11 Famous Wrestling "Holy Grounds" That Still Stand
Wrestling venues are not churches, but many of them stand as holy ground.
You can have wrestling matches literally anywhere. In a stadium, an arena, a convention center, a dingy bingo hall, or as some misguided teenagers showed us in the '90s, anyone's backyards. In the grand scheme of things, the "where" is not really as important as the "what" when it comes to wrestling.
However, when so much important "what" happens in a particular venue, that place gains another level of meaning in the hearts of fans. We see it all the time with other sports. Even as new stadiums rise and fall, the Chicago Bears still honor their legacy by playing in the same stadium as they have since the '20s. By football's standards, Soldier Field is holy ground.
Likewise for wrestling, some venues are so full of history and have housed so many legends, they have their own legacy as not just wrestling venues, but as sacred spots that every wrestler dreams of performing at. Many iconic venues have been closed down and destroyed, but to this day, the following buildings stand tall, with all their history and legacy emanating from their walls.
These are the holy grounds of wrestling that are still with us.
11. Cow Palace
The Cow Palace is the second-oldest venue on this list, opening in 1949. It wasn't until 1960, however, that promoter Roy Shire turned it into a sacred spot for wrestling in the Northwest when he started running the San Francisco territory.
Selling out shows for over 20 years, the territory saw the likes of Shire, Ray Stevens, and Pat Patterson regularly headline. It was where Roddy Piper developed his Rowdy persona. It was home to innovative match concepts such as their annual 18-man battle royal, which Pat Patterson would take with him to WWE and turn into the Royal Rumble.
To modern fans, they'll likely know the Cow Palace as the place where Eddie Guerrero defeated Brock Lesnar to become WWE champion, one of the most emotional moments in company history. Or, if you're in San Francisco, you can still see independent wrestling cards at the Palace today.
While not looked at by many as that important a venue, the Cow Palace absolutely has a terrific historical resume and an undeniable legacy.