Over and over and over.....that's the story of the first few in-ring sessions. Yeah it was just the basics, but I am sure I had my first wresting concussion in those first few sessions, smacking the back of my head on the mat over and over again. Back bumps, front bumps, running the ropes and doing it right repeatedly to en grain in the membrane what you are doing now will protect you all the time.
One of the hardest things for me was to strengthen my neck muscles to be able to tuck my chin on a back bump. Until then it was Excedrin headache #9 every workout from hitting the back of my head on the mat. All my friends know I have a heavy head, so strengthening those neck muscles is a priority.
Oh yeah, the underarm rope burns felt really good too from running the ropes. Hooking the top rope is so important. Why? I'll tell some stories later, but hooking that top rope rope is another safety precaution. Trust me. It's a long way to the floor of the gym if you do it wrong and something happens.
So it's September and about 90 days from the big match in Connersville. I honestly wasn't thinking about that show as much as trying to absorb as much as I could in the training I was doing two days a week. Living 60 miles from the training center was tough and limited my time, so the two days a week were crucial. Another Son's of the Legion got interested in training and made numerous trips with me to Indianapolis. Kellis Allen, known in the ring as Ric Ellis really helped to push me a long.
As the sessions progressed each week, I got to experience a little more each session. We learned more basics like the hip toss, elbow drop, clothesline, leg drop but no punches or chops yet.
Over the three to four months leading up to the big December match I had a chance to train with some really good people. Some of the guys are still brothers to me today. I just wanted to mention some of the cast of characters.
My trainer was "Dangerous Bull" Don Basher. I owe everything I've done in wrestling to that man. Basher wrestled for the WWF in the 80s and was trained himself by "Mr Electricity" Steve Regal, who worked for Dick the Bruiser.
Some of the guys I trained with included the Louks Brothers, Guy and Shawn. Unbelievable talents. "Sexy" Shawn Cook as he is known in the ring has appeared at wrestling events all over the midwest and has worked several times for the WWE when they come to Indianapolis.
Guy, is a true man of character. I have to waiver a second and tell a short tale. We were training one day, and one of the veteran wrestlers, Donnie White came in. Something happened and Donnie yelled out "that looked gay guy lombardo". From that moment on Guy was stuck with the in-ring persona of "Gay" Guy Lombardo. Guy took that character to new heights and was fantastic at portraying him. We'll get into more stories later....
Other fellow trainees included Nate Webb, Spyder. All arms and legs but a great athletic talent. He can be seen with the Half Pint Brawlers now, but Spyder has been all over the country wrestling.
Fred Burton....6-8....350 pounds....took the persona of Kenny Nash, billing himself as Kevin Nash's little brother.
Then there was Ron Burton....The executioner.
and finally MightyMichael Reid. Yes his real first name was MightyMichael--it was on his drivers license that way.
All of us worked hard to learn as much as possible from many of the vets that stopped by. In November, a show was organized in the basement of the church with some of the vets and some of the trainees to showcase some of the new talent in front of a crowd. I didn't take part in the show---It wasn't time yet.
Two things I remember from that show. One was a 3 on 1 Handicap match with Big Red, the wrestling preacher (and minister of the church) taking on three trainees. In the end, Red bodyslammed the three on top of each other and he splashed them all for the win.
The other thing I remember most will stick with me forever and that was the battle royal at the end of the show. Basically it's what we call a chop-fest for the vets to beat on the trainees. I don't remember who all was in the battle royal but half way through, a vet by the name of Drill Sgt Nelson had MightMichael Reid stuck in the corner. Nelson rared back and WHACK! chopped Reid across the chest. It was hard all right....HARD ENOUGH THAT REID PEE'D HIS PANTS right there in the ring. We laughed so hard for days. Sad part, Reid left and never came back.
Now I can's wait....it's a month away, my match in Connersville and my next training session, we start to put things together with The Convict Michal Manson....
Friday, January 6, 2012
Friday, December 16, 2011
Training over and over....
Let me set the record straight----PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING IS NOT FAKE!
