Bizarro Lucha in Indianapolis is the best promotion to ever come into my life. It's more than just the amazing matches. Or the fact it starts on time and has a good pace to it. Or even the fact they bring in outside talent to work with the majority local guys and gals.
No, it's the positive vibe, the inclusive atmosphere, the electric energy - it's the fact that, to me and I suspect to a lot of other folks... Bizarro Lucha is home.
I've paused after writing that because I am trying to find the words to express just how much this promotion means to me. Since its creation and first show event in October 2018, there have been six shows as of June 2019 and I have attended all of them except for March of 2019. At the start of every show, the ring announcer, Mr. Bizarro, gives a warning: No racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia or any kind of hatred or disgusting behavior will be tolerated. Period. He goes on to say that Bizarro Lucha is an inclusive, safe environment for everyone. These announcements are usually followed by the crowd chanting, "Don't be a dick! Don't be a dick!" (Which is a good rule of thumb in general.)
Announcements over, the fun begins. On any given night you'll see the up and coming guys and gals plying their trade, putting in the work to get better at their craft (and make no mistake, wrestling is definitely a craft), creating new layers to their characters. It's an art form that you get to see take shape and grow month after month. Guys that may have blended in get to take on new personas and explore what they can do with a new identity, such as Brayden Lee, who tweeted about getting to make his masked character come to life in Bizarro Lucha after growing up dreaming about wrestling as a masked persona. Bizarro gave him the opportunity to bring that dream to life.
This promotion also has brought in stars such as Solo Darling, Joey Ryan and Effy to match up against our home grown stars like the first Bizarro Lucha Champion, Nick Iggy, IFHY (a stable consisting of Johnathan Wolf, Shawn Kemp, Allie Kat, Tyler Matrix, Cole Radrick {among others}), Levi Everett and Ace Perry. To a one, the outside folks have enjoyed their time at Bizarro citing it's atmosphere and energy as different from other promotions.
However, this place has become home to me for a much deeper, personal reason. It has a lot to do with grappling with a grief I've had since February of 2018.
On February 17th, 2018, I lost my Dad, Eddie, after I had to make the difficult and haunting decision to remove life support. The doctors and family all thought it was best, but because I was his power of attorney and had lived with him and my mom all my life, I had to make the final decision. It haunts me to this day. After he passed, even though I wasn't, I felt alone and isolated. My sister had her husband and son to comfort her. At the time, I had my boyfriend and extended circle of friends but only he was there in person to help me. In June, however, we broke up and I felt bereft. The cats I had adopted, Nikko (I got him a month after mom passed, in January 2013) and Mary Lee (adopted in July 2017, I got her because of her name - Mary Lee was my mom's first and middle name), they were there for me and Nikko had a way of coming around when I would cry or feel sad. But in September, his vet uncovered a heart arrhythmia during a routine check, and counseled me as to my options. I chose to let go of him, for fear of coming home to find him gone as sudden death was something that could have happened. This decision haunts me as well - I could have had him scheduled for an echocardiogram to know the extent of the arrhythmia and made decisions from there. Even now I hate the fact I didn't fight as hard for him as I should have. As I should have for my dad.
Come October 2018 I was in a bad way. Two events occurred to help lift my spirits in the short term and the long term. The first was at the end of the month - my friend Alex invited me to come and visit her in New York City and I got us tickets for the first-ever WWE all women's event, "Evolution." It did me a world of good to be with someone I love as much as Alex, and getting to spend a day with one of my best friends, Eric; and then at Evolution to run into Steven, Torri and finally meet Chris. It was a positive, uplifting week overall that I sorely needed.
The second event happened before I left - the first Bizarro Lucha show. Since Indianapolis is only two hours from me, I drove up as I knew almost everyone on the card. Plus, my friends D, Jordan and Carolina would be there. I wasn't sure what to expect but the experience blew me away. It was much like a SUP Graps show in that it was standing room around the ring and there was nothing but positive energy. I couldn't tell you how many people there were wrestling fans and who might have come out of curiosity and for the chance to drink (it is in a brewery after all!), but everyone was reacting to everything, the wrestlers were clearly enjoying themselves as well and no one was a jerk to anyone else. It was a blast!
