Hi everyone. As you guys know, I've been slightly obsessed with seeing the film "The Wrestler" since before the holidays. I saw it and it lived up to expectations, Mickey Rourke is amazing and deserves every bit of praise he's getting.
But the one thing I was curious about was how realistic it was in terms of the wrestling aspect of it. Now I have followed wrestling for a long time, I've even met and interviewed a couple of the guys, the best of which was Dan "the beast" Severn who took me to the locker room where I got a brief glimpse of how matches are put together.
But I am by no means an expert but I know someone who knows a crap load more then me.
Enter Adam Reed.
Adam is a local indy wrestler who pop ups on cards all over the GTA, Oshawa and Hamilton. I've seen him wrestle a few times and he's pretty good despite the first time I saw him as part of a tag team with a really lame martial arts gimick (Adam is a black belt in tae kwan do and the guy they teamed him with was a brown belt in something... so naturally the promotion thought karate gui's were a good look).
In notice of full disclosure, Adam also happens to be my best friend's younger brother. Decent guy, family man with a respectable job. Hence where some of the similarities with Rourke's character end.
And now without further ado:
Brent
How long have you been working shows?
How long have you been working shows?
Adam
Almost 8 years but with breaks in between
Almost 8 years but with breaks in between
Brent
You still doing shows are you retired now? lol
You still doing shows are you retired now? lol
Adam
I don't really know. I haven't done a show since the summer but I may do one next month, I never had an official retirement
I don't really know. I haven't done a show since the summer but I may do one next month, I never had an official retirement
Brent
lol alright then. You see the movie in theater or download it?
lol alright then. You see the movie in theater or download it?
Adam
Theatres
Theatres
Brent
Now having worked indy shows, how was the movie for realism? was there any particular moments you thought were dead on? Any that were absolute crap?
Now having worked indy shows, how was the movie for realism? was there any particular moments you thought were dead on? Any that were absolute crap?
Adam
The back stage scenes were dead on. It doesn't even seem like it was scripted, it seems like they told guys to come up with a match and they just filmed it
The back stage scenes were dead on. It doesn't even seem like it was scripted, it seems like they told guys to come up with a match and they just filmed it
Brent
Alright, so it's pretty authentic in those regards? Like how matches are worked out when you show up on the day of the event?
Alright, so it's pretty authentic in those regards? Like how matches are worked out when you show up on the day of the event?
Adam
Ya. In the first backstage scene the booker tells the guys what matches they're in. Sometimes you don't know until you get there
Ya. In the first backstage scene the booker tells the guys what matches they're in. Sometimes you don't know until you get there
Brent
And then you work out the basics. Do you actually talk to the other guys who are doing matches so you don't have the same finishes?
And then you work out the basics. Do you actually talk to the other guys who are doing matches so you don't have the same finishes?
Adam
You're supposed to but most of the time it doesn't happen here in ontario. It wouldn't surprise me if it happens more in the bigger indy feds.
You're supposed to but most of the time it doesn't happen here in ontario. It wouldn't surprise me if it happens more in the bigger indy feds.
Sometimes a guy might hear something about another match then decide he has to change his or tells them to change theirs
Brent
like ROH and CZW who were featured in the movie?
sorry meaning bigger indy feds
like ROH and CZW who were featured in the movie?
sorry meaning bigger indy feds
Adam
ya
ya
Brent
Now apparently Mickey Rourke trained with Afa the Wild Samoan for the film. How did the wrestling scenes come off to you?
Now apparently Mickey Rourke trained with Afa the Wild Samoan for the film. How did the wrestling scenes come off to you?
Adam
They looked good but they never showed any spots, they just showed moves
Like his match against Necro Butcher. It looked sick but it was probably done in several takes
They looked good but they never showed any spots, they just showed moves
Like his match against Necro Butcher. It looked sick but it was probably done in several takes
Brent
Agreed
Now that match in particular seems to be a sticking point with some people, Mick Foley for instance commented about it in his review. Do hardcore matches like that actually happen at indy shows?
Agreed
Now that match in particular seems to be a sticking point with some people, Mick Foley for instance commented about it in his review. Do hardcore matches like that actually happen at indy shows?
