You Lost Me Before the Bell Even Rang

 

I just tried to watch a pro wrestling show on YouTube.

I didn’t make it to the first match.

Not because the wrestlers were bad. Not because the crowd was dead. Not because the card looked weak.

I was gone before anyone ever walked through the curtain.

The audio was horrible.
They were using the house microphone for everything—ring announcements, commentary, crowd sound, the entire broadcast. The result? Muffled voices, blown-out sound, and commentary you couldn’t understand if your life depended on it.

Another show?
Dead silence. For more than 45 minutes the cameras were rolling. The announcers were sitting at the desk. But no audio. No explanation. Just awkward nothingness.

And that’s when it hit me again:

Presentation matters more than most indie promotions are willing to admit.

The First Two Minutes Decide Everything

In today’s world, you don’t get a grace period.

Fans watching online aren’t “settling in.”
They’re deciding whether to stay or click away.

You have one to two minutes to answer a very simple question:

“Is this worth my time?”

Bad audio? They’re gone.
Awkward silence? They’re gone.
Confusing opening? They’re gone.

It doesn’t matter how good your main event is.
It doesn’t matter how talented your roster is.

If your presentation is sloppy at the start, the audience never sees the good stuff.

Audio Is Not Optional—It’s Foundational

If people can’t understand what’s being said, you’ve already failed.

Using the house mic for a broadcast is amateur hour.
A YouTube or TV audience needs clean, direct audio—separate from the PA system.

Commentary should be clear.
Ring announcements should be crisp.
Entrance music should hit, not distort.

This isn’t “extra.”
This is bare minimum professionalism.

Fans will forgive a missed cue.
They will not forgive sound that makes their ears work harder than the wrestlers.

Silence Kills Momentum—and Credibility

Dead air is deadly.

When a broadcast opens with silence, confusion, or announcers just sitting there, it sends a message:

“We didn’t plan this.”

And if you didn’t plan the opening, what else didn’t you plan?

Even a simple intro—music, a voiceover, a welcome—creates confidence. It tells the viewer they’re in good hands.

Silence tells them to leave.

Your First Match Sets the Tone—Period

Now let’s talk about the bell finally ringing.

Your first match matters more than you think.

It sets the pace.
It sets the energy.
It sets expectations.

If your opening match is sloppy, slow, or poorly thought out, you’ve already damaged the rest of the show. The audience doesn’t suddenly “reset” for match two.

They mentally check out.

A strong opener doesn’t have to be flashy—it has to be good.

Solid psychology.
Clean execution.
Purpose.

Give the crowd something that tells them:

“This is going to be worth watching.”

Respect the Audience—or Lose Them

Fans in the building deserve a professional experience.
Fans at home deserve the same respect.

Good presentation tells people you care about their time.

Bad presentation tells them you don’t.

And in 2026, with endless wrestling content a thumb-swipe away, you don’t get second chances.

If you lose them before the first match, you’ve already lost the show.

Wrestling doesn’t start at the bell.
It starts the moment someone hits play.

And if you don’t grab them right then—
someone else will.

The Ring That Held All the Magic

 

Some memories don’t fade. They don’t soften, they don’t drift into the background. They stay sharp—etched into you like they’re waiting for the right morning to resurface. Today, for whatever reason, mine took me back to those early wrestling shows my parents used to take me to.

As a kid, the excitement was obvious: the wrestlers, the noise, the chance—if the stars aligned—to meet someone whose larger‑than‑life presence lived rent‑free in my imagination. But before any of that happened, there was a moment I always returned to, a ritual I didn’t even realize I was performing.

We’d get there early. Not by accident—my parents were “beat the crowd” people. And while everyone else milled around, found their seats, grabbed concessions, or chatted with friends, I locked onto one thing and one thing only.

The ring.

Not the crowd.

Just the ring.

It sat there under the lights, quiet and untouched, like some kind of altar waiting for the first spark of life. The ropes, the canvas, the turnbuckles—none of it moved, yet all of it felt alive. As if the moment the bell rang, it would wake up and become something more than wood and steel and padding. Something sacred.

I didn’t have the vocabulary for it then, but I know now what I was feeling: reverence. That ring was the gateway to everything I loved about wrestling. It was where heroes were made, where villains were born, where stories unfolded without a script in sight. Even empty, it radiated possibility.

