This Is How You Pay Dues, Kid

 “If you're going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don't even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery--isolation. Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you'll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine. If you're going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that.”
― Charles Bukowski, Factotum

During the fall and winter of 2000, I lived in a dilapidated house in McKeesport, PA with no running water.  No running water meant that I had nowhere to shower.  Nowhere to go to the bathroom.

    When veteran wrestlers talk about "paying dues", most of them have no idea what they are talking about.  "Paying dues" is another way to say "sacrifice".  Going through training isn't necessarily paying dues.  Being a rookie and getting ribbed by the vets isn't necessarily paying dues.  Jerking the curtain and losing every match isn't paying dues.  Paying dues is going to places and doing things that you might not want to do, but you do so anyway because an opportunity to reach your goals may present itself.  I paid dues by moving to Pittsburgh for a chance to wrestle and train on a regular basis.

    Pittsburgh is not a place I would pick to reside for any other reason.  I moved into a house that was owned by the promoter that I was working for, Jim Miller.  Miller had owned the house for a number of years, but in the few years prior had trouble keeping tenants.  Well, at least tenants that paid rent.  If it was not for Miller essentially paying me $400 a month to live in the rundown Pittsburgh suburb of McKeesport, I surely would have left the Steel City in search of greener pastures.

    I am not naive enough to think that Miller was cutting me some kind of special deal because he knew I was going to be a star that was going to make a lot of money; the guy needed to make payments on that property.  The idea behind my tenancy was that I would maintain and upkeep the house, and get two or three roommates to eventually move in and they would kick in actual rent payments.  The benefit to me was that I could stay in an area where I was starting to pick up bookings, and have an easier time paying my bills. Ironically, at the time I wasn't even wrestling regularly for Miller's promotion.

    Miller had started his company in 1994, when his neighbor approached him about setting up a wrestling ring in the backroom of his candy and sports memorabilia business that he was running out of a virtually abandoned shopping center in an eastern suburb of Pittsburgh.  This neighbor was a young up-and-coming wrestler by the name of "Shocker" Sean Evans, who was doing everything he could to get more ring time himself.  At that time, his family lived in the house that I would eventually move into in 2000. Eventually Miller's promotion was successful enough that he converted his candy shop completely into an arena, and hired some local veteran wrestlers to run a training school there - the Pittsburgh Wrestling Academy.  By 1999 Miller's "Pro Wrestling Express" was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance, running weekly events at the dirt mall, producing local television, and the only reputable independent organization in the area.  Coincidentally, right after I relocated to Pittsburgh after graduation in the fall of 2000, Miller lost his lease at the dirt mall, had two other venues fall through, and had most of his wrestlers defect to an upstart promotion running that was able to secure a regular venue.  Then Miller had a somewhat serious auto accident, and for awhile his promotion was not running any wrestling events.

    I was not getting booked anywhere on a consistent basis, and I assure you that I was not making any money wrestling.  I had to have money, so started l started looking for any kind of crappy day job; A regular "nine-to-five" that I could work around my wrestling commitments.  I started working at a credit bureau, where I was processing credit reports for mortgage loans, and it was every bit as exciting as it sounds.  However, the job fit into my schedule well enough since it wasn't something that conflicted with wrestling, and it I could easily walk away from it if an opportunity presented itself.

    Sadly, the only opportunities that were presenting themselves were small time wrestling cards in the Pittsburgh area and down in West Virginia.  I was trying to get as many bookings as I could, but I was only picking up one or two bookings a month, and those bookings were not very big in the payoff department.  I still had a place to live though. I had enough stability that I was able to develop a routine and really focus on getting my body prepared for the pounding wrestling would give it. 

    I was stopping by the grocery store every day after work and buying a three pound bag of frozen chicken.  Everyday.  I had to develop this routine because I didn't have a refrigerator, and I could only keep food on hand that would not spoil if left overnight in a cooler.  I would cook all of the chicken every morning before work, along with a cup of rice, and that would be my food for the day.  I was also hitting the gym like a fiend.  I knew I needed to put on some size to have a more credible look, and I was convinced that I could become a heavyweight by hitting the gym twice a day.  I would get up early in the morning - around 5am - to fix my food and to pack my gym bag with my work clothes.  I would then hit the gym early and put in about an hour of cardio, before showering, shaving, and then heading off to work.  After work, I was hitting the gym again. After a few hours of pounding the weights, I would hit the shower again, before heading to the grocery store and starting  the routine over.
  
    Keeping this gym routine was made easier because the gym had running water.  The house I was renting from Miller did not.  You see, when I moved into Miller's flophouse, I discovered that the previous tenant had run up a water bill that was well over $1000, so the county shut off service.  Usually an individual in this situation would be able to set-up a new account in their name, and water service would be turned on within a few days.  However in this situation, the prior tenant had never set-up an account of any kind, and the past due amount had actually been billed to the property owner - which was a phony business that Miller used as a front.  So, the water was off until either myself or Miller paid the bill. With my financial situation, I didn't have over $1000 to hand over to the water works, so I had to do without water until I saved up enough money to pay the debt.  If anyone is asking why Miller didn't pay it... you obviously do not know Jim Miller.

        The house itself would best be described as a shithole.  The carpet was orange-red, and was covered in stains of unknown origin.  The walls were full of holes. Water spots dotted the ceilings both upstairs and down - which meant that the roof leaked and that the pipes did as well.  The previous tenant had left most of their stuff there, so after tossing all of his crap in a spare bedroom for storage, I started slowly fixing up parts of the house so they were habitable. For awhile I confined all my activities to one upstairs bedroom that I was able to clean thoroughly enough to not feel like I was in a crackhouse.

    When you do not have running water in a house, you do not have any way to flush a toilet.  You cannot flush it without filling the tank with water first.  My solution to this problem was a two gallon plastic red bucket, and stocking up on gallon jugs of water and bleach.  And plenty of disinfectant spray. If I had to urinate while I was at home, I would just pee into the bathtub, and then pour some bleach and water down the drain to wash it all away.  It was a totally different story however if I had to take a dump.  I would line my bucket with a plastic bag, squat down over it, and do my business directly into the bucket.  Afterwards I would tie the bag up, and take it outside to the dumpster.  I took a lot of Marine baths with a washcloth and water from a jug. The only place I could shower was the gym.

    I was eating out of a cooler, shitting in a bucket, and working a menial job in a city that I hated, all so that I could be closer to where I was able to get bookings.  That is paying dues.

    By the time summer rolled around I had the water back on again, and I was finally able to shower at home.  I had been able to increase the amount of bookings I was getting down in West Virginia, which allowed me to be more social with some of the other young guys struggling to get a break in the business in that area.  Finally in May of 2001, Miller was able to secure an old warehouse in McKeesport, which with some minimal renovation was to become the "Sportatorium".  While Miller was attempting various improvements to get the building in shape for holding matches, I was able to get a key to the building.  I was able to get the ring set-up for working out and training.  For the next few years, I was within walking distance of a wrestling ring that I had access to any time that I wanted.

    I was 23 years old, I was paying my rent from wrestling, I was able to train anytime I wanted, and I had running water.

    I had never been happier at any point in my life.

Hatchet Man With An Impact

     Recently, a lot of people have started talking again about how to "fix" TNA (or Impact Wrestling, depending on what floats your boat).  The discussion mostly stems from a variety of statements recently from TNA's Dixie Carter, Eric Bischoff, and Hulk Hogan, regarding how they are introducing some new concepts to Impact that will "revolutionize" the sports entertainment industry. 

     In all honesty, most of this kind of stuff just goes in one ear and out the other with me, because in a lot of ways, TNA is what it is.  It is essentially a vanity promotion that is attempting to compete with the WWE, but in reality has no chance to do so because they have incompetent people in charge. 




     Sometimes when I am sitting around and talking to my colleagues of the squared circle, I will say "Well, if I were hired to fix TNA, I would do this..." and I would float a couple of things out there, depending on what we were talking about.  Recently, I have been having this conversation quite a bit, So I decided to actually make a format for what I would do, in general. 

     I am not saying that all of this stuff would work, and that Impact Wrestling would automatically be the top wrestling promotion in the US mere weeks after I was in charge.  In the early 1990s, WCW brought in the well respected and veteran promoter Bill Watts to turn the company around, mostly by being a hatchet man and controlling costs, while also turning out quality programming and successful live events.  In the scenario I am working with here, this is what I would do if I was brought in to be a hatchet man - someone to cut costs and make TNA a profitable wrestling promotion. 