Adam
Definitely. Sometimes they happen more than regular matches. CZW's king of the death match tournament has matches worse than a lot of ECW did before it was on national TV
There's lots of guys that are only good in killer hardcore matches
Definitely. Sometimes they happen more than regular matches. CZW's king of the death match tournament has matches worse than a lot of ECW did before it was on national TV
There's lots of guys that are only good in killer hardcore matches
Brent
Like Necro Butcher for instance?
Like Necro Butcher for instance?
Adam
Probably. But I've never seen him have a regular match so I don't know if he's good at it or not
Probably. But I've never seen him have a regular match so I don't know if he's good at it or not
Brent
They seemed to kind of point that out in the movie that he can't criss cross the ropes and such
Have you ever been involved in a match anywhere near that bad?
They seemed to kind of point that out in the movie that he can't criss cross the ropes and such
Have you ever been involved in a match anywhere near that bad?
Adam
Hell no, and I don't want to. I don't see a need for it and there's enough people that do it.
Hell no, and I don't want to. I don't see a need for it and there's enough people that do it.
Brent
Good for you haha. Now doing indy shows like the ones you've done, I take it you run into guys kind of like "The Ram". Older wrestlers no longer in the big feds?
Good for you haha. Now doing indy shows like the ones you've done, I take it you run into guys kind of like "The Ram". Older wrestlers no longer in the big feds?
Adam
ya
ya
Brent
Now you don't have to mention any names but have you ran into older guy who are like the ram? Should be hanging it up but have no money and are just doing this because it's all they know?
Now you don't have to mention any names but have you ran into older guy who are like the ram? Should be hanging it up but have no money and are just doing this because it's all they know?
Adam
I don't think any of them were in that position. Koko B Ware for example can't do what he used to but he still draws and gets paid well for doing it.
I don't think any of them were in that position. Koko B Ware for example can't do what he used to but he still draws and gets paid well for doing it.
Brent
Cool...does he still have the bird?
Cool...does he still have the bird?
Adam
Same with King Kong Bundy. I've been on a few shows with him and I don't think I've seen him leave his feet. He just squashes guys and gets paid
Same with King Kong Bundy. I've been on a few shows with him and I don't think I've seen him leave his feet. He just squashes guys and gets paid
NO, Koko didn't have the bird. I was disappointed
Brent
Okay and just to wrap things up, was there anything about the movie that made you just kind of smile or was glad that was in it? Like I know you've worked with some ring of honor guys for instance, anyone you know pop up on the big screen?
Okay and just to wrap things up, was there anything about the movie that made you just kind of smile or was glad that was in it? Like I know you've worked with some ring of honor guys for instance, anyone you know pop up on the big screen?
Adam
I hung out with Nigel McGuiness after a show once, he was the guy talking to Ernest Miller before the ROH show.
I hung out with Nigel McGuiness after a show once, he was the guy talking to Ernest Miller before the ROH show.
Brent
Fuck, Miller got fat
Fuck, Miller got fat
Adam
Haha, I know. He would never get booked in ROH
Haha, I know. He would never get booked in ROH
Brent
McGuiness is an awesome talent, he nice a guy?
McGuiness is an awesome talent, he nice a guy?
Adam
Ya, he's awesome.
He was hitting on a bunch of chicks
Ya, he's awesome.
He was hitting on a bunch of chicks
Brent
Cool, thanks Adam, anything you want to plug to our couple of hundred listeners and readers?
Cool, thanks Adam, anything you want to plug to our couple of hundred listeners and readers?
Adam
The debut show of Pro Wrestling Riot on May 2 in Mississauga
The debut show of Pro Wrestling Riot on May 2 in Mississauga
Brent
Nice, you working the show?
Nice, you working the show?
Adam
Probably
as long as it happens. it's run by the guy I used to tag with but he hasn't booked the venue yet, just the date and the wrestlers
Probably
as long as it happens. it's run by the guy I used to tag with but he hasn't booked the venue yet, just the date and the wrestlers
Brent
Nice, well good luck with that
Nice, well good luck with that
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1 comment:
Right on. Great interview, interesting content even though I know dick about wrestling...nice to hear Adam's side of the story. Thanks for posting this Brent.
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