BILL BEHRENS NWA NOTES 7-25-05 

NWA WILDSIDE’s one-half hour commercial free TV Show moved to Saturday at 11:30PM in DeKalb County, Atlanta starting 7/23.  Check it out weekly on COMCAST CABLE Channel #25.

Also every Monday a new NWA WILDSIDE TV episode at www.wrestlingnetwork.net 

“The Phenomenal A.J. Styles Wrestling Wars” DVD now available in stores

Ring Warrior Promotions and NWA Wildside, in conjunction with Diamond Entertainment are excited to announce that the two-pack DVD set titled “The Phenomenal A.J. Styles Wrestling Wars” is now available in Musicland and other fine stores where wrestling DVDs are sold.

"The Phenomenal One" stars in five of his hardest fought matches while with NWA Wildside from 2000 to 2004.

Also included in this five hour set is the never before released NWA 53rd Anniversary Show that includes both the legendary first ever in-ring match between Styles and “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, and the match that made “King of Old School” Steve Corino a household name in Japan; when he put the NWA World title on the line against Zero-One’s Shin'ya Hashimoto!

Also featured in the DVD set are: former NWA World Champion Sabu, “the American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, “Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko, the Shane Twins, Jimmy Rave, David Young, Rick Michaels, Altar Boy Luke, the New Heavenly Bodies (Vito DeNucci and Chris Nelson) with Gigolo Jimmy Del Rey, the Cuban Assassin, “Hotstuff” Hernandez, Kevin Northcutt, “Iceman” Buck Q with Bill Alphonso, Gary Steele, Lex Lovett, “Boston Bad Boy” Jason Rumble, Mr. Fred, the NWA Florida vs. IPW Hardcore "War if Hell" cage match and much more.

Musicland is a leading national specialty retailer of music, movies and entertainment-related products. Musicland operates retail stores under the names Sam Goody, Suncoast Motion Picture Company and Media Play in 48 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

For those who would like to buy the DVD online, you may buy it here:

http://www.meritline.com/dvd-movie-aj-styles-wrestling-war.html

Please credit http://www.jimmyvan.com/ if utilizing this transcript.

I recently spoke with former NWA President, now WWE consultant Bill Behrens. It was a 90-minute discussion about a variety of topics including ECW's "screwing" of the NWA, working with WCW, AJ Styles, Matt Hardy's firing from WWE, and lots more.

Part two of the interview (which is 29 minutes in length) is now online at JimmyVan.com in Windows Media and Real Audio formats. You can also listen to a five-minute preview clip of the interview in Real Audio format at this link:

http://www.jimmyvan.com/audio/behrens/part2/behrens-051905-clip2.ram

Here is a text transcript from this portion of the interview – note that it was conducted prior to the announcement that TNA had signed with Spike TV.

When you were the NWA President, you were really approachable and receptive to the media, and then Ernie Todd took over, and you really don't hear much about him. Why do you think they decided to give the presidency to him?

Bill said he couldn't answer the question and the people involved who thought it was a good idea are the best ones to ask. "As time has passed, who knows, they could be reconsidering those positions but that would be up to them to decide." Bill went on to say, "The presidency of the NWA is a meaningless title. I don't mean that to belittle the NWA or the idea of authority within it. But the way that we are structured, we're run by the membership." Bill explained that each member is the same in terms of voting and power, and that the position of president is more of a figurehead position. He said he tried to keep the NWA "out there." "We're only as important as people will let the brand be," Bill said. "The validity of the NWA is the enhancement of its brand beause that is what it is. It's not a promotion. The NWA is a brand that is utilized by promotions." Bill said some of the people in the NWA may not agree with him and may believe that they're a unified group that's all for one, and one for all. But he said it should be remembered that the government once went after them for being a monopoly, and there is still a legal ruling that prohibits the NWA from linking together promotions in a controlling sense. "Sometimes we misunderstand what the NWA is. The NWA is a brand that has tremendous value. And the more people use it - TNA being an example - the better off we are."

