Local Wrestling in Chester, SC

copyright© Dragonfly Hill 2006

I let my grandchildren talk me into attending a local wrestling event.  It was our very first live match.  The kids had watched the WWF on TV and tried never to miss a TV broadcast.  Their cousins, who live in Utah, would call up and discuss their favorite wrestling stars long distance.  It was something that they both wanted so, I bought the tickets and we went.

We were in a small abandoned movie theater that had been bought and remodeled by a local theater group.  They were renting one of the rooms out to the wrestling circuit.  Instead of the YMCA that was across the street, the wrestling group would now present their matches at the "Little Theater". 

The wrestling ring towered above the crowd.  I had to look up to see what was going on despite the fact that we were very close to the ring.  We sat next to the aisle where the wrestlers came and went.  The kids loved that!  It was really up close and personal.  The lights convulsed to the blaring music that came from the speakers at the back of the room.  It was loud!  The crowd roared.

Whether it was boas or overalls, the costumes were not what you would see on a WWF wrestler.  I could tell that they were homemade and basic.  A little disappointing. 

There was the typical masked man, the bad guy,

the good guy, the young guy...I could tell that this class of wrestler was just starting out and trying to make a name for himself so he could move up the ladder.  It was like looking at the minor leagues of wrestling....but I guess you have to start somewhere. 

Evidently, not everyone knows that the matches are entertainment.  Some of the fans were fanatic and joined in by yelling, screaming, arguing with the wrestlers, and basically, becoming part of the entertainment.  I guess you can say that those fans helped to make the show even more than it would have been.  Audience participation is crucial to these matches.

By the time it was over, the grandchildren were hyped up and excited, while their mother and I were exhausted, suffering from headaches from the extreme noise and music, and wanting to have gone home about an hour before.  It had become very repetitious and boring towards the end.  The main event didn't take place because of an injury to the main wrestler, so a substitute match took place.  I could have done without it.  It was very sexual in nature and suggestive...not appropriate for children.  A man dressed in drag with pigtails and a boa, acting very inappropriate for the children in the audience, was not what I call family entertainment.  Several of the family men in the audience hollered out, "There's kids in the audience!"  It didn't help.  I think there is enough action in the ring to keep the audience's attention that the sexual innuendo doesn't need to be injected into the matches.

I swore I would never go to another match but in hind sight, I might take the grandkids to one more.  But, this time I will bring a camera and record it for posterity.