SoCalUncensored HEY NOW! This is your Socaluncensored 2014 Rookie of the Year Mike Camden banging away on the keyboard for this edition of Jay Cal’s View. Fun fact: I’ve never met Jay Cal in person. Let’sko! Let’s Promote Some April Shows
April 10th Championship Wrestling from Hollywood: Coastline Clash
Marquez has put together big show for the April 10th taping of Championship Wrestling from Hollywood in Port Hueneme, Ca. All the titles will be on the line. On the show you’ll see “Pretty” Peter Avalon going up against “The Super Tsar” Sasha Darevko to find out who the true Heritage Champion is. This feud has been getting out of control and to make sure a clear winner is decided the officials have brought in Scorpio Sky to be the third man in the ring. Visit Championship Wrestling from Hollywood’s FaceBook site for more info. Side note: Everyone is allowed their opinion. Here’s my opinion on CWFH. I really appreciate the opportunity CWFH give us wrestlers. TV Wrestling is a different world and the experience we get from working on this show is valuable. I may just be a jobber on this show but that doesn’t bother me. That’s my role and I’m going to do my best at it. I also know that important people in the wrestling business watch this show. That right there gives any wrestler that steps in that ring a chance for bigger and better things. So CWFH is helping indy wrestlers….in my opinion.
April 15th EWF San Bernadino Strong Fundraiser Show
Come check out EWF’s fundraiser show on April 15th at the Fox Theater in San Bernadino. EWF will be donating a portion of the proceeds to families affected by the tragedy that occurred on December 2nd, 2015. EWF has really become a part of the community up there in San Bernadino and here’s another example of that. I’ll be competing in the Battle Royal match. The winner will be granted the coveted #20 spot in the Great Goliath Rumble (GGR) at EWF’s 20th Anniversary show in May. I basically housed the competition in last year’s GGR by eliminating 7 wrestlers (8 if you count Radical Ross). I’m going into this Battle Royal motivated and determined to earn that #20 spot. Also in action, Gary Yap’s Man In Black taking on mid-west sensation Jaysin Strife. I’m really excited to see Jaysin in action. I’ve heard nothing but good things about him both in and out of the ring. Check out empirewrestlingfederation.com for more info on the show.
April 16 SoCal Pro’s 9th Anniversary Show
My home fed SoCal Pro Wrestling will be celebrating its 9th Anniversary at the B&G Arena in Oceanside, Ca and the card looks awesome. The main event of the show will be your boy Mike Camden taking on the current SoCal Pro Heavyweight Champion SoCal Crazy in a cage match. Former WWE Superstar Ricardo Rodriguez/Chimera will be making his SoCal Pro return to take on Lucha Underground’s Ricky Mandel. Also on the card, the despicable Anthony Idol will be putting the Golden State title on the line against JuDizz. Go to socalprowrestling.com for more information. SoCal Pro will also be hosting a seminar by Ricardo Rodriguez earlier that day (April 16th). The seminar will be at 10am at the SoCal Pro Training Facility in Escondido, Ca. The seminar is open to all trainees and active wrestlers. Go to the SoCal Pro FaceBook page for more information.
April 30th FCW presents “Underground Konflict”
I may not be booked on this show but unlike Dennis Stamp, of Beyond the Mat fame, I will be in attendance at the Imperial Beach Boys & Girls Club. I’ll be there to support and you never know when an opportunity might happen. This show will be headlined by Lucha Underground stars Pentagon Jr., Willie Mack, Jeff Cobb and the FCW Champion B-Boy in a fatal 4 way. These four wrestlers are sure to put on a great main event. FCW is also throwing an after party at the venue. There will be an autograph session, karaoke, pizza, raffles and music by DJ Root. So make sure to stay after to get some autographs and uhhh…maybe hit the quan. Go to finestcitywrestling.com for more info.
I Trained With Bobby Quance and Realized Something… I Suck.
