Backyard wrestling

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'''Backyard wrestling''' ('''BYW'''), is a recreational underground practice loosely connected to {{Wikipedia|professional wrestling}} and is followed by critical and disputed perspection for its unsanctioned, unprofessional nature officially popularized during professional wrestling's height of success commonly known as the ''{{Wikipedia|Monday Night Wars}}''.
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'''Backyard wrestling''' ('''BYW'''), and also referred to as '''yarding''' or '''backyarding''' is a controversial underground recreation based on the usually untrained practice of professional wrestling in a typically low budget environment between predominantly 12 to 30 year old males. Some practitioners have attended wrestling school or learned wrestling abilities from those who do. For years, it has been followed by critical opposition and its popularity boosted by the boom period of professional wrestling notorious as the Monday Night Wars.
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Practiced by predominantly males 12-30 with usually (but varies) lack of training, backyard wrestling sparked an immense trend, and attention among media and society during its early reckless modern hardcore period from roughly 1996 to early 2000's before a change in shift after it ended in 2001 in accordance to the conclusion of the Wars.
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Before it was opposed, backyard wrestling was often a good-natured genre in the late 1980's to early 1990's which appealed to media for coverage. Gradually, it began showcasing the reckless basis of ultraviolent antics that incited controversy among worried parental guardians and professional personnels. The modern hardcore era lasted roughly from 1996 to 2001 and no longer features hardcore antics on a focal level.
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Backyard wrestling is a loose term that can occur anywhere from a park, field to an actual backyard and has become completely reliant on sharing home-filmed events, matches and videos via public access television and internet which were both an upgrade from distributing videos person-to-person retrospectively. The practice has gradually evolved into a more artistic offspring of professional wrestling, with some of its own gimmicks and wrestling moves.
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Backyard wrestling is a loose term that can occur anywhere from a park, field to an actual backyard and has become completely reliant on sharing home-filmed events, matches and videos via public access television and the internet which were both an upgrade from distributing videos person-to-person retrospectively.  
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A few topflight practitioners include [[William Black]], [[Shawn Matthews]], [[Chris Cryptic]], [[Matt Demorest]], and [[AJ Badd]]. At this time, the current top backyard wrestling federations is firstly the Australia-based [[In Your House Wrestling Alliance]] and the supremist federation alliance [[Global Wrestling Circuit]] which also includes top federations [[Breakthrough Wrestling Entertainment]] (BWE) and [[2KW]], both also independently on its own in Georgia and New York respectively. In addition to top federations, there is also [[Waco Association of Wrestling]] (WAW).  
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With the large alliance today known as [[Global Backyard Wrestling Nation]], an accumulative body of federations from Australia, Europe, North America, and South America, the practice has evolved into some sort of a non-profit hobby industry.
==History==
==History==
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===Practice and similarities to pro wrestling===
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===History of backyard wrestling===
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Between 1996 to 2001, the focus of matches rested on a reckless, uncoordinated style showcasing risky stunts and "high spots" (or falls) typically off rooftops and ladders and relied heavily on sharp or dangerous weaponry such as barbed wire, tables, plywood, fire, glass and fluorescent lamps following after extreme wrestling companies, {{Wikipedia|Xtreme Pro Wrestling}} (XPW) and {{Wikipedia|Extreme Championship Wrestling}} (ECW). About 2001 forward, the practice slowly and effectively lessened in that area becoming a little more organized, "booked" and planned like pro wrestling, and working to execute better technical and athetic professional wrestling skills using opinionated advise and regular practice, though, wrestling moves require years upon perfection to perform at a safe degree. Thus, it has still come to the controversial concerns and rebuttal of many, primarily professional wrestling reforms and personalities.
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By the late 1980's and early 1990's, the earliest reports on backyard wrestling were said to be referenced positively by well respected news outlets like the Minneapolis StarTibune and KSTP Eyewitness News as a friendly presentation and more notiably with [[NWF Kids Pro Wrestling]], a promotion that went from backyard to an inside a studio and amounted to a national cable viewed local promotion in Minnesota. Several federations were aspired by the old school wrestling mentality and some of the major superstars seen on television.  
