Duke City Championship Wrestling was an all-ages event, action-packed with dramatic confrontations that kept the crowd cheering. Held at the Historic El Rey Theater on July 15, Fred Slow, co-owner of DCCW and promoter, said there were over 400 people in attendance.
Mosh Pit Mike started professionally wrestling in Albuquerque 22 years ago with his best friend, Hobo Hank. He said his favorite part about wrestling for the DCCW is the reactions during the matches.
“I get to wrestle here for the people I love and the city I love. It’s awesome. I think Albuquerque is ready to be a wrestling town again,” Mosh Pit Mike said.
Greg Zellner, an audience member, brought his two children to the event to experience wrestling for the first time.
“I think it’s great for everyone to come down and check it out. It’s kind of new to Albuquerque … We loved it, it was cool. I haven’t seen a show like this in a while,” Zellner said.
DCCW’s main event featured the tag team duo, Joseph “Hobo Hank” Singer and Carlos “Thunder” Gallegos. They fought against wrestlers Justin “Charlie 50” Edwards and Joseph “Phoenix” Norris.
After a chaotic brawl inside the ring, New Mexican Hobo Hank and Thunder successfully defeated Charlie 50 and Phoenix. Their victory sent the audience to their feet.
Gallegos said that he has been waiting for professional wrestling to make a comeback in Albuquerque so that he can reduce traveling out of state for shows.
“It’s not all glitz and glamor. It’s a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into it,” said Gallegos. “It’s a lot of training and a lot of work and a lot of heartbreak. If you can persevere through that, you can do it.”
Matches leading up to the main event included DCCW’s first ever female wrestler, Eliza Haze. Haze fought in the ring against Veronica Vega who is fighting out of Lubbock, Texas. Haze pinned Vega down and secured her victory.
Haze has been wrestling professionally for the last five years in Florida. She said she relocated to Albuquerque last April. Haze said it does not bother her being the only female wrestler for the DCCW.
“I don’t even notice it half the time because I train with guys and I’ve done intergender matches before, so it doesn’t really make a difference to me,” said Haze.
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Following Haze’s victorious debut, Albuquerque’s Mosh Pit Mike fought against Lord Mitchell Taylor. The crowd booed Taylor after it was discovered that he hid items behind his knee pads used for injuring his opponent. Mosh Pit Mike rallied the crowd together and then defeated Taylor by pinning him down in the ring.
“I’m ready to go back east,” said Taylor. “Anything west of the Mississippi should fall into the ocean.”
DCCW announced that their next show will be on August 17 at the Historic El Rey Theater. Professional wrestlers will be fighting in the ring for the DCCW World Champion belt.
Unveiling the DCCW World Champion belt was professional MMA and bare-knuckle fighter John Dodson. Dodson set the stage for the next event but was interrupted by another professional wrestler, Turbo Tony. A confrontation between them broke out and their fight ended with Dodson placing a rear naked chokehold on Turbo Tony.
“The people of Albuquerque get to have a taste of wrestling again, and they love it,” said Gallegos.
Sydney Walker is a freelance reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com
Sydney Walker is a freelance reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached on Twitter @squidneywrites.