What do you think about the AWA... some people say it's not the real AWA... but they're trying to do the same thing.

Bill said, "This Dale Gag-nee guy," when referring to the "AWA Superstars" promoter. JV said he once worked for Dale Gagner and it wasn't a positive experience, and Bill jokingly said, "I'm sorry." Bill also joked that they went from underwear model to underwear model in reference to the AWA putting their title on Eric Priest, and then on Evan Karagias. "The key sales pitch now for the Gagner thing is, 'We're Cheaper Than the NWA,'" said Bill. He said their membership fee is, "like a dollar, or a coupon or something." Bill said the AWA is remembered because The Road Warriors came in at one point, and that ZERO-ONE joined the AWA because they've got a rivalry with New Japan, which has worked with the NWA.

In 2002, TNA started out with an all-PPV concept. What did you think of that business model?

Bill said he knew about it early because he was working with Jerry Jarrett when he attempted to purchase WCW before the TV slot went away. "The idea was intriguing because the logic was there, but it was a risk," said Bill of TNA's initial plans. Bill said the logic was that when WWE and WCW were competing, they had a large accumulative audience and a good bit of it was unique because they had an hour of overlap, and not everyone left Nitro's first hour to go to Raw, so there was good retention that was uniquely WCW. Bill explained that the theory was that there was a disenfranchised audience that didn't watch WWE, and logic dictated that if there was this audience, and it wasn't that long ago that WCW ceased operations, then that audience should still be available for a new product because they rejected the WWE product. "So the idea of a weekly PPV had merit because the cost was low, it was first run, it was two hours, and it featured particularly at the beginning, a lot of stars you knew," Bill said. "There was a little bit of a response at the beginning, but it was a wonderful experiment that ended up drawing less than 10,000 people on average on a weekly basis. It didn't work." Bill said it caused Panda Energy, who became the financer, to carry a huge debt. On an interesting side note, Bill said he got involved with booking the syndicated Xplosion show and when he realized that the weekly PPV concept wasn't working, he told the Xplosion wrestlers not to worry about working squash matches on Xplosion rather than matches on the PPV since more people were seeing them on Xplosion. He said Eric Watts was the first guy to pick up on and he became "Mr. Xplosion."

It seems over the last little while, TNA is calling themselves just TNA, you rarely hear NWA as part of the product except that the NWA Champion and NWA Tag Team Champions are still on the show. Do you think TNA is trying to distance themselves from the NWA the way ECW did to try to get their own brand?

"That would be a yes and a no," Bill said. "TNA recognizes the value of the brand they've helped enhance, which is our brand, the NWA brand. But at the same time, they recognize that fans are gonna more readily chant "TNA, TNA," because it's more chantable." Bill said TNA is being smart because they're enhancing their own brand, not the NWA brand, which they license. "Why would they invest as much money in their brand as they would our brand? Logic would dictate they would invest as much money as possible in their brand, and use our brand. And any expectation beyond that I think is silly, because I'd do the same thing and did." Bill explained that when he had Wildside, it was sanctioned by the NWA. TNA is "Total Nonstop Action," and they're showcasing the NWA Champion and NWA Tag Team Champions. "That's what we should be expecting of them. Anything else is like, oh thank you," Bill said laughing. "If I'm doing it, I'm enhancing my brand first, the one I'm licensing second ... it's a brand that's owned by somebody else," he said.

Do you think today's fans have an appreciation for the NWA?

"I think there is a pocket of fans that recognize the validity of the title," Bill said. "And I think that it carries a measure of respect that is unique." Bill said the NWA was used by WWE, and OVW was a member as was the IWA before they left due to their association with WWE. "No matter how little the NWA has been, it's had a presence because no matter how hard you try to ignore it, it is still the place where Jack Brisco, Dory Funk Jr., Dusty Rhodes, Gene Kiniski, Harley Race, Shohei Baba... all of these guys were heavyweight champions. A huge legacy of talent that runs over numerous years. And no matter how hard, the one thing that even Vince can't beat is that run, because even his dad was an NWA member."

