When Al Snow, CEO and co-owner of… Ohio Valley Wrestlingappearing in 2023 Bourbon and Beyond Music FestivalLovers Netflix show “Gladiators” I hurried to meet him, including yours truly.
The seven-episode documentary series directed by Greg Whitley (“Cheer”) made the wrestlers featured on the show popular culture celebrities. Not only that, but the locations where the series was filmed, mostly in Louisville, have become stars in their own right.
Like fans who travel great distances to take a selfie in places where…Yellowstone“or”game of thrones“Locally, you can achieve the same thing at the familiar Kentucky locations depicted in the movie ‘Gladiators.’
Here are six places near Louisville featured in Netflix show “Gladiators” Which you can visit in person. If you’re lucky, you can even take a selfie with Snow or one of the other OVW wrestlers or crew.
Ohio Valley Wrestling Headquarters
Ohio Valley Wrestling, 4400 Shepherdsville Road. She appears in episodes 1-7
We started with the most obvious local landmark in the seven-part series, Davis Square at Headquarters Ohio Valley Wrestling. Located at the back of an industrial park south of downtown Louisville, the OVW Building plays an important role in each episode with numerous scenes of wrestling matches, Snow’s office, and the series’ production studio. OVW TV coverage takes place in this building.
Louisville Extreme Park and the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge
531 Franklin Street Louisville, Kentucky. Appeared in the second episode “Cheap Heat”
David Armstrong Extreme Park, formerly called Louisville Extreme Park, is used as a scene setter in Episode 2 of “Wrestlers”. The same goes for the cliff on the Kentucky side of The Big Four Pedestrian Bridge In the waterfront park. If you’re looking for a quick selfie to send to a Gladiator fan who lives outside of Louisville, these are simple and accessible sites.
You may also recognize Granny Horner, 1704 Allison Lane, Jeffersonville, Indiana. When Snow needs a pig mask for a pre-recorded video to be used on an upcoming TV show OVW In the episode, he visits Horner Novelty to buy the prop.
We’re also fairly sure, but not 100%, that the Holiday Inn where Hollywood Halle Gee and her mother, Amazing Mariah, were seen working in a couple of episodes is the hotel near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.
R Place Pub featured in “Gladiators”
R Place Pub, 9603 Whipps Mill Road. Appeared in the seventh episode, “The Big One.”
Near the end of the final episode of the seven-part documentary series, the OVW staff gathers to celebrate in R Place Pub. The sports bar at 9603 Whipps Mill Road in Lyndon is known for its sand volleyball, live music, pool tables, and food and drink.
Bardstown Road locations featured in “Gladiators”
Bardstown Rd. Appeared in Episode 6 “About Face”
OVW announcers Steve Johnson and Brian Kinison take a stroll down Bardstown Road to place OVW posters in stores and restaurants in the Highlands neighborhood. You may recognize Mark’s Feed Store, Daughter of the Dragon King, Shiraz Mediterranean Grill and the intersection at Eastern Parkway and Bardstown Road. All great places to take a photo or have a meal.
Harlan County Pike Sallet Festival featured in “Gladiators”
201 S. Main Street, Harlan, Kentucky. Appeared in Episode 3: “Faces and Heels”
We step outside the city limits of Louisville in Episode 3 and travel there Poke Sallet Festival in Harlan County. And here OVW is setting up its wrestling ring during a summer road tour. In an effort to attract new fans, OVW traveled to 33 locations (large and small) throughout Kentucky including Pioneer Day in Harrodsburg, the Pulaski County Fair in Somerset, 3rd Turn Brewing, Hillview Softball Stadium, and St. Paul’s Catholic Church. more.
Lodge 1894 in “The Gladiators”
409 E Main Street, New Washington, Indiana. Appeared in Episode 6 “About Face”
Many members of the OVW team and production crew travel to Hostel 1894 in New Washington, Indiana to film a pre-recorded video of a scene from Episode 6. OVW referee Aaron Grider and Freya the Slaya are the stars of the short video directed by Snow. Hostel 1894 It is an upscale restaurant located in a historic brick building about 28 miles northeast of Louisville. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner, which means the OVW crew was able to produce their video while the business was closed.
Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at [email protected].
