Wrestling with pandemic? This weekend’s Indie Expo in Dallas could help bring back fans after COVID-19 lapse

The calendar on Chandler Hopkins’ phone is normally jammed with shows he’ll be working. The places he’ll be traveling. The names he’ll be wrestling.

Due to the coronavirus, his schedule is thinner these days.

After wrestling on a card in Bedford, Texas on March 7, the 31-year-old’s reality changed in a matter of days — just as life did for many Americans.

As cities and states placed restrictions on public gatherings to combat the spread of COVID-19, some of Hopkins’ show dates were canceled. With more social distancing came more blank spaces in his datebook. And more. And still more.

“... There was just like a cloud of darkness and this really started to hit my shoulders,” said the Fort Worth-based pro wrestler.

“Oh man,” Hopkins thought, “this is going to last way longer.”

The coronavirus has turned the world on its head, and the pro-wrestling industry has been especially affected. It’s a form that only works — as a business and entertainment product — under certain conditions, few of which are pandemic conducive.

Thanks to big-money television contracts, the largest wrestling companies have remained profitable. But for smaller promotions, live attendance pays the bills. Wrestlers who work the independent circuits have had careers put on hold by the virus, and their livelihoods hang in the balance.

This weekend’s Independent Wrestling Expo will be the first sizable pro-wrestling event that North Texas has seen since the pandemic began. The two-day affair will provide a socially distanced experience for wrestling fans and a much-needed payday for indie performers.

Hosted at the NYTEX Sports Centre in North Richland Hills, the event will strictly follow CDC recommendations and the state’s COVID-19 guidelines.

“There’s been a lot of resources to figure out what’s the safest way to do this,” said Kyle Hessler, promoter for event organizer Fighting Words Promotions. “And as time has progressed in the last five or six months, and we have learned more and more about COVID-19, it has become actually somewhat easier to do the show.”

“Anyone that’s trying to put on an event has to do what we’re doing,” Hessler added.

Six feet of separation will be enforced as fans enter the building. Everyone entering will also have their temperature checked.

Once inside, all attendees will be required to wear a mask. Seats will be arranged in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

The venue would normally seat 2,700 people. Because of the virus and state regulations, that capacity has been significantly reduced.

“Realistically ... 1,000 is probably the most we should do and will do,” Hessler said. “We’re hoping to get at least 500 tickets sold.”

Wrestlers have a vested interest in virus protection, as well. World-class athletes need their bodies and health to perform.

The NYTEX Centre functions as a venue for youth and recreational ice hockey. Because of this, there are plenty of locker rooms, and the performers will have ample space to distance from each other. These spaces will be frequently sanitized.

All wrestlers on the card must test negative for COVID-19 within 10 days of the event and submit proof of the result. Testing will also be conducted during the week and everyone backstage will be subject to regular temperature checks. Wrestlers in the main events and co-main events will receive multiple COVID-19 tests, as will staff members working closely with them.

The entrance ramp and ringside area will be expanded so that fans cannot make physical contact with performers. The ring will be sanitized with wipes between matches.

COVID-19 presents clear obstacles. Determining the intentions of wrestling fans might be Hessler’s biggest challenge.

“Some people are really wanting to go to events and are just concerned,” Hessler said. “Every time we’ve talked and told people very directly what our COVID plan is, it has relaxed a lot of the fears.

“Some people are not going to come no matter what their concerns are, and that’s OK.”

But the pandemic has created pent up demand. Pro-wrestling fans crave access and in-person interaction with performers is a major upside of the industry. By putting a plan on paper, Hessler hopes that spectators and wrestlers will feel exceedingly comfortable.

Originally, the expo was going to feel more like a convention, with meet and greets, autograph signings, Q&A sessions, contests and demonstrations accompanying the wrestling shows. These experiences are still planned, but will be contactless.

