Welcome everyone to Idol’s view, I’m Anthony Idol, while Jay Cal is probably off running another 5k this week (I hope one with real zombies) I’ll be filling in. I know how excited you are to read the musings of The Incredible One, while simultaneously using ten percent of your phone’s battery, so let’s jump right in.
A Look at This Week’s Action
It’s an exciting time in southern California for pro wrestling. I won’t bother doing a full breakdown of all the upcoming shows this weekend, as Mike Camden swiped all that delicious low hanging fruit… Empire Wrestling Federation presents San Bernardino Strong. EWF continues their history of community involvement, by bringing a stacked card to the Fox Theatre to benefit the victims of the San Bernardino terrorist attack. Pro wrestling has a funny way about creating memories that can help you out when times are tough, that goes for people on both sides of the curtain & I hope that is the case once again on Friday night.
SoCal Pro Wrestling 9 year anniversary. Many companies have come and gone since the mid nineties boom period up to now, but SoCal Pro has lasted longer than most of them, well I guess all of them outside EWF. I expect history will be made on Saturday April 16th, as I will add one more day to my now record [holding] Golden State Championship reign. In other news, Ricardo Rodriguez will return “home” to get socked up by Rickey Mandel. The Tag Team Championship match looks really interesting on paper, I showed said paper to Dark Usagi and he ate it, I believe The WildSiderz are ready. And Hopefully Mike Camden meets the cheese grater that is the steel cage, unless SoCal Crazy makes him tap in 30 seconds.
Baja Stars is also running on Saturday April 16th with what looks like a good mixture of Lucha Libre with a little H.A.T.E. I heard the last show drew well, so felicidades! AOW will be in full effect on Saturday as well as OCCW on Sunday. There’s a few other Lucha shows this weekend as well. That’s a lot of action for one man to fit in any hot tub & to me that should equal a psyched southern California wrestling audience.
That sends us towards a packed May that begins with the EWF 20th Anniversary Extravaganza and ends with an absolutely loaded Finest City Wrestling show on May 30th. Suffice to say a lot of companies have a lot of exciting stuff planned as we head further into Spring and Summer. I’m hoping that generates some positive momentum on the Southern California scene. I believe that there are a lot of talented and hard working individuals from Zzyx to the border, whom if given the opportunity to shine, would do so.
What Filled the Gap?
Speaking of the SoCal scene, as Empire Wrestling Federation gets set to celebrate their 20 year anniversary. I have always been curious about independent wrestling in Southern California post LeBell, Olympic Auditorium era-1990, I don’t know anything of it. Not counting the Herb Abrams incarnation of UWF, what the heck held people over between WWF visits? In a city like Los Angeles and the surrounding area with the depth of pro wrestling & Lucha Libre culture, it’s weird that there seems to be a little gap in history. I know even less about any independent wrestling in San Diego before CCW started running the Palace of Pain, and it seems impossible that it was “the beginning” of independent wrestling in San Diego. There had to be Lucha Libre somewhere in San Diego 1980-1990. Hopefully someone returns from the Cauliflower Alley Convention with a story or three to fill in the gap.
Upcoming SoCal Events
EWF presents San Bernardino Strong – A Night of Pro Wrestling in San Bernardino, April 15 @ 8:00 PM
Meet Former WWE Stars Shawn Davari & Alicia “Ryan Shamrock” Webb in Huntington Park, April 16 @ 12:00 PM
AOW Live in Twenty-Nine Palms, April 16 @ 4:00 PM
SoCal Pro Wrestling 9 Year Anniversary Show in Oceanside, April 16 @ 6:00 PM
Baja Stars USA in San Diego, April 16 @ 6:00 PM
MWF Lucha Libre in Los Angeles, April 16 @ 8:00 PM
OCCW “The Return of the Battle Royal” in Westminster, April 17 @ 12:00 PM
Lucha Libre Event in Sun Valley, April 17 @ 3:00 PM
FPW in East Los Angeles, April 17 @ 5:00 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.
Hello Anthony, if you want to know more about LA wrestling in the mid 60s to about 73 email me with any questions I remember them good because I went to the OLYMPIC back then with my dad and watch them on KTLA every week my name is PHIL and my email is Philip_ brown66@yahoo.com