Indie Promoter Fires Back After Getting Buried By Recent Accusations

Indie wrestling saw new controversy after Edward Draven went public with allegations about CIW promoter Javan Miller, also known as Michael Long. Now, the accused is speaking out to give his side of the story.

Draven said he had avoided speaking up for a long time because the subject is difficult for him, but he felt pushed to address it. His statements were bold, but they are also the way he saw things.

Draven alleged that after being booked for two CIW shows, Miller started making comments about a wrestler he was rumored to be involved with. Draven also claimed Miller talked about other wrestlers’ private lives and suggested they were trying to get ahead in ways he did not feel comfortable with. He further alleged that match plans were influenced by Miller’s personal interests.

Draven said that when he decided to leave CIW, Miller allegedly told others that Draven and another wrestler were not brought back due to poor performance. Draven disputed that claim and says he stepped away to protect himself. He also brought up Miller’s past and expressed concern.

Ringside News was later sent a direct statement from Michael Long, who fully denied Draven’s version of events. Long said he wanted to clear the air and provided the following response in full.

“I wasn’t going to waste my time with this, but since Edward Draven has decided to run his mouth with a pile of fabricated nonsense, here are the facts he conveniently left out:

On his first booking, Edward and his opponent managed to irritate the entire locker room by treating their match like a two-hour dance rehearsal. Nobody was impressed. The person who ran in during Draven’s match wasn’t some mystery intruder, it was his own friend, who had originally been booked but backed out the week of the show because of an injury, Draven was told about this spot as you can see in the end of the match when he prepares for it. Since we operate as a story-driven company and I intended to use that talent later, I created a post-match spot to build him up. That’s called booking. Something Draven clearly knows nothing about.

The following night, during the four-way, Draven was told to keep it very simple because, put bluntly, he wasn’t good enough to be trusted with anything more. That’s on me for not scouting him thoroughly instead of doing a favor for his buddy. Draven openly bragged about having only three months of training before being sent out on his own, which explains everything. If you actually watch the match, the crowd had zero interest in him, while the wrestler I chose to win, someone who had earned their spot, got a real reaction.

Draven and his friend clearly had no clue that we run story-based wrestling, not self-indulgent, choreographed trainwrecks. Almost every issue Edward complains about is the direct result of his own lack of skill. There’s a reason no one knew his name before this, he’s trying to generate clout by dragging others down.

And regarding my past: yes, I have one. No, it has absolutely nothing to do with being a predator. It involved trusting someone online who lied about their age—no physical contact, no meeting, nothing beyond that. Draven bringing it up is just desperation.

These are the facts. The rest is Edward grasping for relevance he never earned.”

At this time, these are conflicting claims from both parties. No outside investigation or confirmation has been made public, but we will keep our eyes peeled for more updates.

Only time will tell where the next controversy in the pro wrestling world will come from. The indie wrestling world is certainly full of interesting people, and at this point, it’s anyone’s guess who will make headlines next.

What’s your take on this latest controversy in the pro wrestling world? Do you believe either side of the story? Let us know what you think in the comments section!