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Backyard wrestling stands as an ambiguous and loose title because as it is often practiced in backyards or any location such as parks, fields, garages, playgrounds, vacant lots, warehouses, living rooms, barns, basements, and school gyms inexplicably. Commonly, professional wrestling promotions construct a professional wrestling ring to host their events in a backyard while other non-professional federations decide to build a professional or home-made ring. Trampolines, that minimize injury, as well as bases and mattresses are also utilized, but some choose to wrestle on bare ground heightening a big risk for such a injury liable practice.
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Around the mid 1990's, the focus of matches rested on a reckless, uncoordinated style dubbed the "craze" showcasing risky suicidal stunts and "high spots" and "bumps" (typically falls off rooftops and ladders) and relied heavily on sharp or dangerous weaponry and other objects such as barbed wire, tables (mostly flaming), plywood, fire, glass, cheese graters, and fluorescent lamps in accordance with television shows like Jackass and professional wrestling promotions such as hardcore promotions, Extreme Championship Wrestling and Combat Zone Wrestling as well as mainstream companies, World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling during their Monday Night Wars television feud featuring edgy content. New York's [[2KW]] and California's [[Modesto Championship Wrestling]] featured in the documentary ''[[The Backyard]]'' were also notable federations during those days that received some coverage, though, were not as violent and tried to give backyard wrestling a better name with an actual wrestling exhibition.  
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Like in professional wrestling, backyard wrestling generates interest through creating storylines and gimmicks, some which slightly or fully follow inspirational favorites in professional wrestling or are of their own creation. In further noting, connoisseurs of the sport often criticize backyard wrestling for being more sloppy and not well-premeditated as professional wrestling due to such claimed absurd gimmicks and storylines it presents. With creativity and organization known as two key elements for achieving success in wrestling, backyard wrestling lacks a majority of it.
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These activities were done for extremist supremacy and with the notion that promotions might employ the practitioners for their hardcore background while parents bystood their children portray such acts in horror. Professional wrestler, Mick Foley is the center of inspiration after his backyard wrestling exploits with friends in college, essentially a scene with Foley jumping off a roofop onto a mattress, shown on WWE television which propped his way into the company. Foley, however, discourages the practice as it being too dangerous. A few professional wrestlers have conceded to practicing backyard wrestling in their youth such as Hardy Boyz, CM Punk, New Jack, The Insane Clown Posse, "Sick" Nick Mondo, Rob Van Dam, Bryan Danielson, A.J. Styles, Tyler Black, and Ruckus.  
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===1980's to the 1990's Extreme hardcore era===
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After 2001, the practice slowly and eventually lessened in the ultraviolent area after a decline of professional wrestling popularity when companies faltered and hardcore wrestling became defamed and also heightened negative coverage and unpopular view by reforms factored in. Backyard wrestling turned slightly more organized involving gimmicks and storylines with matches "booked" and planned like pro wrestling, emphasizing a trial of athletic professional wrestling skills without proper training as factually, wrestling moves require years upon perfection to perform at a safe degree. Thus, it comes to the controversial concerns and rebuttal of many, primarily professional wrestling reforms and personalities and especially companies whose influential material cause the risk of lawsuits by parents in any event of a catastrophic accident. WWE has since issued solemn disclaimers urging against non-professional conductions. Moreover, the practice has become such an activity among teens and early adults for allowing their creative and experimental ways to flow and comes convenient for those who don't have sufficient finances to attend wrestling school. Yarders that have received pro training also try to lend some advice to help others out.
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Before the mid-90's hit, the earliest reports on backyard wrestling were referenced pleasantly as a friendly presentation and more notiably with [[NWF Kids Pro Wrestling]], which amounted to a national cable viewed local promotion in Minnesota. Many a backyard wrestling organizations at the times were in the era where pro wrestling on television featured a PG-rated kid-friendly approach with characters like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior and Sting.
