Dallas Championship Wrestling: A Family Affair

In the middle of a residential neighborhood in a Dallas suburb, Southern-style independent wrestling has found its home. Inside the Elks Lodge in Grapevine, Texas, Dallas Championship Wrestling drew a huge crowd for Dirty Deeds on March 2.

The event featured local up-and-comers such as Unholy, The Lone Star Kid and Dirty Andy Dalton, as well as familiar faces like Team Xtreme and “Outlaw” Randy Wayne. Several talents debuted at the show, and the legendary “Killer” Tim Brooks even made a rare appearance. With this lineup, the show was set to be a highly entertaining evening of wrestling.

But while the star power was certainly there and the work rate was top notch, the action was not the true draw for me.

What infatuated me with DCW and will invariably keep me coming back month after month were the fans surrounding the ring. With every entrance, whether by wrestler or fellow fan, there were cheers and boos, handmade signs and chants. At one point, a woman in her mid-to-late 40s wearing a “Support Local Wrestling” sweater screamed across the ring at the man sitting to my right, telling him to “shut the hell up” because “no one cares.” That caused plenty of laughs from talent and fans alike, allowing for a break in the tension and for us all to refocus on the match at hand.

March 2, 2019. DCW presents #Dirty Deeds. @DirtyAndyDalton vs @RandyWayne75 with @MirandaGordy This one is PERSONAL. @davemeltzerWON @apter1wrestling @PWInsidercom @WOLiveOnline
Tickets At: https://t.co/9U1xzVpD8W pic.twitter.com/KKaKOVMr9m
— Dallas Championship Wrestling (@WrestlingDallas) January 28, 2019

After getting in line to claim my ticket, I was struck almost immediately by the sense of community and family surrounding the event. Everyone else in line knew someone else and talked not only about upcoming events but how their families were doing and what their plans for the rest of the weekend were. The people attending the event were not only deeply protective of their show, but protective of each other.

One gentleman I spoke with briefly (who declined to be named) had brought his whole family for the event. “It’s just a ton of fun, especially when all of us are in here,” he said. “If there is a show, we try to make it.” He told me regarding the large group he had brought with him: “These shows are great family fun. We cheer together, boo together and argue over our favorites. I’ve been going to live events for 20 years and brought my kids around for the last two years or so. We love it.”

That is not a unique story for independent wrestling. These small promotions are built around the communities that support them. People will travel and scream and support their favorites for the rest of their careers. They help to build a foundation for the wrestlers, providing an audience as the athletes hone their craft inside the ring. And if they ever decide to transition to a larger promotion, the fans aren’t bitter about losing them – they’re happy to see these youngsters succeed.

Independent wrestling is also a place for old favorites to come home. Local legends always have a place to show that they still have what it takes to work in the ring, getting cheered or booed like they did in their youth.

You always have a home with your local promotion. I am happy to have found my home in Dallas Championship Wrestling.

For tickets to DCW’s next event on March 23, visit dallaschampionshipwrestling.com.