RICHMOND, Va. — Heroes with flips that don’t stop and villains with spiked mohawks.
“I like to think of it as a live-action comic book,” said Timmy Danger.
Danger is the co-founder of RVA Pro Wrestling, a local DIY professional wrestling organization here in one of the many cultural crevasses of Richmond. Danger is a rough-and-tumble, smack-talking "babyface," which is what the community calls the wrestlers with hero roles.
“It’s a mix of art and sports; wrestling meets them in between,” Danger said. “You come out, and the crowd's all chanting your name, or they're all booing you—there’s nothing like it. If you could put it in a bottle and sell it, you’d be a millionaire.”
The wrestlers aren’t the only participants in the show.
“The crowd is as much a part of it as we are,” said Danger, cheesing with a grin while speaking on the feeling behind what brings the community together.
Not only is RVA Pro Wrestling entrenched in Richmond's DIY culture, but it also supports and gives back to a great cause. A portion of the proceeds from every show goes to “Punks for Presents,” a nonprofit that collects funds to give gifts to sick children in hospitals around the city during the winter holidays.
Ring announcer Chad Painter explained the connection to Punks for Presents.
“We buy toys and take them to the hospital. They need stuff; we take your money and buy it—that's it,” Painter said.
Painter's role is to prime the audience for the show, and then the action begins, with wrestlers slamming, thrashing, and shouting at each other for their own enjoyment and that of the crowd. There are storylines, fan favorites, acrobatics, heavyweight, and women's pro wrestling.
“It’s like a soap opera with physicality," Danger said. "We have something for everyone at the show."
Jordan Blade, a Richmond native and wrestler within the group, explained what it means to her.
“I love wrestling for the sake of wrestling and the sport and art of it," Blade said.
Blade, who practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is a state champion powerlifter, said her approach in the ring is serious. And although her overall experiences in wrestling have been positive, she said she faced struggles as a woman.
“Being a female in wrestling can be hard, a lot of the times, because people sometimes don't take us seriously," she said. "I credit WWE, the women's evolution they had back in 2015, with a surge of women's wrestling and people starting to take women's wrestling seriously. I think that definitely helped," said Blade, who hopes to inspire future generations to follow their dreams and be themselves.
Danger said, ultimately, “If we can get our audience to feel something, I think that’s the best win we can ask for."
RVA Pro Wrestling's next event, “Wrestle Riot,” is July 25 at Hardywood Brewery. Doors open at 5:45 p.m., with the first bell at 6:45 p.m. Click here to get your tickets.
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