In any combat sport the saying is “when you’re the best guy at your gym, it’s time to find a new gym.” I’m not saying that I’m the best wrestler at SoCal Pro but I am one of the more advanced students. Tommy Wilson told me it helps to train with new students because it helps you learn how to improvise when something goes wrong. I do enjoy training with new students but it can be frustrating at times. I try to remember that I was once that student. We were all once that student. Training with new students can also start to be misleading. You start to think you’re better than you really are. I recently got a chance to train with Bobby Quance before the March SoCal Pro show. The ring was up, Bobby was there and I asked him to work with me. I’ve trained with Bobby a couple of times before and it’s always been beneficial. I realize something about myself after I train with Bobby… I suck. Every time I train with Bobby it’s been a humbling experience. It reminds me just how much I need to learn. It reminds me how important it is to get out of my comfort zone and train with different trainers and wrestlers. I always try to ask questions when I’m around veteran wrestlers, usually before or at shows. Cholo and B-Boy are two wrestlers that have always been willing to answer questions or get in the ring to show me some new stuff. I’ve sat with Jesse Hernandez a couple of times and talked psychology. Just recently at Championship Wrestling from Hollywood I asked a simple question to Timothy Thatcher about working an arm ringer and he had a lot to say about it. Getting the chance to work and speak with veteran wrestlers is what keeps me humble and I advise any student or rookie wrestler to ask questions. I appreciate any advice or knowledge veterans are willing to tell me. After talking or working with them it makes me realize that I’m still that new student just trying to learn the ropes.
Paying Dues- “How many rings you done set up now?”
When is a wrestler paid up? That’s a good question. I’ve heard 19 year vets talking about how they’re still paying dues today. I’ve also seen 2 year wrestlers act like they’re paid up.
So what is paying dues? In Ric Flair’s book he talked about how he would have to run two miles, do thousands of squats, hundreds of push-ups and sit-ups before he got in the ring for training. Hulk Hogan described how he had to drive drunk, out of control vets to and from shows. He also got his leg snapped on his first day of training. Ron Simmons said the weaker guys needed to be weeded out because in those times wrestlers might have to fight their way out of venues. I suggest watching this promo the Briscoe Brothers did on The World’s Greatest Tag Team about paying dues.
Paying dues could depend on where you’re located. In Japan you are really paying dues. Young boys live in a house with multiple other wrestlers, cook, clean, train, cook, clean, repeat. Plus you’re at shows helping out ringside. Paying dues is a serious thing in the far east. You really need to prove that you want to be a pro wrestler.
What is paying dues in Southern California? My answer for that question…not much. I don’t think too many schools in the area make you do hundreds of squats, push ups or sit-up before training. Unless you’re training with Ryan Kidd. First day wrestlers are taught rolls, maybe bumping the next day, and running the ropes on day four. There is no real weeding out portion. Which I can understand, wrestling schools need students to pay the rent to keep the school running. Having an operational school benefits all wrestlers.
Paying dues on show day is pretty simple and it actually seems more like an option. Newer wrestlers are asked to show up early. They help put up the ring, set up the venue, and help break down after the show. That isn’t too much to ask. But I’ve seen green wrestlers do neither. I’m not going to act like I’m a shining example of how to pay dues. There’s been times I couldn’t show up to help set up because of my day job but I do try to help out any way I can.
There has been a lot people asking “how can we make SoCal great again?” I have a suggestion and it starts from the beginning of a wrestler’s career. Promoters, bookers and veterans should keep an eye out on who’s training and who’s not. They should keep an eye out on who’s helping set up and break down shows. They should observe who is putting in the extra work to help out the business as a whole and not just looking out for themselves. If a newer wrestler doesn’t train and doesn’t help out then they shouldn’t be on the card. Set a precedent for the next generation of wrestlers that will represent the SoCal area. Make the students and rookie wrestlers respect the business. Don’t just tell them that they need to respect it. Leave this business better than when you first started.
Anyways, that’s just my opinion on a few things. I’m still new to this business and just trying to learn it. Thanks for reading my view. This is Mike Camden signing off and reminding you that long hair, don’t care..
Upcoming SoCal Events
NWA Vendetta Pro Wrestling “April Cruel’s Day 2016? in Santa Maria, April 8 @ 7:35 PM
Lucha Underground in Boyle Heights, April 9 @ 3:30 PM
GMLW Lucha Libre in Pacoima, April 9 @ 7:00 PM
Drive Wrestling “Frontline” in Stanton, April 9 @ 7:00 PM
CWFH “Coastline Clash” TV Taping in Port Hueneme, April 10 @ 3:00 PM
Lucha Underground in Boyle Heights, April 10 @ 3:30 PM
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The views and opinions expressed in Jay Cal’s View are those solely of the author. These views do not necessarily reflect the views of the website. As always please email Jay Cal with any questions, comments, or concern.
