Mucha Lucha! - An Interview with Lucha Royale promoter Cam

Lucha Royale is a new concept on the WA scene. The first show will be held on March 19 at the Perth Town Hall. Tez got the opportunity to speak to the promoter Cam, to find out all about Lucha Royale and what WA wrestling fans should expect from the company.

Photo: Distorted Lenns Photography

WPW: Can you explain the concept of Lucha Royale?
CAM: Essentially it’s a mix of Lucha-inspired wrestling, burlesque/cabaret acts, circus performers, audience participation, music, dancing and whatever else we feel would be fun to have in the show. Its mainstays of entertainment are of course, the “Luchadores” and the Cabaret Performers, but we’ve always got our eyes open and ears to the ground in search of new acts to have on our shows to make them as entertaining as possible!

Plus there will be stalls with alternative fashion, accessories and other goodies, a photo booth for you to have your pictures taken by our professional photographer with our performers, prizes for best or most creative dress, giveaways and surprises and much more!

WPW: What is Lucha Royale’s target audience, with the variety of entertainment on show?

CAM: Anyone from 18-118 who likes to have fun and be entertained! It’s a VERY different show from anything Perth has ever seen before so we’re not really targeting any audience at this point. I think anyone who comes to the show will struggle to not find something that they enjoy, but due to the slightly more mature content of the shows, they will remain 18+ (Sorry kids… Stay in school).

WPW: When did the idea for Lucha Royale come to you and how long has it been in the planning stages?

CAM: Well the basic idea of Lucha wrestling plus burlesque has been going on for a few years now in the US and UK. But Australia’s never seen anything like it, so we thought not only will we bring the fun over here, but also throw in more entertainment than the crowd has bargained for, with crazy matches, circus, audience interaction, drag and more!

We felt this kind of show would also serve as the ultimate cross promotion tool amongst all performers in Perth. I think it’ll really open some doors for some entertainment styles that would have otherwise remained firmly shut.

Planning hasn’t been too long and/or arduous since everyone we’ve wanted on board has loved the idea and has been very committed to making the show a success. Azure Entertainment has a very established base of amazing performers and EPW, well may I say best in Australia at what they do (yes I may!).

WPW: Will there be structure to the way matches are set up, like a champion, contenders etc. Or will wrestling just be another side to the entertainment with random feature matches?

CAM: The wrestling will be a main feature, but there won’t be any real hierarchy structure per se.

The characters can be so far-fetched and silly I think it would be a discredit to anyone anywhere who’s ever been crowned a champion should we decide to call any of ours the same. Plus I like to think everyone puts as much effort into their performances as the next guy. So the real “champions” can be determined by the crowd reactions.

Every show will end with a final bout called “The Lucha Royale” which in one way or another will feature every performer on the show. Kind of a way to say “Thank you” and a sort of “Final-bow-while-still-performing” hybrid.

WPW: What should the wrestling fans expect from the non-wrestling side of Lucha Royale?

CAM: EVERYTHING! Dancers, performers, music, comedy, competitions and much more.

The wrestling won’t be anything like what fans in Perth would come to know/expect from what they’ve seen in Perth previously. Gone are ring psychology and staredowns and in are high-flying craziness and giant moster battles! So I think it’ll be a new experience for everyone involved.

Photo: Distorted Lenns Photography

WPW: Will shows be held on a recurring basis, are there any plans set after the first show or are you waiting to see how the event goes?

CAM: We would love the Lucha Royale to grace our fine city every 2-4 months, but it really depends on a lot of factors. Of course initial show reception is a key factor, but I’ve got so many awesome ideas for future shows already, it’d be a crying shame if they went to waste!

WPW: The wrestling talent will be from EPW and photos of the wrestlers wearing luchadore masks have recently been uploaded on the Lucha Royale Facebook page. What sort of names will the guys be wrestling under?

CAM: Some of the crazy talents we’ll have are: “The Silver Fox”, “El Loco Homo”, “Professor Cycloptopus”, “The Tequila Mockingbirds - Junior and Senor”, “Pandita: The Short-fuse Panda”, “Player 1 and Player 2”, “Night Monkey”, “Anthony T. O'Donnell A.K.A.: The A.T.O.” and many more.

WPW: Are there any plans for a website in the works?

CAM: There are! We’re in the middle of it now. Stay tuned!

WPW: What will the rundown of the show be like, will there be multiple things happening at one time or will there be separate sessions for each of the different types of entertainment?

CAM: Ideally the show will flow from one act or match to another with show hosts/emcees in between setting up for the next acts and letting the audience know what’s coming up next. The hosts are also the commentators for the action, just to keep things interesting. But I think more than one act at a time would be too chaotic even for our show. It’s theater style seating, but there will be plenty of room and time to check out the stalls, take photos, buy drinks, etc.