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Circa 1990's, there was an increased risk in wrestling with focus on "high risk" manuevers and dangerous stunts. By the time {{Wikipedia|WWE}} (then WWF) implemented "The Attitude Era" in the Monday Night Wars against {{Wikipedia|WCW}}, the underground sport fully launched into a drastic, violent form which negatively impacted media and society leading many to view backyard wrestling with disgust no more than professional wrestling.  
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Backyard wrestling is also an ambiguous loose title defining any wrestling that occurs in an unprofessional environment such as a backyard itself, parks, fields, garages, playgrounds, vacant lots, warehouses, living rooms, barns, basements, and even school gyms inexplicably. The wrestling typically takes the surface of a constructed base or makeshift ring, a trampoline which minimizes potential injuries, or rarely a professional ring by more organized independent-like federations. The ground is also performed on which comes as physically dangerous.
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Mostly male teenagers, frequently risked their lives in suicidal attempted dives, jumps, falls and bumps and used sharp and dangerous objects and weapons performing matches with flaming tables, lighttubes, thumbtacks, and sharp metal tools such as barbed wire and cheese graters in a reckless, blood-craven act in a growing competition of who had the strongest hardcore name, was the most hardcore and could consistently conceive creative ways to be so, mostly influenced by the extreme pro wrestling companies {{Wikipedia|XPW}}, {{Wikipedia|ECW}} and {{Wikipedia|CZW}}, as this was seen as an aversion to many. Some of the more known federations at this time was the innovative CWF and [[Modesto Championship Wrestling]] (MCW), a federation featured in the backyard wrestling documentary, ''[[The Backyard]]''. Parents who bystood, witnessed such events in horror and concern for their children who took part in it.
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===Independent circuit in early 2000's===
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Furthermore, around the time the promotions had shuttered or toned their extreme reputation down, backyard wrestling trailed behind allowing grounds for less danger, also leading to the inevitable event that the heavy bleeding and weapon use fell from popularity. Factually that the "craze" began in 1996 and started declining in 1999 and 2000, it decreased in popularity after heightened negative attention and general unpopular view by reforms and many others sinking its infamous status, but not completely wiping it out while few active messages boards and videos remain shared on the internet.
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===Move to Independent circuit in 2000's===
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Around 2000, realization surfaced that such dangerous activities in backyard wrestling had harsh physical realities as resourceful professional wrestling information became disclosed and many chose the way of a rain of opening professional wrestling schools which offered proper training for the particularly skilled.
Around 2000, realization surfaced that such dangerous activities in backyard wrestling had harsh physical realities as resourceful professional wrestling information became disclosed and many chose the way of a rain of opening professional wrestling schools which offered proper training for the particularly skilled.
More of the younger independent wrestlers concede to having experience in backyard wrestling, viewing it as a hobby while performing professionally, because whereas, wrestling professionally is under strict commands by a booker or promotor, but backyarders can host their very own recreation with their friends and/or family. Futhermore, training in a backyard wrestling environment carries a heavy negative perspective in the eyes of professionals.
More of the younger independent wrestlers concede to having experience in backyard wrestling, viewing it as a hobby while performing professionally, because whereas, wrestling professionally is under strict commands by a booker or promotor, but backyarders can host their very own recreation with their friends and/or family. Futhermore, training in a backyard wrestling environment carries a heavy negative perspective in the eyes of professionals.
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===Backyard wrestling: 2001 to present===
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===Backyard wrestling after 2001===
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2001 had marked the majority end of the sheer brutality on which backyard wrestling relied on, and from there, federations began to become more like professional wrestling in terms of "booking" and planning out wrestling matches to decide winners. Athletic and technical expression started to be heavily used as those frowned over the past and sought to commence showing that backyarders now have improved and have talent compared to then showcasing varyingly some quite talented content, however, weapons were not completely phased out except most sharp instruments. Also community, [[Backyard Revolution]] and [[Backyard Wrestling Link]] (BYWL) about this time were sites that presented many federations on it.
 
