Action Packed Wrestling has held events once each month for six months at the old National Guard Armory. APW is based out of Chester, where it holds shows every Saturday, and also wrestles in Lancaster.
APW is three years old, the brain-child of “Honest” Doug Hawkins, a wrestler, just like his late father.
“I've been in the wrestling business all my life,” he said. “I'd love dad to see what we've got going on now - running our own shows.”
Hawkins runs a training school in Chester, where wrestlers hone their craft. APW has 30 wrestlers - all from the Carolinas - on the roster and 10 staff members to help run shows. A deal with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling allows Hawkins to use TNA talent to draw crowds to his APW events.
Shark Boy recently wrestled in Jonesville. The Monster Abyss and “Black Machismo” Jay Lethal also have come from TNA television to local venues. APW averages about 100 fans at Jonesville's arena, with a high of more than 200 at one event.
Hawkins hopes those numbers will grow when fans are introduced to APW's product, its talent. The champion is Abel Adams, part of Team Ego - well known on the Carolina independent circuit over the last five years. Hawkins and tag team partner “Big” Willie Presley hold the tag team championships as the Good Ol' Boys. Baja is the cruiserweight champ and “Boogie Woogie” Mickey Richards holds the US title.
“It's a rush,” said Presley, of Chester, who has wrestled for 7 years after being introduced to the sport by Hawkins. “You've got the crowd standing on the edge of their seat and cheering your every move.”
Three APW wrestlers are from Union County - Kohl McAbee, Derek Free and Deon Johnson. McAbee got into wrestling in 2004 as a manager in North Carolina. After a stint in Greenville, he's been with Hawkins for two years.
“I'll wrestle as long as my body permits me,” he said. “You never know when something will happen and you'll get injured.”
Many say wrestling is “fake,” but the injuries are real. Adams has had two back surgeries and reconstructive knee surgery. His partner, Will Snapp, has had two back surgeries and four knee surgeries. Both said there have been numerous stitches and concussions.
Once Adams landed on his head wrong in a match against former WCW star the Barbarian. He doesn't remember the last seven minutes of the match. Adams lives in constant plain.
“I'm afraid of taking pills, because that's given wrestlers a bad rap,” he said. “I'm straight edge - no alcohol or drugs.”
Adams said, barring further injury, he's likely got just three more years before retirement. He said the pain subsides when he walks through the curtain.
“There is nothing better than the reaction of the crowd,” said Adams.
A locker room veteran who gives younger wrestlers help and advice, Adams said that wrestlers are like super heroes on the weekend - like Superman changing from his job clothes into his costume.
“Life begins on Friday,” he said. “We look forward to this all week. It you don't have a love for it, it's hard to explain. It's not a job, it's a love. Wrestling's like my second wife and I spend more time here than at home. These guys are family and you trust them with your life. One wrong move and I'm paralyzed or hurt.”
Snapp from Spartanburg and Adams from North Carolina are big men, 300 pounds and 260 pounds respectively, but they can do the moves of smaller wrestlers. Both have great devotion and respect for wrestling as an “art form.” Adams has wrestled for 14 years and Snapp for 10.
“Any fool can buy gear and call themselves a wrestlers, but it takes years to do what we're doing,” said Adams, who has trained a wrestler on the verge of signing a contract with a major promotion.
Hawkins agrees that it's easier to get into wrestling than it used to be and said he's seen the industry change a lot, blaming World Wrestling Entertainment's near monopoly leading to backyard wrestling.
“Wrestling used to be more believable,” said Hawkins. “Then Vince (McMahan, owner of WWE) admitted it was an act.”
The shows are scripted, but that doesn't take away from the art that is sports entertainment.
“We love wrestling,” said Snapp. “It's in the blood.”
The fans are just as adamant about their sport. In Jonesville, several fans chanted for the “good guys” and argued with the “bad guys.” It's all in good fun.
“We run a family oriented show,” said Hawkins. “We don't have that filth like the WWE. You can bring your family to an APW event and not go broke (tickets range from $5-$10). We have loyal fans that follow us everywhere we go.”
And APW wrestlers consider the fans part of the family.
“I enjoy meeting different people and getting to know them,” said Presley.
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For more information on Action Packed Wrestling, call Hawkins at 803-379-0213. APW can be followed on Tru Vista 39 in Chester and on my space at apwchester sc. APW does fundraisers for high schools, churches, scouting, etc.
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