What do you think about the fact that in WWE they've got two World Titles, including the old NWA Title with a WWE logo on it?

"I think that's a problem for them more than it's a problem for anybody else because the more titles that you try to promote... and they're trying to do their own individual branding towards two shows... it's very difficult. Because you have to get people to care about both brands so they have to make both titles important, but when you bring in WCW and bring in ECW, it doesn't necessarily enhance WWE. It fragments a little bit." Bill added, "The primary brand which is what got them to the party ends up being a little bit compromised... I'm sure there are some within WWE that question the logic of even trying to do that. There's a tremendous argument that can be made for devoting to only one thing. Focus on the one thing you do and do it right."

There were reports that Panda Energy had lost $20 million since taking over as backer of TNA. How long do you think that Panda Energy will continue to basically bleed money for TNA?

"I think they're committed to go for at least another eight to ten months. And I believe they believe that they're very close to a primetime TV platform that will allow them to be competitive. Whether that's realistic is a totally different conversation. But at the same time, I work for WWE right now as a consultant within their Atlanta system... the reality is we need TNA to survive as a competitor. If they're able to come up with something, I think it's great." Bill said he has managed AJ Styles and Chris Daniels, and both are committed to TNA.

There have been rumors that TNA has talked with WGN and Spike TV about a TV deal. How realistic is it that TNA will land a primetime deal?

"I don't know but I would assume also that FSN in the presence of any other interest, would also be a more aggressive potential player, which would also mean their ownership Fox might be a more aggressive player." Bill said his understanding is that all or some of those networks would want to be paid. "If you're paid to carry the show, and you're producing the show, and given the difficulties of selling wrestling inventory, then the reality is you're still in that vicious circle in terms of how you're gonna keep it going. But if somebody, and there are people I think at TNA that believe that this is real, if at least one of those entities is willing to belly up and get into business with TNA and give it a chance, then it could be interesting. That doesn't mean it's gonna lead anywhere because they still have to draw an audience." Bill said WWE is a vertically and horizontally integrated company with a variety of revenue streams, but TNA is not yet. They don't have house shows, they're doing a little TV and PPV. "They have a lot of money being spent but very few places to get it back right now."

There was a rumor that when Jeff Jarrett met with Spike in New York, he told executives that if he could get a primetime TV slot, he could recruit a big time wrestling star. Is there any truth to the rumor that that star is The Rock?

"Who knows, if I were Dwayne I wouldn't do that," Bill said. "There's always the potential that if the platform is there and the visibility is high enough, and the opportunity is right, that almost anybody can be available for the same reason that movie stars change agents every five minutes. Wrestlers are, like other pro athletes, are subject to moving if the deal is better. There's loyalty and at the same time, there's your own personal well being. I can imagine potentially anybody being available, whether any one person regardless can turn the corner for a company, I question. I'm not sure The Rock could do that. I think he could appear, I think people would pay attention, the promoter in me would then go, 'What happens next week?' ... at that point are people waiting for him? The biggest mistakes a promoter can make is to tease somebody down the line, 'We're bringing in whoever,' and then for weeks leading into that, it's just their guys. That shouldn't be a bad thing, that should be the guys they're promoting. So you have to be careful when you tease the big name as the driver, because then everything's counting on that. And if all of a sudden you went out, and let's say The Rock appeared on a TNA show... let's say he did two or three episodes and did a payoff spot. What happens after that, and are people gonna pay attention? Reality is, people are gonna watch the thing that follows and if it's good, they'll stick with it. And if it's not, they won't. So it can help, but it may not be any kind of long-term solution, it may be the literal "hotshot" that gets them into the game." Bill said he doesn't think The Rock would do that because he has too much business tied up with WWE. "Good or bad, 90% of the talent that has worked for Vince over the years, can leave as grumpy as they want, but they all respect him... and most of them come back."