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By 2005, federations like [[Championship Wrestling Association]] (CWA) debuted, a not exactly original but a highly talented group of performers as well as the premiere of [[In Your House Wrestling Alliance]] (IYHWA), an original aussie federation and one of the major milestones in the practice having being a top interest on the internet under the genre. In 2006, [[Global Backyard Wrestling News]] (GBYWN) was opened by [[Cam]] and till today has been the biggest community surpassing today's alternatives and although knowing pro wrestling companies deny the practice as any experience, backyard wrestlers continue to enjoy it as being fun, and all in the act of socialism, and also a pre-preparation for testing skill and dedication before financing pro careers.
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Henceforth 2001, the core of brutality backyard wrestling gained abound fame from toned down vastly. Federations became more like professional wrestling in terms of "booking" and planning out wrestling matches to decide winners and worked towards a passionate trial of athletics and technical wrestling skills showing that backyarders had moved on. However, although weapons were not completely phased out except most sharp instruments, they were not the focal point of events.  
-
===Backyard wrestling history===
+
Federations like United Wrestling Alliance, [[Championship Wrestling Association]] and the current web notorious [[In Your House Wrestling Alliance]] to name a very few arose helping shift the premise of backyard wrestling with a potentially talented pool of performers.  
-
The history of backyard wrestling depicts its change from reckless violence to a recreational pro wrestling similarity sport in accordance to what major companies WWE and TNA present on television today.
+
 +
In 2006, [[Global Backyard Wrestling News]] was opened by [[Cam]] and has been the biggest community aside [[Backyard Wrestling Link]]. An alliance, a separate entity from the community known as [[Global Backyard Wrestling Nation]], holds several federations under banner on an intercontinental level and has laid way for the organization of interfederation backyard wrestling [[Supercard|supershows]] and territorial and world backyard titles. The experience of backyard wrestling has also turned being about fun,  enjoyment and quality socialism and testing skill and dedication before deciding on pro careers.
 +
 +
==Backyard Wrestling Trivia==
*Crossen and Charley "Luxury" Lane, both then backyard wrestlers, upstarted their own kids' professional league known as "Kids Quad Cities Pro Wrestling" in March 1984 which subsequently become NWF Kids Pro Wrestling and amounted to a national cable viewed promotion. Twin Cities based promoter and trainer Eddie Sharkey actually co-promoted a sold-out wrestling event that featured matches from both Pro Wrestling America (PWA) and NWF Kids Pro Wrestling at the American Legion Hall in Champlin, MN in November 1986.  
*Crossen and Charley "Luxury" Lane, both then backyard wrestlers, upstarted their own kids' professional league known as "Kids Quad Cities Pro Wrestling" in March 1984 which subsequently become NWF Kids Pro Wrestling and amounted to a national cable viewed promotion. Twin Cities based promoter and trainer Eddie Sharkey actually co-promoted a sold-out wrestling event that featured matches from both Pro Wrestling America (PWA) and NWF Kids Pro Wrestling at the American Legion Hall in Champlin, MN in November 1986.  
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*[[Steve and Ross Wrestling]] (SnR) based in Lancaster, Wisconsin once a WWE-imitating federation before going original, summed over 2,000,000 in total viewership of all their videos and were possibly the first to ever host live streamed backyard wrestling broadcasts on internet also making some profit with DVD sales.
*[[Steve and Ross Wrestling]] (SnR) based in Lancaster, Wisconsin once a WWE-imitating federation before going original, summed over 2,000,000 in total viewership of all their videos and were possibly the first to ever host live streamed backyard wrestling broadcasts on internet also making some profit with DVD sales.
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*[[Backyard Wrestling Link]] (BYWL) was once the best known community site devoted to backyard wrestling, however in 2006, [[Global Backyard Wrestling News]] (BYWL) was devised shortly taking over as one of the most visited and interactive BYW sites going today.
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*[[Backyard Wrestling Link]] (BYWL) was once the best known community site devoted to backyard wrestling, however in 2006, [[Global Backyard Wrestling News]] (GBYWN) was devised shortly taking over as one of the most visited and interactive BYW sites going today.
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==Controversy==
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==Communities==
