RealProWrestling has a specially designed arena for its fast paced action. (Photo courtsey of RPW)

Finally, professional wrestling is the real deal
By Zachary Dzurick
Sports
Published APril 27, 2005

The term "pro-wrestling" has very little to do with the actual sport of wrestling. Over the years, several high profile wrestlers have made the jump from the Olympics or the NCAAs to the WWE. But, as former two-time St. Edward state champ and three-time Michigan All-American Andy Hrovat will tell you, it isn't the same.

"It is two completely different things," Hrovat said. "Just their names are the same. People know the difference."

While basketball, baseball, football and hockey players can dream of playing professionally one day, for a wrestler who wants to continue his career after college, the road was always a lot less lucrative.

As St. Edward wrestling coach Greg Urbas explains, it takes a lot of sacrifice to continue wrestling.

"Wrestlers dream of competing in the Olympics, but that is only every four years," Urbas said. "There are national and international tournaments but they are amateur. The top three wrestlers in a weight class in this country get a stipend to train, but the rest have to get real jobs and find time to still train."

Urbas said wrestlers have always been about having the purest sport. But, he said, maybe it is time to change the perception that athletes making money is a bad thing.

"Wrestlers often talk about it being a pure sport with no money in it," Urbas said. "But you know what? The guys who play in the NFL, most of them love their sport, too. Wrestlers could use an opportunity where they can workout full time to train for the Olympics and be taken care of financially."

A group has set out to do just that. RealProWrestling has created a made for television league that intends to bring "real" wrestling to the masses. Wrestling has some of the most hard-core fans and this new league is tailor made for them.

"It is the real deal," Urbas said. "If you are into wrestling then you will know who all of these guys are. They are All-Americans and National Champions. They have changed the rules slightly to make it better for television but it is the real deal."

RealProWrestling airs locally on Pax-TV on Sundays at 4 p.m. and replays on Wednesdays on FOX Sports Net at 3 p.m.

The new league, for its first season, filmed the eight-week run of shows in two days as part of a tournament for seven weight classes. There are eight regional teams: New York Outrage, California Claw, Chicago Groove, Iowa Stalkers, Oklahoma Slam, Minnesota Freeze, Pennsylvania Hammer and the Texas Shooters. The wrestlers compete for $250,000 in prizes and money and additional incentive-based winnings.

Matches take place atop a specially designed elevated circular wrestling mat in a 360-degree Roman coliseum-inspired arena. A total of eight cameras captured the wrestling on the mat. There was also live music to enhance the intense environment.

Each show is a mini tournament for a weight class. The season finale will have the finals of each class and will be shown on May 15 on PAX and May 18 on FOX Sports Net.

The new league has the backing of some of the sport's top names. Dan Gable, the legendary Iowa coach and Olympic champion, is a spokesman, and Olympian Rulon Gardner is a commentator.

"RPW provides three things the American public wants and needs: pure competition, family values-based entertainment, and real heroes," Gable said.

"We are starting a new pro league," Gardner said. "A new league of super heroes, who do not take performance enhancing drugs or act like barbarians. A league where the participants go one-on-one in the oldest, greatest and purest sport of all -- wrestling. And all we are asking people to do is watch."