The Declaration of Independents: The ‘Scrap Iron’ Adam Pearce Story

Brian Damage

Professional wrestling is filled with great “feel good” stories. One that immediately comes to mind, is what is currently happening on WWE’s Smackdown. The current Universal champion Roman Reigns will defend his title at the 2021 Royal Rumble against WWE official Adam Pearce. For fans not familiar of Pearce, he was and is more than just another face in a suit.

In high school, Adam Pearce was an exceptional athlete, who had his eyes on playing football in the NFL. Unfortunately, Pearce was diagnosed with Acute Muscular Compartment Syndrome…and if gone untreated could’ve meant the amputation of his legs. Pearce opted for surgery…which meant his football days were over. Devastated that he could no longer pursue his NFL dreams…Pearce started watching professional wrestling on local TV. He became infatuated with the business and decided to enroll himself in wrestling school.

Adam Pearce made his pro debut in 1996 while still a senior in high school. Pearce mainly wrestled all throughout the mid west independent scene gaining valuable experience. During this time, WWF road agent ‘Chief’ Jay Strongbow was in the Chicago area looking for wrestlers to work on television as extras and enhancement talent. A young Pearce was one of the wrestlers chosen to appear on WWF TV.

Pearce was used as enhancement talent or a “jobber” to the big stars of that time including the Nation of Domination, Tiger Ali Singh and the Truth Commission. He usually wrestled under the moniker of ‘Adam O’Brien.’ While making appearances for the WWF, Pearce became friends with Terry Taylor. When Taylor left the WWF and joined WCW as an executive in 1999…he was able to convince management to offer Pearce a WCW contract. Adam Pearce was 21 years old at the time and felt he wasn’t ready to move away from his home in Chicago and move to Atlanta. He turned down the offer, opting to continue wrestling on the independents.

Pearce had fallen in love with a woman who was living in Southern California and decided to follow her there. Pearce began wrestling for Rick Bassman’s California based UPW promotion and worked with the likes of a young John Cena and Samoa Joe. After a few years working throughout the California indie scene, Pearce defeated Brent Albright to become the NWA world champion. Pearce would go on to hold the NWA title on five occasions.

Aside from wrestling, Pearce began working behind the scenes as a booker and producer for promotions like NWA Hollywood and Ring of Honor. ‘Scrap Iron’ Adam Pearce also ventured to places like Japan and Mexico to defend the NWA title and gain more experience. While wrestling all over the world and being a highly sought after talent on the indie scene…Pearce was itching to make it on a more national level.

Pearce was a part of an upstart group that went national called the WXO. Unfortunately, that promotion flopped. In 2000, Pearce was offered another opportunity to join WCW, but again turned them down when he saw how disorganized the company had become. In 2011, Pearce was invited to a WWE try out in Los Angeles, but wasn’t offered a contract. This was the same try out that saw the company sign Bayley. He was invited to be a guest trainer for the company a couple of times which he accepted.

In 2013, Pearce wrestled for TNA wrestling for two weeks by competing in it’s ‘Gut Check’ competition. The winner would be offered a TNA contract. Pearce was not selected and that outraged many of his fans who felt he deserved to win a contract. Two years later, Pearce revealed that he entire Gut Check was scripted and he was never intended to win it.

In 2015, Pearce finally got the big break when WWE hired him to become a trainer and producer in NXT. It wasn’t as a wrestler, but it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He was soon moved from NXT, to the main roster of Raw and Smackdown as a producer and that led to a growing on screen role as a WWE official.

While he never got the opportunity to become a star on a global stage during his active career, Scrap Iron Adam Pearce is finally getting that opportunity for one night at the 2021 Royal Rumble. Something that is extremely well earned and deserved.