Training twice a week at the WCWO training facility was the toughest thing that I have ever attempted to do in my life. The aches and pains I experienced were a lot because of not a lot of physical workouts in years, but the bruises and scrapes and burns that covered my body meant that I was nuts.
Many people today watch wrestling and make reference to the flips and tosses as gymnastics and those in the ring don't feel a thing. THINK AGAIN! In training, you practice moves over and over and over again until it's done properly.
My first training session was in a little room off of where the ring was located with one of the guys that wrestled for WCWO, Ronnie Owens that wrestled under the name of Indiana Kidd Jr. His first question to me was--What I knew about wrestling? LOL ok, I am a fan. My wrestling experience was a little in high school gym class plus watching it on TV. That meant I couldn't tell you the difference between a wrist watch and a wrist lock.
The first day was extreme basics....collar and elbow tie up, side headlock, hammerlock, overhand wristlock, plus the reversals. It went over and over and over until I was able to do it with no problems. Head up and lighten up. I just pictured me pissing this pro wrestler off since I was invading his profession and just absolutely going ape crap on me. Thankfully Ronnie Joe is one of my closest friends in the business today.
I wasn't allowed to get into the ring for the first couple of training sessions. All of my work was done outside of the ring. Don Basher was the head trainer but several of the regular wrestlers from WCWO would stop by to help out including Billy Bart, T.J.Powers, Johnnie Walker and The Notorious Convict.
One thing I did learn about the December show that week was the fact that I was going to be in the main event tag team match teaming with Indiana Kidd Jr to take on "Dangerous Bull" Don Basher and The Convict. Suddenly reality is setting in that this was really going to happen.
All that meant was getting serious about training and learning as much as I can because I have less than 90 days before the show was to take place.
A new training class for Basher meant I had guys to work with that were on my level--green. It also meant the first opportunity to get inside a wrestling ring.
Let me give you a description of the ring for those of you that don't know. The training ring is 16 foot by 16 foot. The ring ropes are airplane wire inside of foam with usually duct tape covering the foam. The corner turnbuckles are covered with padding-not enough to be considered a pillow. The ring floor is made up of steel cross bars, covered by plywood, covered by two layers of quarter inch carpet padding with a canvas top. Every ring is built differently and comes in a variety of sizes. The WWE uses a 24 x 24 ring for instance.
So if you ever have a thought that a wrestling ring is a big soft trampoline think again. This thing hurts your back, your legs, your head, your arms......everything attached to your body.
And we have yet to make any real contact with another person!!!!!
Training twice a week at the WCWO training facility was the toughest thing that I have ever attempted to do in my life. The aches and pains I experienced were a lot because of not a lot of physical workouts in years, but the bruises and scrapes and burns that covered my body meant that I was nuts.
Many people today watch wrestling and make reference to the flips and tosses as gymnastics and those in the ring don't feel a thing. THINK AGAIN! In training, you practice moves over and over and over again until it's done properly.
My first training session was in a little room off of where the ring was located with one of the guys that wrestled for WCWO, Ronnie Owens that wrestled under the name of Indiana Kidd Jr. His first question to me was--What I knew about wrestling? LOL ok, I am a fan. My wrestling experience was a little in high school gym class plus watching it on TV. That meant I couldn't tell you the difference between a wrist watch and a wrist lock.
The first day was extreme basics....collar and elbow tie up, side headlock, hammerlock, overhand wristlock, plus the reversals. It went over and over and over until I was able to do it with no problems. Head up and lighten up. I just pictured me pissing this pro wrestler off since I was invading his profession and just absolutely going ape crap on me. Thankfully Ronnie Joe is one of my closest friends in the business today.
I wasn't allowed to get into the ring for the first couple of training sessions. All of my work was done outside of the ring. Don Basher was the head trainer but several of the regular wrestlers from WCWO would stop by to help out including Billy Bart, T.J.Powers, Johnnie Walker and The Notorious Convict.
One thing I did learn about the December show that week was the fact that I was going to be in the main event tag team match teaming with Indiana Kidd Jr to take on "Dangerous Bull" Don Basher and The Convict. Suddenly reality is setting in that this was really going to happen.