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Professional wrestler, Mick Foley is the center of inspiration for those in retrospect who began backyard wrestling after reviewing a video of backyard wrestling exploits with friends in college that gained vast attention when parts were shown on WWE television depicting him in one scene jumping off a rooftop onto a mattress which propped his entrance in the company. However, Foley discourages the practice of backyard wrestling downplaying it by saying its too dangerous.
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*[[Global Backyard Wrestling News]]
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*[[Breakfall.net]]
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Most professional wrestlers and personalities, oppose backyard wrestling publicly due to legal risk of lawsuits by individuals. Several lawsuits have been brought against wrestling promotions, most prominently WWE, alleging that people have caused serious injury to others by imitating professional wrestling moves they saw on TV prompting WWE to feature solemn disclaimers during its programming which urges fans, "Don't try this at home" and refuse to watch any videos by backyard wrestlers hoping to get into the Company, and it does not acknowledge backyard wrestling as training or experience.
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*[[Spot Monkey]]
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*[[BYW Rulz]]
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A few professional wrestlers have conceded to practicing backyard wrestling in their youth such as Hardy Boyz, CM Punk, New Jack, The Insane Clown Posse (ICP; see also the ICP owned-and-operated Juggalo Championship Wrestling), "Sick" Nick Mondo, RVD, Bryan Danielson, A.J. Styles, Tyler Black, and Ruckus. While many backyard wrestlers believe that backyard wrestling is good preparation for future exploits in professional wrestling given Mick Foley's career, prominent wrestling school operators have often stated their disdain for the practice.
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*[[NBYWA]]
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===Communities===
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A line of unknown communities dedicated to the practice date back to the late 1990's, where message boards were utilized for communication before technology improved. One from 2002 was [[Backyard Revolution]]. In 2006, there was [[National New Age Alliance]] and [[National Backyard Wrestling]]. Those still remaining today are [[Global Backyard Wrestling News]], [[Breakfall.net]], [[Backyard Wrestling Link]], [[Backyard Wrestling Talk]], and [[Backyard Wrestling World]].
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==Movies and media==
==Movies and media==
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===Documentaries===
===Documentaries===
*[[The Backyard]] (2002)
*[[The Backyard]] (2002)
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*[[Down and Dirty in the Yard: The UWA Story]] (2002)
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*Down and Dirty in the Yard: The UWA Story (2002)
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*[[Lock Up Your Sons]] (2003)
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*Lock Up Your Sons (2003)
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*[[NWF Kids Pro Wrestling: The Untold Story]] (2005)
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*NWF Kids Pro Wrestling: The Untold Story (2005)
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*[[Keryn Hunter'd: Backyard Battler]] (2007)
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*Keryn Hunter'd: Backyard Battler (2007)
*[[XBW Blood, Sweat, and Egos (Documentary)|XBW Blood, Sweat, and Egos]] (Not yet released)
*[[XBW Blood, Sweat, and Egos (Documentary)|XBW Blood, Sweat, and Egos]] (Not yet released)
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*[[Inside The Backyard]] (Not yet released)
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*Inside The Backyard (Not yet released)
===Television===
===Television===
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* {{Wikipedia|MTV}}s ''True Life: I'm A Backyard Wrestler''
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* MTV's ''True Life: I'm A Backyard Wrestler''
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* {{Wikipedia|The Ricki Lake Show}} episode entitled "Backyard Bloodbath!"
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* The Ricki Lake Show episode entitled "Backyard Bloodbath!"
===Video games===
===Video games===
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*{{Wikipedia|Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home}}
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*Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home
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*{{Wikipedia|Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood}}
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*Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood
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==External links==
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*[http://thegbywn.com Global Backyard Wrestling News Forum]
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*[http://youtube.com/TheBYWStation The Backyard Wrestling Station on YouTube]