     This is not a wrestling fan "fantasy booking" - I am going to actually take the time to break down what I would do to fix TNA from a business point of view.  I am going to talk about costs, revenue streams, and the business of professional wrestling, and apply some of my knowledge to TNA.  Again, I am not saying that I guarantee this would work, but I am saying that this is what I would do if I were "Bill Watts".  I have experience not only in the ring, but as a booker, a matchmaker, a trainer, and as someone who has promoted live events, and I am writing from that perspective. 

A Hatchet Man Cuts Costs
     The rationale for a lot of the things that I would do would be that no matter how many different things that TNA has attempted, they continue to gain a rating of around a 1.0.  Except for when Impact was moved briefly to Monday nights, TNA has rarely dipped below a 0.9, and rarely goes above a 1.2 (source).  So, if no matter how well-received or how panned Impact Wrestling is every week, they do the same rating.  So, why not do it with cheaper talent? 
The idea behind any business is to maximize revenue while minimizing costs.  The first thing that I would do is look at the roster, and determine what talent brings value to the table. 
     For example, there are a number of guys on the roster who were brought in specifically to increase ratings with their name value (Hogan, Bischoff, Angle, RVD, Hardy, Sting, Flair). but have never made a difference in the ratings.  Thus, their value to the company needs to be examined with a fine tooth comb. 
     If I am able to cut individuals loose free-and-clear, I would dump most of the guys listed above.  Hogan at one time had a name value because of nostalgia, because to many people who grew up in the 1980's, Hogan was the definition of pro wrestling.  Now, he has become a reality show pariah, and he is nothing more than a punchline.  He would be gone.  Bishoff brings even less to the table, and would be gone as well.  With Sting, I would just tell him that the company cannot afford his contract, and that he deserves the giant payday he would get from working with Vince on a retrospective DVD, and shake his hand and thank him for the dedication he showed to the company, while letting him know that the door is always open for a return.  Jeff Hardy is a convicted drug dealer with numerous substance abuse problems who showed up intoxicated for the main event of a PPV while holding the promotion's top championship - he would be gone, or at the very least brought back for significantly less money.  Flair is a living legend, but his substance abuse, health, legal, and financial problems have proven to not be worth the effort, and he would be sent home as well.  I would keep both RVD and Angle around. 
     If I am unable to outright release these gentlemen from their contracts, then I would use them as sparsely as possible, and only for the purpose of enhancing the value of other wrestlers who I intend to use to draw money.  They will be squeezed and used for every penny that they are paid. 
     I would also pare the roster down to about sixteen full-time contracted wrestlers (As far as the gentlemen go; I will discuss the ladies later).  Based on who is on TNA's roster page, I would keep the following sixteen wrestlers under contract to the company:

1. James Storm
2. Robert Roode
3. Austin Aries
4. D' Angelo Dinero
5. Douglas Williams
6. Brutus Magnus
7. Kurt Angle
8. Rob Van Dam
9. Robbie E
10. Samoa Joe
11. Zema Ion
12. D-Von
13. Bully Ray
14. Chris Sabin
15. Alex Shelly
16. Abyss

     All sixteen of these men would be expected to tour and work television.  Since Jeff Jarrett is not listed on the roster page, I am assuming he is only considered "part-time" because of his responsibilities in the office. 
     TNA is unique in how they are able to approach talent.  They have the ability to sign virtually any unsigned wrestler of any value (as they have proven with signing guys like Hogan/Flair), but in reality cannot compete financially with the WWE's overall business model.  TNA can sign virtually anyone one they want, because TNA has a bigger budget than Ring of Honor or any other indy promotion.  TNA shouldn't have to worry about losing talent to anyone else.  If the WWE were actually interested in a TNA talent, they would sign them, repackage and send them to development under a different name anyway, so why not keep a smaller roster and use non-contracted wrestlers to fill out the roster when needed?  I would let guys like Daniels and Styles, who have become stale in TNA because of their tenure there in the same role, take bookings on the indy circuit and offer them bookings when available because they simply aren't going anywhere else.  If you come up with a hot angle for them, you can always sign them again. 

Make The Live Events Profitable
     While Impact Wrestling is often panned by pundits and viewers, TNA live events are often praised, although it is often noted that they are poorly attended.  Recently TNA has even tried running events in larger venues, with sparse crowds in the buildings.  I would increase the effort of the promotion to increase live attendance by making the live events the focal point of the promotion. 
     As shown above, Impact Wrestling consistently pulls the same ratings numbers, so I would focus the content of the program on promoting live events.  In order to do this, I would make Impact more of a traditional "Territory Studio Wrestling" show, but with a major overhaul for the 2010's.  Impact currently is a show that is half-heartedly promoting PPV events, but at the same time built around being episodic television.  This often leads to the inability to distinguish between an episode of Impact, and a PPV event.  Then, fans will often not pay to attend live events, because the stars and matches constantly hyped on Impact do not take place on live events. 
     Rather than booking TNA with a focus on episodic television, or building to a PPV, I would focus Impact 100% on promoting events that fans would actually pay for, be it tickets to live events or PPV.  TNA has the ability to run in smaller towns that the WWE will ignore on a consistent basis, while also running smaller venues in bigger cities.  TNA should focus on selling out shows in 1000-2000 seat venues in smaller markets, and 2000-4000 seats in larger cities. 

Overhaul of  Impact Wrestling

     I would look to Boxing, UFC, and ESPN for inspiration on ideas for Impact.  WWE has established the regular routine of Matches/In Ring Promo/Backstage segments on their broadcasts.  I would move nearly 180 degrees away from that, by bringing back the format of having squash or showcase matches on every show, mixed with a few competitive matches, and a quality "PPV caliber" television main event match.  Impact would exclusively push and showcase the sixteen wrestlers under contract on the roster. 
I would make sure that there was quality video of house shows, so that clips of angles and highlights from the events could be broadcast in Impact - but not shown in full. 
     I would format Impact with around five matches.  I would have two "showcase" matches, where a guy on the roster would square off in a competitive match with a talent not on the roster.  I would have a couple of squash matches, where a wrestler on the roster completely dominates another wrestler that is not on the roster (but not necessarily a short match).  Before and after these types of matches, I would have in-ring or ringside interviews with a broadcaster (such as Taz), where the opportunity is taken to hype a feud or an upcoming match on a live event.  For example, Maybe James Storm dominates an upcoming prospect in a five minute match, and then afterwards he speaks to Taz at ringside about his title shot against Bobby Roode at the big house show  in Nashville this Saturday night, and how he is going to bring home the gold in his hometown. 
     Then, perhaps in the next segment you show a sit-down interview with Bobby Roode and Mike Tenay - something that is like an ESPN "Sunday Conversation", or the types of interviews they show with the fighters on the UFC hype-shows.  I would also use more of the great video packages that they do as part of the "Before the Bell" or "Spin Cycle", and I would do a lot more "behind the scenes" type video packages like you would see on UFC or HBO's 24/7 shows.  TNA has done a great job in the past doing these types of things with Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Jay Lethal, and Consequences Creed.  I would make them a big part of Impact, because those things help sell tickets! 
     Finally, my "Television Main Event" would be a PPV quality match that I would give plenty of time to, and which I would treat it as a big deal.  I would have in-ring intros, a tale-of-the-tape, etc.  I would treat it how UFC treats an "Ultimate Fight Night", where you have one match with name value to headline the card - maybe a mid-card championship or a ladies championship match. 
      I would also do a lot more of the video vignettes - things like "Double-J Double-M A", ODB & Eric Young on a honeymoon, or Jay Lethal & Val on a date.  These types of things get a guy over and establish a gimmick and character, while avoiding doing everything "backstage" or in front of a live audience. 
     Again, the impetus for this is that the Impact rating does not move much from 1.0, so why not use the 1.0 to hype other revenue streams, rather than dumping more money into the idea that it will build to a higher number next week?  It might sound counter-productive, but for decades this was how professional wrestling worked, and this is the formula that UFC has aped for their cable programming.  UFC was able to create stars and sell millions of PPV buys with this type of television - which had similar ratings to Impact.  So, why would that not work for TNA if done correctly?  