The second show wasn't until February of 2019 but it came back in a big way - the first Bizarro Lucha Luchaversal Champion was decided in a battle royal that ultimately Nick Iggy won. In the ensuing year, Nick would hold onto his title by hook or by crook and become one of the most hated villains in the Luchaverse. As he's best known as a tag team specialist with Kerry Awful, it was good to see him develop as a singles competitor and show what he's capable of. I've known him and Kerry since 2013 and they've come a long way into developing into tremendous wrestlers and performers.
Thereafter, until the season finale in October of 2019, I only missed the March show. Otherwise, whether it was every month or if they skipped a month between, I lived for these shows. I lived for the chance to be with my group, to see performers that came in for special occasions, to see local wrestlers grow their skills, to catch up with friends and to get hugs. The February show was on the 10th, 1 day before my Mom's birthday, and 7 days before the first year anniversary of Dad's passing and it was a balm to my spirit to have that support and uplifting to carry me through that hard week. The May 2019 show was a week after my birthday and I was showered in love by friends who helped me get Joey Ryan's lollipop in a concentrated effort that was a surprise to me.
In October, we said goodbye to Mother of Bizarro Lucha, although to us she's our Daddy, Shotzi Blackheart. She took on Ace Perry in a rematch that was 2 out of 3 falls, and it was one of the best matches of the year. However, we were stunned when she lost without getting one fall. The locker room emptied out to gather around the ring with us and Percy presented her with a cake. The moment was priceless and I couldn't help but cry. Same as I had at the aftermath of the match between Mike Quackenbush and the man who came out of retirement just for him, Billy Roc.
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| Photo credit to Mouse! |
For me, emotion is everything in wrestling. I want to feel something. Be it a connection to the wrestlers competing or the beauty in a match, I love it when wrestling evokes feeling. Although there were plenty of matches and shows that made me feel, what I loved the most was the sense of belonging. The feeling of being wanted, being part of something special. The way Carolina's face would light up when she saw me. How Jordan and I would sag against each other after Nick would somehow find a way to keep his title. When D would reach out their arm and shield me from incoming brawling. Knowing Percy would be there with one of his big hugs. Finding a moment or two to chat with Nick about our cats. Being able to thank Tripp for being willing to take on the stress to keep this creation going. Finding the bravery to get photos with Danhausen and Solo Darling among others.
When I entered the brewery on those Bizarro Lucha show days, I was able to take my grief off and set it aside, like putting a coat on a coat rack, and immerse myself in the love, joy, anger, excitement and passion of being with my people, watching a spectacle. I knew when the show was over and it was time after lingering to talk with friends I would put that coat back on as I headed home - but somehow, grief weighed lighter on me afterward and even in the days that followed. Many times after a show I would be buoyed by the positive energy through the week that followed.
It was priceless. It was something that helped me more than words can express. Bizarro Lucha became my home when my own house stopped feeling like home. Even during the hiatus right now, I look forward to the come back in February and I keep that glow of home in my heart. I hang on to every match announcement, yes, but more than that, I look forward to being with my people.
The saying goes, "Home is where the heart is." If so, my heart resides in the Indiana City Brewing Company in Indianapolis, where a Dino rides his skateboard; an Imaginary Friend steals from his opponents; a Kat, a Dog and a Wolf form their own pack; a Soul-less man fights without fear; a sinister Doctor seeks to use his Creations to take over the Luchaverse; and two simple kinda Men of the People along with an Awfully Scary shadow managed to topple a Showstopping Ringmaster, a Businessman, a Ring Wizard and a Human Resource.
My home is in the Luchaverse. And I am forever thankful to Tripp Cassidy and Shotzi Blackheart for creating it.