As for the wrestling, constructing a “super indie card” was always Hessler’s goal. He wants to provide a platform where up-and-coming performers can face the squared circle’s best — names that appear on TV.

It’s a perfect situation for Hopkins.

“I found Chandler through Twitter,” Hessler said. “This has got to be one of the best prospects that is a true indie guy. ... Chandler is the most exciting in-ring [performer] I’ve seen to not make it to the next level.”

Hopkins sticks to his roots, portraying a high-flying, acrobatic cowboy. Think less Stan Hansen, more Billy the Kid. There are probably “Walker, Texas Ranger” comparisons to be made as well.

Hopkins has been traveling the country and perfecting his craft for almost four years.

He has raised many eyebrows, but has not signed with a major wrestling promotion.

His opponent at the expo? Lance Archer, the 6-foot-8 Texas native and former IWGP United States Champion for overseas promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling. Archer currently lives in Cedar Hill and signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) shortly before the pandemic. He has since been wrestling on primetime television, albeit in arenas with no fans.

And without a lively crowd cheering and jeering the performers, predetermined fights can look awkward and futile.

“Crowd interaction is the biggest part of wrestling for me,” Hopkins said. “It ties everything together. Without it, [wrestling] kind of seems dead or dull, and really has no meaning.”

Indie wrestlers need the crowd most of all. Fans provide instant feedback that lets the talent know what works and what doesn’t. That feedback is necessary to get better.

“Bringing fans into the match, that right there is the glue that puts the whole match together because now there’s a feeling involved, there’s emotion, there’s drama.”

Until wrestling fans return en masse, the business will struggle to lift its shoulders off the mat. This weekend could be a step towards recovery.

Pro-wrestling dreams often come with great sacrifices. Hopkins has made his share. He once lived out of his car for three months, which he describes as his rock bottom. All things considered, COVID-19 feels like a temporary setback.

Before the virus, three to four wrestling dates per week would pay for everything. Now, it’s three or four shows a month. Smaller side jobs have helped him financially during the pandemic. Hopkins doesn’t have a full-time job and doesn’t plan on searching for one at this time. He would rather keep his schedule open for wrestling’s rebound.

Other indie wrestlers don’t have that choice.

If the expo breaks even, Hessler can continue providing desperately needed opportunities. He says that he doesn’t necessarily want or need applause for that.

As for the more staunch critics of his event?

“I just ask people that are not feeling safe — that don’t think we should even be doing [an event] — to just really try and put themselves in other people’s shoes. A lot of these [wrestlers] haven’t been able to do their passion in five to six months, and some of them might not ever be able to do it again because of situations.

“That’s all I can say. I also understand that’s not going to convince a lot of people. That’s OK too.”

Reece Kelley Graham is a digital producer, staff writer and pro-wrestling contributor for The Dallas Morning News.

Twitter: @ReeceKelleyG

Details

Independent Wrestling Expo — A two-day event

When: Friday, Aug. 28, 8 p.m. Bell Time (Night One); Saturday, Aug. 29, 11 a.m. (Expo Opens), 8 p.m. Bell Time (Night Two)

Where: NYTEX Sports Centre, 8851 Ice House Drive, North Richland Hills, TX 76180

Featuring talent from All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Major League Wrestling (MLW), IMPACT Wrestling and more!

Alexander Hammerstone, Brian Cage, Brian Pillman Jr., Christi Jaynes, Ethan Carter III, Jacob Fatu, Jordynne Grace, King Mo, Lance Archer with Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Shawn Spears

Plus former WWE stars Chris Masters and Matt Sydal, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Jeff Cobb, and NWA Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis.

Tickets: Single-day tickets start at $50, and can be purchased online at Tix.com. Tickets may also be purchased at the door while space is available.

How to watch: Both nights of the expo will be live-streamed on FITE TV for a total cost of $15.

Find more performing arts stories from The Dallas Morning News here.

Find the latest news on coronavirus from The Dallas Morning News here.