AFC (Image: Steve Bainbridge)
The man behind Haverfordwest County AFC's rise is now taking on the world of professional wrestling.
Rob Edwards, owner of the football club, has taken over Kentucky's Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW)—the promotion that launched the careers of stars John Cena, Randy Orton, and Brock Lesnar.
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Mr Edwards said: "I've got no idea how I ended up here, really.
"In the blink of an eye, I was flying to Kentucky to watch wrestling shows with the view of taking over the running of OVW.
"It's completely surreal, but honestly, it all comes from the same place.
"I'm obsessed with sport and the impact it can have on communities.
"I'm doing things I never imagined doing, but I'm enjoying every second and looking to create a legacy as I go."
Mr Edwards' sports management group, MSM, now holds a controlling stake in OVW, which was recently featured in the Netflix documentary series Wrestlers.
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His journey into sports ownership began unexpectedly during lockdown when he came across a listing for a semi-professional football club for sale.
Six weeks later, he became the owner of Haverfordwest County AFC.
Under his leadership, the Pembrokeshire club has qualified for European competition twice in three years and recently achieved its highest league finish in two decades.
Mr Edwards said: "Within three years, we had gone from an amateur side to playing in Europe."
He now aims to replicate that success with OVW, expanding its reach beyond Kentucky and into Europe.
Since taking over, Mr Edwards has launched a company-wide survey, restructured leadership, and implemented a 'fan-first' approach.
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He believes OVW can become the world's leading independent wrestling promotion.
He said: "We're building something that can stand on its own.
"A company where people want to stay, not just pass through.
"We want OVW to be the best indie promotion in the world – and we want it to feel like home."
Mr Edwards also sees OVW as part of a broader vision for MSM, which aims to build a portfolio of five to seven clubs across different sports.
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