"I love being able to manipulate a crowd," says Eddie Osbourne. Osbourne
is a professional wrestler who also runs a wrestling academy. "To have them
in the palm of my hand is an addiction like no other," he says. "Every moment
is an exciting moment in professional wrestling."
As any passionate fan knows, pro wrestling is a sport filled with characters,
plots and exciting matches.
"I would describe it as athletic entertainment," says Melissa Maughn. Maughn,
also known in wrestling as the 21st Century Fox, is a professional wrestler
who works for a wrestling association.
"It's a lot more spontaneous than people think, and it's great to work
in front of a crowd and get that immediate reaction, as opposed to doing a
movie where you don't get to see the reaction from the people you're doing
it for," she says.
Maughn enjoyed wrestling as a kid and, after losing touch with the wrestling
scene for a few years, she came back to it in 1999. That's when she became
obsessed with the idea of becoming a pro wrestler.
"It combines athleticism and entertainment and it's just a great mix,"
says Maughn. "Two things that I love combined into one career, so I found
a school and I started training."
Since then, Maughn has gone on to win several elite women's championships.
She has also made several television appearances.
"Also, I've traveled in parts of Canada and down in the US and I get to
meet different and interesting people," she says.
However, Maughn says that the most exciting moment in her career so far
has been performing in her first wrestling match. "There's nothing like your
first match," she says. "Just going out there and doing your thing for the
first time in front of a crowd that wants to see you, it's awesome."
Kevin Knight is a professional wrestler. He also owns an independent wrestling
federation and wrestling school in New Jersey.
"I like wrestling in front of the live audiences and entertaining the fans,"
he says. "Especially on those special occasions when I was competing against
WWE legends such as Tito Santana, Honky Tonk Man, Brutus Beefcake, Iron Sheik,
Bob Backlund or King Kong Bundy."
Then in 2003, Knight lived one of biggest moments in his life.
"The most exciting moment in my career so far was wrestling for World
Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in Madison Square Garden in June 2003 in a televised
match against A-Train," he says. "I am 6'4" and weigh 240 pounds. He's 6'8"
and 350 pounds. He won rather quickly!"
Knight remembers back when he was 12 years old and his father took him
to his first wrestling event.
"I want to provide the same type of excitement I received then to our fans
and youngsters now that attend our events," he says.
With an educational background in communication with a focus on radio and
TV, Knight got into wrestling after emceeing for local wrestling events.
"I was taller than all of the wrestlers, and the promoters liked my charisma
and personality, so I soon began my training and had my first match in May
1996 against Rik Ratchet, the man who trained me," says Knight.
Two years later, Knight formed his own wrestling federation and one year
after that, opened his own school.
"My job is very hectic but enjoyable," says Knight. Apart from being a
full-time wrestler, he runs the business side of his federation, including
the public relations, promoting and marketing. Knight also participates in
the exercises and drills alongside his students at the school. "It brings
new challenges everyday," he says.
But as many wrestlers would say, the hardest part of being in this sport
is the pain the body must endure.
"The hardest part is the physical toll that wrestling takes on the body,"
says Knight. He adds that this is why a proper weight training regimen and
nutrition plan is important to stay in top condition.
"Sid Summers, my trainer, said that you need the ABC's of wrestling to
ever make it," says Osbourne. "A - ability, B - body and C - charisma."