A fan named Keith Woosley used the create your own arena and logo features in WWE 2K15 to re-create a familiar location for Louisville fans: the Davis Arena of Ohio Valley Wrestling.
What have you used the arena and wrestler creation features to make?
This is one of the greatest matches that most fans have never seen. An outstanding duel more than a decade old featuring CM Punk and his greatest rival, Chris Hero. This one gets a mention in Bluegrass Brawlers and is on the short list to be featured in a new book I’m starting soon. Block out an hour of time, get a snack and a drink, and enjoy an indy masterpiece.
When I was working on Bluegrass Brawlers, one of the books recommended to me by Jim Cornette was Fall Guys by Marcus Griffin. Published in 1937, Fall Guys was the first book to expose professional wrestling as a work. Griffin chronicles the inner workings of the Goldust Trio (Strangler Lewis, Billy Sandow, and Toots Mondt) in great detail and gives you an insider’s view of professional wrestling in the early 20th century.
I finally had a chance to pick up and read this book, and it’s a tremendous read. It’s a fascinating look at the origins of many of pro wrestling’s unique language and traditions.
Fall Guys is out of print, and not available on Amazon. It is, however, available on iBooks, and it’s worth the cover price.
Ace Perry is one of the busiest guys in the Midwest. In addition to weekly Wednesday night shows at Rockstar Pro Wrestling in Dayton, Ohio, and IWA Mid-South in Clarksville, Indiana, the Hoosier has dates set in the coming weeks with WCWO, Generation Next, Emerge Wrestling, and Infinity Pro.
Come spring, the young wrestler will have to block off one night to dress all the way up and head back to high school. He has a prom date with his biggest fan, Amanda. Amanda is a high school junior with autism, and a few weeks back, Ace made her Christmas by asking to take her to the prom.
Perry, who trained with Dru Skillz and Appollo Starr (aka the Soul Shooters) in Indianapolis, did not expect the video of that event to go viral, and he’s quick to deflect any attention he gets to Amanda. “She’s the real hero,” he posted recently on his Facebook.
Perry says he’s always enjoyed helping others, but he doesn’t see it as a requirement for the job of being a pro wrestler. “It’s just who you are,” he says.
Follow @AcePerryIndy on Twitter to keep up with the rising star. Just don’t look for him on prom night!
It was two years ago today I went to Ohio Valley Wrestling’s last TV taping of the year. That night I met up with Erin, an old friend who has been a fixture behind the OVW concessions counter for years, and told her my intention to write a book about Louisville wrestling.
Six days from now, many wrestling fans in Louisville and elsewhere will find that book, Bluegrass Brawlers, under their Christmas tree.
It’s fitting that today is the day I officially launch this blog. I’m very excited to continue sharing stories about wrestlers and wrestling, past and present.
And if you enjoy Bluegrass Brawlers, there’s much more to come!
The wrestling world is full of babyfaces – and not just in the ring. Eat Sleep Wrestle is looking for the real babyfaces, wrestlers who are making a difference in their community by giving back. Whether it’s charity work, religious work, or just plain doing the right thing, Eat Sleep Wrestle will share their stories with the world.
If you know a wrestler, a promotion, a promoter, a ref, a manager, someone tied to the wrestling business who is making a difference, email us so we can share their story.
