East Coast ProWrestling, 1/13/06
Mike Kruel vs John Walters

On Friday 1/13, professional wrestling returned to Brooklyn for the first time in about a decade as Gino Caruso's East Coast Pro Wrestling organization drew a legitimate 900-1,000 fans for an event in Bay Ridge at the Regina Pacis School.

Although it was run under the ECPW banner, the show was designed to raise money for the school's athletic program and was the actually brainchild of New York indy star Mike Kruel and Anthony Passaro, the director of the school's athletic program. The event was promoted heavily in the local area including a cover story and full page spread in the local Bay News newspaper, a huge banner outside the facility, local sponsorships, and old school cardboard posters hung in the area to drive ticket sales.

It was done old school style and it worked. In the day and age of indy shows promoting themselves solely on the Internet, a show that had barely buzz on that medium sold out in advance and urned away a number of fans who sought to buy tickets at the door, and had a packed house. Although there were mentions of the show on the Internet, including this website, the crowd was made up of mostly old school area wrestling fans and families bringing their children to cheer the heroes and boo the villains. The show was designed for a family audience and was a throwback to the type of independent wrestling show that populated the local scene in the early 1990s before Extreme Championship Wrestling evolved the scene and made every independent company since try to create their own brand name and niche.

Prince Nana did an interview segment in the ring, accompanied by John Walters, who was dressed as African royalty. Nana brought out Anthony Passaro of the school and prompted to insult him. Nana threatened to buy the building and turn it into a homeless shelter if his men Walter and the Valedictorians didn't have good "standings" in their matches tonight. Passaro stood up to Nana, with the heels threatening him. This led to Mike Kruel and the Logan Brothers hitting the ring to set up their respective matches later that night. Nana was pure gold on the mic and in many ways was one of the best performers on the entire show.

Heavyweight champion Mike Kruel pinned John Walters. Kruel came out to the biggest reaction of anyone all night. The only thing I can compare it to was watching a conquering hero returning to the homestead. He was obviously well known by everyone in the building as there were fans of all ages screaming for him and a "Mikey" chant started when he was on the defense. From a charisma and a selling standpoint, I don't think Kruel has ever had a finer match. Walters did a great job as heel. He tossed Kruel out to the floor, hurting his back, and then worked him over with a Sharpshooter. When Kruel made his way to the ropes, there was this huge sigh of relief in the venue. After Kruel finally scored the pin, Nana cut off the celebration by attacking him. Walters and Nana put the boots to Kruel until the school's Anthony Passaro hit the ring, ripped off his shirt like Hulk Hogan and helped run off the heels. He and Kruel, legitimate friends from the neighborhood, celebrated to end the show. I enjoyed this match a ton.

The crowd went home happy. Good defeated evil. In the end, that's what professional wrestling is all about, right? In many ways, I enjoyed this show more than I've enjoyed other independent shows I've attended over the last year, because it was an audience that believed in what they were watching and having fun, not an audience that came to mock or analyze the show.

Credit: Mike Johnson - PWInsider