On the road and at the matches, I frequently take the opportunity to catch as many matches as I can from behind the curtain, and celebrate the successes of my peers. There are a lot of great wrestlers plying their trade in Canadian wrestling rings right now. This weekend I saw some great stuff from Alex North, The Mauler, Gurv Sihra, and got my first introduction to Gama Singh Jr. -- these guys were all great, and renewed my enthusiasm for this business. But every now and then, I get the chance to experience an inspired performance that leaves me a little in awe. Such was my experience in Vernon, BC on Saturday night.
As All Star Wrestling champion, I have found myself faced with a variety of challenges from show to show -- from experienced technicians, to pure brawlers, to wrestlers who are still finding their identity (and that makes them a little dangerous). It's a bit of an adventure each night ... on Saturday night, I found myself paired with a west coast legend, "Gorgeous" Michelle Starr. This wasn't the first time that Starr and I have wrestled each other -- but this weekend, I was involved in one of the most physical and engaging matches of my life.
I can appreciate the finesse of 450 splashes and running shooting star presses, but there is an artistry to a match delivered by a true performer which focuses on emotion, not motion, and keeps the audience engaged for three falls and 45 minutes. Two days later, I am anxiously awaiting an opportunity to grab a copy of the match tape -- and I rarely collect tape. Michelle Starr is truly one of the most under-rated and under-appreciated performers in our business today. Starr reminded me during that match why I wanted to be in this business in the first place, and it was a little humbling.
We punched, kicked, chopped, and bumped the hell out of each other in a match that left me with a satisfied emptiness knowing that we had given that crowd every ounce of what we had.
Thank you, Starr for a match which certainly rates as one of my all time best.
On the subject of thank yous:
I'd like to also extend a few special thank yous to Cora Sarasin for the work that she did for Sunday's card in Merritt. Certainly the card would not have been a success with you.
Referee Glen -- debuting in a locker room with such diversity is not an easy task. I appreciate your great work to keep the action under control over the weekend.
Vance Nevada