Work With Other Promotions
     Unlike the WWE, TNA does not have the ability to compete internationally with other promotions.  TNA has at times worked with CMLL & AAA in Mexico, and with NJPW, AJPW, and IGF in Japan.  In addition, TNA has had many successful tours of Europe, as well as establishing a well received off-shoot promotion in India, Ring Ka King. 
     With a smaller roster, it would be easier to highlight wrestlers from other international promotions on the events.  TNA could easily show a highlight package of a guy like LA Park from AAA on a few episodes of Impact, and then bring him in for a set of Impact tapings, followed by a weekend tour and a PPV.  Or, some of the native Indian talent from Ring Ka King could work Impact tapings as enhancement talent in order to get more seasoning in the ring.  There is no reason why a guy like Romeo Rapta couldn't work a short competitive match with a guy like Brother D-Von, or why you couldn't build to a nice television main event with Mahabali Veera and Abyss. 
     TNA already has an obvious relationship with AAA in Mexico, with Jeff Jarrett being the AAA Heavyweight Champion.  AAA seems to have a bit of a relationship with AJPW.  I would try to work on strengthening those ties, or alternative ones.  See if you can get a team like Ozz & Cuervo to come in for a run against the MCMG, or a guy like Taiyo Kea to come in and work a program with Samoa Joe.  Plus, you could do things like have Jeff Jarrett run down a respected British legend like Johnny Saint - calling him an old bastard who couldn't wrestle on the mat like him, and then when you run the UK next, headline the cards with Austin Aries/Jeff Jarrett vs. Saint & Doug Williams - or some other kind of match of that order. 

Take The Ladies Seriously
     I am not the biggest fan of ladies' wrestling, just because of how awful it usually is.  However, at one point in time TNA was known for the quality of the Women's Division, and it was a big draw.   What I would do is keep a handful of ladies under part-time contracts, and keep mixing up the division.  I would structure things so that the ladies were tied to TNA contractually, but were able to accept independent and foreign bookings to supplement their income. 
     I would not hesitate to run "Atomicos Pena" matches on either Impact or house shows - where maybe you have a Heavyweight, a tag team and a lady vs a heavyweight, a tag team and a lady.  I would use the ladies matches as opening matches on house shows to get the crowd into the show with the T&A aspect, and I wouldn't hesitate to use the Knockouts Championship Match as a "Television Main Event". 
     I do not think women's wrestling is much of a draw on its own, but I do think it is an aspect to a show that helps with the total package.  In this day and age, playing a female division as a turn-on is pointless, because you can find scantily clad females very easily on the internet or other television programing.  The draw is good-looking women that can actually wrestle.  The highest rated segment ever on a TNA broadcast was Kong vs Gail Kim (source).



Final Thoughts
     In the end, TNA will just continue to do what it does, because it does not think outside of the box.  Really, no one in wrestling does.  Wrestling is the biggest copycat business of all.  So many promoters and wrestlers see something that works for someone else, and they just rip it off without giving any thought to why it worked. 
     Rather than put some effort into finding the next great mind in wrestling, TNA has continuously recycled people whose time has passed.  Russo.  Hogan.  Bischoff.  If TNA wants to have a different product, then they need to have different ideas.  If they want to try to outdo the WWE at their own game they will continue to fail fail fail. 

Ten Things That Every Young Wrestler Should Know

I actually didn't get into the business by just going to a wrestling school and paying someone to train; I had a lot of people help me get my foot in the door the old school way, and take me under their wing and give me advice, help get me bookings, and help me learn to do things the right way.  During my time as a professional wrestler, I was always willing to help out other guys in the business, kind of a way to pay forward what people did for me.  

When I have a conversation with someone seeking my opinion or advice, one of the topics most often brought is what kind of tips or pointers do I have for a young guy just breaking into the business.  So, I have decided to list a few tips and pointers here that any independent wrestler can take as food for thought, reflection, and further discussion.  Some of these things I learned the hard way, some of these things I had passed on to me and I saw the truth behind them. Some things are just plain damn sense that people in this business just get caught up in and lose sight of. 

1) Social Media is a Loaded Gun. 
     If you have Facebook/Twitter/MySpace or some other kind of social networking account, you should know and understand the power of what you are using.  You should also understand how dangerous it can be.  How often do you hear about some celebrity, politician, or athlete posting something stupid/racist/sexist/controversial on Twitter, and then a media firestorm erupts over what they posted?  Sure, you may not have a million followers like Lady Gaga or Ashton Kutcher, but there are probably fans that attend wrestling events following you in some way.  There are probably also a few trolls and people "keeping an eye" on you; "Haters" if you will, just looking for you to screw up.  So, if you send out a status update that says "The promoter I work for is an asshole", there is a good chance that someone will screen-grab it, or re-tweet it before you can say "Eh, I was just playing around" and remove the tweet.  If you tweet something, someone will see it.
     If you use social media to promote yourself and to interact with fans, then do not use those same accounts for personal business.  If you want to post about a basketball game, or the weather, it doesn't really matter.  However, if you are supposed to be injured and unable to wrestle on the next show, you probably shouldn't be posting pics of you and your college buddies playing football in the mud. You shouldn't be using your Twitter account to ask why your ex-girlfriend won't take you back. 
    If you have a gimmick where you are a barbaric savage, wear a mask, you do not know English, or that you are an orphan, then do not use your Facebook to post pics of you at your day job in a suit, unmasked, not in a foreign language, or with your parents.  Make a separate account for personal use, or at the very least keep a degree of kayfabe on your social media.  It is okay to tell your friends where you will be wrestling, but it isn't okay to tell your fans where Uncle Wally's barbecue is at.  You have to view it the same way as if you were cheating on a spouse - you slip up just once you can get caught.
   If you wrestle as John Smith, then you shouldn't be plugging wrestling dates for "John Smith" on a Facebook profile for your real name.  99.9% of the people I come in contact with thru wrestling have no idea what name is on my birth certificate - and they shouldn't. 

2) The Wrestler Wrestles, The Promoter Promotes
     Without exception these days, the business defines the promoter as the person who rents a building and arranges for the ring to arrive.  Or, people think that the promoter is the person who "books" the show.  No, the person in charge of spreading the word, advertising, and building interest for an event is the promoter.  The word "promote" is right there in the title.   There could be fifty different people putting money into the event looking to seek a profit - those are the "investors".  The promoter is the person responsible for getting people into the building, and drawing enough fans for the costs of the show to be covered - including the cost of the talent.
     Now, should the wrestler take it upon themselves to spread the word about where they will be appearing and so forth?  Absolutely.  A wrestler should have their schedule of upcoming appearances listed on a website, and/or they should be plugging dates on social media.  The wrestler should do this to promote themselves, and not necessarily for the company.  If the fanbase of the wrestler attends an even because that particular worker is on the card, that means they are a draw.  Letting your fans know where you will be allows you to become a draw. Second, it allows people who might be interested in using you know when you are booked, and when you aren't.
   What you should not be doing is building websites, making posters, flyering cars, standing outside of Wal-mart handing out handbills, or sending out press releases to websites - unless you are getting paid to do it in some way.  That stuff is the job of the promoter. 

     Take wrestling out of the equation, and pretend you are a professional baseball player instead.  Do you think that there is a first baseman out there in MLB, AAA, AA or A baseball that is expected to bring all of their friends to an event in order to get paid to play in a game?  Do you think that these teams, even at the lowest levels, have management that is only responsible for finding a stadium, and scheduling games?  Wouldn't it be ridiculous if the best player on the team was benched because their backup brought all of their friends and family to the game, so they got to play?
    Even the smallest minor-league teams have promotions departments that are responsible for getting fans to come into a stadium and watch a bunch of nobodies play baseball.  Sure, the players are responsible for doing things like commercials, public appearances, and stuff like that - but they are arranged by the team's promotions department.
     If you are only getting booked because you do favors for a promoter, get out of the business.  That makes you no better than the rat that spreads her legs for the booker to get on the show.  A whore is a whore.  

3) Practice Your Craft...
     The point of being a professional welder is that you are attempting to make a living by being paid to weld things.  You don't weld things for people for free, because then your family doesn't eat.  The same is true with wrestling.
    If you are just starting out as a welder, you can make a name for yourself and build up a resume by perhaps working a low-paying job and mastering your craft, before moving on to a better position in a different shop, starting your own shop, or getting a promotion.  The same applies in wrestling. 
  If you are a young wrestler starting out, you should be looking for as many bookings as you can.  At that point, the biggest and most important thing is practicing your craft.  You need to make a schedule with as few holes as possible.  This is called paying your dues.  This is the time when you pack a cooler on the road full of PB&J because you are driving five hours to wrestle for $5 in front of twenty fans.  This is when four guys take turns driving an eight hour shot all night long because you didn't make enough to get a hotel room.  This is how you build up a resume, just like that welder.