And maybe that’s why I couldn’t look away. Because before the first lock‑up, before the first pop, before the first wrestler made his way to the ring, the ring itself was already telling a story. It was promising that something unforgettable was about to happen.

Funny how a simple square of canvas can feel like magic when you’re a kid.

Funny how, even now, part of me still sees it the same way.

Constructive Criticism in Pro Wrestling: How to Lift People Up Without Tearing Them Down

 

The Classic Wrestling Alliance is built on the spirit of the 1970s and early 1980s — a time when the business was gritty, believable, and fiercely protected. But it was also a time when veterans took pride in teaching the next generation. Somewhere along the way, especially online, that part of the culture got lost.

I’m in several wrestling Facebook groups, and one thing I see constantly is this: A new kid posts a picture of their gimmick, their gear, or asks for advice on getting bookings — and instead of guidance, they get roasted. People pile on. They call the gimmick stupid. They say the person “doesn’t look like a wrestler.” They tear them down instead of helping them grow.

And I’ll be honest — I’ve been guilty of it too.

A Moment That Stuck With Me

Not long ago, a young guy was trying to get some bookings. He was green, eager, and doing the best he could with what he had. His gear wasn’t the most professional, especially his footwear. And just like everyone else, I piled on. I made my comment, got my little laugh, and moved on.

Then I found out the truth.

The kid wasn’t lazy. He wasn’t clueless. He wasn’t disrespecting the business. He was broke.

He was working with what he had because he couldn’t afford proper gear yet. And the second I learned that, I felt like absolute garbage. Not because I criticized his gear — that part is fair game — but because I forgot the human being wearing it.

That moment changed how I look at this whole issue.

What if, instead of mocking him, the wrestling community had said:

• “Hey man, I’ve got some old boots you can have.”

• “I know a gear maker who’ll cut you a deal.”

• “Let’s pitch in and help you get started.”

Imagine how different that kid’s experience would’ve been. Imagine how much stronger the business would be if we treated newcomers like investments instead of targets.

1. Remember Where You Came From

Every wrestler — from the biggest star to the greenest rookie — started somewhere. Nobody debuted with perfect gear, perfect timing, or perfect psychology.

If you wouldn’t want someone trashing your early days, don’t do it to someone else.

2. Critique the Work, Not the Person

There’s a huge difference between:

• “Your gear looks cheap.” and

• “Your gear could look more professional with better colors or cleaner lines. Here are some ideas.”

One is an insult. The other is guidance.

3. Offer Solutions, Not Just Opinions

Anyone can say, “That gimmick sucks.” It takes actual knowledge to say:

• “Your idea has potential, but it needs a clearer hook.”

• “Try leaning into this part of the character — it fits your look better.”

• “Your presentation would improve a lot with better lighting or a different pose.”

If you can’t offer a solution, you’re not helping.

4. Understand That Passion Doesn’t Equal Skill (Yet)

A lot of new wrestlers have heart, enthusiasm, and big dreams. What they don’t have is experience — or sometimes money.

Instead of punishing them for being new, guide them toward being better.

5. Avoid Public Embarrassment

If someone posts something rough, you don’t have to blast them in front of hundreds of people. A private message can go a long way:

“Hey brother, I see what you’re going for. If you want some honest feedback, I’ve got a few ideas.”

That approach builds relationships instead of resentment.

6. Praise What Works Before Fixing What Doesn’t

This isn’t about coddling. It’s about balance.

Start with something positive:

• “Your energy is great.”

• “You’ve got a unique look.”

• “Your character idea has potential.”

Then offer the critique.

People listen better when they don’t feel attacked.

If someone doesn’t fit your personal idea of what a wrestler “should” look like, that doesn’t mean they don’t belong. Perhaps they just need guidance!

7. Lead With Respect — Always

Old‑school wrestling was built on respect:

• Respect for the craft

• Respect for the veterans

• Respect for the fans

• Respect for the boys and girls in the locker room

If we want to preserve that tradition, we have to practice it — even online.

Especially online.

Final Thoughts

The wrestling business is tough enough without us tearing each other apart. Constructive criticism doesn’t mean being soft — it means being useful. It means helping someone get better instead of making them feel worse.

If we want the next generation to succeed, we have to guide them, not ridicule them. If we want the business to stay alive, we have to nurture it, not poison it. And if we want to call ourselves “old school,” then we need to honor the part of the old school that mattered most:

Respect — and taking care of your own.

