Every week, he wrestles on television in front of millions of fans. And on Saturday, he'll be wrestling in Turlock.
“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, one of the stars of SpikeTV's Total Nonstop Action IMPACT WRESTLING, will wrestle Saturday at the Turlock War Memorial, headlining the local promotion Fighting Spirit Pro's wrestling show.
Daniels will face off against “Mr GMSI” Brian Cage, who has also performed for TNA.
“We try to book the absolute best talent we can afford, to sell tickets and to put on an amazing showcase,” said Thomas Nevarez, the Fighting Spirit Pro Public Relations Director.
The remainder of the card features mostly local wrestlers, like Savannah Riley of Modesto. Some wrestlers are also coming in from Utah and Mexico.
Though the undercard may be comprised of lesser-known names, Nevarez says the performers are on par with those in World Wrestling Entertainment or TNA.
“The problem in wrestling today isn't the lack of talent,” Nevarez said. “It's the overabundance of it.”
There's simply not enough room on top promotion's rosters to sign all the skilled, trained wrestlers in the business today. But Fighting Spirit Pro looks to showcase those hidden gems, in hopes of getting them the exposure needed to secure a contract with WWE or TNA.
The Fighting Spirit Pro wrestling show focuses on pure pro wrestling – not the crazy stunts, foul language, blood, and violence often associated with local shows. It's a family-friendly affair through and through, Nevarez says – a position reinforced by the free tickets handed out to all children age 8 and under, with a paid adult admission.
“We want kids to come,” Nevarez said. “We want them to cheer the good guys and boo the bad guys, and get that experience.”
Though Fighting Sprit Pro is a small, local wrestling promotion, the organization has capitalized on the internet to develop a nationwide fanbase. It's because of the internet that FSP will be able to host shows in Indiana and Salt Lake City in the coming months. And the promotion could even go on the road to India.
Fighting Spirit Pro also expects to launch regular internet pay-per-view shows in September, at the low price of $20 for four pay-per-views. It's only the rise of the internet that makes the move fiscally viable for Fighting Spirit; TNA ran weekly cable pay-per-view shows in the early 2000s, at a cost of nearly $500,000 per show.
Fighting Spirit Pro isn't all about making money, though. The promotion will donate a percentage of proceeds to charity, like the Wounded Warrior Project – Nevarez himself is a veteran.
It's all a part of Fighting Spirit Pro's motto: “Changing the world one body slam at a time.” Nevarez even encourages wrestling fans who can't make it to the show to take the money they would have spent on tickets and donate it to charity, instead.
Through donations to local charities, and offering a safe place for young people to have fun, Fighting Spirit Pro's number one priority is benefiting the community.
“If one of our shows keeps one kid from going out and doing something stupid that night, … then I feel like what we do is worth it,” Nevarez said.
Front row tickets are $20, with general admission tickets available for $15. Tickets are available online at www.FightingSpiritPro.com, by calling (209) 910-3377, or at the door. Autographs will be available.
The Fighting Pro Spirit show begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, at the Turlock War Memorial, 247 E. Canal Dr., Turlock.