WPW: When will tickets be going on sale and where will people be able to book them through?

CAM: RIGHT NOW! BUY LOTS!!! (Laughs) Yes they are available on the Azure Website at www.lucharoyale.com. Check it!

WPW: On a personal note, you wrestled as “The American Nightmare” Brock Freeman and Los Freemanos between 2002 and 2006, winning the inaugural EPW Rookie of the Year award in 2002. Have you missed the business in the five years you’ve been away and will we see the return of Los Freemanos in the Lucha Royale ring?

CAM: Ahhhhh! SOMEBODY has done their homework! (Or is stalking me, which if that’s the case you’ve made a poor selection on your victim).

The training, the pain, the sweat, the dedication, the hard work, the baby oil, the tighty-whiteys… What’s not to miss!?

Seriously though, I believe Raven said it best in his RF Video shoot when he said wrestling is like “Hotel California” (of The Eagles fame) in which “you can check out anytime you like, but you can’t ever leave”. I’m seriously lucky to have had and currently have such great guys to work/train with. I’ve seen their hard work and dedication from day one and I’ve yet to know of another group of guys and gals who are awesome as them in what they do and who they are.

As for Los Freemanos… He’s a slippery character. He’ll show up in Lucha Royale in one capacity or another. Failing that I’d like to think of the Lucha Royale is just a physical manifestation of his brain as all the madness in our show would make perfect sense to him.

WPW: Thank you for taking the time to speak to WPW, Cam and good luck for the first show.

Warrior's Words #12

Photo: World 1/Mana

New Horizon Pro Wrestling’s Mana, the Polynesian Warrior, brings Westside Pro Wrestling a monthly column in which he gives his thoughts on the current scene or talks with superstar friends from his past in the United States.

Tour of America for April 2011

Leaving our great shores of Western Australia is never an easy thing to do - the lifestyle is relaxed, weather is 90% great and the people are kind and respectful. As I organise a last tour to America (let’s face it I am getting older now and travelling for this type of thing is going to get harder) I find myself with the same overwhelming excitement I got when I first travelled to the United States of America. For “Cannonball” Kris Taylor, Percy T, Tama Williams and Kabel, the month of April 2011 will be a hard few weeks to soak in the training as well as working 2-3 shows per weekend but I know they are ready.

We are going to be situated in the Philadelphia area and for the five guys going with me it’s going to be a great experience. They will be training nearly every day with the Wild Samoans Training Centre under my trainer Headshrinker Samu, Afa Jnr (Manu from WWE), Snisky and former WWE developmental wrestler “Rotten” Tommy Suede (Tommy Rotten from the movie The Wrestler). For me it will be awesome to return to the dungeons of the Wild Samoans and to see all the photos of past workers that will sure to be up. Plus catch up with so many friends especially the trainers mentioned and my wrestler mates TDS Gus Harlacher and Supreme Lee Great who came to Perth in 2007 and whoever remains from back in “my day”.

Another place that our guys will be honoured to train at runs out of the ECW Arena now dubbed the New Alhambra Arena on Ritner Street in South Philly. Returning to that Arena alone will be an experience for the boys, but for me, I’m just happy to be back. The NHPW boys will be lucky to train with some of the Combat Zone Wrestling roster run by DJ Hyde, Sabian and a few others. This is where I am hoping to see a guy who visited NHPW in Perth… The New Age Punisher - B Boy. I am so looking forward to catching up with B Boy when we get there. Even just to hang because he has an infectious good time feeling that he can’t help but pass around to all who surround him. Also noting that one of our special guests for Battle of Honour, will also be there to help train as well.

Photo: 4th Letter

For this group we will also be training with another of the premier pro wrestling schools in the world. I am thankful for the invite and even more thankful for those on the tour to learn from a guy I have talked about in the past here in WPW. For guys like Percy T and Tama Williams to learn from “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush and his crew from CHIKARA this will be something special. I am so thankful that Quack is a good friend and allowing my guys to train with his crew. I am looking forward to running into guys like Rorshack, Jigsaw, Shane Storm, Team Fist and especially the trainers Claudio Castagnoli and Sara Del Rey. They are all exceptional wrestlers and training wise this looks like an Indy wrestler’s wet dream, and will be, so I know that the Australian visitors will digest all the feast of information they can.

So training with CHIKARA who has had so many great workers like Chris Hero, Delirious, Allison Danger, Milano AT, Manami Toyota, Daisey Hayes and so many more is awesome for the guys. To back it up with some of the CZW training experience where guys that has to make them psyched.