4)...And Make People Pay For Your Services
    However, at some point you should have established yourself enough, and have enough of a schedule built up, where you make the choice to go for quality, and not quantity.  That is where money comes in.
    Never take a booking without knowing the pay situation up-front.  Period.  If a promoter says "I will give you $50, guaranteed" and he tries to give you $10, you either get your $50, or you call the cops, take it out of his ass, or leave with a part of his ring - but you get your $50.  If a promoter tells you "the pay depends on the house we draw", it is ok if you accept the booking, as long as you know that you might not get paid.  If a promoter says "I can give you $25 and if we have a good house, maybe more", then you make sure you get your $25... but if the draw was 1000 fans you better expect more.
    Think about it: Would that welder build something for someone without some kind of agreement on what he will be paid?  If he agrees to build something for $1000, is the person that hired him able to turn to him and say "Hey, my paycheck wasn't as big as I thought it would be, here is $300"?  Of course not.  Work out what you will be paid in advance, and then use the tools at your disposal to make sure you get paid.

5) Be Realistic About Money
     Just because you finished wrestling school and are ready to be on cards doesn't mean you are worth a damn to anyone.  No one should expect to be getting "fair" paydays right out of the gate.  Sometimes it actually does make sense for you to lose money on a booking for the exposure.  If you are fresh out of wrestling school and no one is willing to put you on a card, maybe wrestling for free in front of twenty people is worth it, so that you can get the chance to work in front of a real crowd, video footage, experience, etc.
     At some point though, you have to be realistic.  If you are only getting booked for these type of shitty shows, then you are doing something wrong.  Just because you keep working them does not make you deserve more money.  You deserve more money when you bring more people thru the door.  The type of payday you can get is basic supply & demand.  If people booking shows want to use you, they should be willing to pay for you.  The best way that you can insure this is by keeping your schedule full.  If you have a full schedule, then you are in short supply because you lack available dates.  This causes promoters to pay more for your services on the dates you have available.   
   When you have a full schedule, that is when you can talk realistically about money.  Think about it.  If you only work one place, and they only run once a month, then you are only worth whatever they pay you.  However, if you are booked every Saturday of the month, then if someone wants to book you they have to compete for your services.  Never forget that you are a commodity, but that you have to put in work to make yourself into a commodity. 


6) You Cannot Pay Dues Without Traveling
     A greenhorn learns how the business works in a car.  The business is learned by driving down the road and talking about experiences, sharing stories, and what to do/not do in the business.  Cars are where veterans teach rookies.  When I was a greenhorn, I drove a veteran around, I helped set-up rings, I carried bags, and I shut up and listened.  I asked dumb questions, got ribbed, and learned how the business worked.
     If you never go on the road, never sit in a car and talk about what happened on a show, never try to keep everyone awake until you hit the next town - then you are not paying dues.  Paying dues is not driving thirty minutes to a building in the town you live in.  Paying dues is driving eight hours to a building, then helping set-up a ring, put out chairs, and put on a show.  If you work in one place, in front of one crowd, with the same wrestlers, you will never get any better, because you will not learn the business.  You will always be a greenhorn.
     Guys that travel become a commodity, they become well-rounded workers, and they learn what is bullshit, and what works.  The guys that do not travel will shit all over the guys that do travel.  But while they work in front of the same crowd over and over again, they will be the same shitty wrestler every time - it is the nature of the business.  Experience is how you learn in wrestling, and you cannot get different experiences if you do not travel.  And you cannot pay dues if you do not have experiences.
    "Wrestling as many places as you can" also does not mean wrestling for every promotion in the same area (usually where you live).  This is the quickest way to being an eternal greenhorn.  If you live in Winchestertonville, and you wrestle every weekend within an hour drive of that town, all you are doing is overexposing yourself.  If the fans of the Wincestertonville area can see you on any show in the area on any given weekend, then you are not providing anything unique to a promoter, so you are not a commodity, and you are worthless.  You have to establish yourself in other areas, and on a regular basis. 

7) Be a Damn Professional
     Anyone who tells you that you don't need to do the following things has probably never done a damn thing in this business.
     Professional wrestling is about trusting your physical well-being to another person, in order to tell a story in the ring.  Shit happens and people get hurt, it is the nature of the sport.  Taking advantage of another person's body in order to intentionally do it harm is unprofessional.  Period.  "Shooting" on someone, or "stiffing" them because you do not like them is unprofessional, because it goes in direct contrast with what the business is built on - trust.  Never act like an unprofessional in the ring, and never work with people who are unprofessional.  If you cannot act professional towards someone, avoid them - period. 
     Being a professional also means acting like a professional outside of the ring.  Most college and pro athletes have a dress code for travel and game days.  When I was in high school, varsity athletes had to wear shirts and ties on gameday.  Dress like a professional. I am not saying that you need to wear a $5000 suit to a show, but you should not be dressed like the fans coming to see you perform.  At the very least, dress like you are going on a date.  If you are in a main event, you should probably be wearing a suit, or at the very least a shirt and tie.  Dress appropriate to gimmick, and keep kayfabe.  You should be well groomed and smell nice.  No one wants to work with a guy that stinks.  Make sure your your gear is washed.  Treat wrestling like it is a real job, because it is the wrestling business.
    Always be on time; And by "on time" I mean "early".   As soon as you walk into the building, find the person responsible for you being booked on the card, and shake their hand.  Shake the hand of everyone else too, and introduce yourself by the name you prefer to be called.  Ask the guys in charge if they need any help with things like putting up chairs, etc, and then help out.
    Obey local customs. 
    The weekend warrior type guy that says that it is OK to wear CM Punk shirts to the show, and to arrive after the first match has started is not steering you in the right direction.  He is probably the guy that only works one place, and half-asses everything because to him it is just a hobby. The guy half-assing it might keep another guy in the lockerroom from his big break. Respect the business.
    

8) Never Settle
     There have been numerous points in my career where I stagnated at a promotion, and if I wanted to keep working there, I would have to basically go back down the card and tread water.  However, I also had the option of packing up and going elsewhere.  If you want to make a name for yourself in this business, you have to constantly push yourself, and grow your business and name.  You cannot be afraid to relocate to another city, or to hop in a car and drive for hours to wrestle.  You just can't.
     You should never feel you owe something to a promoter just because they book you - aside from your best effort in the ring.  Any promoter who says "I booked you when no one else would" as a reason why you should work for them for free, or for less than what others are willing to pay, is working you.  If you want to help someone that gave you a break, or took a chance on you, that is awesome - but you should never feel pressure to work for someone because you used to work for them, or because you took advantage of their opportunities in the past.
     Quite often young guys break into the business working for one promotion, and then get scared to leave when other opportunities present themselves.  Sometimes money is an issue, or it is about exposure, or better matches.  It can be hard sometimes, because in a way it is like leaving the nest... but at some point it either has to be done, or you are letting someone break your will.
    To be more blunt, you do not have to do anything you do not want to do.  You always, ALWAYS have the option of declining a booking, or quitting.


9) Honor Your Bookings
     If you accepted a booking, honor it.  "Honor" doesn't necessarily mean "turn down a better opportunity", as much as it means to "do right by".  If you are booked two hours away for a $50 payday, and someone wants you on the same date an hour away for $75, then you need to take your reputation and the business into account - and a vast majority of the time you will find the concept of "honor your first commitment" will trump all.
    However, maybe the offer is for a tryout for a major promotion, or an overseas tour, or to curtain jerk a show with a guaranteed house of 1000 paid fans?  Usually if you go to the original promoter, explain the opportunity, and come up with a solution to them down the line, things can be worked out.
     Remember, there are a limited number of open dates to be booked, and there is only one of you.  If different promoters are all wanting you on the same dates, then you are a commodity that they need to pay for.  At the same time, you need to maintain the quality of your product (You!), so do not do things that sully your reputation.  If you become known as a guy that no-shows or holds promoters up for more money, you will find your demand goes down.  Do business as a professional.

10) Figure Out What Your Goals Are
    When I decided I wanted to be a wrestler, business was booming in the US, Japan, and Mexico.  There were three major US promotions with weekly television shows on cable television.  However, after about two years that all dried up.  Like most guys that get into wrestling, I did so because I loved wrestling, and I wanted to do it; I had a passion for it.  It got to a point though where I had to decide what I wanted to do as a professional wrestler. 
    Too often guys get into this business thinking "I want to wrestle at Wrestlemania".  While it is awesome that you may have that goal, you need to look at where you are, what you are, and what it takes to achieve your goal.  Nothing is impossible, but you can make it impossible with your attitude, and your choices. 
     If your goal in this business is to wrestle for the WWE, and nothing else matters, then the only logical thing to do is get basic training, and then move and train at a school that is well known as a WWE breeding-ground.
    If you want to hone your skills and be the best possible wrestler that you can be, then find a place that will develop your skills in that way.  If you want to become a lucha libre style flyer, it would be pointless to work in hardcore brawling promotions. 
    If your goal is to make a living at wrestling, then you need to make lifestyle adjustments and do the things necessary to make as much money as possible.
    Guys that want to work for the WWE but do not want to drive an hour for an independent booking are kidding themselves.  If you are signed by the WWE, they expect you to move your entire life to where they are doing their development work.  You will be on the road five or six days a week.  In Mexico guys sometimes wrestle ten matches a week.  Tours in Japan can last six weeks.
      Figure out what you want to do within the professional wrestling business, and then figure out what it takes to get there, and then work towards that goal.

