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A wrestling wave is spreading across Trinidad and Tobago and promoter/wrestler Quincy "Razor" Joseph is hoping that the country will be taken by storm when New Evolution Wrestling (NEW) hosts its Royale event at the popular Hutt Shutts sports bar on Crown Street in Tacarigua from 6 pm on June 8.
Formed in 2008, NEW has staged numerous events over the years, but Joseph said its April 6 Lix and Chaos event was the best attended over the years. With over 400 people packed into the Hutt Shutts venue for Lix and Chaos, Joseph is looking to take the momentum into Royale and future events. Royale will be the third event this year, as NEW also hosted A New Beginning on March 2.
With inspiration coming from watching world-renowned wrestlers such as Bret "The Hitman" Hart, The Undertaker and Kane in the World Wrestling Entertainment, Joseph began wrestling at 17 and also has a vision to enhance pro wrestling in TT.
"The inspiration for (NEW) is actually just a boyhood dream and realising that pro wrestling was big in the 1980s, but it went dead," Joseph told Newsday, during an interview earlier this month.
"My aim was to revamp it and bring it back because we're starving for pro wrestling in the Caribbean. My aim in forming the company was to bring something new. It's a unique form of entertainment, not just for Trinidad, but the Caribbean also."
Alongside local wrestling icon Thunderbolt Williams, Joseph formed the Wrestling Training Academy in Caroni with the goal of giving wrestlers a space and platform to hone their crafts and generate a product which fans would be willing to pay for. At present, Joseph said there are approximately 21 wrestlers in training, including four female wrestlers, with training being held twice a week.
Though the Hutt Shutts location restricts NEW's audience to solely adult patrons, Joseph said the organisation ultimately wants to become self-sufficient to be able to host events at other venues which allow young fans to be involved.
"Later down this year, we have a couple shows planned and we're looking to go in south and do at least three before the year is out," Joseph said. "We tell (patrons) how they can go about becoming a pro wrestler. We don't just employ pro wrestlers alone, we also have commentary, referees, actors and somebody who manages the whole show.
"I would say the show has been growing rapidly...Obviously, we use small venues and I'm seeing growth. I think we're on the right track."
[caption id="attachment_1155677" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Jason "Colossus" London performs his choke-slam finisher on Hades Hall at New Evolution Wrestling's Lix and Chaos event at Hutt Shutts in Tacarigua on April 6. - Photo courtesy Arron Mohammed[/caption]
Joseph said the search for sponsorship is a work in progress and NEW currently generates their income from gate receipts. For the upcoming Royale event, early bird tickets were priced at $50, while tickets are currently priced at $75 and will cost $100 at the door. Income is also generated from merchandising done by the NEW wrestling cast.
When asked if the income generated from ticket sales helps NEW to break even, Joseph said, "We're breaking even now, yes. At a point in time, no."
Joseph said NEW doesn't have medical coverage for its wrestlers, but maintained the wrestlers are never put in harm's way under his watch.
"We're currently working on getting medical coverage for our wrestlers. We do a have a doctor and a medical team present at the show. Of course, before they go into the ring, we make sure they're capable. We wouldn't put somebody out there if they're not fit to do so," Joseph said.
"This is something we're building. We currently have no sponsors...some of these things cost money and we can't afford it yet."
Royale ring action
For Royale, Joseph is promising an exciting evening of events where no punches will be held. An intergender match will be one of the matches on the card, featuring Lady Athena and Tony Cervantes, who has trained in Costa Rica and previously wrestled in Mexico. At Lix and Chaos, Lady Athena tussled with male wrestler Akshon in the NEW's first intergender match.
At Royale, there will also be a three-way match for the regional title involving Remy "The Dragon" Royse, Kiran Ridge and regional champion Shammi. The event's headliner will undoubtedly be the battle royale-style match which will feature 15 wrestlers, who will be vying for a shot at Caricom champ Real Furia. Born in Trinidad, Furia grew up in Spain and adds a fiery personality to the NEW cast.
Joseph will be among the wrestlers aiming to be the last man standing, with Master X, UWI student Hades Hall, Major Star, Colossus and Thunderbolt Williams' son Lightning Bolt also among the competitors.
While there may be a lot of sideline theatrics and byplay among the wrestlers, Joseph said the in-ring action is as real as it gets.
[caption id="attachment_1155678" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Lady Athena flexes her muscle during a matchup at New Evolution Wrestling's Lix and Chaos event at Hutt Shutts, Tacarigua on April 6. - Photo courtesy Kimberley Bridgette Boodram[/caption]
"Pro wrestling is entertainment. I think people misunderstand it a little bit. The hits are not fake," Joseph said. "If you allow somebody to throw you on a concrete floor, that doesn't mean it wouldn't hurt. The only thing is that you allowed them to do it. Our wrestlers are normally really banged up and that's one of the reasons why we have the shows kinda spaced out. I don't have a staff as big as WWE where I can do a show every Monday."
Colossus, The Cabal look to stop show at Royale
Standing at six feet, 310 pounds, the menacing Jason "Colossus" London will be one of the wrestlers aiming to make his mark at Royale. Similar to Joseph, London grew up watching WWE clips and was even fascinated by the stories he heard about Thunderbolt Williams. London's journey started as a bouncer, and he attended his first wrestling event as a teenager at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, in the early 2000s.
London participated in his first event in 2016 and was a member of The Catalysts faction. Having participated in over 50 local events, London said he loves the thrill of entertaining and wants to do his part to ensure pro wrestling grows in TT. London said the wrestlers are paid per event and can earn just under a $1,000 for each event based on ticket sales and merchandising.
"We want to sell out Hutt Shutts fully and the plan is to hit the community centres after," London said. "Children want to be a part of the entertainment as well and they can't be included at that venue. I rather market it out first and everything will fall into place after.
"My goal after everything is just to see the youths continuing the trend. Once the sport doesn't die out completely and it keeps going, I want it to become a lucrative business which can keep growing to greater heights."
Now forming part of The Cabal alongside Furia, Lady Athena and Major Star, London's thoughts on the battle royale are simple, "Once one of The Cabal wins, we all win."
Often decked in all-black with black face painting, London describes himself as a brawler who who likes to use dog chains, brass knuckles, steel chairs and his choke-slam finisher to subdue his opponents.
London said the art of pro wrestling is not as easy as it looks as the fighters have to learn how to fall to prevent injury, grapple, counter, throw proper punches and most importantly, protect their opponent while executing a finishing move.
"Let's say you want to do a finisher. You have to do it properly, because you don't want to execute your move wrong and snap somebody's neck. A dislocation is fine, but there's no coming back from a broken neck."
London's cabal will have victory on their minds when they step into the ring at Royale, but Razor, Lightning Bolt, Kiran Ridge and many others will have different plans to steal the show at Hutt Shutts.
 
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