Yakima Pro Wrestling: BLW and Lucha Libre is Striving To Be the Premier Brand
Independent pro wrestling is one of the fastest growing forms of entertainment in the world. A new company called BLW and Lucha Libre is attempting to be the go to source for wrestling in the Yakima Valley.
"Growing up in Yakima there wasn't much pro wrestling going on," BLW promoter Aaron Fowler said. "I figured I could bring something to the area, and make it enjoyable for the whole family."
This past Saturday at White Swan High School, BLW and Lucha Libre had their one year anniversary show.
The event featured some of the top wrestlers in the northwest region, including Ethan HD, King Khash, and "The Look" Kevin Cook.
Some BLW wrestlers have performed for WWE, and some are also regular performers for DEFY, a nationally recognized company based in Seattle.
Yet despite their accolades, many BLW wrestlers still do it for the love of the business.
"It's all about the fans, and putting a smile on their faces," BLW wrestler Clark Connors said. "My whole thing is I come out and just try to feel the love off them."
A wrestler to look for at future BLW shows is Ethan HD. The 14 year veteran has performed in places like India, Canada, England, and New Zealand.
"Washington has been a dead zone for wrestling the last decade or so, and is only recently starting to bustle with top notch indy wrestling," HD Said. "But it's mostly in the Seattle and Tacoma area, there's still plenty of room to grow in a city like Yakima."
BLW features many different wrestling styles; including comedy and strong style. But perhaps what BLW is most known for is is their incorporation of Lucha Libre, a wrestling style that originates out of Mexico.
Fowler says he installs Lucha Libre into many BLW shows. Primarily because it's a popular form of wrestling in the Yakima Valley.
Pro wrestling can be described as a live theatre show, and any good live show needs colorful characters; BLW certainly has some zany personalities.
One match you'll find a vegan with a superiority complex, the next match you'll see a team of masked luchadores going up against a Canadian "Eh Team." Then there's always the 6-8 300 pound monsters roaming the ring.
"[My character] is really just a denomination of who I am as a person," the All-American Clark Connors said. "People say it should be 110% of who are, I say you have to crank it up to 150%."
Big League Wrestling has big time goals. In the future, they plan on running events in places like Seattle, Spokane, and the Tri-Cities. BLW is even scouting locations to open a wrestling school in Yakima.
Perhaps their biggest goal? To one day sell out the Yakima SunDome.
"I think there's a ton of potential for BLW to grow," HD said. "They're right on track to making the [Yakima Valley] it's territory."
The operation is already in effect, as BLW has events scheduled for Yakima, Seattle and Toppenish this Summer.
Your next chance to catch Big League Wrestling and Lucha Libre will be June 9th at the Hop Nation Brewing Company in Yakima. The show starts at 6pm, and all ages are welcome to attend. It's a free event, but donations are encouraged.
"BLW is the perfect place for family entertainment," Aaron Fowler said. "Every month we have families from Children's Village in Yakima as our guests, so we put a big emphasis on catering to whole families."