Indy Wrestling: My First Indy Wrestling Experience and New Found Appreciation

Since January 2007, I have had an incredible passion for professional wrestling. One night, at the suggestion of one of my best friends, I tuned into WWE Friday Night Smackdown. Ever since that night, I have had an insatiable appetite for any and all things pro wrestling.

Along with staying on top of the current mainstream WWE and TNA product, I have spent much time educating myself on pro wrestling history through Wikipedia articles, biographies, old YouTube videos, and DVDs.

In addition, as a cohost of This Very Ring on PW 24/7 Radio, I have been graced with the opportunity to learn about the business through interviews with the likes of Jerry Lynn, Smith Hart, Shad Gaspard, Chris Masters Bill DeMott, and many others.

On my show, I have also interviewed many independent wrestlers. JD Maverick, Martin Casaus, Sugar Dunkerton, Gregory Iron, and Sinn Bodhi are all among some of the more low-key stars that I have had the pleasure of talking to. I even work with some independent wrestlers on PW 24/7 and am lucky enough to call them my friends.

Just like the big names of WWE and TNA, these wrestlers also each have their own unique stories to tell about the business I am so passionate about. They all have something to teach me.

Despite all that, independent wrestling is something I have never had a true appreciation for until recently. Sure, I keep up with indy promotions like Ring of Honor, Dragon Gate USA, Territory League, and Chikara.

Until just recently, I had never been to an indy wrestling show. Now that I have, I can honestly say that it gives me a whole new appreciation for all of professional wrestling.

As a wrestling journalist, I often times find myself unable to get emotionally invested in wrestling. There are not any good guys and bad guys, only babyfaces and heels.

I cheer for the heels and boo the babyfaces. To me, John Cena is the anti-hero, not the champion of all things good. Wrestling, for the most part, has lost its ability to pull at my heartstrings.

In a local recreation center gymnasium in Greenville, N.C., I went to my first independent wrestling show. The promotion was the Universal Wrestling Council. With a few dozen fans in attendance and only eight wrestlers on the card, I found the wrestlers who could do what John Cena could not.

A tag team by the name of Pitt County’s Most Wanted, which is made up of C-Swizzle and J-Swagg, were two characters I could genuinely hate. They would come out for their match with microphones in hand and brag about their superior rapping skills.

After what seemed like an eternity of them talking, J-Swagg finally demonstrated his rapping skills for the crowd. I was not impressed. It is a rare thing for me to want to see someone get beaten so badly.

I could hardly take another second of listening to Pitt County’s Most Wanted when J-Swagg’s opponent for the evening made his entrance. Jordan O’Neal came out and immediately walked through the bleachers, making sure to high-five all his fans in the audience.

Once O’Neal stepped between the ropes and the match for J-Swagg’s UWC Cyber Television Championship began, I quickly found out that his fan appreciation is matched only by how exciting he is in the ring.

O’Neal came close to defeating J-Swagg and capturing the title on more than one occasion. In the end, though, J-Swagg retained his championship with a little outside interference from his partner C-Swizzle. I vividly remember an excellent near-fall after O’Neal hit a picture-perfect standing Shooting Star Press.

This was just one of the thrilling matches on the card. I was brought to my feet many times, whether it was to cheer on wrestlers like Jordan O’Neal or to boo and scream obscenities at J-Swagg and C-Swizzle.

Simply put, the UWC managed to do something the WWE rarely accomplishes: they drew out the most pure wrestling fan within me.

Many wrestling fans have lost a sort of innocence because of following the business so closely. Dirt sheets and analysts like myself have promoted a very critical and fickle mindset.

After having attended my first indy show, I now have a whole new appreciation for not only indy wrestling, but professional wrestling as a whole.

If you want to experience the pure emotion characteristic of that aforementioned innocence, I highly suggest you give your local indy promotion a chance. I promise that you will not regret it.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I appreciate any and all feedback, so feel free to spark a conversation by commenting on the article or reaching out to me on Twitter @MikePW247. Also, be sure to check out my show "This Very Ring" on PW 24/7 Radio. The show airs live every Sunday night from 11pm-1am Eastern. This Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, the show will be a sort of indy wrestling appreciation night. It will feature an interview with UWC's own Jordan O'Neal.