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The Conflict Between Charisma & Clout

Former pro wrestler Sammy Willbourne talks similarities between MMA & Pro-Wrestling:EVE and the future of both in her first editorial for EVEwrestling.com

"The conflict between charisma and clout." By Sammy Willbourne

The distinct differences between the ever-growing MMA industry, with the likes of UFC and Strikeforce becoming ever more popular with the youth and middle aged individuals of today, and the decreasing number of new fans gaining interest in the independent circuits of professional wrestling, are now being described as a intense conflict between realism and theatrical story-telling with fists. The realism of MMA promotions like UFC is discernible, with at least on average, 1 - 3 knock outs happening on one show. Unarguably the most unpredictable and therefore in some minds the most exciting business is on the rise as millions of fans tune into, buy, download and stream UFC fights on a daily basis.

The excitement of UFC is unprecedented, and has been said to cast a shadow over professional wrestling like no other sport has before, not even full contact boxing, where knock outs are seen nearly ever fight. There is something different, maybe even audacious about UFC. Something that definitely catches your eye and stimulates the synapses. Men putting their health and mental capacity on the line to hold a belt has been an age long fascination in the human mind, as has the fight mentality, seen for years in psychological cycles in the form of the "fight or flight" theory.

However, there is a key similarity between both the likes of UFC and Strike-force. Both promotions, along with such other independent promotions as Pro-elite, all possess male dominated rosters, making it incredibly difficult for women in the sport to be noticed outside of their respective schools. A similarity boldly shared with wrestling, females in the professional wrestling business also find it difficult to break out and work many different promotions, unlike their male counterparts who will find it far easier to find work at all the top promotions. There could be many reasons for this. It could be there isn't woman of calibre to take a match into a top promotion. There could be a shortage of women. Women may not be ready, and some women may be more than ready, there's a vast selection of reasons why women find it excessively hard to produce a worthy portfolio and home their craft in other promotions.

However sadly true this may be, Strikeforce made an impact and a stone set in history, when for the first time in the promotion's lifespan, shortly after buying out pro-elite, they had their first women's bout, for a women's title, as the main event for the show making history. The fight lived up to the expectations of many and is still regarded as one of the finest fights, including male fights, in MMA history. This was a huge milestone in the break out of women's MMA and was a main pivotal point in the history of women's MMA.

Forward now, a year and a half later, and we have the same pivotal point in women's professional wrestling in the form of Dann Read's Pro-Wrestling:EVE brand, as women from Britain and Europe showcase an erray of talents and varying styles that blur together to create both an exciting and stable product that can stand up to many of the male dominated promotions. It produces a safe haven for women on an all women's show, giving breaking out stars the experience they need to better and enhance their own talents.

Although the promotion is both promising and on the rise, it still bears the same issue as every other promotion. UFC's realism beats the honed craft and artistic physicality of professional wrestling in many people's eyes and minds. The theatrical and acrobatic art-form that is professional wrestling is both enjoyable and exciting, but the unpredictability of the UFC and the intensity of the fight scenario and attitude caters to a bigger part of the human condition. Human's thirst for fighting, for battle, for war.

Read specializes in women's wrestling, looking to give it the chance and flare that it needs to stand as a staple as something raw and different. His passionate strives to give female wrestling the energy it needs to substantiate its own basing against its male counterparts, is wrapped up in a high energy, flawlessly talented roster of hard-working, bright and athletic women who stand for everything EVE. With a keen interest in the rise of Ultimate Fighting Championship, Read launched a new and unfamiliar division which strives to capture the essence of true technical wrestling with elements of MMA and bring a new realistic force that will differ EVE from every other female promotion there has ever been. Pro-Wrestling:EVE's catch division vows to bridge the gap between realism and theatrical acrobats with a technical and almost MMA style being realized in this division of combat within the promotion. With anyone being eligible to fight in the catch division, we see an intensity and closed space combat that is almost refreshing, and becomes a main staple of the promotion's already over-filling talent and heard-hitting bouts.

Catch Division regulars, Jenny Sjodin and "The Lancashire Terrier" April Davids, both astound and amaze fans with their realism and lack of usual wrestling conventions which breathes new life into the promotion and a whole new edge that nobody before Pro-Wrestling:EVE has ever tapped into. Both Jenny and April now have two bouts under their belt with the catch division, both facing each other in the promotion's most compelling and most dominantly physical bouts to date.

The rules of the Catch division bring a new dimension to the bout as such things as running the ropes are strictly prohibited already bringing a closer, fresher and more intimate combat style which can definitely fill an appetite for an MMA or technical style, to any fan or critical on-looker.

The division creates a more intimate and high octane encounter as many elements of a typical wrestling match have been discarded, such as running the ropes for extra leverage which leave opponents in a tight-knit square of combat and athleticism. This hold for hold division is sure to embrace a violent femininity that will draw imaginations into its classic and timeless british style, and take fans on a trip to yester-year as this hold for hold division looks to be going nowhere at all, and will stand firm at the forefront of the revolution of women's wrestling that EVE is sure to create.

About The Writer: Sammy Willbourne is a former professional wrestler who went by the name of Sammy Hope. Sammy now trains in MMA under former UFC and StrikeForce fighter Paul 'Semtex' Daley"

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