Seeking advice on pursuing a career in Professional Wrestling

[OneSmugDuck]

Hey everyone,

Ducko here, my first real post on Carb so hope this message finds you all well. I'm a longtime wrestling fan with a burning passion to pursue a career in professional wrestling.

I've been watching wrestling since I was a kid, and the athleticism, storytelling, and sheer entertainment value have always captivated me. Even now the recent story of Cody Rhodes as well as the success of Damian Priest have ignited this passion of mine to turn it into a career, but I could use some guidance from those who have walked this path before.

I'm reaching out to humbly ask for advice and insights on how to break into the world of professional wrestling. Specifically, I'm interested in learning about:

• The essential skills and qualities needed to succeed in professional wrestling.
• Recommendations for reputable wrestling schools or training programs (in South Africa).
• Common pitfalls to avoid when starting in the industry.

If any of you have personal experiences or anecdotes you'd be willing to share, I would greatly appreciate hearing them. Whether you're a seasoned wrestler, a trainer, or someone just starting out like me, your perspective would be invaluable in helping me navigate this journey.

I want to assure you all that I'm committed, dedicated, and eager to learn. I understand that this path won't be easy, but I'm ready to put in the hard work and sacrifice necessary to achieve my dream.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this post and for any advice you can offer. Your support means the world to me, and I look forward to showing the world what we SA guys are capable of if given the chance!

 

[Dom]

Hey everyone,

Ducko here, my first real post on Carb so hope this message finds you all well. I'm a longtime wrestling fan with a burning passion to pursue a career in professional wrestling.

I've been watching wrestling since I was a kid, and the athleticism, storytelling, and sheer entertainment value have always captivated me. Even now the recent story of Cody Rhodes as well as the success of Damian Priest have ignited this passion of mine to turn it into a career, but I could use some guidance from those who have walked this path before.

I'm reaching out to humbly ask for advice and insights on how to break into the world of professional wrestling. Specifically, I'm interested in learning about:

• The essential skills and qualities needed to succeed in professional wrestling.
• Recommendations for reputable wrestling schools or training programs (in South Africa).
• Common pitfalls to avoid when starting in the industry.

If any of you have personal experiences or anecdotes you'd be willing to share, I would greatly appreciate hearing them. Whether you're a seasoned wrestler, a trainer, or someone just starting out like me, your perspective would be invaluable in helping me navigate this journey.

I want to assure you all that I'm committed, dedicated, and eager to learn. I understand that this path won't be easy, but I'm ready to put in the hard work and sacrifice necessary to achieve my dream.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this post and for any advice you can offer. Your support means the world to me, and I look forward to showing the world what we SA guys are capable of if given the chance!

Not to burst any bubbles - is there professional wrestling in South Africa?

 

[OneSmugDuck]

Not to burst any bubbles - is there professional wrestling in South Africa?

The only place that comes to mind when it comes to pro is the Africa Wrestling Alliance, so I'm shooting for that or something similiar to build up the in-ring experience needed

 

[Dom]

Good luck!!

 

[Frana.mtb]

I haven't been a wrestler before but I used to be an avid follower and was a professional sportsman was well

Professionalism:

Making a career out of sport is insane imo even more pro wrestling, look at jake the snake and the stories he tells about Andre , look at Kurt ( who was very accomplished before even starting )

The vast majority of these guys have crippling miles on their bodies and they are the ones who got big.

Even if you don't go super big time are you willing to significantly shorten your life for the win ?

When I was 17 , I was a professional cross country mountainbiker , full house with team and everything. On average in season we had 15hr weeks and off season usually 20hr ( brutal fucking training let me tell you )

The training and discipline involved was mental and I was a damn good athlete but when competing at African champs I was mid pack at best. ( you can find my name in some top 10"s but never even a podium )

Wresting has the interesting element of a combination of personality, athleticism and toughness cause moering off a first story platform to a table put on cement can only be done so smoothly.

Concerning stuff like seeing Newjack lose his shit and genuinely hurt/injure people is another factor that will be very common in small organizations while you are building a name.

Firstly commit to training and dieting like a motherfucker to build the engine and body of a wrestler then maybe also go for acting classes that will help you build a 'Character"

I wish you the best man , we had a guy I think named Justin that was part of the Nexus era 12/13 years ago but he never got anywhere.

 

[johnny_h]

I know this isn't the kinda advice that you're looking for, and most likely garbage as I'm not in the business at all, but have a look at the UpUpDownDown channel and watch the stuff that has both Xavier Woods and Tyler Breeze on it, there's often lots of great wrestling stories and advice.
It's tons of videos to watch, and is mostly just entertainment but you do get some stuff that I thought were very insightful.

One example was where they talked about Hulk Hogan's pantomime skills. It's not something that I ever thought about, but after hearing it, I completely understand how important they were because when he would mime, everybody knew what he was doing. Whether the TV was on mute, or the fans were in the back row and couldn't hear, his pantomime helped engage with people.

Tyler Breeze also runs a wrestling school with Shaun Spears called Flatbacks Wrestling School.
The main course is 2 months, and they have student housing available.
If you have money to spare, it might be worth checking out:

Flatbacks Wrestling School

If you’re in the market for the safest professional wrestling training, then you’ve come to the right place. The school is owned and operated by Ronnie Arneill (Shawn Spears/Tye Dillinger) and Matthew Clement (Tyler Breeze).

www.flatbackswrestlingschool.com

Either way, good luck with the journey!

 

[OneSmugDuck]

@Frana.mtb - A lot to take from this, I have seen a lot of people getting hurt due to how grueling it can be. It's mostly going to be your life when fully committing to something like Wrestling and I'm prepared for the long and hard road ahead.