Current revision as of 17:28, 25 May 2010

15hoobd.jpg
The Global Backyard Wrestling Nation logo.

Backyard wrestling (BYW), and also referred to as yarding or backyarding is a controversial underground recreation based on the usually untrained practice of professional wrestling in a typically low budget environment between predominantly 12 to 30 year old males. Some practitioners have attended wrestling school or learned wrestling abilities from those who do. For years, it has been followed by critical opposition and its popularity boosted by the boom period of professional wrestling notorious as the Monday Night Wars.

Before it was opposed, backyard wrestling was often a good-natured genre in the late 1980's to early 1990's which appealed to media for coverage. Gradually, it began showcasing the reckless basis of ultraviolent antics that incited controversy among worried parental guardians and professional personnels. The modern hardcore era lasted roughly from 1996 to 2001 and no longer features hardcore antics on a focal level.

Backyard wrestling is a loose term that can occur anywhere from a park, field to an actual backyard and has become completely reliant on sharing home-filmed events, matches and videos via public access television and the internet which were both an upgrade from distributing videos person-to-person retrospectively.

With the large alliance today known as Global Backyard Wrestling Nation, an accumulative body of federations from Australia, Europe, North America, and South America, the practice has evolved into some sort of a non-profit hobby industry.

Contents

History

History of backyard wrestling

2dhu0xx.jpg

By the late 1980's and early 1990's, the earliest reports on backyard wrestling were said to be referenced positively by well respected news outlets like the Minneapolis StarTibune and KSTP Eyewitness News as a friendly presentation and more notiably with NWF Kids Pro Wrestling, a promotion that went from backyard to an inside a studio and amounted to a national cable viewed local promotion in Minnesota. Several federations were aspired by the old school wrestling mentality and some of the major superstars seen on television.

Around the mid 1990's, the focus of matches rested on a reckless, uncoordinated style dubbed the "craze" showcasing risky suicidal stunts and "high spots" and "bumps" (typically falls off rooftops and ladders) and relied heavily on sharp or dangerous weaponry and other objects such as barbed wire, tables (mostly flaming), plywood, fire, glass, cheese graters, and fluorescent lamps in accordance with television shows like Jackass and professional wrestling promotions such as hardcore promotions, Extreme Championship Wrestling and Combat Zone Wrestling as well as mainstream companies, World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling during their Monday Night Wars television feud featuring edgy content. New York's 2KW and California's Modesto Championship Wrestling featured in the documentary The Backyard were also notable federations during those days that received some coverage, though, were not as violent and tried to give backyard wrestling a better name with an actual wrestling exhibition.

These activities were done for extremist supremacy and with the notion that promotions might employ the practitioners for their hardcore background while parents bystood their children portray such acts in horror. Professional wrestler, Mick Foley is the center of inspiration after his backyard wrestling exploits with friends in college, essentially a scene with Foley jumping off a roofop onto a mattress, shown on WWE television which propped his way into the company. Foley, however, discourages the practice as it being too dangerous. A few professional wrestlers have conceded to practicing backyard wrestling in their youth such as Hardy Boyz, CM Punk, New Jack, The Insane Clown Posse, "Sick" Nick Mondo, Rob Van Dam, Bryan Danielson, A.J. Styles, Tyler Black, and Ruckus.

After 2001, the practice slowly and eventually lessened in the ultraviolent area after a decline of professional wrestling popularity when companies faltered and hardcore wrestling became defamed and also heightened negative coverage and unpopular view by reforms factored in. Backyard wrestling turned slightly more organized involving gimmicks and storylines with matches "booked" and planned like pro wrestling, emphasizing a trial of athletic professional wrestling skills without proper training as factually, wrestling moves require years upon perfection to perform at a safe degree. Thus, it comes to the controversial concerns and rebuttal of many, primarily professional wrestling reforms and personalities and especially companies whose influential material cause the risk of lawsuits by parents in any event of a catastrophic accident. WWE has since issued solemn disclaimers urging against non-professional conductions. Moreover, the practice has become such an activity among teens and early adults for allowing their creative and experimental ways to flow and comes convenient for those who don't have sufficient finances to attend wrestling school. Yarders that have received pro training also try to lend some advice to help others out.

Backyard wrestling is also an ambiguous loose title defining any wrestling that occurs in an unprofessional environment such as a backyard itself, parks, fields, garages, playgrounds, vacant lots, warehouses, living rooms, barns, basements, and even school gyms inexplicably. The wrestling typically takes the surface of a constructed base or makeshift ring, a trampoline which minimizes potential injuries, or rarely a professional ring by more organized independent-like federations. The ground is also performed on which comes as physically dangerous.

Independent circuit in early 2000's

Around 2000, realization surfaced that such dangerous activities in backyard wrestling had harsh physical realities as resourceful professional wrestling information became disclosed and many chose the way of a rain of opening professional wrestling schools which offered proper training for the particularly skilled.

More of the younger independent wrestlers concede to having experience in backyard wrestling, viewing it as a hobby while performing professionally, because whereas, wrestling professionally is under strict commands by a booker or promotor, but backyarders can host their very own recreation with their friends and/or family. Futhermore, training in a backyard wrestling environment carries a heavy negative perspective in the eyes of professionals.

Backyard wrestling after 2001

2njx7gz.jpg

Henceforth 2001, the core of brutality backyard wrestling gained abound fame from toned down vastly. Federations became more like professional wrestling in terms of "booking" and planning out wrestling matches to decide winners and worked towards a passionate trial of athletics and technical wrestling skills showing that backyarders had moved on. However, although weapons were not completely phased out except most sharp instruments, they were not the focal point of events.