To also add to this training with my school, The Wild Samoan Training Centre - which produced Pro Wrestling Icons - Rikishi, The Rock, Batista, Yokozuna, Billy Kidman, Chris Kanyon, The Headshrinkers and so many more. Cannonball, Percy T, Tama and Kabel will go over one type of worker and is my hope they take another step up on the ladder of development in their young wrestling careers. I am truly excited at this prospect. This will also present them with a good foundation of contacts should they decide to further enhance there styles in America in a more long term basis. This is also my hope to surround them with good people that I know so I do not need to be there in the future. This will be an excellent tour for them… no doubt.

Photo: ShaunSean Promotions

Along with this we will also be on shows with one of the most talented women wrestlers in Australia and our NHPW ranks. Returning to America is "The Rate Tank" Kellie Skater. Kellie is one of the most talented Wrestlers in general that I have come across. She has trained with CHIKARA as well as many others I truly believe this girl has the talent as well as Jessie McKay to crack it in America. I have said this before but I actually can’t wait to see the "Rate Tank" or Jessie McKay for that matter in there element running amuck in America in matches.

As representatives of Australia and NHPW - we will also be helping to open our associate company in Philly / New Jersey area. When we first started New Horizon Pro Wrestling it was based on a new start, a fresh mindset and a time of change for me personally in Pro Wrestling. One of my friends has had a problem with his home fed which he has been loyal too for many years. He has also come to the realisation that a lot of people over the years that he was surrounded by also have their arguments with their training centre. So much like the original concept of New Horizon Pro Wrestling, someone I consider a wrestling brother has established his company - New Moon Rising Wrestling (NMRW) in the same vein. In April we will be the first internationals to appear for this company and also be working with them in hopes for the future.

The goal of this tour is to help develop these workers, learn new training techniques, get more experience in the ring with some of the best Independent Workers in the world and give them a great network of friends for the future. They can live the life of pro wrestling 24/7 and know the commitment that pro wrestlers in America have for their love of this sport. Feel the difference between what they perceive as a hobby here in Australia to a way of life in America. How to act around idols they may not have ever thought they would have the chance to be in a locker room with or even perform on the same card as. For me my goals are a bit more selfish - I am looking forward to the gleam in their eye learning things, being absolutely wrecked from training and throwing up, being lost and finding out the correct way to either fill in or listen to get out. All this and the fact I really cannot wait to have some Churches Chicken, a Tony Lukes Philly Cheesesteak, Old Country Buffet and All you can eat Chinese again - “God Bless America”. Let’s face it I am a fat bastard and I mark out for easier things these days J lmao.

Take care and hope to see some of you at Battle of Honour in our new home of the Croatian Club in North Fremantle Friday the 11th of Feb 2011 - with ROH superstars Delirious, “The Notorious 187” Homicide and returning to Perth WA “The Second City Saint” Colt Cabana.

The Mean Scene #10

Photo: Tez Himself

One half of the voices of Explosive Pro Wrestling, and the 2009-2010 WPW Commentator of the Year, Mean Dean Olsen brings WPW all the latest on the EPW scene.

With the level of greatness in EPW in 2010, 2011 definitely has some high expectations to live up to. I personally have faith that 2011 will be even bigger than 2010 and the wrestling year for Explosive Pro Wrestling begins at Goldrush 4, February 26th at the Vasto Club in Balcatta. This event will take place at the same venue as Re-Awakening 9, a night where many big things happened and I’m sure this night will be no different. This month I would like to take a look at two of the match ups announced for the fourth annual Goldrush show.

Now before I talk about the matches themselves, I would like to look at the history of Goldrush, I know this is only the fourth, but each of the previous shows have had major matches and title changes at each of them. At the very first Goldrush on February 16th 2008, the team of the European Union (Johnny Wimbledon, The Don and Marcius Pitt) defeated the Fighting Hellfish (Tyler Jacobs and Chris J Lazareth) to become the EPW tag team champions. At the same show Bobby Marshall dethroned Shane Haste and became the EPW champion in a brutal match that anyone who witnessed, would never forget.

Photo: Explosive Pro Wrestling

Goldrush 2 took place on March 21st 2009 at the Queen’s Park Rec Centre and in another historic night of wrestling we witnessed a fast paced match that saw Blitz Team get the victory over Dan Moore and Chase Griffin to win tag team gold. The main event of the show had Bobby Marshall beat Davis Storm to once again wear the EPW championship. Although Bobby’s reign was short lived (he was powerbombed through a table and injured at the hands of Richter after the match) it was another night in which both titles changed hands.

