The Missing Link (a.ka. Dewey Robertson) was a menace to any opponent that dare cross him in the four-sided ring. His green face paint, chaotic hair and animalistic violence is a salient memory from my impressionable youth. I would be glued to the screen and speechless whenever he’d make an appearance during a pro wrestling program. My mother initially forbade me watching these unruly brutes in action. The hyperbolic characters and melodrama, however, were too captivating for me to obey the ban. My mom was slowly forced to accept my viewing choice and a lifetime fascination was born.

My father would often point out that what I watching was fake. I was four and really kind of insulted that he thought I didn’t know. That a man could be thrown on his head and get back up without a serious injury seemed to clarify my dad’s argument all on it’s own for me. In fact, this phenomenon my dad wanted unveiled is what kept me hypnotized by the matches. I was content to believe and suspend rational thought. You know–like kids do? But we are not here to talk about my father. The point being that ignoring the rational turned these epic, angry, men into superheroes and again made them completely fascinating.

Another character I was engrossed with was Bret the Hitman Heart. I recently read his autobiography, Hitman: My Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling. The book is riddled with many fascinating points, stories and anecdotes. One passage in particular, however, really struck a chord in me: “Most of the boys got to comparing Ultimate Fighters to pro wrestlers. The UFC guys pounded each other’s face and snapped limbs for real, all for a measly $50,000 grand prize. I was proud that wrestling was a work” (Hart 338). I guess in my heart, I’m a pacifist and don’t want to see anyone really get hurt . . . definitely not intentionally. Wrestling is really more complex than it seems.

I’d never been to a live wrestling match, but a few decades later and a few weekends ago, my siblings and I were awestruck to attend a live match. It was a small show, but had a lot of what I enjoyed as a child; the theatrics, the smack-talking, the heroes and my favorite–the villains. What’s more, I was privileged to document the event as well as work with the wrestlers for some improv portraits. It’s the little things in life that make it rich, but this experience was pretty major for us. We had a blast! I can’t wait til’ the next match. Who knows . . . my siblings and I may even work a few matches eventually!

Sources:

Bret Hart – Grand Central Pub. – 2009

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