Nikita Allanov's 2011 Year In Review

Promotions Wrestled For in 2011

Black Diamond Wrestling - WV
Gladiadores Azteca Lucha Libre Internacional - IL
World Wrestling Coalition - OH
Renegade Wrestling Alliance - PA
Revolutionary Championship Wrestling - OH
Xtreme Wrestling Entertainment - OH

2011 Won Loss Record: (7 - 7 - 0)

  Singles Matches: 6 - 4 - 0   Tag Team Matches: 1 - 3 - 0
  Career Match Total: 577 Matches

2011 Matches

• 15 January - Aberdeen, OH - Nikita Allanov def. JT Stahr by pinfall
• 22 January - West Newton, PA - Patrick Hayes def. Nikita Allanov by pinfall
• 5 February - Jackson, OH - Juggulator & Judas Thorn def. Nikita Allanov & Maxx Power by pinfall
• 13 February - Moundsville, WV - Nikita Allanov def. Keith Haught by submission in a "Five Minute Challenge"
• 19 February - Logan, OH - Allen Lynch def. Nikita Allanov by pinfall
• 5 March - Aberdeen, OH - Nikita Allanov def. Justin Gage by pinfall
• *** 5 March - Aberdeen, OH - Jake Ashworth def. Matt Taylor, Terry Reines, Nikita Allanov, Eclipso, Marvel Trice, Princeton Travis, and Justin Gage (King of Extreme Championship Finals)
• 12 March - Portsmouth, OH - Nikita Allanov def. Eclipso by pinfall
• 13 March - Addison, IL - Ace Martino, Diego Corleone & Jake O'Neil def. Alex Ohlsen, Matt Knicks & Nikita Allanov by pinfall
• 25 March - Logan, OH - Adrenaline X def. Nikita Allanov & Onyx by pinfall
• 26 March - West Newton, PA - Nikita Allanov def. Jon Burton by pinfall in a No-DQ Match
• 9 April - Aberdeen, OH - Devlin Anderson def. Nikita Allanov by pinfall
• 16 April - West Newton, PA - Nikita Allanov def. Patrick Hayes by count-out
• 23 April - Berwyn, IL - Diego Corleone & Nikita Allanov def. Rose & Falcon by pinfall

           *Title Matches  -  **Main Event Matches  -  ***Main Event Title Matches


Titles Held in 2011

• No Championships Held

Favorite Match  
Nikita Allanov def. Jon Burton by pinfall in a No-DQ Match - March 26th in West Newton, PA
I had a limited number of matches in 2010 (which I will get to below) , but this one was one of my favorite, because it was really the only match that was the result of a build up, and it had a great atmosphere.  Burton is a local television and radio sports anchor, and he occasionally wrestles.  After a few months of getting under my skin at the behest of Dr. Feelbad, we had this match, and I do not hesitate to say that I pulled a great match out of a wrestler with less experience and in-ring skill than myself.  In addition, I did it as a fan-favorite babyface in my old Pittsburgh stomping grounds.  In my short run in RWA this message definately sent the message to the fans in that area that I was still lurking around, and a serious threat in the ring.  Honorable mentions go to the January match with JT Stahr, which turned out to be his last match before he left for film school in California, and also the "Five Minute Challenge" against Keith Haught in February, simply because of the atmosphere in the building that night. 

Least Favorite Match  
Devlin Anderson def. Nikita Allanov by pinfall - April 9th in Aberdeen, OH
I was sick and just didn't bring my working boots with me that night, so the match wasn't as good as I would have liked - especially since we had a pretty solid match the prior November in the Unbreakable Tournament.   

2011 Closing Thoughts
Wow, only fourteen matches.  Actually, I had fourteen matches in sixteen weeks, which is my normal pace, but when I was injured away from the ring on May 2nd, it screwed my year up completely. 

I was on pace to have a really good 2011 in the ring.  At the time of my injury I was wrestling regularly for six different promotions in three different states - which is a lot harder to do and more rare than it sounds.  I was also working on a few other things (a return to NYC among them) when everything came to a screeching halt.  


I did finally get to accomplish a goal, which was to begin working real lucha libre shows, although I didn't get to go south of the border to do it.  After a couple years of discussion, I finally got to work in the Chicagoland area for GALLI, a great independent promotion that is a mix of authentic lucha libre talent, and homegrown Chicago talent.  The booking and presentation is lucha style, and I had a lot of fun there.  On my first trip in I got to wrestle on the same card as some friends, and I was presented as a tecnico - with a few fans having signs for me in the crowd.  It made me feel good about myself, as it was my first show in that area, but some people knew who I was.  


Speaking of fan appreciation, I had a great run and a great time with RWA in the Pittsburgh area.  From my debut with the company I had somewhat straddled the fence on being a fan-favorite, and when I became a target of the "Feelbad Five", I turned into a tecnico there too!.  It was great being cheered by the fans, and it was great being able to talk and hear words of encouragement and appreciation from so many of them.  


I was only able to appear on one show for Black Diamond this year, but I had a pretty big role in my appearance, as I pretty much put an end to the Insurgentz.  McFly's group had attempted to run roughshod over the promotion, but I made a challenge that I could beat any member of their group in under five minutes, or that I would leave BDW forever.  When I made Keith Haught tap out a couple of minutes later, it was the first chink in the Insurgentz armor, and soon the group was all going their separate ways.  


In RCW I had a couple appearances, most notably a solid match with Eclipso in Portsmouth.  I was hoping to lead WrestlOhio to the gold in RCW, but again, I was sidelined by injury.  I also debuted for XWE in central Ohio, but before I was able to pick up much steam there I was on the sidelines. 

My year was thoroughly dominated by my injury.  I have written on here before about what happened and what needed to happen to take care of it, and needless to say, that end of things has not gone well, nor quickly.  Unfortunately, attorneys and government agencies are involved now, and it is really disheartening.  It sucks when something that I have put so much blood, sweat, work and tears into is taken away from you prematurely by something outside of your control.  


Right now, I am stuck in a limbo where I am not sure what is next.  I am still hitting the gym often, but over the past seven months I have had to change my workouts and my routines.  It is a very real possibility that I may never step in the ring again - and if I ever do, I may not be able to wrestle the same way that I always have.  I have always prided myself on being a knock-em-stiff tough-as-nails competitor, but my body paid the price for that style.  If I am ever going to get my shoulder in any kind of condition to compete in the ring again, I am going to have to worry more about technique and the actual art of wrestling, rather than brute force and power.  It has been hard to learn to train for that in the gym.  I went from being someone who goes into the gym and lifts and grunts like a madman, to being the guy cross-training and avoiding the weights.  Aside from my shoulder, I am probably as fit and light as I have been in ten years... and my body has been able to rest up for most of the year.  


Hopefully within the next few weeks I will have a more complete picture of what exactly my in-ring future will be.  All I can do is try to keep hope alive that my career hasn't come to an end, but at the same time, I am not a young guy anymore, so I have to weigh how much pain and agony a comeback will put me through, and if it will be worth it.  After this much time off, it can be a lot like starting from scratch.  I am just holding out hope that maybe it can be a way for me to have rested up for one last big run.  


I do not know if I would even be writing this today if it wasn't for Shannon.  She is truly the love of my life, and she has been there for me through all of the hard times the past few months.  No one but her really knows how bad this injury has harmed me - mentally, physically, financially, and pridefully - not to mention professionally.  She has been there for me through it all, and in a way that I cannot explain.  I would probably be in a ditch somewhere right now if it wasn't for her.  She made 2011 bearable, and in some ways, my best year ever.  






 

It is with great sadness that I, Nikita Allanov, must announce the termination of my relationship with the Fraternal Order of Professional Wrestlers (FOPW) effective immediately.  I had no part in the actions that were taken by members of the FOPW on Saturday night November 26th in Moundsville, WV, nor did I have any prior knowledge that those actions were going to take place.  Because of the actions of members of the group, I would like to distance myself from the group. 

The FOPW came about when a long time colleague of mine, Michael Smith, and myself had numerous long conversations about the state of the business of professional wrestling, and how the business practices of many of the promoters and wrestlers within it were severely harming the business that we both loved so dear. 