Federations like United Wrestling Alliance, Championship Wrestling Association and the current web notorious In Your House Wrestling Alliance to name a very few arose helping shift the premise of backyard wrestling with a potentially talented pool of performers.

In 2006, Global Backyard Wrestling News was opened by Cam and has been the biggest community aside Backyard Wrestling Link. An alliance, a separate entity from the community known as Global Backyard Wrestling Nation, holds several federations under banner on an intercontinental level and has laid way for the organization of interfederation backyard wrestling supershows and territorial and world backyard titles. The experience of backyard wrestling has also turned being about fun, enjoyment and quality socialism and testing skill and dedication before deciding on pro careers.

Backyard Wrestling Trivia

  • Crossen and Charley "Luxury" Lane, both then backyard wrestlers, upstarted their own kids' professional league known as "Kids Quad Cities Pro Wrestling" in March 1984 which subsequently become NWF Kids Pro Wrestling and amounted to a national cable viewed promotion. Twin Cities based promoter and trainer Eddie Sharkey actually co-promoted a sold-out wrestling event that featured matches from both Pro Wrestling America (PWA) and NWF Kids Pro Wrestling at the American Legion Hall in Champlin, MN in November 1986.
  • In August 1997 the now defunct CWF a backyard promotion originating from Vallejo, California began filming the television show CWF Devastation. Devastation aired between 1997-2000 on California public access stations, and has often been cited as the inspiration for the legendary west coast backyard movement of the late 1990s. CWF Devastation was celebrated among underground wrestling communities for its original writing and innovative cinematography; as well as brutal violence and its cutting-edge wrestling style. CWF Devastation featured many notable backyard wrestlers including: The Master Kevin Blake, Nick Knightengale, Johnathan Fallen,and Butcher Knife. CWF Devastation was relaunched in 2006 under the name Vae Victis as an independent wrestling promotion based in Northern California.
  • In late 1998, the Street Wrestling Federation (SWF) was started in Manchester, Connecticut. By mid-1999, they broadcasted a weekly public access show titled SwF: Caution. In 1999 comments from the public about the harsh language used on the show temporarily forced SWF to cancel its show. SWF Caution aired for one year on local public access television until 2000.
  • 2KW, a park-action wrestling federation based in Manhattan, New York since 1999 and seen on a public access television station known as the Manhattan Neighborhood Network across the state and in Best of Backyard Wrestling Volume 1 and 2, began opposing stereotypical backyard wrestling from the craze days and was noticed by media for athletic talent over reckless violence.
  • In February 2001, Modesto Championship Wrestling (MCW), a backyard wrestling promotion originating from Modesto, California picked up where CWF Devastation left off with their public access television program MCW Extreme. MCW Extreme aired on cable one channel 2 in the greater Modesto area in 2001. The promotion then launched a spin off to MCW Extreme in the spring of 2002 called MCW Unleashed. MCW Unleashed was featured on the AT&T Broadband Public access channel. MCW's final television series "Mayhem in Modesto" aired from early 2003 until the end of MCW in November 2003. The success of MCW's various television broadcasts, landed the organization a feature in the backyard wrestling documentary film The Backyard.
  • The Sydney, Australian-based In Your House Wrestling Alliance (IYHWA) premiering in 2006 became the highest subscribed backyard wrestling channel on YouTube as a topflight and quite fanned semi-pro-like federation and holds the distinction of having over a million views for their very first uploaded video.
  • Steve and Ross Wrestling (SnR) based in Lancaster, Wisconsin once a WWE-imitating federation before going original, summed over 2,000,000 in total viewership of all their videos and were possibly the first to ever host live streamed backyard wrestling broadcasts on internet also making some profit with DVD sales.

Communities

Movies and media

Compilation videos

Movies

  • Backyard Dogs (1999)

Documentaries

  • The Backyard (2002)
  • Down and Dirty in the Yard: The UWA Story (2002)
  • Lock Up Your Sons (2003)
  • NWF Kids Pro Wrestling: The Untold Story (2005)
  • Keryn Hunter'd: Backyard Battler (2007)
  • XBW Blood, Sweat, and Egos (Not yet released)
  • Inside The Backyard (Not yet released)

Television

  • MTV's True Life: I'm A Backyard Wrestler
  • The Ricki Lake Show episode entitled "Backyard Bloodbath!"

Video games

  • Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home
  • Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood

External links

Personal tools