Kriti Mehrotra
As a Greg Whiteley-directed documentary series living up to its title in every way conceivable, Netflix’s ‘Wrestlers’ can only be described as equal parts inexplicable, intriguing, and inspiring. That’s because it revolves around the storied Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) professional organization as it fights to keep its operations alive following quite a massive dip in the past few years. It thus comes as no surprise Co-Owner/CEO Al Snow is one of the most prominent individuals to feature here — so now, if you simply wish to learn more about him, we’ve got the details for you.
Who is Al Snow?
Born on July 18, 1963, to Ray and Vada Sarven as Allen Ray Sarven, Al was admittedly just 14 when he suddenly decided he wanted to be a professional wrestler and never once looked back. The truth is this Lima, Ohio, native did struggle a lot during his initial years owing to his lack of training as well as experience, but then his hard work gradually transformed his entire trajectory. After all, despite the fact he was a journeyman competitor through and through, he jumped territories to make a name for himself in such a manner that he also lifted others alongside him.
Al’s stage presence plus skillset were unprecedented, according to some experts, which is how he ultimately landed a spot in WWE (then-WWF) in the 1990s against the likes of some huge names. However, although he was subsequently given ample opportunities with both the tag team and singles titles, he failed to make significant splashes, partly owing to the gimmicks he’d been offered. Whether it be his masked Avatar, the ninja assassin Shinobi, or Leif Cassidy, nothing panned out, that is, until he himself got this idea of mentally disassociating by talking to a mannequin head.
Hence came Al Snow, but the ‘Tough Enough’ WWE reality star concedes he still did not/could not capitalize on all possible chances because he had little understanding of the business side of things. Therefore, following a brief stint as a commentator in the mid-2000s, Al moved to sporadic pro matches while evolving into a trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling as well as competing in independent circuits. Then there was his nearly decade-long stay at Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling or Impact Wrestling as an agent, only for him to drop it in favor of becoming the owner of OVW in April 2018.
Al was initially the major stakeholder of this organization, which has produced stars such as Batista, John “Bradshaw” Layfield, John Cena, and Randy Orton in the past, but now he’s only a minor. It was announced in January 2021 that Kentucky Sports Radio host Matt Jones and Louisville Metro Mayor Craig Greenberg were coming on as co-owners owing to some long-held financial troubles. And since then, after an adjustment period, OVW has honestly been on the rise with its weekly series, summer tours, and much more, especially as the semi-retired pro is still running the daily business.
Where is Al Snow Now?
Al admittedly isn’t very expressive with his emotions, yet he does care a lot about OVW, its entire 3-decade legacy, its wrestlers, and all that it has to offer, as made evident in the documentary series. “I’m [serving as this company’s co-owner and CEO] because I really, desperately want this and everyone involved in it to succeed. I really do,” he candidly expressed at one point. “Even in spite of some of these people, I’m going to do everything I can to try to help them succeed. Out of all the people who’ve invested in this company, the one thing that I’ve put in that no one else can; I’ve put me.”
As for their flourishing past few years, Al recently told Wrestling Inc., “I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last several years, and I’m really hoping that we can develop and make this place into something that — for wrestlers that have had an opportunity and have had a run on a bigger platform, say WWE or AEW — we can be place that they can come make a living.” Al continued, “Granted, it’s not going to be as big of a living as what they did somewhere else, but they can make a living, reinvent themselves, and then potentially get another opportunity and another run with one of those larger platforms.”
That’s just part of why this Kentucky-based public figure is extremely pleased with the Netflix original too: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of the wrestlers themselves. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for OVW, and it’s going to help get some exposure and make it a little more relevant than what it has been in the past.” The semi-retired pro, who had both his knees replaced in 2020 yet still struggles with several more lasting painful injuries from his long career, then added, “It’s gonna help, really, everyone’s efforts here in OVW and what we’ve been trying to do for the last several years to bring it back up.”
In other words, no matter what, family man Al is determined to stick with OVW for as long as possible, and it’s not just because of ego — he genuinely cares for the people, the business, and the legacy.
Read More: Matt Jones: Where is OVW’s Co-Owner Now?
