Some people would like to complain that professional wrestling is “all fake.” But a visit to the United Wrestling Alliance Pro Wrestling School on Sip Avenue in Union City will convince anyone that much of professional wrestling is not “fake.”
It’s true that there are elements of acting involved, with the opponents telling a simple but compelling story as they fly through the air. But the physical prowess needed to execute the moves is real.
“If you don’t know what you’re doing,” said Mike Morgan, a Union City native and Union Hill High School graduate who opened United Wrestling Alliance Pro Wrestling School in August of 2003, “if you haven’t been given the proper instruction, you will get hurt.”
Showing new people the ropes of pro wrestling is very important to Morgan and his stable of instructors.
“Whenever a new student comes in, we show them how to ‘take a bump’ as we call it in the business,” said Morgan. “Taking a bump” is pro wrestling parlance for “falling.” But there is a right way and a wrong way to fall on the lightly padded plywood ring. Falling the wrong way can result at the very least in a sore back or neck, and at the most, a trip to the hospital.
“I’ve been injured a few times in the past,” said Morgan. “It just goes with the territory.”
Being a native of Union City, Morgan’s main concern is the kids of Hudson County and what they do with their time outside of school. “A lot of the kids I see have a lot of problems,” he said. “Before we even step into the ring, I’ll sit down with them and talk to them. I am trying to make this a kind of ‘big brother’ kind of thing.”
The rent at the third floor space that Morgan occupies on Sip Street is not cheap. To hear Morgan tell it, he isn’t even making a profit. And he seemingly doesn’t care. “I made this place affordable,” said Morgan. “A lot of the area pro wrestling schools aren’t cheap – we’re talking thousands of dollars.”
There are, according to Morgan, two other pro wrestling schools that he knows of in Northern New Jersey, one in Garfield and one in Parsippany-Troy Hills.
Morgan also works against the rising popularity of what has become known as “backyard pro wrestling.” According to a February 2001 article in Wrestling Digest magazine, “…look around today and you will see not only an explosion of backyard wrestling, judging by the numerous Web sites about it, but also a proliferation of organized backyard federations, most of which seem to play on the word ‘extreme’ in their titles.”
The rise of this highly dangerous and potentially deadly form of entertainment alarms and concerns men like Morgan who were brought up learning the correct moves and took the time to perfect them. Said Morgan, “I don’t think there should be any kids doing that stuff in backyards. There’s a lot of diseases going around and these kids are hitting each other with chairs drawing blood. They’re using garbage cans that haven’t been cleaned out properly. It’s very dangerous.”
Practicing their moves
While Morgan’s school currently has about 10 registered students, many people come from miles around to practice and perfect their moves before a match. Many of them work the independent pro wrestling circuits that exist. Said Morgan, “I have about 40 guys that come in from time to time, some from New York City, some from Newark and other places.”
One of those people is Michael Martinez, known in the ring as “The Infamous Killer Tyrus.” The Newark native has had a lifelong obsession with pro wrestling and thoroughly enjoys the physical nature of the sport. Said Martinez, “I’ve been wanting to do this since I was 6 years old. When I was old enough, I had saved up enough money to go to the Skullcrushers Wrestling School in Gulfbreeze, Florida.”
Added Martinez, “Other than being a great workout, I’ve gotten to travel to Puerto Rico, Australia and many other places on the independent wrestling circuit. I definitely want to try out for the big time [like the WWE or the ECW], but I am taking my time and training slowly until I am ready.”
Added Martinez, “This school is great. They really know the business inside and out.”
West New York resident Enrique Lopez, who has not yet acquired a cool wrestling name, is new to the pro wrestling world but in a few short months has grown to love the sport.
Said Lopez, “I’ve been into wrestling since I was a kid and I always wanted to try, but I had never heard of any schools where I could learn. Then I heard about this place and I knew Mike [Morgan] so I gave it a shot. It’s definitely a great workout.”
Anyone interested in learning about the school can call Mike Morgan at (201) 792-5054.