The View from Down Under: And Now Back To The Wrestling

 

 


 

Over the past week or two, it seems like the major wrestling companies WWE and TNA have gone from one controversy to another. With the WWE producing some poor PPV’s, the ongoing complaints by fans over Daniel Bryan not being in the Rumble or being WWE champion, CM Punk leaving the company and now rumours of Alberto Del Rio not renewing his contract. Over at TNA they have had some well-known financial issues, Jeff Jarret leaving, poor shows, Kurt Angle having to put off knee surgery and now their big ‘saviour’ is ex WWE star in MVP.

 

To those fans feeling disgruntled with the major wrestling companies then I have a quick fire remedy for you. Go and watch a professional local / independent wrestling show, and I guarantee you will walk out remembering why you love this form of entertainment again. I took my daughter to a show on Saturday in Sydney and drove home after the show enthused about wrestling again. Our local / independent show was the AWF – Australasian Wrestling Federation, and we were there along with around 150 other die hard wrestling fans and were treated to a great show free from controversy, back stage politics, take overs, poor shows, un-pushed stars and quitting talent.

 

Some of Australia’s best professional wrestling companies:

 

http://www.awfwrestling.com.au/

 

http://www.awesuperstars.com.au/

 

http://prowlwrestling.wordpress.com/category/prowl-wrestling/

 

http://www.nhpw.com.au/

 

http://www.warzonewrestling.com.au/

 

http://www.thesnakepit.com.au/

 

What makes the professional local/ independent shows so much fun and enjoyable to attend is the enthusiasm in and out of the ring by the Wrestlers. These performers have to win the crowd over through their performances in the ring (through their matches and promos), and not rely on their names to gain support from the crowd. A small crowd will get quite very quickly if what is happening in the ring is not of a good quality or enjoyable. And the local shows I have been to in Australia, the wrestlers have delivered on this every time. These wrestlers take bumps just as impressive and the big stars, with a lot of the time bumps taken outside the ring are on hard wooden floors, concrete floors with very minimal padding or non-wrestling tables used as the barrier instead of fences. In the performances of these wrestlers you can see the enjoyment in their eyes as they live out their dreams in front of small vocal fans.

 

DSCF8017

(AWF wrestler Robbie Barnes, has been on WWE
Smackdown getting squashed by Jinder Mahal then Ryback!)

 

Being a small production, we fans can get closer to the ring (as ticket prices are not near the thousands of dollars for front row, in fact ours were $30 for front row seats!) which means every (Ric Flair) chop feels and sounds more impressive, you can see the ring shake with everybody slam, and as my daughter found out you can get so close you can even smell the wrestlers as she commented that one in particular (Gladiator Apollo) smelt really nice!

 

The majority of fans at a small local / independent show are usually smart wrestling fans, so they know how to interact with the pesky annoying managers and heel wrestlers. You can get some great banter between fans and heels at these shows which only adds to the great atmosphere of the show. It is even better when at these shows you have the loyal supporters, as well as friends and family of the performing wrestlers and then the banter can get very enjoyable to watch.

 

After the show has finished, you can stay around and get a chance to meet and talk to the wrestlers. Whether it is while they are selling their own merchandise, or most will just walk around and meet and greet the fans who came to the show. Seeing kids’ faces when they get their photos with their new heroes, especially when it’s you own kids is a great feeling as a parent, as is when they turn around and say “Dad I want to be a wrestler!”. These performers who possibly just want to get home and go to bed are always friendly, approachable and generally pleasant people to talk to especially about the wonderful world of wrestling.

 

DSCF8108

(the nice smelling Gladiator Apollo)

 

Being in Australia it is rare but not uncommon
for an ex WWE, TNA or ROH to be perform at one of our local/independent shows. We
have been fortunate here in Australia over the past couple of months to have
had Bob ‘Hardcore’ Holly, The Brian Kendrick, Paul London, TNA’s Generation Me Matt & Nick and in February
at the NHPW shows in Perth the American Wolves Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards
will be performing as well as Low Ki/Kaval. Attending a show with the addition
of a well-known ‘wrestling star/s’ only adds to the performance, nostalgia and
quality of the show

 

next-event

 

So check your local papers, and this weekend make a trip and support the grass roots of the wrestling world, and have your faith in the world of professional wrestling restored.

 

 

Hooroo and go support a local / independent wrestling

 

Like me, or contact me at https://www.facebook.com/authorCraigHigham

 

Or get my book at all good online bookstores (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million or Powell’s Books)

http://www.amazon.com/Stop-Telling-Its-Fake-Wrestling/dp/1489585508

 

 

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