Tomorrow I will be taking my, what seems to be hundredth trip to the NY/NJ area. Please don't take this as complaining, cause I'm not. My first trip to the East was for the Cauliflower/NWA 50th event in Cherry Hill, NJ (by now you should remember that's where I met Solie and the rest). I remember flying into Philly (Side note: while waiting for my bags I was standing next to Roy Jones, Jr. at that time he was considered one of the best on Earth) and driving into Jersey with Chris Hansen and Keith King. Anyhow, that was the first of what would be many, many wrestling related trips there.
I want to say that three or four years ago I started going that way to scout talent for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Kevin Quinn (at the time the Inoki Dojo trainer) and I were sent to a show specifically for that reason. A local guy named Eric brought us in and stagged a show just for us. Just so we could look at East Coast talent. I must admit that we were very pleased with the turn out and some had lots of potential. Also there were Chris Candido and Tammy. It was nice to catch up with them, I hadn't seen them since the WWF and mid west, it had been years. That day I learned that Jersey was a "hot bed" for pro wrestling. I knew Dennis Carluzzo was pretty successful and I knew if I got "in" with the right people "things" would progress the right way.
A year or so after the trip with Quinn I went back to scout at an event billed as Cyberspace Wrestling Federation (later NWA Cyberspace) ran by a couple named Billy Firehawk and Daisy. The show was full of fine talent! After that first event I knew that these might be the people to partner with. Once they joined the NWA via Fred Richards (the local member) I made several other trips that year. I tried negotiating with Firehawk, but he had his crew that had his ear. It was very clear that they didn't want an "outsider" coming anywhere near their toy. I say toy cause that is what it looked like to me. I didn't know Firehawk or Daisy before and I grew fond on them. I knew they were being taken advantage of and I knew that "my" folks could help them a lot, but my words fell on deaf ears.
During one of those Cyberspace trips, Eric introduced me to Rick Otazu or Ricky O. Ricky is a local promoter and Eric felt that maybe we could work together, so way late at night (maybe 2 AM) Ricky jumped in his car and drove from Lodi, NJ to Long Island...FOLKS THAT IS NO SHORT TRIP!
That morning we talked wrestling. I found out that Ricky was at the Cherry Hill show too; he was working for Carluzzo. So after about an hour or three Rick, Eric and I agreed to start a new company.
I came up with the name...Liberty States Wrestling...I really like the sound of it. Greg Young did up a logo and we started pressing forward on our first event. I wanted to make these cards NWA ones, but Richards had a deal with Firehawk, Liberty States would be non-affiliated. I thought it was pretty dumb for us not be able to use the NWA name with me being a member and all, but I respected my NWA brothers wishes and didn't run as such. In time, Richards did allow us to use the NWA Champions in the area, but that was when Cyberspace was running into trouble. During this time, Ricky brought in a jolly fella he called "Sumo Jeff." I liked Jeff, but he was not in the wrestling business, he was very much a super fan. "Sumo Jeff" did not last.
Our first event was put together by Ricky and me. He choose the Lodi Boys and Girls Club; Lodi was his home town. We had a great card headlined by NWA World Champion Christian taking on local hero Jay Lethal (Lethal had signed to TNA about a month or so before). At this time my relationship with TNA was solid and they worked very well with me to make the event a success, but back then the needed promoters like us to showcase their talent because they were not touring or promoting events.
That night we saw 700 beaming faces. Eric put himself in the opening match without telling anyone of us. I was mad at first, but then laughed my ass off to see how over he got himself. Christian/Lethal was a hit (I think this was Christian's first non-WWE card outside of the Impact Studio) and everyone was happy, that was until after the ring came down and the people went home. Some of the boys on the East must have thought I was a chump or novice promoter and they tried hard to push their rates on me, but we did not budge, we paid what we agreed on walking in. Then there was a situation with WWE Tough Enough Winner Dan Puder (this was his first "real" show too) and his payout. Let's just say that I saved Eric's ass on that one and paid out the nose for Mr. Puder (not ragging, I like Puder).
So why all this blah-blah?
This Friday Rick and I will be producing another event together. The relationship has been outstanding. I have met many wonderful and interesting people through him (especially his Wife and kids). Dave Grecko is his right hand man and is a walking pro wrestling encyclopedia. He has been a great help over the years.
So tomorrow Jeremy Schott (the head of NWA TV/Video production) and I will be flying into Newark, NJ. This time for the City of Newark, Ricky has forged a fabulous relationship with them and this is our third outing for them. Its great to see the kids in that neighborhood happy. Its great for the guys to work in front of a packed house too! Our average draw at the JFK Rec Center is 3000!
It's great going to Jersey! I will be able to meet up with Mario and Thom Savoldi, maybe go to the City and hang a bit cause I'll be back on that side of the world on April 18 & 19 for shows in Lincoln, RI and Wildwood, NJ.
I wonder if its cold there?
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