On the 17th of April 2010 Goldrush 3 took place at the Cyril Jackson Rec centre. At this show Chase Griffin was crowned the new hardcore shield holder after battling it out in a six man hardcore battle royal that saw weapons and blood a plenty. Of course the main event of that show was massive, Jamie Jurah ended the epic title reign of Richter and begun his first ever EPW championship reign. So you see every Goldrush show has had title changes including the EPW championship changing hands at every Goldrush. This makes things very interesting going into the show on February 26th.

On this show we will see the Tag Team championship titles on the line when Jonny Wimbledon and Chris Vice are up against Team Allstar, (“The Don” Michael Morleone and Sebastian Sander). With EPW’s red hot tag team division going from strength to strength this match will be one not to missed. At Re-Awakening 9, Wimbledon and Vice proved they are here to stay, taking out the Blitz Team and retaining the titles. Meanwhile, Team Allstar had a huge 2010 and after the Riot Den match with the Blackest Hour at Road to Glory they are on a roll and are hoping to ride that wave of momentum into Goldrush 4 and finally get themselves the tag team titles. What a match it will be, three powerhouses and one of the most sly devious wrestlers in EPW history, take that and the great level of tag team matches as of late, and this one will be fantastic.

Photo: Explosive Pro Wrestling

The other big title match that had been announced is that Davis Storm will be defending his newly won EPW championship against the 2010 Invitational champion, Marcius Pitt. This one won’t disappoint, Pitt had a spectacular 2010 and just keeps getting better each time he steps in the ring, and this was proven at RA9 when he beat Carlo Cannon and Kiel Steria to win the invitational trophy. Davis Storm on the other hand fought so hard all throughout 2010 to finally get the EPW title back around his waist and you can bet he’s not going to want to part with it. Many factors could come into play with this match; Storm has the experience and is definitely more comfortable in a big match environment. Pitt on the other hand has that determination and desire, the “eye of the tiger” as Apollo Creed would say. Two tough, strong, athletic wrestlers at their physical peak colliding in the squared circle, what a great way to start 2011.

It is only a matter of time before Explosive Pro Wrestling returns to the Vasto club to tear the roof off with another great show. History shows that titles change hands at Goldrush shows, What will happen this year? You’ll have to be there to find out on February 26th, I hope to see you all there. Until next time keep supporting local wrestling and stay tuned to epwperth.com

Spotlight on EPW's "Shotgun" Tyler Jacobs

Westside Pro Wrestling brings you a monthly look at the brightest talent on the Western Australian scene, this month we shine the spotlight on the current holder of the EPW Hardcore Shield, “Shotgun” Tyler Jacobs.

Photo: Explosive Pro Wrestling

Height: 5' 10" (178 cm)
Weight: 225 lbs (102 kgs)
Age: 31
Hometown: Mirrabooka, WA
Debut: November 4, 2001
Worked for: Australasian Wrestling Federation, Australian Wrestling Supershow, Explosive Pro Wrestling, Maximun Pro Wrestling, New Horizon Pro Wrestling, NWA Australia, NWA Pro, Pro Wrestling South Australia, PWA Queensland, Warzone Wrestling
Finishing Move/s: Shotgun Elbow Drop (Top Rope Elbow), Burning Lariat
Entrance Theme: Custom made
Favourite Matches: The Fighting Hellfish vs. Azazal & Ferguson Block vs. The European Union vs. Dan Moore & Chase Griffin - Tables match (Re-Awakening VI - November 3, 2007); The Brat Pack vs. The European Union - Hardcore match (Re-Awakening V - November 4, 2006; vs. Lobo - Taped Fists match (Evolution 2004 - May 8, 2004); vs. Brad West - Invitational Final (Re-Awakening II - November 15, 2003)
Titles Held: EPW Championship; EPW Tag Team Championship x2 w/Jamie Jurah (1) and Chris J. Lazareth (2); EPW Hardcore Shield

WPW Press Release

We (Tez) here at Westside Pro Wrestling would like to announce, that as of this moment, WPW is finished in newsletter form. Don't fear though WPW readers, we will have all the same interviews, columns, results etc. available for you in a different form. We are making the www.westsideprowrestlingwa.blogspot.com webpage our main base.

The newsletter was becoming too restrictive and deadlines were becoming harder to keep and after doing this for 18 months, sometimes the passion was waning. It sure has been a bumpy ride since I started WPW back in August 2009 and I really appreciate the support that has been given to me by EPW, NHPW, SHWA, Lucha Royale and the WPW readers.

Most of what was to be Issue 18 will be posted on the blogspot page in the coming days. I hope you will continue to support us with our new direction, as we will continue to support the West Aussie scene.

Regards
Tez
Editor
Westside Pro Wrestling

Westside Pro Wrestling newsletter now available online!

www.scribd.com/WestsideProWrestling