Stars from Chikara Pro on surviving the Coronavirus, future plans and more (Exclusive)
Presently, the entire world is being affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). This impact is not only being felt by the carriers of this virus, or the friends and families of those carrying the virus, but also just about every industry out there.
Professional wrestling is one of the industries especially affected by the coronavirus. All of the world's major professional wrestling companies have been forced to change their plans for the present and immediate future, impacting the employment of countless people. The absence of traditional professional wrestling in front of paying audiences also impacts thousands of performers, many of whom with uncertain futures, as a result of the cancellation of this year's WrestleCon and other mass gatherings in the coming weeks and months.
Chikara Pro is one of the most popular wrestling promotions in the Northeastern United States, founded in the early 2000s. Among Chikara Pro's regulars in the early days were CM Punk, Colt Cabana and Chris Hero (NXT's Kassius Ohno). Its "notable alumni" list in this past decade since include many top performers from WWE, AEW, Impact, ROH and New Japan.
Currently over 800 hours of Chikara Pro content can be streamed for a low price of $7.99 per month, while Chikara is also keeping current with its new IWTV-based Action Arcade series. Chikara Pro is also in rare company as a wrestling company with an original multi-platform video game.
To learn more about how the coronavirus is impacting wrestlers these days, I had the pleasure of interviewing 3 exciting performers:
- Dasher Hatfield
- Razerhawk
- Molly McCoy
More on all things Chikara can be found online at www.chikarapro.com.
When the coronavirus threat has been averted, what are your plans?
Dasher Hatfield: When the coronavirus threat has been averted I plan on wrestling anyone that the world assumes is better than me. I plan on defending the Chikara Grand Championship against all comers and ending their mediocre Chikara careers. I plan on teaching my children the importance of setting goals, creating plans to achieve their goals, and then how to handle the success that they will surely achieve.
I plan on continuing to be the hardest-working independent wrestler today. I plan on reaching out to my legal advisor Sidney Bakabella when I find myself unsure of the next best path to take on the journey of proving my dominance within independent wrestling. I plan on setting new personal goals within the world of wrestling, new goals in the gym, new goals in my career outside of wrestling, and new goals when it comes to being the best gosh darn Dad I can be. Then I plan on smashing those goals and setting some new ones.
Razerhawk: Gonna go out and high-five some friends I haven’t seen in ages -- and then wash my hands!
Molly McCoy: WRESTLE. I miss training, car rides, post-show dinner, everything. I can't wait to cut a promo and have a match again. Tag, trios, cibernetico, any of it. I'm very happy Boomer Hatfield and I got to wrestle Violence Is Forever at the last SUP show before the quarantine really started, and two of my dream matches when we get back are to get IFHY and Gaytanic Panic.
What has this current pandemic taught you?
Dasher Hatfield: This pandemic has not really taught me a whole lot, but it did reaffirm some things I already believed. There are two different types of people in the world. People like myself that will make the best of any situation. Within the first few weeks of the pandemic I have already achieved a few goals, and I have adapted my life in order to stay productive given the not so perfect circumstances. Then there are those people that can turn a good situation into a negative one.
Given that there is not much about this pandemic that can be looked at as positive, these are the people you will see whining on social media non-stop throughout the remainder of the current situation. It is the classic battle of pessimist versus optimist. In any situation you come to realize what you can control and what you cannot. When it comes to the current state of the world the only things I can control are my daily actions. I can control that my family stays home, I can control that I am educating my children -- probably in a more challenging way than their currents teachers are doing -- and I can control that I have made adjustments to my workouts to maximize productivity while gyms and training centers are unavailable.
Razerhawk: That there’s no limit to human resolve. Given insurmountable odds, and dealt an incredibly bad hand, doctors and nurses are still giving it their all. Words can’t describe the heroics of these people.
Molly McCoy: People can really suck. I've only been to the grocery store and the bank a few times, and I've watched people take this time to treat service industry employees even worse. I fully own that I can be mean, but at least it's to people who KNOW I can be mean and expect it -- hi, Boomer. Be mean to the people that fear-monger and take advantage of the situation, not employees.
And check on your friends. Especially the ones that deal with mental health issues. The social distancing is the hardest on those of us that have dealt with depression and loneliness, so it's vital to get some social interaction any way we can. Don't let the bad thoughts win.
For the people holed up during this scare, any movie, music or YouTube recommendations?
Dasher Hatfield: After taking a suggestion from my legal advisor Sidney Bakabella, I have fallen in love with the podcast Crime In Sports. I am a big fan of murder mysteries as well as sports. Crime In Sports combines the two beautifully. If you need a little motivation I am a frequent listener to anything Dr. Eric Thomas creates. He is a very talented motivational speaker, that has helped me both professionally and personally.
Razerhawk: Helen Rennie, PBS Space Time, Kurzgesagt, Summoning Salt, DidYouKnowGaming and The Sphere Hunter on YouTube are some of my current favorites.
Molly McCoy: I have rewatched every new episode of Dark Side Of The Ring and Buzzfeed Unsolved multiple times now. All great. About to binge through every season of Lucha Underground and Riptide Pro Wrestling. Big fan of Last Podcast On The Left, and their wrestling side-podcast It's Kinda Fun.
Also highly recommend going for walks while playing Pokemon Go. I'll shoot pucks in the driveway for a bit then go walk the neighborhood a lot. Don't have to interact with people, and you'll have walked for an hour and not even realized it! Listening to a lot of Knuckle Puck, Transit, Mega Ran, Run The Jewels and Circa Survive while I walk.
What's the best way to support you in the long run?
Dasher Hatfield: In the long I do not need support from wrestling fans. In years past I have had full support of the fans both emotionally and financially. While working to become the terrific wrestler I am today, I was also working at my education. I have 3 different college degrees, the highest of which being a Master's Degree. My career outside of wrestling offers more than enough to support my family, so no need to beg for t-shirt sales.
Emotionally, I've learned that fan support is worthless. I've wrestled for years while receiving support from every single fan in the building. Yet my career still squandered away. I have the emotional support from my wife and children, and that'll do just fine.
Razerhawk: Coming to shows, buying merchandise, and retweeting my stuff!
Molly McCoy: I am only on Twitter, so follow me there @_mollymccoy_ to keep up with my young -- but hopefully -- long wrestling career! Planning to have a web-store and some merch -- FINALLY -- up for sale, so look out for that. Watch Chikara Pro on IWTV or Chikaratopia to support my home. And my PayPal is bookmollymccoy20@gmail.com. I accept money in all forms.
Finally, any last words for the kids?
Dasher Hatfield: Don't be lazy! Close your laptops, put your phones aways, and make something of yourself. Learn to set goals and actually stick to them. If this world was filled with people actually achieving their wildest dreams we would all be a whole lot better off. You've got one opportunity to make something with your life, do not waste it away.
Razerhawk: Stay in school and dream big! The only limits to your greatness are the limits you set for yourself!
Molly McCoy: STAY HOME STAY HOME STAY HOME. Say your prayers, take your vitamins, and when you do inevitably, eventually go wrong anyway, learn from it. Oh, and follow @JoshuaWellsWF on Twitter. Unless you're younger than 12. Then why are you on Twitter, go read the Harry Potter books.