Part I

 Wrestling is an age old form of entertainment. The art of staged fighting finds its roots in almost every culture. The masked men and women of Lucha Libre are well-known in Mexico, while America reminisces the strongmen shows of old carnivals that eventually became modern wrestling. While most are familiar with the lucrative World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), smaller indie wrestling promotions still exist all over the world.
These indie promotions hire wrestlers to travel everywhere, performing in any high school gym or bingo hall that will take them.
Karl Fredricks, known as “The Big Effin’ Deal” in the wrestling world, is one of many touring wrestlers. A recent newcomer to the scene, Karl has gotten to see the recent explosion of indie wrestling first hand.
“I knew the worldwide, the WWE's, the new Japan Pro Wrestling’s, the Ring of Honor's, the bigger ones. I didn't know I could go and travel as much as I have. As soon as I started wrestling it was a new world to me, and it was exciting because obviously this where I've made my name, where I've honed my craft.” 

Wrestling Popularity by Social Media
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    • Part II

    Often mistaken for a sporting event, it's important to know just what wrestling entails. Akin to a theatre performance or a magic show, wrestling is a staged fight with the intention of telling a story. It has more in common with the movie Rocky than with the UFC.
    Like a magician who never reveals their secret, wrestlers and fans are adamant that wrestling is real, in order to "protect the business,” a phrase that refers to treating wrestling like it’s real despite the common knowledge that it’s not. The wrestler, audience, and viewer at home are all participating in a form of exciting escapism.
    This weight of self-image and responsibility is everything for a wrestler. They act almost like independent contractors, promoting themselves and selling their own merchandise wherever they wrestle. The more people they draw, the bigger a wrestler will get. That means they have to get the crowd on their side, whether they are a “good guy” or a “bad guy”.

    Most APW Appearances
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    • Part III

    “I spent the vast majority of my career wrestling as 'baby-face,' as a good guy. September of last year was my heel turn when I became a bad guy,” Karl explains when asked about grabbing the crowd's attention.
    “A lot of it's feel. If I kick a guy and the crowd loves it, I'll probably kick him two or three more times,” admits Karl.
    “Today I was the victim of a good handful of chops to the chest. He started lighting me up and the crowd was into it he so kept lighting me up. It's that thing, pulling the emotion out of the crowd.”
    It may seem odd to analyze how to entertain people, but the art of crowd control in a wrestling match is just as touch-and-go as the death defying flips and dives the wrestler's take to tell their stories.

    Wrestling Events in the United States by Decade
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    Part IV

    “The thing is you can make six figures on the indies and it's crazy. It reminds me of a lot of rappers. You look at rappers today, they’re not signing record deals,” Karl elaborates.
    “They're like, ‘I'll put my money for the tour,' and they're getting a lot back. The Young Bucks are in Hot Topic, and that money is going to the The [Young] Bucks, rather than the WWE shirts that are going back to the corporation. On the indies there are just so many places to work. You get that buzz and you can work anywhere.”
    Karl knows he still has way to go, but he's excited at his prospects.
    “I'm just a kid trying to wrestle. I'm still driving myself everywhere but I love professional wrestling, and I want to give my life to this. It is a very good time to be a professional wrestler.”