Today as I enter back into professional wrestling with a new
vision, I’m not sure what the current state of wrestling really is. After observing
my generation’s influence on the new generation, I have seen yet another positive
evolution of in-ring athleticism. A prime example of this evolution can be
found in the work of many young wrestlers, and especially in the work of Jonathan
Gresham. To me, he embodies all of the positive attributes of this new wave of
wrestler. At the same time, accomplished wrestlers who inspired this new
generation have expressed their disappointment in how dysfunctional some
wrestling promotions have become. With that being said, and with many questions
looming in my mind, I decided to go to the source for another perspective in
order to make a democratic decision. To find the answers to my questions, I had
to go to real wrestling fans.
Before selecting the fans I hoped to interview, I took the time
to think about the fans I hoped to attract in the process of telling the new
UWA story. I asked myself, ‘who will understand my new vision of professional
wrestling?’ To answer this question, I took the time to think back on and understand
the first generation of UWA fans. Obviously time has passed, so these fans are now
slightly older and more than likely smarter. Some of these fans may have moved
away from wrestling due to life restrictions, while some may have stepped back
due to frustration or boredom with the sport. Regardless, if they are active or
inactive original UWA fans, they are now older – which is a good thing, as I now
pursue a more intellectually stimulating product.The next question I had was, ‘what personal attributes will a next level UWA fan possess?’ First I identified my audience as being primarily male, in the age category of 25- 35. Within this demographic I am looking for a specific type of person. This person will be open minded to new concepts and ideas. They will more than likely identify with independent culture such as music, movies and general forms of art. This person will be very intelligent both spiritually and intellectually, which will allow them to connect the dots of what I hope will become a very complex form of storytelling. Most importantly, this person must have the ability to allow themselves to connect on a non-superficial level. Letting go and feeling connected is the single most important attribute of the next level UWA fan. This attribute is also the Achilles Heel of the entire project, as I find most people today to be very disconnected.
With these thoughts radiating through my mind, I thought
back to the fans that posted on our message board and sent emails to us throughout
the years. Some emails and posts were very heart felt, as fans opened up to
show me who they really were. Others unfortunately were angry, as individuals demanded
more of myself and my colleagues. Today and in the future, there is no place
for mindless negativity in this project. With that said, obviously the fans who
exhibited negative behaviour do not coincide with my new vision of who a UWA
fan might be. After eliminating the negative fans from my mind, I remembered
back to a time when I used to read our UWA Forum. I needed to find the fans who
truly loved not just UWA but professional wrestling in general.
After about 6 months of careful thought, I selected fans to
interview. To me, these fans may or may not possess all the attributes on my
list, but they were indeed real wrestling fans. I knew in my heart they would
give me honest answers as to what the true state of wrestling is today.
With my list of four names now in hand, all I had to do was
find them and see if there was indeed a need for the new UWA.
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