All that meant was getting serious about training and learning as much as I can because I have less than 90 days before the show was to take place.
A new training class for Basher meant I had guys to work with that were on my level--green. It also meant the first opportunity to get inside a wrestling ring.
Let me give you a description of the ring for those of you that don't know. The training ring is 16 foot by 16 foot. The ring ropes are airplane wire inside of foam with usually duct tape covering the foam. The corner turnbuckles are covered with padding-not enough to be considered a pillow. The ring floor is made up of steel cross bars, covered by plywood, covered by two layers of quarter inch carpet padding with a canvas top. Every ring is built differently and comes in a variety of sizes. The WWE uses a 24 x 24 ring for instance.
So if you ever have a thought that a wrestling ring is a big soft trampoline think again. This thing hurts your back, your legs, your head, your arms......everything attached to your body.
And we have yet to make any real contact with another person!!!!!
In the beginning......
I thought the best way to start this blog was right at the very beginning and explain how I was given the opportunity to live out a dream and become a professional wrestler. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I, a fan of wrestling since I was probably 5 or 6 years old and watching Dick the Bruiser, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Prince Pullens, Baron Von Rasche, Wilbur Snyder, Pepper Gomez and other great stars, would get a chance of a lifetime. I can honestly say many dream of doing things, but I actually got to live one of mine.
July, 1998, a wrestling promoter by the name of Don Basher came to a meeting of the Son's of the American Legion, of which I was the Commander at that time. He told our group he was wanting to bring a wrestling show to town and was looking for a group to sponsor the event and split the profits. Being all guys and many wrestling fans, the son's decided they would use the event as a fundraiser. The show was to occur in the next few months and we as a group secured the building and set the date. The son's were excited and felt we could sell some tickets for the event.
Before leaving, Basher said that in order to create more interest, he wanted someone from the son's to volunteer to participate in the main event. Some how, eyes turned to me as the biggest one of the group and it was known I was a wrestling fan. I agreed figuring it would be nothing to do it and the others in the match would do all the real wrestling. Basher later called me and gave me the address of their training facility in Indianapolis. He said if I was going to be in the main event, I needed some wrestling training. At that point, I realized this 375 pound tub of goo may have bitten off a little more than he expected.
Charles and Kellis Allen were able to secure the use of the high school gym for the show and a date was set in December, 1998. That gave me some time to figure out what I was doing in the ring.
My training started in August in Indianapolis twice a week in the basement of a church on the eastside of Indianapolis. The training ring was a ring once owned by the legendary Dick the Bruiser. My trainers were several of the wrestlers that worked for Basher in Wild Championship Wrestling Outlaws (WCWO) and me, just a green horn about to get his butt kicked.
July, 1998, a wrestling promoter by the name of Don Basher came to a meeting of the Son's of the American Legion, of which I was the Commander at that time. He told our group he was wanting to bring a wrestling show to town and was looking for a group to sponsor the event and split the profits. Being all guys and many wrestling fans, the son's decided they would use the event as a fundraiser. The show was to occur in the next few months and we as a group secured the building and set the date. The son's were excited and felt we could sell some tickets for the event.
Before leaving, Basher said that in order to create more interest, he wanted someone from the son's to volunteer to participate in the main event. Some how, eyes turned to me as the biggest one of the group and it was known I was a wrestling fan. I agreed figuring it would be nothing to do it and the others in the match would do all the real wrestling. Basher later called me and gave me the address of their training facility in Indianapolis. He said if I was going to be in the main event, I needed some wrestling training. At that point, I realized this 375 pound tub of goo may have bitten off a little more than he expected.
Charles and Kellis Allen were able to secure the use of the high school gym for the show and a date was set in December, 1998. That gave me some time to figure out what I was doing in the ring.
My training started in August in Indianapolis twice a week in the basement of a church on the eastside of Indianapolis. The training ring was a ring once owned by the legendary Dick the Bruiser. My trainers were several of the wrestlers that worked for Basher in Wild Championship Wrestling Outlaws (WCWO) and me, just a green horn about to get his butt kicked.
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