The Disappearing Respect in Pro Wrestling

 

I saw a post earlier today from a veteran of the wrestling business talking about something that used to be understood without explanation: wrestlers should look the part.

One of the responses stopped me cold:

“What people wear has nothing to do with what you bring to the table as a wrestler, right? So why worry about it?”

That comment wasn’t just wrong—it was disrespectful, and not just to that veteran, but to the business itself. And if I , as a promoter, heard you disrespect the business or a veteran of the business like that, I assure you I will escort you from the building immediately, that is if you are lucky enough to escape without the veteran beating the crap out of you.

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Looking the Part Was Never About Vanity

For generations, looking like a wrestler wasn’t about ego or fashion—it was about credibility.

If a fan bought a ticket, sat in the crowd, and looked at the ring, they needed to believe—at a glance—that what they were seeing mattered. The gear, the physique, the posture, the confidence—all of it told a story before the first lock-up ever happened.

Veterans harp on this because they lived it:

• They dressed professionally because the business demanded respect.

• They trained their bodies because fans expected larger-than-life performers.

• They understood that presentation was part of the illusion.

Wrestling has always been visual storytelling.

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Respect Isn’t Optional—It’s the Foundation

Here’s the part many newer wrestlers don’t want to hear:

When a veteran offers advice, they aren’t attacking creativity.
They aren’t trying to “hold you back.”
They aren’t jealous.

They’re protecting something they gave their lives to.

Dismissing that advice with sarcasm or arrogance doesn’t make someone progressive—it makes them look entitled.

And entitlement has never drawn a dime.

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The Locker Room Used to Police This—Now It Doesn’t

Once upon a time, a wrestler showing up looking sloppy, unprepared, or unserious would be pulled aside quietly—or not so quietly.

Peers cared.
Promoters cared.
Veterans cared.

Today, too many wrestlers want instant validation without earning it. They want to redefine the rules before they even understand why the rules existed in the first place.

You don’t get to rewrite a business you haven’t yet respected.

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You Can Be Talented and Still Miss the Point

Yes—gear alone doesn’t make a wrestler good.

But pretending presentation doesn’t matter is like saying:

• Acting doesn’t matter in movies

• Appearance doesn’t matter in marketing

• First impressions don’t matter in life

Fans may not articulate it, but they feel it.

And once belief is gone, no amount of flips, spots, or internet praise brings it back.

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Final Thought

If someone who carried towns, drew houses, and survived in this business long before social media tells you to look the part—maybe the correct response isn’t mockery.

Maybe it’s humility.

Because pro wrestling doesn’t owe anyone success.
And it has never rewarded disrespect.

If you want to change the business someday, earn the right first.

The Pro Wrestling AI Panic Makes No Sense

 

Last week, I shared a link to my book A.I. for Pro Wrestlers in a Facebook wrestling group.

Within minutes, the reaction wasn’t curiosity—it was hostility.

“AI is lazy.”
“Pay a real trainer.”
“This is garbage.”
“AI should be rejected in all forms.”

None of the loudest critics had read the book. Some openly admitted they hadn’t. They just reacted to the word AI and decided it was a threat.

That reaction isn’t just emotional—it’s contradictory.

Let’s Clear One Thing Up First

A.I. for Pro Wrestlers does not replace training.
It does not replace ring time.
It does not replace coaches, feedback, or experience.

The book says that explicitly:

“This book does not replace training, ring time, or experience.
It replaces guesswork.”

Yet the pushback continues.

So let’s talk about why.

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Wrestling Has “Evolved”… Except When It’s Inconvenient

One of the most common defenses I hear is:

“I prefer doing things old school.”

That argument falls apart instantly under scrutiny.

If wrestlers truly preferred the “old school” way of doing things:

• Matches would emphasize psychology over constant high spots

• Fewer dives, fewer superkicks, fewer choreographed sequences

• Attire would be trunks, tights, and wrestling boots—not jeans, joggers, sneakers, and kick pads

• Selling would matter again

But when those things are brought up, the response is always:

“Wrestling has evolved.”

Fair enough.

But if wrestling style can evolve…
If attire can evolve…
If presentation can evolve…

Then why is promotion and business knowledge frozen in time?

You don’t get to argue evolution only when it benefits your comfort zone.

