NSA Wrestling steps into the ring at the Alaska State Fair

PALMER — NSA Wrestling is entering the Alaska State Fair for the very first time this season.

NSA is a Valley-based operation that’s been training local wrestlers and putting on shows to entertain the public with a colorful cast of characters for the last six years.

NSA co-founder and showrunner, Sean Coleman said that getting to participate in the Fair marks a major milestone for their up-and-coming organization.

“It’s pretty cool for us because we get to be at the biggest venue in the state… We finally got to the grand stage,” Coleman said. “It’s kind of like a new beginning. It could be.”

NSA is holding a championship match between Tim Hulke and Shannon Ballard along with several matches between local and out-of-state professional wrestlers for the free “Fair-Fight” event at the Fairgrounds off the Yellow Trail Aug. 30 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Coleman said this will be the first time the Fair has featured professional wrestling in well over a decade. He said they hope to make this an annual tradition and come back to the Fairgrounds bigger and better each year.

“That way, we can one-up each other every year… especially if it’s a big event. If it gets the reaction that we’re hoping for, I think the Fair is gonna look at it like, ‘okay, what do you need so we can bring in bigger names to make this even bigger?’” Coleman said. “I want it to be as big as we can possibly make it.”

Coleman said they’ve only been able to hold around four or five shows over the last year and a half thanks to the pandemic. He said they’re getting back into the swing of things and had a good crowd at their most recent show in May. Now, they’re focusing all their efforts on Fair preparation.

“Everybody’s really excited about it… It’s kinda cool we finally got our foot in the door,” Coleman said.

A majority of NSA performances run out of the Palmer Train Depot, but the group has made its way across Alaska and strives to grow the state’s independent wrestling community.

Coleman said they average about 12 wrestlers at a given time, hoping to increase their roster over time and continue collaborating with professionals in the Lower 48. He said they’re working to bring NSA to a similar level as the Mat-Su Miners baseball team, pulling in hundreds of spectators with plenty of households checking their calendars for the next show.

“Everyone gets behind the minors. If we can get people behind the same idea… to support your local talent,” Coleman said.

Coleman said they have several shows in the works after the Fair, including an event hosted with the Masters of Iron Gym in Palmer.

“There’s gonna be some really cool matches. There’s gonna be some fun stuff happening,” Coleman said.

For more information about NSA Wrestling, visit facebook.com/nsawrestling.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiesman.com