From OVW Champion to EMERGE 100
Erik Surge got into wrestling because his grandmother loved “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Years later, the wrestler known as “Da Bomb” has become a tournament winner in EMERGE and the first OVW United States Heavyweight Champion, with Calvin Tankman waiting for him at EMERGE 100: Keep It 100 this Saturday, October 3.
I spoke with Surge about his start in wrestling, his busiest months and the accomplishment he considers his biggest highlight. When I asked what first got him interested, he credited his grandmother.
“My grandmother. She was a big Stone Cold Steve Austin fan when I was little. And I started watching wrestling ever since.”
Surge told me his EMERGE debut came in 2024, and he left that first appearance with a tournament victory. At EMERGE 79: Emerging Stars on June 1, he defeated Avery Hurts, Gaston LaRue and Jackie Thad to win the Steve Branum Memorial Emerging Stars Tournament.
“Well, to be honest I was probably the underdog in that tournament. I was so brand new in the business, so not a lot of people knew me. And there was some pretty heavy hitters in the tournament, so I was kind of the dark horse to win the whole damn thing.”
Surge had another milestone to discuss when I asked about the biggest highlight of his career. By then, his work had taken him beyond EMERGE and into Ohio Valley Wrestling.
“I would say the biggest highlight so far is being the first ever OVW United States Heavyweight Champion.”
Surge’s run began with a victory over Doug Basham for the OVW National Heavyweight Championship in April 2025. On May 8, Al Snow presented him with the United States Heavyweight Championship, replacing the National title and making Surge the inaugural champion under the new name.
The schedule behind those accomplishments came up when I asked whether another match we were discussing was his only booking over the next two weeks. Surge answered,
“Oh god, no. I have one or two every week.”
When I called him a worker, he replied,
“Oh, I’m always available!”
Asked about the number of bookings he could fit into an active month, he gave a considerably bigger figure.
“15 to 18 bookings a month. Usually Thursday to Saturday, sometimes Sundays.”
Surge also had something he wanted readers to know about the experience he brought into professional wrestling. Before EMERGE and OVW, he had already competed on the college wrestling mat.
“I’m also a collegiate wrestler, before I came here.”
Competing as Vernon Willis Jr., Surge wrestled for Indiana Tech, where the school’s records list him as a national qualifier in the NAIA in three consecutive seasons, from 2019-20 through 2021-22. His 2021-22 season included a 19-8 record, the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference championship at 285 pounds and a place on the conference’s All-Academic Team.
His background also includes a June 2017 WWE Performance Center tryout in Orlando, where WWE listed Willis among the participating athletes. His professional in-ring debut was August 2022 and Kongo Kong was his trainer, putting his EMERGE tournament win less than two years into that part of his career.
This Saturday’s match with Tankman was originally scheduled to be against Ashton Adonis which has a more recent history behind it, but unforeseen circumstances changed the card. At Back In The Saddle on August 1, both men challenged Brayden Lee for the EMERGE World Championship, with Lee retaining before Surge turned on Adonis after the match. Maybe we will see that match somewhere down the road.
EMERGE 100: Keep It 100 takes place at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds in Columbus, Indiana. Doors open at 6 p.m. and bell time is 7 p.m., with tickets available through EMERGE.
Read more interviews and independent wrestling coverage on Tim Rose’s author page. If you use any of these quotes, please H/T Tim Rose Jr, and Erik Surge.