Starting with the exercises of course and building up the physical experience needed is where I'm at now so I'll work hard!

I'm putting in a lot of work to get the right training regime and diet for my body and what is needed. This Duck is going to get jacked, mark my words.

Thanks for the advice and kind words I do appreciate it 💪

 

[OneSmugDuck]

@johnny_h - I didn't know about this, not garbage at all, this is amazing!

Going to go through all of their videos after work , also with Hulk Hogan I agree, there are so many ways to keep the audience entertained without using words and that's something that takes a lot of practicing.

As for the wrestling school, this is great, I'll take a look into this thank you!

 

[ta_ref]

As a 90s/00s wrestling fan, it is great to see someone more passionate about the sport than I am in that you are willing to partake in it even. All the best and remember to send us invites to your next wrestling match 😁😉

 

[souljazk]

You're young, and very passionate about wrestling! It's awesome to see!! I love skateboarding in the way you love wrestling and I think both sadly have very short career's for most people. In skating its 5-7y.

I'd maybe look at how you can be involved in the business end of the Wrestling Africa stuff, and maybe wrestle on the side. This is from a point of income but also physical health.

All the best man!!!

EDIT:

Business end is transferable skills, EG Event planning, security, local laws and faces, social media, marketing, payroll, risk analysis, raising capital, budgeting, forcasting, character story, character design and so on.

Idea -What about becoming a ref. Every game needs a ref.. Close to the action.. Close up Go-Pro ? This may allow for less physical injury, more bookings, industry involvement, meeting Pro wrestlers and their trainer / team etc.

 

[el_guapo3291]

I don't have any experience in the industry to give you but as a long time fan and after watching many interviews I'd say the most important thing is to find the right gimmick.

There have been many "freaks" in wrestling but they have usually had very short careers, if you look at the wrestlers that had staying power then perhaps one of the best examples is the Undertaker. He found the gimmick that suited him and he evolved it over time to suit the different era's and keeps things fresh. You can also look at the likes of Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ric Flair, Randy Orton, The Rock etc. they all have gimmicks that have stood the test of time.

Lastly proffesional wrestlings is a rough world, make sure you are fully aware of what you are sacrificing and make sure it is indeed worth it because chances of great success i.e. making it to the WWE eventually are not high.

In terms of physical requirements I'd say only go as far as you need to for the actual stunts and not over do the "creatine", a solid gimmick will always outlast a freak show body (Unless you are in the 0.001% of gifted people like Andre The Giant, Big Show, Great Khali etc.)

Spend a lot of time mastering techniques and try as much as possible to minise the wear and tear you will be accumulating because unless you make it right to the top the money isn't going to be worth it.

Good luck in this adventure!

 

[Obie]

Very cool to see the passion and motivation you have for the sport.

I worked with a guy way back who was a wrestler and did pro shows/events quite often.
He was a little dude like Ray mysterio, think people called him El Matador.

I will see if I still have him on fb and drop him a message.

All the best.

 

[OneSmugDuck]

Just got back from work, thanks for the advice guys, and the concerns about staying fit and not injuring myself. All things considered, I'm going to give it my all and take things as they come and go.

I'll keep you updated and of course, first match tickets are on me @ta_ref

@souljazk - I appreciate the concern, also with the idea of approaching the industry differently sounds great as well. I'll consider it.

@el_guapo3291 - I've been working a lot on my 'approach' to wrestling as the gimmick is just as important as how you perform. Been brainstorming a lot of names, techniques, and how that all fits into the character. Thanks for the advice!

@Obie - One of the best of all time Rey Mysterio. One of the best high flyers alongside Jeff Hardy. Thank you for the wishes, means a lot 💪

 

[Spontaneous.Spinach]

Let's practice

I launch a swift eye poke , you stagger back, temporarily blinded and disoriented!
You hear me bouncing of the rope , heading violently straight at you , What's your move?@OneSmugDuck ?

 

[Dom]

Let's practice

I launch a swift eye poke , you stagger back, temporarily blinded and disoriented!
You hear me bouncing of the rope , heading violently straight at you , What's your move?@OneSmugDuck ?

Flying butt cheeks to the nose!

 

[Spontaneous.Spinach]

Flying butt cheeks to the nose!

We can start our own professional wrestling organisation with our excellent script

 

[OneSmugDuck]

Let's practice

I launch a swift eye poke , you stagger back, temporarily blinded and disoriented!
You hear me bouncing of the rope , heading violently straight at you , What's your move?@OneSmugDuck ?

Good question actually, seeing as that's a little dirty I'm probably assuming you're the Heel in this scenario so I'll counter with the following:

I'll stagger backward with exaggerated movements, giving the impression that I'm still recovering from the eye poke and struggling to regain my vision of course but this will leave you open for a counterattack.

Step 2: I'll pivot swiftly to the side just before your violent strike, catching you off guard and balance.

Step 3: Discombobulate, meaning I'll use this swift momentum to come in and counter with a solid well-timed clothesline followed by a combination of strikes and grapples to keep up the momentum.

 

[CyberProtea]

Goodluck with this bud!

I know jack all about wrestling

Pursue your dreams , go hard

& your an entertainer/actor before wrestler

More eyes on you the better

 

[Dom]

We can start our own professional wrestling organisation with our excellent script

Why stop there - can be a new type of musical!

 

[yourang]

You Need get over with the crowd, wrestling mostly ihow the crowd reacts!

Just check how LA knight connects with the crowd! YEAH!!!!