Captain Midnight Guthrie. In this modern age of professional wrestling, some would say the manager’s role has become passe. You no longer see many charismatic mouthpieces standing in the corner of their chosen grapplers. Granted, WWE’s Paul Heyman is the current standard-bearer, but even he calls himself an advocate.
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All Elite Wrestling has slowly started utilizing veteran wrestlers past their ring prime as cornermen for their younger stars. But even they call them coaches, not managers. No, today’s wrestling is a far cry from the golden era of managers that was WWE during the 1980’s – a time where managers like Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, Jimmy Hart, Slick, Mr. Fuji, Sensational Sherri, and many more graced us with their presence on television.
On the independent wrestling scene, Captain Midnight Guthrie carries the torch of his 1980’s managerial predecessors. A mixture of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan’s physicality and confidence, with the frenetic energy of “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart, Guthrie leads a stable of wrestlers across multiple promotions known as his Yacht Club.
“A lot of people see the manager as just a side accessory to the wrestler. I look at it more as a team. It’s just another vehicle to get over not just who I am managing, but mainly their opponents,” Guthrie said. “All my insults are directed and based on the strong suit of the opponent, or something on the surface level only a jerk would make fun of.”
Captain Midnight Guthrie
As a lifelong fan, Guthrie’s venture into the world of pro wrestling started in 2005. It was then, as a fan, he attended 3X Wrestling’s first event. Attending his first independent wrestling event changed everything.
After that show, he began doing whatever he could for the company, in any role he could find. From there, he did it all, helping with ticket sales, ring setup, and teardown, merchandise, and refereeing. If it was something you could do at a wrestling show, Guthrie did it. Eventually, he found his role as a ring announcer and play-by-play commentator. Over time, Guthrie found work with various promotions, all the while developing his managerial persona. Then in 2018, the Captain made his debut for 3X Wrestling.
“I really wanted to take on some things in wrestling that I hadn’t had the chance to try. So, I put out feelers with a couple of promoters I had worked with, and 3X was really on board for it.”
The Yacht Club
With his persona complete, it was time to start building his stable. Because wrestling fans know a manager is only as good as the wrestlers, he or she manages. The very first member of Captain Midnight Guthrie’s nefarious Yacht Club was “The Queen Bee” Brooke Valentine. Using the dynamic of a male manager in the corner of a female wrestler made the pairing unique. The two have worked together from the very beginning of their careers, and it’s their chemistry that Guthrie feels makes them so good as a unit.
“I’ve been friends with Brooke for a long time. I’ve known her since she started training to wrestle. We have a very good dynamic together, and we work very well together.”
Valentine, the current ZOWA Ladies Champion, has steadily been climbing the ranks of the women’s independent wrestling scene. She could be on the cusp of her biggest year yet.
The Charismatic Captain
For the charismatic Guthrie, it didn’t take long for his managerial skills to be utilized by other companies. Promotions like Impact Pro Wrestling, Journey Pro, Magnum Pro, St. Louis Anarchy, Freelance Wrestling, Rugged Pro, American Wrestling Federation, and many others have wrestlers on their roster that receive managerial services from the Captain.
“It’s been terrific working with so many promotions. I can cater my approach to what’s going on in each promotion.”
“In promotions like Magnum Pro, my wrestlers and I want to come off as serious as can be, while promotions like ZOWA, I can be basically a cartoon character.”
Captain Midnight Guthrie has a foothold on independent wrestling in the Midwest. If you look across the wrestlers who have been a part of the Yacht Club, you will find a few things they have in common. Each is more than capable in the ring; they have marketing value, and each is able to help Guthrie achieve things he desires. Included in those desires are a financial success and championship gold. Wrestlers that have joined the Captain’s Yacht Club are JJ Garrett, Christian Rose, Matty Starr, The Carver, and many more.
Captain Midnight Guthrie
With the pandemic slowing things down for independent wrestling like it did in 2020, Captain Midnight Guthrie (along with wrestlers across the country) is chomping at the bit to get back in front of live audiences. Something he had the opportunity to do last weekend during ZOWA’s live show in Dear Grove, Illinois. That night he cornered JJ Garrett as he took on a guy who is a thorn in the side of the Captain across multiple promotions, “Buns of Steel” J Fowler.
You can watch that match through Captain Midnight’s Facebook page below.
As wrestling promotions begin to find ways to have shows in front of live crowds again, Captain Midnight Guthrie has his eyes set on a huge 2021.
“I now bring a veteran presence to these locker rooms, and I want to keep working across the midwest as much as possible, but also this year, I really want to travel to some new spots and get some new states under my belt.”
With his drive and desire to be the best manager in pro wrestling, fans need to be on the lookout for Captain Midnight Guthrie’s Yacht Club as it sets sail across the country in 2021.
