Welcome readers to a brand new year and the very first edition of the Bosses Bravado for 2020. At the start of any new year, we all make resolutions on ways to improve upon the past. We have all sat there deciding what it is we want to accomplish as we move forward in our journey of life. As we entered into this new year it really got me to reflect upon my journey so far. I thought it would be a good time to share an in-depth look at the journey that I took to get to where I am currently within the wrestling industry. Join me now as I share with all of you my journey into the world of professional wrestling –
Starting at the beginning just like just about anyone else I began as a fan of professional wrestling. I first watched wrestling back in the late 1980’s tuning into WWF Superstars, Saturday Nights Main Event, and any of the Pay Per Views that I could rent at the local video store on VHS when they were released. Fortunately enough back then news did not travel fast enough. There was still excitement in watching an event, even months after it aired live. I was always glued to the screen, lost in the magic that was and in many ways still, is professional wrestling. Dreaming about one day, in some capacity, being a part of that magic and being able to entertain others. I am now and always will be a fan at heart. That is something that simply will never change.
My love and passion would take an interesting turn when I answered an online ad a few years ago. A publication in the UK was looking for writers for about wrestling. I was accepted as a writer and was quickly blown away by how incredibly gifted the other writers in this industry truly are. I love to write but there are just some awe-inspiring people who put in a lot of work to provide online content. While I was writing I came up with the idea to try my hands at making a podcast based YouTube channel.
Originally the channel was dubbed Rob’s Rockin’ Wrestling. My play on words from Hulk Hogans Rockin’ Wrestling. Eventually, I felt that the channel deserved a stronger name and I came up with the name of Ring Respect Radio. It felt far more fitting. The name I was using during the early stages of my channel was The Real Bobby Munson.
The Real Bobby Munson is a name that was a bit of an inside joke with a friend of mine. My friend had got me to watch the show Sons Of Anarchy. That is when I was introduced to the character Bobby Munson played by Mark Boone JR. I jokingly claimed to my friend that I was outraged! The use of my name being used, I was the one and only real Bobby Munson. From there we said that I should use that as my name for my wrestling channel. And that is where the original name of The Real Bobby Munson came about. The transition to using The Boss came about down the road, but to get there we need to explore more aspects of this journey.
The channel was fun and my writing was going okay, but I was still just a fan. With only a very small amount of true knowledge of wrestling. I wanted to know more, to learn more. To understand more of what goes on in the squared circle. An opportunity arose when I met two young wrestlers who were advertising for a local wrestling company at the time. In getting to meet them, they directed me to another wrestler by the name of El Asesino. While El Asesino might be one of the meanest individuals inside the ring, he did greet me into his world and introduced me to all of the right people. I was also introduced to Dice Steel at the time. He and El Asesino began to allow me to come to shows and write about the experience.
Shortly after this, I took a day camp that was led by El Asesino. It had some of the absolute best wrestlers watching over me as I did everything I could to survive. Day camps are very difficult and so they should be. Everyone needs to know that the ring is no joke, and what goes on in it is no joke either.
I then had the unique opportunity to have both Dice Steel and El Asesino on my show. It is still one of my favorite shows I have done so far. After we were done recording, the idea of starting a wrestling show from content that would be taped from the local promotion was brought up. This is also when I was asked to be a commentator on the show as well. I was blown away by this remarkable opportunity and it would mean a lot of work was ahead.
When we first taped for a show it was new territory for me. I had experience behind a camera and have experience with editing. However, wrestling is an entirely different ball game from what I had previously been used to. After quite a few shows being filmed and edited we finally got to the format we were looking for. At this point, I can not even begin to describe the number of late nights I had spent behind the computer. Making sure moves all lined up with different camera angles. It was very important to me to get the timing lined up the best I could. So that you never felt like you were missing out on the action taking place.
Now it was crunch time, we had a big live event coming up. It would be featuring Cody Rhodes and we wanted the show to start up in order to build for that event. With only two weeks until the planned release of our first episode, I still had not met the other commentator. I was given a phone number of a man they call Papa Smokes. He was going to be my new partner in crime on this video journey. Papa Smokes and I had absolutely no idea what we were doing at all.
We would receive feedback and instruction from both Dice Steel and El Asesino through the process. Which helped the two of us grow as a team. We still are always looking for ways to improve the work we do together. But as you begin a friendship the natural ability to work together comes forward. And that is what has happened over time with Papa Smokes and I. We had the distinct opportunity to call a match between Michael Allen Richard Clark and Cody Rhodes. Plus many other amazing matches that we have called featuring Western Canada’s best independent talents.
It has been a real honor to work with the wrestlers and behind the scenes talents that I have had the chance to work with so far. The opportunities have only continued to grow as I am always looking for more. I always want more chances to do what I love, and hopefully entertain some people along the way. I feel like I have accomplished something special if anything I do entertains even just one person for just a moment.
It was about a year ago that the opportunity to write here at Pro Wrestling Post was presented to me. I was never quite sure at the time if I was going to be able to balance writing on top of my other work. This was also around the time where the idea of a new wrestling promotion being in the works was brought up. It was a lot to balance but it is very difficult to give up a chance to personally grow more with my work. I took the chance to write for Pro Wrestling Post and again was absolutely stunned by the amazing writing that the other writers here put out all the time.
Writing for Pro Wrestling Post has been a very strong opportunity for me and has given me a real reach to wrestling fans around the world. Writing about wrestling in Australia, New Zealand, and Germany has also given me a lot more insight into how to work at making independent wrestling look like a truly professional production. These are all helpful things that I have been able to bring to some of my work with Prairie Pro Wrestling.
Prairie Pro Wrestling came about after a lot of meetings, planning, and hard work by an amazing team of individuals. El Asesino had this vision and plan to start something special in Saskatoon. He was very welcoming in bringing Papa Smokes and myself on in a capacity as we had never experienced before. When you start to get accepted into team meetings, plans, visions for everything, you truly get immersed in the experience in a whole new way.
I am currently back into the editing stages with our YouTube content for Prairie Pro Wrestling. Still trying to get the style just right. It takes time and some work but eventually it will all be completely figured out. That does not take away from the experience though. As the talent is putting out unbelievable work with us at Prairie Pro Wrestling. Our first show was put out as one large event on YouTube, but moving forward the live shows will be done in two, one-hour halves. This allows us to then break each live event up into two unique YouTube experiences. Giving fans something to look forward to a little more often in 2020 from Prairie Pro Wrestling.
While it sounds like I have done a lot already, I still feel like I can do even more. Honestly, I will continue to seek opportunities as I grow as an individual in the wrestling community. Looking forward to the new challenges being presented to me. And looking forward to growing myself and the name of Prairie Pro Wrestling. I am so thankful to everyone who has opened doors and given me the opportunities in this industry. I am now and forever grateful for every single thing that has been given to me.
Now I hope that you have enjoyed finding out about the journey I have taken in the wrestling industry, but I want to know how is your journey going to go? If you want to be in this industry then create your own road and go for it. There is a lot of reward in taking the time to carve out your own path. My best advice though is if you want to talk the talk, then maybe go out there and walk the walk.