My idea was to create an organization to help educate professional wrestlers, and to organize my fellow wrestlers into a group that could actually have an influence.  I wanted to create a network between wrestlers and trainers, so that training information and techniques could be shared.  My ultimate goal was to create some kind of standard for training - such as the colored belt system used in karate and other martial arts. 

Others involved with the organization wanted to use the group as a "watchdog" organization, to keep tabs on the practices of promoters and athletic commissions; To see who was booking untrained wrestlers, what rules athletic commissions were actually enforcing, which promoters were reneging on pay agreements, etc.  I found many of these goals worthwhile myself, so I helped to shape the organization. 

Over a year ago the FOPW had their first controversy when a member of the group attnded a meeting of the Ohio Athletic Commission, and spoke with Commissioner Bernie Profato.  The basic point of the meeting was to introduce the concept of the organization to the OAC.  However, the FOPW name was quickly brought up when an Ohio promoter canceled a show, and word quickly (and falsely) spread that the FOPW was doing the grunt work of the OAC.  Since most wrestlers are uninformed an ignorant, the broad consensus among people aware of the organization was that the FOPW was a bunch of Pennsylvania wrestlers trying to ruin wrestling in Ohio. 

When this situation settled down, it became my suggestion that the group refocus on gathering information, and working to gain more wrestlers in the membership, so that the group was a better reflection on the membership's views and opinions, rather than a small number.  At the same time my availibility changed, and I was not able to contribute to the group as often, although I was generally kept abreast of the organization's activities.

Awhile back I was made aware of a wrestling fan in the Moundsville area that was attending wrestling shows and approaching various wrestlers about jumping ship to his promotion, that had never ran a show before.  About a month or so ago I was made aware that the promoter I work for in that area - Rikk Diamond - was planning an event for the night that this rival was expected to debut - November 26th. 

I am currently inured, and I have not appeared on any wrestling cards as a competitor since April.  I was not in Moundsville on the 26th.  When I woke up this morning I saw a video posted by the FOPW, and frankly, it disgusted me.   The video showed a number of wrestlers who had just worked at Diamonds event, walking into the show that was running opposition and disrupting the event in the name of the FOPW. 

In my mind the purpose of the FOPW is for the betterment of the sport of professional wrestling, and this incident did nothing but destroy any credibility that the FOPW may have had, embarrass Diamond, embarrass myself, and embarrass professional wrestling.  This does not seem like the betterment of the sport which I love so dear, and have dedicated over fourteen years of my life too. 

Over the last few months while I have been injured I have been developing my philosophy of professional wrestling, which I have dubbed "Live Strongstyle".  I am hoping to finish research and begin writing the book based on this philosophy soon.  A number of my colleagues, friends, and fans have said they look forward to my writing.  I am going to redirect my ideas and thoughts about professional wrestling into this book. 

Thank you. 

Sick and Crippled

Sorry that this rant was so all-over-the-place... but I am sick, and I felt like rambling.  

Ugh, being sick sucks.  Being injured kinda blows too. 

That is one thing that friends, fans, family members, and just about everyone on the planet does not understand about an athlete being injured: it sucks.  It is not fun.  All you want to do is get better.  Regardless of the sport you partake in, be it football, tennis, hockey, or wrestling - whatever, an injured athlete only wants to get healed up so they can come back and contribute to their teams fortunes.  Or, in the case of those in individual sports, to get back into competition.

When an athlete is injured, their training, their routines, everything changes.  In team sports, injured players are often outcasts, as the healthy players continue on with their normal routines, and the injured players are brushed aside - to rehab in solitude, away from the team, so as not to become a distraction.  



At the beginning of May I actually hurt myself at my day job, due to an equipment malfunction.  This brought a ton of bureaucracy and red-tape into the mix, and I have essentially been sidelined completely from working out.  I have been able to work on some lower body stuff, and cardio, but it just isn't the same, and I actually get pretty depressed going to the gym.  All of the complications are frustrating. 

While injured, I am missing the camaraderie and the brotherhood of the lockerroom.  I hate watching others going out and performing when I cannot.  I hate missing out on big events, such as the 8th Anniversary Card for Black Diamond Wrestling, because I cannot participate.  I do not think that your average laymen understands that when you are injured, you no longer feel like part of the team, and that it requires a great degree of mental toughness to deal with the feelings associated with being injured.  You question your worth, your abilities, your toughness, your dedication, your heart, and your physical abilities.  You doubt your body. 

If this were an injury that I sustained in the ring, I would more than likely try to tough it out as long as I could.  When I realized I had a neck injury last year, I pushed thru with all of my wrestling and non-wrestling obligations for as long as I could.  I had no desire to let down the promoters I worked for, the fans I perform in front of, or the other wrestlers in the lockerroom down.  My work ethic, dedication, and desire fueled me to a point where I could relax and have the issue taken care of.  In fact, even though I have a physical job that requires a lot of travel, no one at my regular job even knew I was injured, for the most part.  I wasn't injured while on the clock for them, so I continued to give them as close to 100% effort as possible - and that work ethic actually won me an award for my department - somewhat of an "employee of the year" type of recognition.  The trophy was kinda wack though.  


What is the most frustrating thing for me is that I am being robbed of my ability to wrestle, due to a non-wrestling related injury. Although I have never let wrestling injuries keep me from work, it is not working the same way when the shoe is on the other foot. I would love to be able to return to full duty at my job, because I take pride in my work ethic and I feel I am letting down others - just like in the wrestling business.  Business is business. 


By nature, I am pretty passive-aggressive. I am very aggressive about things that I am passionate about, but I tend to procrastinate in other areas.  With this injury affecting so many parts of my life, I am eager to heal up and move forward.  I am finding this impossible to do. 


I went to the doctor that my company works with, because I had to go there.  It took almost four weeks for the doctor to schedule and MRI, and then another week to convey the results.  At that point, I found out that the treatment the previous four weeks was for naught, as I had a different injury than what was thought originally.  In two and a half more weeks, I finally get to see an orthopedic doctor, who says that both of the previous diagnosis are incorrect, and that the best course of treatment to get the injury healed, he cannot do for two more weeks due to further bureaucratic restrictions.  I am antsy.  I want and need to get back into the gym, and into the ring.  I cannot do this until I am released by my doctor.

  I want and need to aggressively work this injury; If I were cut open a week after the injury, I would probably be healed up by now.  I believe that I have missed a total of eight wrestling cards I was booked on at this point.  I have been working on restricted duty at my job, thus costing that company money.  No wonder so many people take advantage of the system and milk it for all that it is worth.  They make it so easy.  Here I am trying to do the right thing, wanting to work and rehab and get better, and essentially being told not to. 


I train ridiculously hard to be a professional wrestler.  While I certainly may not have the body of an Adonis or anything, that is also not my goal while training.  I certainly do not intend to go off on a tangent about "physiques  and the wrestling business", but it was never as important to me how I looked, as it was important how I performed. 

There is nothing more that I want right now than to be able to workout, so that I can work and wrestle at full-speed.  

When I first got into the wrestling business, I weighed 185lbs.  I was expected to be a high-flyer at that weight (and at that time), which I was certainly not capable of.  After a few nasty bruises and bumps, I decided that I wanted to get to above 225lbs, so I would be a legitimate "heavyweight".  Little did I know it at the time, but deciding to gain weight to better myself as a wrestler was the first time I decided to physically alter myself to better prepare for the rigors of professional wrestling. 

Look at that skinny white boy in the year 2000.  Sorry about the ring gear - I was a rookie and that was what I wore.  :-(

By mid-2001, I was up around 220lbs.  I was able to gain that weight naturally, simply by eating a shit ton of chicken, milke, and rice.  I was certainly not ripped by the time I was to 220, but I was not a skinny little bastard either.  I quickly realized with my workouts that I was able to get thicker quicker in my lower body, and that I plateaued a lot sooner in my chest.  I was wearing singlets back then, and it didn't really flatter my physique that much, because I was too worried about my torso, and I ended up covering up my thick muscular legs. 

At around 225lbs, I was doing myself no favors by hiding my muscular legs with singlets.   

So, over the next few years I made it my goal to expand my chest, but to also solidify everything else.  In many ways I actually neglected my legs, and focused on my chest, my core, and my cardio.  In 2004 when I became one of the trainers at the NWA's Pittsburgh Wrestling Academy, I changed my workout routine again - I had to put on more thickness to deal with all the bumps I was going to be taking training young boys.  At this time I slowly worked my weight up to around 245lbs - and I infact changed my officially announced ring weight to 110kg, instead of 100kg (which is just above the maximum weight for a light heavyweight, if you didn't know).  At this point in time I began to realize that I was never going to have a physique that could carry the amount of weight that I liked, and to be "ripped".  Since I was spending so much time in the ring with training and matches, I focused more and more on lifting heavy weight, and getting my cardio via work in the ring. 

