Photo via @GregoryIron |
The above picture was taken at a "Macho Man" Randy Savage "tribute" show in Marion, OH. The main event featured Nikolai Volkoff, whose back was turned to the camera, against Bobby Fulton. The referee looks like some schlub in street clothes, and no, no ring has been set up for the action to take place. A solitary mat was placed on a gym floor. I don't know about you, but if I walked into that venue for a show and saw no ring set up, I would have asked for a refund and walked out. If I were Lanny Poffo and found out the above was how someone was paying tribute to my late brother, I would have sought out everyone involved and shot on them until they started crying.
I'm all for thinking outside the box and trying new things, but the above does not look like an innovative take on wrestling. Rather, the promoter thought he'd make a quick buck off some local rasslin' fans and skimped everywhere rather than do the art justice. These promoters are the people who sully the name of the independent experience, and who unfortunately sour people on going to non-WWE shows even though great action exists everywhere. Don't just ignore awful wrestling like this. Ostracize the people who do damage to the fabric of wrestling and who keep perpetuating the public perception of this fine art being something for hillbillies and dullards.
I'm all for thinking outside the box and trying new things, but the above does not look like an innovative take on wrestling. Rather, the promoter thought he'd make a quick buck off some local rasslin' fans and skimped everywhere rather than do the art justice. These promoters are the people who sully the name of the independent experience, and who unfortunately sour people on going to non-WWE shows even though great action exists everywhere. Don't just ignore awful wrestling like this. Ostracize the people who do damage to the fabric of wrestling and who keep perpetuating the public perception of this fine art being something for hillbillies and dullards.