The complete text transcript, as well as the audio version of this portion of our interview with Bill Behrens - in which he also talks about TNA's thoughts on Bill's talks with WWE, pitching Wildside as WWE's developmental system, and more - is online now at JimmyVan.com.

And stay tuned for part three of our exclusive, detailed interview with Bill Behrens!

Wildside TV Classics 302- 6 Way Double Jeopardy

By: Larry Goodman

John Johnson and Salvatore “the two-time, flip that, two-time Rookie of the Year” Rinauro opened this edition of Wildside Classics. Rinauro said Wildside had come to him because they needed something special, so he whipped through the annals and pulled out this gem, the six way double elimination match for the NWA Wildside Junior Title from the 4th anniversary show. Sal said the fans were probably questioning this selection because he didn’t win that match. Sal said he got something better. “Because while it wasn’t the best night for me, it was the best night Daizee Haze ever had.”

We saw a clip of one of Bob Sapp’s Wildside appearances from early 2001. After failing to make the grade in pro football, Sapp was under contract with WCW and wrestling in Wildside via his development deal. This was a monster extraordinaire, an athlete, green as they come but with a huge upside. WCW went down the drain and the rest was history. Who could have envisioned Sapp that would emerge as a phenomenon in the MMA world and one of the most widely recognized personalities in Japanese pop culture. The segment never aired because WCW didn’t want their guys shown on Wildside TV, although Steve Martin slipped one in there from time to time. The good thing for the fans in Cornelia was the opportunity some Japanes-influenced wrestlers the likes of Sam Greco and Robbie Rage. Here, Sapp, “scheduled” to take on two other WCW dudes, Omen (Troy Enders) and Rage, got caught up in the feud between the Boogaloo Crew and Kohl Brothers. Kohls jumped Sapp and leveled him with a double clothesline before Boogaloo Crew (Scottie Wrenn & J. C. Dazz) could run them off.

THE NIGHT THE NWA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION SABU GOT HIS JAW BROKEN BY TANK ABBOTT. This was Sabu’s one and only appearance at the NWA Arena on December 14, 2000. There was a juicy story behind this one. Sabu was brought in for a double shot with the first night being at Bumpers (when Wildside actually ran house shows) in Athens, versus Air Paris. It was clear in the dressing room that Sabu was in no condition to perform. But the show must go on. And it did, in a match that Rick Michaels later described as “an abortion.” So the braintrust hatched a story as insurance against a repeat performance the following night in Cornelia. Bill Behrens opened the show by calling Sabu out to the ring and handed him the mic. Before Sabu could utter a syllable, he was jumped by his scheduled opponent A. J. Styles and his partner in crime, Onyx, who were accompanied by Jeff G. Bailey and Steve Martin. Abbott, whose presence in WCW outranked even Public Enemy on the list of lame talent decisions, marched into the ring and socked Sabu in the jaw. Sabu was out like a light. Bailey was screaming that Styles was the new NWA Heavyweight Champion and ordered the cameraman to get a shot of Styles holding the belt. The epilogue to the clip was that the main event was switched to Styles vs. Paris. With the match in progress, they did the lights out deal and Sabu magically appeared with his jaw heavily taped. As things turned out, Sabu hit his trademark spots just fine and put Styles through a table to retain the title.