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The AI Poster Hypocrisy

Recently, a young wrestler—18 years old—posted:

“Now I see promotions doing AI posters, dear god!!!! 😂”

The irony is staggering.

Many of the same people mocking AI posters:

• Use Canva templates

• Use Photoshop presets

• Use auto-captioning

• Use Instagram algorithms

• Use Facebook boosted posts

• Use YouTube thumbnails optimized by machine learning

All of that is AI-assisted technology.

They just don’t like the label.

If you’re using Canva, you’re using AI.
If you’re relying on social media reach, you’re using AI.
If you’re optimizing content for platforms, you’re using AI.

The outrage isn’t about ethics.
It’s about unfamiliarity.

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“AI Took My Job” Isn’t the Same Argument

I’ve seen comments from graphic designers and creatives saying they lost work because of AI.

That frustration is valid.

But blaming wrestlers, promoters, or small promotions for using tools they can afford isn’t the solution. Independent wrestling has never been flush with cash. Most promoters are barely breaking even. Expecting them to hire high-end designers for every flyer is unrealistic.

AI doesn’t eliminate creativity.
It lowers the barrier to entry.

The real divide isn’t AI vs. artists.
It’s adaptation vs. refusal.

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If “Old School” Really Meant Old School

If people truly preferred doing things the old school way, the modern independent wrestling scene would look very different.

You would see larger-than-life professional wrestlers—men who looked like attractions, not interchangeable gym students.

You would see fewer 90-pound kids flipping and flopping endlessly with no selling, no pacing, and no sense of consequence.

You would see matches built around:

• Presence

• Psychology

• Crowd control

• Timing

• Character

Not nonstop movement for movement’s sake.

Old school wrestling was never about how many moves you could do.
It was about who you were, why the match mattered, and how you made the crowd feel.

Yet when this point is raised, the response is always the same:

“Wrestling has evolved.”

And that’s fine—it has.

But you don’t get to selectively apply evolution.

You can’t accept evolution in wrestling style, size, presentation, and gear—then suddenly reject evolution in promotion, organization, and business tools.

That’s not tradition.

That’s inconsistency.


What AI Actually Does for Wrestlers

Used correctly, AI helps wrestlers:

• Think more clearly about their character

• Structure promos with confidence

• Plan matches with better psychology

• Study opponents respectfully

• Organize bookings, travel, and finances

• Grow their audience without losing authenticity

It doesn’t make you a wrestler.
It makes you less disorganized.

That’s it.

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What AI Actually Does for Pro Wrestling Promoters

Used correctly, AI helps promoters:

• Clarify their brand, identity, and long-term vision

• Write clearer, more professional promotional copy and press releases

• Plan cards with stronger pacing, balance, and crowd flow

• Organize talent communication, bookings, and follow-ups efficiently

• Create consistent marketing materials without blowing the budget

• Analyze ticket sales, audience feedback, and market trends

• Reduce burnout by cutting down administrative chaos

• Present a more credible, organized operation to talent and venues

It doesn’t make you a promoter.
It makes you less scattered.

_______________________________________________________________________

That’s it.The Business Hasn’t Gotten Easier

Pro wrestling is harder than it’s ever been.
More talent.
More competition.
More noise.
Less money.

Refusing tools that reduce friction doesn’t make you noble.
It makes you harder to book, harder to market, and harder to sustain.

You don’t have to like AI.
But pretending it isn’t already here—already being used by major companies, promotions, and platforms—isn’t realism. It’s denial.

The business hasn’t gotten easier.

But you can get smarter.

Wrestling Fans, We Need to Talk: Keep Your Hands Off What Isn’t Yours

 

Two blogs from me in one day is rare! But this is becoming a growing problem and it needs to be addressed and addressed now!

Wrestling Fans, keep Your Hands Off What Isn’t Yours

There’s a troubling trend starting to show up at wrestling shows lately, and it needs to be addressed—directly, honestly, and without sugarcoating.

Fans taking things that do not belong to them.

This isn’t a one-off incident. It’s becoming a pattern.

A few weeks ago, WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart—The Mouth of the South—had his iconic megaphone stolen at a show. Yes, it was eventually returned, but the fact that it happened at all is unbelievable.

Not long after that, at a show in Hazard, Kentucky, wrestler KC Cazana lost his hat band near ringside. Security and I searched the entire area around the ring. Nothing. Eventually, a fan—apparently feeling guilty—came forward and handed it over.

