Colorful Words and People Fly: Austin Professional Wrestling Events

Did you know that Austin professional wrestling events have existed since 2006? Did you know that the Mohawk Club on 10th and Red River has been hosting these events? Now you do. What are you going to do about it?

The Promotion

Anarchy Championship Wrestling (ACW) was founded by Austin locals Darin Childs, Rachel Summerlyn and their former partner, Jacob Ladder, in 2006. Since then, they have been holding monthly events on Sundays and dividing their time between Austin and Live Oak, Texas. With roughly six different title belts constantly changing hands, there is rarely a dull moment in the ring at ACW events.

The shows are all-ages. But be warned: the language can be a bit strong from both the wrestlers and their fans. The action may also be a bit rough at times for the youngsters. Considering the locale and the promotion, this should be assumed by the event goers. It is rough, and it is fun.

Three different tickets are for sale. General Admission is $12.00, and Reserved and Balcony seating is $15.00. Did I say balcony? Yes, I did. See, the Mohawk added an additional balcony over their roof this last year and it’s a great way to see the professional wrestling action.

From Clean to Extreme and Everything In Between 

There are large power wrestlers, who will throw anyone and anything across the ring. And there are the smaller guys who will leave audience members dizzy from their acrobatic shenanigans. Size doesn’t matter. Some of the smallest wrestlers like Jojo Bravo mix it up with the big boys like Ricky Romita.

ACW is an equal opportunity promotion. Women are equally able to dole out and receive pain as men are In fact, they frequently exchange such sadistic gifts like suplexes, powerbombs, and backbreakers with their male counterparts. See, ACW is gender blind when it comes to who wrestles who.

In fact, Rachel Summerlyn is the current ACW Champion (a title generally held by a male wrestler), much to the chagrin of Jaykus Plisken, ACW’s top heel (bad guy).

The Venue: Mohawk

The Mohawk is in my favorite part of downtown: Red River Street. The club is home to metal and punk music with two stage areas and a full bar. Don’t worry, they have soda for the kids. Pizza can be bought down the street at Hoboken Pies.

The outside stage is set aside for ACW’s reserved seats. The large area in front of the stage is where the ring is set up. This is where things become interesting. Due to the size of the ring, general admission seats are extremely close to the ring. Fan involvement is inevitable.

There is an unsaid rule which prevents the fans from physically interacting with the wrestlers. High fives are okay, but left hooks are something of a faux pas and will result in bad things for the offending fan. So when things spill outside the ring, fans move out of the way post haste.

A set of stairs on either side of the ring lead to the balcony area. The balcony directly above the ring is considered special seating and fans holding those tickets are provided wristbands that do get checked.

The Fans

With regard to professional wrestling, fans make or break the promotion. ACW is not short of hardcore fans. I have been going to their events at the Mohawk since last February and I have seen the same people, in the same seats at each event. Some have signs; most just yell. My friends and I can be seen leaning over the balcony rail cheering, jeering and heckling the wrestlers along with everyone else. Oh, and the wrestlers throw it right back at us.

As I said before, the language may get a bit rough, so conservative types may want to check it out before they bring little Johnny along to a show.

Whether you are a wrestling fan or not, check this out at least once. For the price, you get four hours of action and entertainment. Combined with Mohawk’s beer selection, that isn’t a bad deal. If you have the time, come out to the next Austin professional wrestling event on January 20th.

What You Need to Know

• The Mohawk is an outdoor venue and ACW is an all-weather promotion. So dress accordingly.
• Tickets can be purchased in advance at ACW’s website. This guarantees a seat, since shows can sell out.
• The Mohawk and Hoboken Pies accept either cash or card, so it is your preference.
• Have fun.
• Events are on Sundays and they run from 5:30-10 PM.
• Stay alert, stay alive. Things get hectic. When you see the people around you scrambling out of the way, do likewise.

David Thomas is a freelance writer living, writing and experiencing life in Austin, Texas. He lives with his girlfriend in their mid-80′s duplex in the Wells Branch neighborhood. Find him on Twitter.

 

Photos via Flickr CC, courtesy of Do512.com (photos by David Weaver).