From Wildside’s 4th anniversary show (9/6/03): Ray Gordy beat Altar Boy Luke and Delirious and Salvatore Rinauro and Matt Sydal and Seth Delay in a “Double Jeopardy Match” to win the NWA Wildside Junior Title in 29:55. Wilson explained the rules as follows: only two men allowed in the ring at one time, the loser of a fall could not tag out and faced elimination if he lost a second consecutive fall, and the final two survivors would wrestle one deciding fall (although it didn’t turn out that way). At this point, Luke was close to peaking as an emotional favorite with the fans in Cornelia, while Delay had earned their respect with a great string of matches. Sydal and Rinauro were given the honor of starting. Rinauro wanted out right away but he couldn’t find anyone to take the tag. Sydal gave Rinauro a shellacking, including a double underhook front slam for a near fall. Rinauro poked Sydal in the eyes. Sydal landed a dropkick with enough force that the back of Rinauro’s head bounced off the mat. Rinauro took a high backdrop and scrambled for a tag to Gordy. Gordy charged and Sydal hooked him with a backslide. Gordy turned Sydal inside out with a clothesline. Gordy jacked Sydal’s jaw with a charging back elbow. The announce team put Gordy over huge. Gordy and Rinauro started working together to soften up Sydal. Gordy snap suplexed Sydal for a near fall, as the crowd chanted for Luke. Gordy and Sydal went back and forth blocking german suplex attempts. Gordy did a released version, but Sydal landed on his feet and caught Gordy with an O’Connor roll at 2:45. Gordy became the first to be placed on the hot seat. Sydal tagged Delay. Gordy exploded on Delay, who looked stunned and tagged Luke. Gordy kicked the bejeezus out of Luke and pinned him with a bridging german suplex at 3:49. Rinauro was itching for the tag, so he could take advantage of Luke’s compromised condition. Altar Boy responded with a fireman’s carry neckbreaker. Rinauro immediately tagged Delay. Luke potatoed Delay with a bicycle kick. Delay tagged Delirious. Luke hit a spiral powerbomb on Delirious and climbed to the top. Azrael appeared at ringside and threw a great looking fireball in Luke’s face. Delirious eliminated Luke with a roll up at 5:55. Wilson said there were no visible injuries from his vantage point, but nevertheless, Luke needed medical attention. Delirious and Delay jockeyed for position on the mat. Delay scored a pair of shoulder block knockdowns to spark a burst of offense. Delirious halted Delay’s attack by taking him to the mat. Delirious used a full nelson slam for a near fall. Delirious scored with a knockdown lariat. Delirious flew from the top with Shadows Over Hell backsplash but Delay managed to kick out. Delirious pounded away in frustration. Delay hit a leapfrog sunset flip for a near fall. Delay then pinned Delirious with the Overnite Sensation (cradle DDT) at 8:52. “Ever the opportunist,” Rinauro tagged himself in and dropped a pair of elbows on Delirious. Rinauro stroked his abs before making a nonchalant cover. Rinauro did a half-assed version of the slingshot suplex and made a one foot cover. Rinauro kicked Delirious in the spine and cinched in a rear chinlock. The crowd got behind Delirious. As Delirious broke free, Rinauro pulled him down by the tassels and stomped his head. Rinauro made a retarded looking blind charge into the corner allowing Delirious to roll him up for two. Rinauro tagged Gordy. They double teamed Delirious. Gordy hit the twisting fisherman buster for a near fall. Rinauro did a cabbage patch fist drop and made a one hand cover. Delirious caught Rinauro with his head down and hit the Bizarro Driver (spinning fisherman buster) for a near fall. Delirious called for his In Vitro Fertilization finisher. Rinauro blocked it. Delirious tried a clothesline. Rinauro blocked that as well and hit Whattamaneuver (a first cousin to