Connor Blake is a newcomer fan who pointed to what makes independent professional wrestling unique.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wrestling space is welcoming in a smaller venue, like an indie show, because it can show that anybody can be a pro wrestler,\u201d Blake said. \u201cAnybody can live the dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
Metroplex Wrestling has a slate of athletes, staff and volunteers who dedicate much of their time to the sport.<\/p>\n
Athena Palmer, an owner who trains many of the competitors, said she started out on the independent scene in the mid-2000s as a competitor and eventually turned to coaching.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve traveled around the world, and my goal has always been to afford the education of pro wrestling for younger athletes,\u201d Palmer told KERA.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the original owner was considering closing the venue, Palmer and a few others banded together to buy the company and keep it going.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said they did it because the idea of seeing Metroplex Wrestling go away created the feeling of \u201ca missing hole in the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do this chaos every week,\u201d she said. \u201cWe stress ourselves out to the nines, we yell at each other, we cuss at each other, and then we come together and we hug, and we go, \u2018we did it again\u2019 at the end of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n
What played out in the ring was a little bit like an opera-slash-gladiator match. There were heroes and villains \u2013 or faces and heels. There was lore that carried over from previous shows.<\/p>\n
The audience had their favorites, and they brought handmade signs and wore merchandise to show their support.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even the kids jeered those they didn\u2019t like.<\/p>\n
There was a surge of excitement when grown men got thrown around like rag dolls, and when the ring cracked at the thud of a body.<\/p>\n
The announcers tucked away in a corner gave blow-by-blow coverage of what played out. But they weren\u2019t just addressing the crowd in the building, they were also speaking to\u00a0a livestream audience on Twitch<\/a>\u00a0that could watch from all over the world.<\/p>\n The experience itself was a blend of polished and scrappy, over-the-top and intimate. It felt like going out with friends to an indie theater, but with a lot more sweat and blood.<\/p>\n Rusty McLendon started as a fan and went on to work for Metroplex Wrestling with his wife.<\/p>\n \u201cYou will not find a closer, tight-knit family than what you will behind the scenes here at MPX,\u201d McLendon said.\u00a0<\/p>\n For McLendon, Monday through Friday is for everyday life, but Saturday nights are \u201cfamily time.\u201d In fact, his son is a wrestler who competes at Metroplex Wrestling, years after coming to see the show for his eighth birthday.<\/p>\n Rusty McLendon said, \u201cY\u2019all know the old saying, \u2018if you do what you love, you never work a day in your life.\u2019 This is a passion for a lot of people.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an escape for a few hours for a lot of people, and you\u2019ll find that with the fans as well,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the end of one of Metroplex Wrestling\u2019s biggest shows of the year, Purple Reign, the champion was unseated by a group of rivals who worked together to win the match.<\/p>\n The new champions hoisted the belt overhead and posed for photos before heading to the locker rooms to unwind and reset. After all, they\u2019d have to do this again in just a few days.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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