At about 245lbs around 2005

As you can tell by the picture, I started experimenting with trunks here, and by 2006 I would switch over to them primarily full time.  I also got away from big bulky kneepads at this time, and would soon ween off of kickpads.  By mid-2007 though I somehow let myself creep up a bit to around 260lbs, which was primarily from no longer being in the ring often (due to leaving the Pittsburgh Wrestling Academy) but not making up for it with cardio at the gym.  I was soon quickly back down to around 245-250lbs, which is where I typically hover. 

Hovering around 250lbs in 2007. 

After moving to Cincinnati, I started training different.  I didn't really care as much about my weight, as much as I did about style.  I didn't have a "home promotion" as I was truly a freelance independent wrestler - so I had to do a lot of my preparation for opponents and stuff outside of the ring. 

The way I train, which is perhaps unlike most wrestlers, is a modified boxer or MMA fighter workout.  The big difference is that those types of athletes only have so many fights per year, that they can spend weeks preparing for one opponent for a fight.  As a wrestler, I cannot do that, as I have a fight nearly every weekend - sometimes more.  So, having a "camp" where I focus on a single match is totally out the window.  Since there is no "camp" to get myself in shape and to work towards a goal, I also have no "off season" - so I have to maintain all the time. 

What I would do was look at my upcoming schedule, and spend the week before my match preparing for that opponent.  If I was facing a smaller wrestler, I would increase cardio.  If I was fighting a heavyweight, I would work on strength training.  I would also change things up based on how well I knew the opponent; I would change things to strengthen a weak area, or to exploit their weakness.  This would usually work very well, as I would essentially have an entire week to prepare for a match. 

Occasionally I would have a week or so with no scheduled matches, so I would look at my upcoming schedule and decide if I needed some rest, or if this was a great opportunity to push hard, since I didn't have to worry about a match.  Often, this would simply depend on how beat up my body was.  If I was a little worse for wear, I would usually use this as a chance to rest up.  If I was feeling good, I would push myself even harder.  I would get chances like his more often in the Summer and in December, simply because there were less shows at those times of year. 

Right now, I do not have the ability to train.  I cannot take bookings.  I have a lot of things going on, and I am really excited professionally to get going with them.  I am ready to get in shape for a nice "comeback" of sorts.  Psychologically it is killing me.  Here I have an open window where I could be training hard for a comeback, and instead I can do nothing really, but sit. 

I have tried to cope with this by viewing it as some rest, and a way to recharge - and in a way I have.  At this point, I just want to have a timetable.  I want a doctor to tell me that I should be ready to go by a certain date, that way I can start working and planning for it.  I am just frustrated beyond belief about this. 

I am ready to have some good matches and to draw some good crowds. 

"Project 33" - Match #134: Multifacetico vs. Dr. Cerebro

Multifacetico vs. Dr. Cerebro
2 June, 2011
Arena Naucalpan; Naucalpan, Mexico
WWA Welterweight Championship Match



Part 2  Part 3  Part 4

This match was a lot of mat wrestling and exchanging holds.  I love this kinda shit, but I know that a lot of people do not.  It can be boring and repetitive.  I enjoy it, because I understand and appreciate the skill that it takes to pull off a match like that on the mat. 

Make no mistake, the fans that attend IWRG shows know exactly what they are going to see.  However, in a lot of way the fans kinda ruined this match, because they clearly favor Cerebro over Multi, even though Multi is the rookie high-flying tecnico.  I haven't been keeping as much track of IWRG recently, but it is my understanding that Multi is getting the same type of backlash that the previous Multifacetico got; he has gotten too much too quick, so the fans have turned on him.  Hey, the fans buy tickets and can do whatever they want, but Cerebro and Multi need to read that and work it into their match.  Here, they pretty much stopped playing to the crowd and just plowed forward with a match, which took away from the story they were trying to tell. 

Also, Dr. Cerebro's was the victim of a wardrobe malfunction in part four. 

"Project 33" - Match #133: Ultimo Guerrero vs. Ultimo Dragon

Ultimo Dragon vs. Ultimo Guerrero
19 July, 2005
Korakuen Hall; Tokyo, Japan
CMLL Light Heavyweight Championship Match



You are probably viewing this and thinking that I am an idiot, that is obviously not Ultimo Dragon, it is Tiger Mask.  No, it is Ultimo Dragon paying tribute to Tiger Mask in this match as "Ultimo Tiger". 

There isn't really a lot in this match, and I was greatly disappointed.  I didn't figure that Dragon would be in his mid-90s form here (especially right after his disastrous WWE run), but I was hoping that he would bring it against Guerrero in a big singles match.  However, he didn't.  I am not going to say Guerrero was lazy in this match, but he was very content to work ultra-rudo, and he garnered a ton of heat with all of the mask ripping, and having interference from his seconds at ringside. 

I was expecting more swank matwork here, and although there was a bit at the beginning, the match was somewhat too one-sided for Guerrero, which got a ton of heat from the live crowd, but didn't make for a memorable match, in my opinion. 

The mask vs. mask challenges afterward were pretty pointless as well.  As far as I can tell, the two men agrees to the match in Japan, but it never happened. Challenges like that are thrown around all the time in Mexico, but it was odd to see that on a "major" independent show in Japan.  Unless Dragon was thinking about cashing out, but had second thoughts...

"Project 33" - Match #130: Mistico vs. Averno

Mistico vs. Averno
30 January, 2005?
Arena Coliseo; Guadalajara, Mexico
NWA Middleweight Championship Match




Part 2

So, a number of people have asked me in the last few days to tell them a little bit about Averno.  According to Superluchas and Luchablog, Averno has signed a deal with the WWE to come in as a rival of Sin Cara, the former Mistico.  For those unaware, Mistico and Averno were arch-enemies in CMLL, and there were years invested in building up to their mask-vs-mask match - which were all for naught when Mistico left for the WWE. 

Averno was a run-of-the-mill midcard rudo in CMLL for years, until a string of singles matches caught the attention of the right people, and he was paired up with Mephisto alongside Ultimo Guerrero.  Not only would Averno & Mephisto go on to become perhaps the best tag team in Mexico, but Averno would make himself a bonafide main event player with his matches against Mistico. 

Mistico himself was an opening match tecnico, but in mid-2004 he was given a new gimmick and a push.  Averno was the seasoned rudo that they put in matches with Mistico to provide a solid base for Mistico's high-flying offense - and boy did they click!  Mistico took the NWA Middleweight Championship from Averno on January 1, 2005, and in the following month, the duo had two lauded five-star matches; the first was in Arena Coliseo Guadalajara (which is the match above), and the second was the more widely seen match from Arena Mexico on February 11th.  Both matches saw fans throwing money in the ring afterwards, the ultimate sign of respect by the fans in Mexico.  For the rest of 2005 and 2006, Averno would challenge Mistico for the NWA Championship, and the two would square off in numerous trios and duos matches. 

Although the matches would actually become somewhat routine, they always seemed to be crisp, and the fans always got into them.  In almost every match, Mistico would triumph in the third fall by locking Averno in La Mistica for the submission.  The fans were rabid for the mask-vs-mask match between the two men, but as I said earlier, before it could happen Mistico left for the WWE.  Now, with Averno already having one foot out of the door, it appears the Averno mask will end up in the trophy room of La Mascara, before he heads to the WWE to make Sin Cara into the star that Averno made Mistico into. 

I hate to see Averno go.  He was a solid wrestler who always was able to make his opponents look good - be it Mistico, Sombra, Volador Jr, Mascara Dorada, or La Mascara.  Averno earned a spot at the top of CMLL cards because he was a solid dependable base for the younger high-flying tecnicos; in many ways Averno was almost like a clone of Ultimo Guerrero.  In fact, if there is anyone that could argue for being the "Ace" of CMLL aside from Guerrero over the last few years, it was Averno.  Personally, I would list Averno as one of the top ten wrestlers on the planet right now, in terms of pure "workrate" and laying out a match.  I have actually said a few times over the course of Project 33 that I think Guerrero may be the better wrestler, but that I like Averno's match formula slightly better. 

