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April 18, 2012
Christopher C. St. Pierre
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The last time out, Gulf Coast Wrestling (GCW) wowed Tri-parish fans with WWE Hall of Famer “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan.
With three title fights and a full card loaded with action, this month’s return show also promises to be a hit.
The local wrestling organization returns to center stage on April 28 for its “Spring in the Ring,” event.
The show will take place at the Amelia Recreational Center and all of the concession proceeds for the event will benefit youth sports within the community.
“We really had a big turnout the last time with Hacksaw coming in and that really was a big and historic night for us,” said GCW co-owner “Mustang” Mike Beadle. “But with this show being our first one to build on that weekend, we really want to try and have one of our best and most entertaining shows yet.
“We’ve had meetings and we’ve talked about it internally. Let’s go out and have an even better show this time out. Let’s build on that exposure we got the last time and show the community that they can count on us for that level of excitement and entertainment every time out. That’s what we plan to do with this show.”
For wrestling purists within the Tri-parishes, this is probably the card you want to see.
Mustang Mike said the GCW heavyweight championship will be on the line in Amelia when the villainous Rocket defends his gold against an open challenger that will be determined at the event.
The GCW tag titles will also be on the line, as well as the vacant cruiserweight gold.
Beadle said the cruiserweight contenders will be determined by a couple of matches that will be on the event’s undercard.
As for the always popular Mustang and his partner Psycho Mike? They will be in their usual tag team spot on the card against a duo yet to be determined.
Should they win before their home-town crowd, their next bout will be a high-stakes affair.
“The way the storyline is set up, if we win our match at this show, we’d be set up to get a shot at the tag team championships at the next one we have planned,” Beadle said. “So that’s what myself and my partner will be focused on during this particular night.”
Also scheduled to appear during the event are regulars like Flip “Wolfman” Jackson, Green Man, Griz, Purple Haze, Scott Phoenix, Stone Man and Minotaur, among others.
“We will have a lot of the regulars out for the show – a lot of the wrestlers that our fans have gotten used to seeing,” Beadle said. “It’s really shaping up to be a pretty cool event.”
Beadle is not a rookie to the wrestling business, saying that he got his start in the mid 1990s. The 41-year-old Morgan City native isn’t shy about admitting the “staged” element within the industry.
But he will not be one who will call the sport “fake.”
The nearly 20-year veteran of the industry detailed the bumps and bruises he has accumulated.
“I partially tore my ACL,” Beadle said. “I ended up tearing it all the way, not in the ring, but I never stopped to let it heal all the way because I didn’t want to stay out of the ring. … I got dropped on my head and messed up a couple vertebrae. I had to get a fusion done and have several weeks of work done at the chiropractor to get that right.
“Let’s see – I’ve busted the back of my head and needed several staples to close the gash. I’ve had the full array of bumps, bruises, sprained ankles and sore hips, necks and backs. … I’ve seen a lot of blood and sweat dropped in the ring and I can assure you it was all belonging to someone and it was all real and painful.”
So the next question then becomes – why?
That answer is easy – the audience.
Beadle said there’s nothing like the rush one feels when competing in the ring, adding that a successful night is one where everyone leaves home with a smile.
“The looks on the people’s faces will tell it all,” Beadle said. “To see everyone happy and having a good time makes it all worth it.”
Making fans feel at home is a large part of the GCW’s product. Throughout intermissions, some of the competitor’s walk the isles and sign autographs and take pictures with fans. When the show ends, similar opportunities are available for anyone who wants to meet their favorite competitors.
“We encourage people to do that,” Beadle said. “We don’t bite. We want to be fan friendly.”
When the show is over, fans can now hop online and visit www.gcw-gulfcoastwrestling.com and keep up with the latest news about the comings and goings within the local wrestling scene.
“We will try to keep people updated on our story lines and also let people know more about the wrestlers,” Beadle said. “We’ll try and do a story or two a month to just give the fans a chance to get to know us a little better as people.”
But there’s still nothing quite like seeing it up close and in person and the Amelia show is the next chance for locals to get their fix.
To get tickets for the show, those interested can visit the GCW website or call 985-518-0433.
“They won’t want to miss this one,” Beadle said.
GCW wrestler Green Man tries to toss a competitor over the top rope during a recent battle royal.
