At a glance, the revival of Maple Leaf Pro (MLP) might just look like another super-indy bringing in talent from around the globe. But, when speaking with owner and promoter Scott D’Amore, you quickly learn that there are other big motives at play, too.
Sure, D’Amore wants to put together a product that is not only commercially successful but also widely enjoyed by the fans. It’s not just about the fans for him, though. D’Amore also says that providing an opportunity to up-and-coming stars from around the world – and especially Canada – is a major mandate for his new promotion.
“When you’re not American, it’s really tough to get opportunities,” D’Amore said in a recent interview with POST Wrestling. “The majority of major opportunities are in the U.S. If you want to be in the U.S., you need to get that work visa. And if you need to get the work visa, you need to be a person of international acclaim or have extraordinary skill. How do you show that you’re a performer of international acclaim or that you have extraordinary skill if you’re not booked on the major events?”
MLP’s mandate: Showcase and develop
In their first event last October, Forged In Excellence, the promotion made it clear they wanted to present that “major event” look D’Amore just referred to.
With a packed house at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, a well-put-together live broadcast production that was better than your run-of-the-mill show, and the voice of legendary combat sports announcer Mauro Ranallo calling the action, it was clear that D’Amore’s vision for the promotion was deeply focused on its look.
But, going back to that mandate, D’Amore recently said that attention to detail is important on the talent side, too. He believes another major plus for wrestlers who work MLP events is their ability to work in more closely produced segments and matches, like what they would experience in larger promotions.
D’Amore hopes the attention to detail of the produced matches can get talent TV-ready.
“You go out on an independent show, and you see a lot of times there’s [people that make you think] ‘Wow this guy is really good,’ but what they might not have got is an opportunity to be produced. To be [told] ‘Hey, you’re gonna come out here, this is the mark we need you to hit in your music.’ … Being on a broadcast platform requires some different skills than what you get to rep every time when you’re out there on the indies. MLP is an opportunity to showcase and develop that talent.”
With the emphasis on a selfless act like developing talent, it’s clear that D’Amore has a passion for his current work. But is MLP just something he’s doing for now? Will it be his main hustle in wrestling for years to come? D’Amore hasn’t decided yet. He’s happy with what he’s doing and won’t give it up for just any other work that might come his way, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t willing to hear a pitch, either.
“If the right opportunity was out there that fit in my life and was something that would be valuable to the other party, then I’d certainly look at it … The door is open. I’m not exactly going around and banging on doors. I’m cool if this is what the remainder of the wrestling part of my life looks like.”
‘Business is business’
D’Amore isn’t afraid to admit that his exit from TNA Wrestling wasn’t the best of situations.
After spending years working closely with the wrestling promotion in hopes of rebuilding its identity, he suddenly had to move on in early 2024 when he parted ways with the company and said goodbye to his role as President.
What words best describe how he felt after the departure? “Pissed off,” “frustrated,” or “disappointed,” were the few that D’Amore offered recently. But he isn’t going to let his sour exit from the company get in the way of good business – or good wrestling.
When Maple Leaf Pro made its return in October, a non-compete agreement that was in place on D’Amore following his TNA departure was reportedly still active. The event also emerged just a short drive – albeit with a border in-between – from Detroit, Michigan, where Bound For Glory would take place just a couple weeks later.
It was the perfect storm for D’Amore’s event to get stopped by a legal team. However, D’Amore was determined to work out a better solution, as otherwise, “all we’re doing is taking away from the fans.”
“I’m very glad that we were able to work it out and get it to work for all sides,” he said. “At the end of the day, our building was sold out for two nights, we had two great pay-per-view nights. The end of the day, two weeks later, they were in Detroit, 15 minutes away from here, and they had a hell of a crowd for Bound For Glory.”
Maple Leaf Pro took some months off to “breathe” and reflect after it debuted with Forged In Excellence last year. However, the brand is soon coming up on a stretch of three shows in three months. First, the company will return to Windsor, Ontario, this weekend for Mayhem, a doubleheader taking place on Friday and Saturday.
Then, in an event that D’Amore has teased hosting since he first started Maple Leaf Pro, he’ll head to the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto two months from now. While the venue has been restructured – making it significantly smaller than the original arena – and is now called Mattamy Athletic Centre, it will be a full circle moment for the promotion. The venue has hosted decades worth of wrestling history dating back to the 1930s, with many greats gracing the ring. Soon, D’Amore hopes his company can add to that legacy.