As for his future in the WWE, there is no doubt in my mind that Averno is going to have a series of good matches with Sin Cara.  However, there is not a doubt in my mind that he is coming to the WWE solely for the purpose of getting Sin Cara over.  After that is accomplished, the real question about his future begins.  Maybe he will turn the right heads and get a push - but his height and his build would seem to be negatives in WWE's land of juiced up giants.  He does not speak English to my knowledge, which is a drawback.  He is a helluva worker, but so are a ton of guys that do not get a push in the WWE.  Averno has to be looking at the possibility of being used like Kaientai were (brought in to make Taka Michunoku look good), or perhaps like a Silver King/El Dandy/Psicosis/Super Calo in WCW - a bump machine who was there to make others look good, but who would never get a real push. 

The positive for Averno has to be the payday however, for him to walk away from a main event spot in CMLL (and apparently burning bridges on the way out).  Averno is by no means a young man, so he must be getting a big contract in order to give up the security he has in CMLL.  Good for him, but it sucks for those of us that enjoyed watching him practice his craft in the rings of CMLL. 

RWA "Spring Fling" Results

RWA (16 April) 5th Street Gym; West Newton, PA
Attendance: 235

1) Jesse Skelton def. Chris LeRusso by pinfall (RWA Cruiser)
2) Angel Camacho def. Mr. RBI by pinfall
3) Nikita Allanov def. Patrick Hayes by count-out
4) Jay Ice & Josh Emanuel def. Chris Arcadian & Ryan Reign by pinfall
5) Stryder def. Joe Brooks by submission (RWA PA)
6) Brandon K & Scottie Gash def. Jimmy Nutts & JT Williams by pinfall
7) Chris Taylor def. Ryan Mitchell by pinfall
8) Calvin McGrath & Shane Valentine def. Jon Burton, Ryan Reign & Patrick Hayes by pinfall.

I was scheduled to square off with Patrick Hayes, of the Feelbad Five, in order to gain a measure of revenge for my loss to Hayes back in January with the help of Jon Burton.  However, Hayes decided to make his presence known early in the evening, as he attacked his trainer and mentor Lamont Williams after a match showcasing two of his trainees.  Williams, who was unable to compete himself due to an ankle injury, was brutally attacked by Hayes, and had his injured leg hit with a chair that was provided by RWA Promoter Dr. Feelbad.  I ran in to make the save for Williams, and challenged Hayes to have our match right at that moment.  After a couple of quick suplexes, Hayes bailed out, and Feelbad rushed him out of the building, so I was awarded the match by countout.  Afterward I asked the fans if they felt cheated by Feelbad, and they started to chant "bullshit".  I promised that I would make Hayes tap out in the middle of the ring.



Awesome, awesome crowd all night long.  Back from 2000-2006 when I wrestled in Pittsburgh, we always had loyal die-hard fans at the shows, but they were always very quiet and reserved.  While they would cheer and root for their favorites and boo the wrestlers that they hated, it was always a very hard crowd to work, no matter where it was at.  The boys always likened it to a hybrid Japanese/Philadelphia crowd, where the fans just liked to sit there and watch, but would pop for finishes, and when guys did ridiculous things and almost killed themselves.

Wrestling in RWA has been very very different from that experience.  The first time I wrestled there, about a year ago, I was given a good reception by the crowd; even though I hadn't wrestled in the area for four years, and never before for that company.  Over the course of the time I have been there, the RWA crowds have gotten bigger, louder, more excited, and knowledgeable about what they are watching.  Last night at this event, the crowd was cheering and into everything from the beginning of the show, until the end.  Fans get chants started directed at wrestlers.  Fans cheer for their favorites.  Fans listen to the wrestlers when they are on the mic.  At intermission wrestlers are out there with fans taking pictures, signing autographs, and talking about the show. 

Last night, when Eric Extasy's music hit and he walked thru the curtain, the building just about exploded.  For all the jerkoffs and detractors on the messageboards and other lockerrooms in the area, RWA has become the place to be in the Pittsburgh area.  In the short time that I have been with the company, I have personally experienced wrestlers in the Pittsburgh area tell me how shoddily RWA is run, how no one attends shows, and how bad the wrestling is.  Less than a year later, RWA is the top drawing promotion in the Pittsburgh area on a consistent basis.  The talent base is amazing, because the roster has been built around a small handful of local Pittsburgh veterans, young rookies looking for an opportunity, and solid veteran wrestlers from outside of the area, specifically northern PA, WV, MD, and OH.

Now, I have wrestlers asking me if I can hook them up with a spot in RWA, and how much do they think that I could get them for a payday there.  A lot of these guys just do not get it.  RWA is a fun and exciting place to work, it has a great atmosphere, and the roster is full of talent and growing.  A lot of the local Pittsburgh guys have been blindly loyal to places where they get no paydays and wrestle in front of no crowds.  They want to slam RWA because it was a new company.  Meanwhile, the company has been built around dedicated loyal wrestlers, and now that word is getting out about how good the shows are and how much money that the boys are making, all the detractors want a piece of the pie.

A lot of the Pittsburgh boys are getting more and more upset that they are not getting booked in RWA, and outside guys from other places are.  No one is "entitled" to anything at RWA - it is a business, and the boys are all expected to contribute and draw fans to buy tickets.  That is a great example of the mentality among the wrestlers in Pittsburgh.  To most of them, wrestling is a social club where they come and pull ribs and politic for their spot with their buddies, and at the end of the day go home with $5 in their pocket. 

I enjoy working in Pittsburgh again for RWA, and I am disappointed  that I will not be able to make the May 7th event.  However, I will be back in action for RWA on June 4th!

RWA presents "Spring Fling" Saturday April 16th

Spring Fling 3 - Saturday, April 16th 2011
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West Newton Gymnasium, 113 South Fifth Street, West Newton, PA, 15089
*
Doors Open at 6 p.m. and Bell Time at 7 p.m.
*
Adult tickets $12 and children under the age of 14 are $6
*
WE THANK YOU ALL, THE FANS, FRIENDS, AND WRESTLERS OF RWA PRO-WRESTLING FOR ALL THE ONGOING PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT! LET US KNOW HOW MANY TICKETS YOU NEED BY MESSAGING OUR FACEBOOK OR MYSPACE, OR PLEASE CALL 724-263-5830. THANK YOU !! SEE YOU AT THE SHOW!

-Card Subject to Change-

FOR TICKETS, RESERVED SEATING, DIRECTIONS, OR OTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 724-263-5830


MAIN EVENT TAG TEAM MATCH!!
ASHTON AMHERST &JON BURTON (of the Feelbad 5) vs. "The Future" CALVIN MCGRATH & SHANE VALENTINE ( With PIV).......

If the team of McGrath and Valentine win, then McGrath gets an RWA heavyweight title shot against Ashton Amherst on the May 7th show... STRONG RUMOR THAT MAY 7TH MIGHT BE MCGRATH'S FINAL MATCH IN RWA. HAS HE SECURED A WWE DEVELOPMENTAL DEAL?? RWA MANAGEMENT WILL KEEP THE FANS POSTED!!!!

SPECIAL ATTRACTION MATCH !!

RYAN MITCHELL vs. CHRIS TAYLOR
This is Ryan Mitchell's final match at least for the time being in RWA. He is leaving for even more extensive training and travel. WIN, LOSE, OR DRAW... THIS IS THE FINAL CHANCE TO SEE RYAN MITCHELL IN THE PITTSBURGH AREA IN THE NEAR FUTURE!!

RWA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP!

EXCELLENCE PERSONIFIED ( Scotty Gash, Brandon K.) vs. THE POCKET ROCKETS


RWA PA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

STRYDER vs. JOSEPH BROOKS (of the Feelbad 5)


The RWA debut of LAMONT "ACTION" WILLIAMS vs. ANGEL COMACHO


NIKITA ALLANOV vs. PATRICK HAYES ( of the Feelbad 5)

SONS OF STRONGSTYLE (Jay-Ice & Kano) vs. RYAN REIGN & CHRIS ARKADIAN

ALL THIS AND SO MUCH MORE AS RWA PRESENTS SPRING FLING 3, SATURDAY APRIL 16TH, WEST NEWTON GYMNASIUM, 113 SOUTH 5TH ST.,WEST NEWTON PA 15089. 'MORE MATCHES TO BE ANNOUNCED!!'

DOORS OPEN 6PM BELL TIME 7PM

ADULT TICKET IS $12 DOLLARS CHILDREN UNDER AGE 14 IS $6 DOLLARS!

FOR TICKETS, RESERVED SEATING, DIRECTIONS, OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU MAY NEED, PLEASE CALL 724-263-5830, OR MESSAGE US HERE


Thank you all, the fans, friends, and pro-wrestlers of RWA pro-wrestling! The ongoing support has allowed us to grow and provide the best independent pro-wrestling in the tri-state area. We are grateful !~ See you at the show!