Jimmy Rave’s Disco 2000) to eliminate Delirious at 12:40. Delay and Sydal conferred and we had an ad hoc tag match. The former partners in G-Rated, Delay and Rinauro went into a long and intense lock up. Wilson pointed out that Rinauro was wrestling his second match of the evening (he defeated Daizee Haze to earn the final spot in the match ) They broke it off with neither man able to gain an advantage. Rinauro ##### slapped Delay, ducked the receipt and kicked him in the gut. Rinauro grounded Delay with a side headlock. They ran the ropes. Delay leapfrogged Rinauro and landed a dropkick for a near fall. Delay worked over Rinauro’s back. Delay went for the Flying Squirrel but Rinauro got his knees up. Delay took a 360 bump off a double backdrop. Gordy destroyed Delay’s back with stiff kicks. Gordy hit a Perfect Plex for a near fall. Rinauro hit a springboard lariat for a near fall. Delay was taking serious punishment but Rinauro couldn’t put him away. Rinauro went for a powerbomb. Delay escaped and Rinauro walked into the Kool Krusher. It looked like Rinauro kicked out but Posey ruled it as a three count at 18:48. Wilson pointed out that Rinauro couldn’t tag his new buddy, Gordy. Sydal immediately covered and Rinauro threw a foot over the ropes. Sydal used a corkscrew suplex, a sitout powerbomb for near falls. Sydal was looking for a fisherman suplex when Rinauro countered with a neckbreaker across the knee for a near fall. Rinauro used a top rope elbow drop for another near fall. Rinauro wanted to bust out the Chalupa Crunch from his days as Sal Del Rio. Sydal escaped it and eliminated Rinauro with a Gori Special Bomb at 21:20. Gordy blitzed Sydal. Sydal returned fire and tagged Delay. Gordy and Delay scrapped on the mat. Gordy muscled Delay into a Boston crab. Delay rolled through and Gordy grabbed the ropes. Gordy laid in the kicks. Delay caught Gordy with a nip up huracanrana for a two count. Delay whipped Gordy into the corner and hit a snap huracanrana for a near fall. Delay tried for the Kool Krusher, but Gordy countered with the Asiatic Driver (pumphandle facebuster) for the pin at 23:22. Gordy covered again and Delay kicked out. Sydal turned his back on Gordy’s tag. Gordy slapped Sydal’s back. Sydal covered Delay for a two count. Sydal went to a single leg crab. Sydal snap suplexed Delay and climbed to the top. Delay caught Sydal in midair with a perfectly timed dropkick. Spectacular spot. Delay was slow to cover and Sydal kicked out. Delay mounted a comeback with more dropkicks. Delay went up for his reverse 450. Gordy upended Delay and Sydal hit a springboard 450 splash to eliminate the defending champion at 26:05. Wilson said the next fall would determine the winner. Sydal reversed a whip and tried for a leapfrog, but Gordy picked Sydal out of midair with a powerslam to score a lighting quick pinfall at 26:26. Oops. The ring announcer said Sydal was on the hot seat. Gordy hit a jackknife powerbomb and Sydal kicked out at the last split second. Sydal backdropped Gordy to the apron and knocked him to floor with roundhouse kick. Sydal hit a moonsault to the outside. Back inside, Sydal pinned Gordy with a Shooting Star Press at 28:05. Now, it was a one fall match. Daizee Haze came to ringside to cheer for Sydal. Sydal backed Gordy in the corn and poured it on. Sydal went for a whipe. Gordy reversed it and connected with a clothesline. Sydal took a wicked bump on his neck. Sydal fired back to put Gordy on the deck. Sydal landed a somersault legdrop to the back of Gordy’s neck. But Gordy was able to kick out. Sydal went for an octopus. Meanwhile, Rinauro came to ringside and asked Haze for a kiss. Rinauro puckered up. Haze shot a glance into the camera and cracked Rinauro across the face for the biggest pop of the match. Sydal came over to see what the hubbub was about. Gordy nailed Sydal with a dragon suplex to win the title.

