As I began my journey to rediscover my love of Independent Pro Wrestling, I started from a very natural place. I asked myself, “why do I care about wrestling, actually why does anybody care about wrestling?” The answer is a decidedly simple one.
People love stories.
People crave escape from their everyday lives. Sometimes people do this through novels or films, it really just depends on your preferences, I suppose. Wrestling is just another method of escape preferred by many. It use to be one of my main escapes from everyday life too. So, what about it attracted me? The personalities were a huge draw. Without noteworthy and interesting characters no stories can hold your interest for very long.
Let’s follow that line of thought for a moment, one of the major criticisms of the Independent scene is that it is nothing but “vanilla midgets in kick pads doing ‘KEWL~’ moves with no rhyme or reason.” Sometimes this is very true, I can’t even begin to tell you how many matches I’ve sat through in some gymnasium somewhere or on DVD that were exactly that: two guys with generic names wearing generic gear doing moves they learned by watching Japanese wrestling bootlegs without any sense of buildup or storytelling.
Its really enough to sour anyone on the Indies. This isn’t about losing one’s love of the sport though. It’s about reclaiming it. So yes, while there are plenty of terrible Indy wrestlers out there, there are also a lot of men and women out there working the Independent scene that understand the value of having compelling characters and telling stories in the ring that make sense. This is where I would begin my journey.
Let’s start with Eddie Kingston. I mentioned Eddie in my last column. Eddie has worked down south on occasion but mainly works the Northeast circuit with Chikara Pro for several years now. Eddie is a street hustler tormented by addiction and memories of a troubled past. He sees himself as a warrior, “The Last of a Dying Breed” of true tough guys in professional wrestling. Whenever he steps into the ring he brings an intensity that ties in perfectly with the aura he gives off in his interviews. Check out one of his promos below for a sample of what I am referring too:
His rage and pain is palpable in that promo. It makes me very curious to see what this guy will do in the ring. He’s cultivated his personality to one that makes me personally care about what he does or says. This is the very essence of storytelling, and by default wrestling: make your audience want to know what happens next.
It doesn’t have to be edgy to be compelling though. That brings me to the next wrestler I want to shine a spot light on this week: Cabana Man Dan. Dan has worked in many of the promotions I’ve mentioned in this column but he is a regular mainstay of the Alabama circuit which makes him a perfect fit for coverage here at CheapHeatRadio.com. His persona is that of a laid back, island kid. He connects with the audience through his light and fun wrestling style. In a world where “hardcore” is still a popular buzz word among fans and wrestlers like, Dan’s idea of hardcore wrestling is the slightly silly “Flip Flop Chop” :
Sometimes something that is pure whimsy can be just as compelling as something that is the highest of drama. Cabana Man Dan is living proof of that on the Southeast wrestling scene.
These two guys are polar opposites in terms of personality and style but both know how to connect with an audience with simply their personas. These are the building blocks of good wrestling. The next part of this is telling a story in the ring that makes sense. As I mentioned in my opening spiel, so much of the modern Indies are just two guys trading moves back and forth with no purpose or drama.
The in ring action has to tell a story in itself and it has to follow its own internal logic. If the story is that the two people in the ring are so evenly matched that it becomes a back and forth battle of wills, then that’s wonderful. It just has to have a beginning, middle, and an end. In rediscovering my love of this great sport, I find myself pulled towards matches that follow this rule. Whether it’s the back forth battle of wills or a plucky, young underdog taking on a seasoned veteran in an attempt to prove his value in the ring; it’s all drama and storytelling techniques that have been with us since man first began spinning yarns around the campfire: overcoming the odds, pushing yourself to be better that you ever knew you could be to earn the respect of others, and making sure that the villain gets his comeuppance in the end when it is all said and done.
A solid story with interesting characters that builds to a logical, yet exciting conclusion. That is what makes wrestling compelling.
That is why I care.
-Matt
mattessary@cheapheatradio.com
1 comment:
Love that Eddie Kingston promo!! There are very few in this area that can do a promo like that.
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