And just this past weekend, Ben Bishop, working in the Hudson Valley area, had his entrance vest stolen.

Let’s be crystal clear here.

If It Doesn’t Belong to You, Leave It Alone.

This isn’t complicated. Wrestling fans have understood this rule for decades—until recently.

If a wrestler throws something into the crowd—a T-shirt, a bandana, a towel, whatever—and you catch it, congratulations. That’s yours. Fair game.

But if a wrestler sets something down at ringside, drops it near the ring, or leaves it with their gear, that is not a souvenir. That’s their property. Their livelihood. In some cases, their identity.

Entrance gear isn’t cheap. Custom pieces cost real money. Some items carry sentimental value or are irreplaceable. Taking them isn’t “fun,” it isn’t “a joke,” and it isn’t “part of the show.”

It’s theft.

This Is How You Ruin Wrestling Shows

Here’s the part fans need to think about long-term.

Promoters already operate on thin margins. Wrestlers already put their bodies on the line for your entertainment. When fans start stealing gear, it creates problems that ripple outward:

• Wrestlers become hesitant about interacting near ringside

• Security has to become more aggressive

• Promoters have to tighten crowd access

• Family-friendly atmospheres start disappearing

And yes—this is where the sarcasm turns into a real question:

Are promoters going to have to start frisking fans before they leave the venue?

That sounds insane—but so does stealing a wrestler’s entrance vest.

Respect the Business or Don’t Come Back

Professional wrestling works because of mutual respect:

• Wrestlers respect the fans enough to give everything they have

• Promoters respect the audience by putting on quality shows

• Fans are expected to respect the performers and the space

When that balance breaks, everyone loses.

So let’s bring back a rule that used to be common sense:

Look. Cheer. Boo. Enjoy the show.
But keep your hands off anything that isn’t intentionally given to you.

Wrestling is built on tradition. Respect is one of them.

Gratitude Is a Currency in Wrestling — And Too Many Are Broke

By Joe Clark, Wrestling Promoter 

Yesterday, I saw a post from a pro wrestling promotion in Arizona looking for talent.

No gimmick. No catch. Just an opportunity.

I took a few minutes out of my day and privately shared that post with sixteen wrestlers—guys I thought might genuinely want to expand their footprint, work a new territory, or at least appreciate the heads-up.

Out of sixteen?

One said thank you.

One.

The Smallest Gesture Reveals the Biggest Problem

Let’s be clear about something:

I wasn’t asking for anything.

I wasn’t booking myself on the card.

I wasn’t attaching strings, favors, or expectations.

I was simply doing what wrestling used to be built on: helping someone else get an opportunity.

A quick “Thanks, I appreciate it” costs nothing.

It takes seconds.

But it speaks volumes.

The silence from the other fifteen said far more than any words could.

Entitlement Has Replaced Appreciation

There’s an ugly mindset creeping into wrestling—especially on the independent level:

“I deserve opportunities.”

“People should help me.”

“That’s just how it works.”

No. It’s not.

No one owes you leads.

No one owes you connections.

No one owes you a single message, post, or recommendation.

When someone goes out of their way to think of you—to include you—to try to help you—gratitude isn’t optional. It’s basic professionalism.

Silence doesn’t make you look busy.

It doesn’t make you look important.

It makes you look ungrateful.

Wrestling Is a Relationship Business (Whether You Like It or Not)

This business has always run on relationships:

Who thought of you when an opportunity came up

Who vouched for you when your name was mentioned

Who passed along a contact instead of keeping it to themselves

People remember who acknowledges help—and who doesn’t.

And here’s the reality most don’t want to hear:

The people who quietly help you today are often the same people who could help you again tomorrow… or decide not to.

Why I’ll Move Differently Going Forward

Out of sixteen wrestlers, one showed appreciation.

So going forward, that’s likely the one I’ll think of first.

Not out of spite.

Not out of ego.

But out of respect for mutual professionalism.

Gratitude tells me:

You recognize effort

You value connections

You understand this business is bigger than just yourself

Those are the people worth helping.

A Simple Reminder to Wrestlers Everywhere

You don’t have to accept every opportunity.

You don’t have to be interested.

You don’t have to say yes.

But when someone tries to help you?

Say thank you.

It costs nothing.

And it may be worth more than you realize.

Because in wrestling—as in life—entitlement closes doors, but gratitude opens them.