Wilson said three elements lead to Gordy’s victory: 1) he picked his spots and avoided taking punishment, 2) the help of Rinauro and 3) his undeniable God-given talent.

COMMENTS: Quite a showcase for this talented group of junior heavyweights. They all became major players during the promotion’s last two years in existence. In a textbook example of how to get a new talent over, Gordy gained the title in only his fourth appearance in a Wildside ring, and won it in convincing fashion. It also launched the Rinauro/Gordy and Rinauro/Haze storylines that propelled Sal’s character to new heights of raunchy deviousness. Not that they’re exactly jacked up now, but Rinauro and Delay have obviously added since then. The match did have its negatives. Rinauro getting his shoulder up on Delay’s pin was one of those moments when time stood still. The conflicting info about the rules was awkward. Neither was enough to significantly detract from what was overall, a thumbs up action-packed spotfest.

NEW ANARCHY NEWS

We are just  days away from Hostile Environment, SATURDAY 7/30 at the NWA ARENA in CORNELIA, GA, and the fans are not the only ones excited about it. Everyone in NWA Anarchy is looking forward to it as well. Heck, we wish we didn't have to wait 9 whole days to bring it to you! But here are some tidbits of info to tide you over until then...

On July 2nd, Biohazard said that the next time he set foot in the NWA Anarchy ring, we would see a whole new Biohazard. I spoke with him yesterday, and he said that he will be at Hostile Environment. He is looking forward to saying hi to his friends in the locker room and to watching the matches. He specifically said that he is very interested in the Steel Cage match between Heavyweight champion Rainman and Mikal Adryan. When asked who he thought was going to win the bout, his reply was simply this: "a marked man".

The finishing touches are done on the premiere episode of our broadcast program. It runs about 30 minutes, and includes the complete match with Ray Gordy vs. Todd Sexton from July 16th. Considering I have no prior experience with video editing, I think it came out incredibly well.

Our program is now on the Wrestling Network web site, which is the current home of broadcasts from NWA Wildside and a few other promotions. The episode features highlights of our July 16th event, a preview of Hostile Environment, extended highlights of the Jeff Lewis vs. Jay Fury TV title match, and the complete Ray Gordy vs. Todd Sexton match.

 As I write this, I have a VHS tape of the program running in the background. Jeff G. Bailey is promising that the blood will be flowing at Hostile Environment; I really think he needs professional help!

When we pulled into the gravel lot at the old gymnasium near Cornelia, we had no clue what to expect. The sign promised "wrestling at 8 p.m." and the gathering crowd leaned against their vehicles to smoke a final cigarette or visit before the doors opened. Ignoring warnings from friends that I'd be busted over the head with a folding chair, I had convinced my wife, Marta, to go see NWA "Anarchy" Wrestling in this building that suggests 1950s pep rallies more than barbed-wire whippings. What would we see tonight? I asked folks in the crowd. "Every once in a while you see more hardcore here than on TV," said Jack Craven, who was wearing a shirt labeled "Big Daddy." Craven, who lives in Demorest, recommended that I speak to "O.D.," short for "Overdose." Once a wrestler, O.D. now is a huge fan and expert. "He messed up his ankle when he tried to pull a back flip off the turnbuckle," Craven said. We didn't locate O.D. but did talk with Alan Shoen, also from Demorest, who said he comes to Anarchy for the "community feel in the place. Here the wrestlers come out and shake your hand." Jerry Palmer, a Hall County fireman of 15 years, has owned Anarchy since July 1, although he's been around the crew for years. Palmer met some of them while working out at a gym, and he admired their dedication to the wrestling venue that has been around for seven years. "They're like college football players that do it for the love of it with hopes of being picked up at a bigger level," he said. "They're loyal to what they do and loyal to the area." Marta, a sixth-grade teacher at East Hall Middle School, recognized some students at the ticket booth and they invited us to sit with them in their reserved seats. Amber and Jacob Lisy and Courtney Sisum ushered us ringside, where masking tape on folding chairs marked their names. "I like it because they beat the fire out of people here," Jacob Lisy said. Both Amber Lisy and Sisum have wrestlers' autograph books, which they show off. "I come every chance I can," said Amber Lisy, who says she has pictures of "Zero," a wrestler "up all over my room." "I had a wrestler sign a pickle once," she said. A pickle? Well, yes, it seemed pickles wrapped in white paper were everywhere. The vendor couldn't get them out of the jar fast enough. Sisum, sitting beside me, chomped down on hers. Inside the gym, which isn't air-conditioned, moths flicker around the big overheard lights and folks swat at them with hats. The doors are propped open to let in a little air. A sign behind the ring offers "Chapter 13 Debt Relief, Cash Settlements." About 100 folks file in and take a seat in bleachers and folding chairs. The action begins Wrestlers "Iceberg" and "Tank," both strapping giants, climb into the ring and toss down a metal trash can full of baseball bats and other implements of destruction. They rage about an upcoming fight, promising bloodshed and retribution. The announcer then introduces the wrestlers for a match. Anarchy wrestlers, we learn, come in all shapes and sizes and clever names. There's the "The Pearl of the Enterprise," "Strychnine" "One-Man Mafia," "Skeeter," "Rainman" and a colorful host of others. Some are mountains, some are studs with steel-belted arms, and others look like the guy next door who flips burgers during the day. "The majority of them have some other form of income, from computer engineers to laborers," said Allan Barrie, Anarchy's operations manager. The venue offers a wrestling school, where many of the wrestlers get started. It's a true homegrown organization, he said. "That's what sets us apart," Barrie said. When the wrestlers "Three Guys That Totally Rule" came out for a tag-team match amid flashing lights and theme music, Amber Lisy and Sisum swoon. "They're hot! All three of them." Salvatore Rinauro, one of the "Three Guys," doubles as head trainer for Anarchy's wrestling school. "He's really excellent," Palmer said. Rinauro pushes not only technical moves but wrestling philosophy and history. Anarchy wrestling is not so much an observer event as it is interactive. Fans constantly move and shout while munching on pickles and popcorn. Many probably are hoarse the next morning. A man in the audience heckles a wrestler until the brawler yells, "Shut up!" "No, you shut up!" the man yells back. Crowd chemistry With as much Vaudeville and gymnastics as wrestling, the "Three Guys" take on Skeeter Frost, Cru Jones and Ken Westbrooks in a six-man match full of slapping, flips and remarkable shows of agility. It's the kind of action you find yourself chortling over before you realize it. But it's their "schtick" and the fans' reaction that make it worthwhile. Wrestlers enter to theme music, strut the fenced cage area that separates fans and wrestlers, shaking hands and sometimes hugging audience members. The chemistry is apparent. But it's not always loving chemistry. Heckling is an honored part of the game at Anarchy. During a "live debate" between two white Alabama wrestlers, "Alabama Attitude," and two black wrestlers from Georgia, "Urban Assault," several in the crowd chanted "Kill the crackers!" Then at the crowds urging, Urban Assault picked up debate mediator Al Getz, who had declared Alabama Attitude the debate winner, and slammed him against a metal folding table, breaking it in half. Which was a bit surprising, given the shaved heads and good ol' boys and gals in attendance. It's easy (and obviously wrong) to assume that a crowd of white boys out in the country will plug for their own race. At Anarchy, that's not the case. They pull for the local guy. Skin color makes no difference here. In fact, beyond the venue's tough veneer, the audience was far more light-hearted and jovial than many town hall meetings I've attended. And it was full of children, often with a grandparent, father or friend. Jacob Franklin, who attended with Carless Eller, showed off the title belt replica he picked up in the merchandise area. The belt was as big as he was. "We come about every weekend," Eller said. Of course, there's the obligatory metal folding chairs used in several matches. At one point, several fans held chairs, waiting for a wrestler to walk past. And just like TV wrestling, there's the inevitable threats: "He's not going to just lose his belt, he's going to lose his mind!" Many wrestlers, such as Slim J, are so good it's hard to believe they're not on prime time. Slim J winds around his opponents like a weasel shot up with adrenaline. Tags: No Comments + Leave a comment Comments are closed.