Pro Wrestling Destination (Special to The Reno-Gazette Journal) (20 images)

Share
twitterlinkedinfacebook
Batch Download Slideshow
View: 100 | All
In Jan. 2010, David Calvert photographed Pro Wrestling Destination, an amateur wrestling academy in Reno, Nev. for the Reno Gazette-Journal.
  • When he was five, Dustin Serrano drug his mattress outside, climbed onto the roof and flipped backward, down, onto his stomach. Two decades later, Dustin does his aerobatics inside the squared circle..."I've been into professional wrestling my whole life," Dustin said. "It's what I do.".."Everything was wrestling," his mother Tina Serrano added. "You know how kids give you a Christmas list? On that list was a wrestling ring. Every birthday or Christmas since that kid was 5 he had that damn thing on his list. Every year!" ..After a decade of wrestling on the independent circuit--with matches from Pennsylvania to California, Mexico and a handful of states in between--Serrano, better known by his ring name, "'Dreamachine' Dustin Ardine" decided it was time to bring his lifelong passion home. With the help and support of his family, Dustin founded Pro Wrestling Destination (PWD) in Reno. ..It's a small operation but it's growing. Dustin trains nearly 30 wrestlers, valets and referees out of his Sutro Street compound. He's promoted three shows and has a fourth scheduled in March. ..Dustin, 25, demonstrates a choke slams on student Marvin Osuna during practice Wednesday night, Jan. 16, inside the PWD compound...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • Dustin watches his students do push-ups on the concrete floor below the ring. "Do you see that?" Tina asks. "He won't let them into the ring yet, not until they've earned their way in." ..Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • Once inside the ring, students work their core with a set of scissor kicks...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • PWD referee Dale Clifford dismantles the ring, unhooking the ropes, before loading it into the truck and transporting it to the Neil Road Recreation Center for PWD's "Fan's Choice" event, Saturday, Jan. 19...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • PWD wrestler Chris Nowicki--known by his ring name, "Frank Lee Gorgeous"--loads the pieces of the ring into the truck. In a few hours, "Gorgeous" will wrestle "The Dreamachine" for the PWD heavy weight title belt...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • Dustin's brother Darrell Baldwin, head of security, "briefs" his 7-year-old son Tucker inside the rec. center. PWD is a family run business. Dustin trains, wrestles and promotes; his sister Challon is the ring announcer and national anthem singer; her boyfriend Tyler Walsh does the sound; Dustin's cousins, aunt and uncle run the concession stand and merchandise table; And Tina--in addition to helping fund the operation--handles the nursing duties. .."It's a big family ordeal," Dustin said, "and we intend to keep it that way."..Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • Backstage, "Rock Star Johnny Vega" gets eye make-up applied before the matches begin.. .Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • "Yyan Nakano" makes her way to the ring to wrestle "Davina Rose" for the PWD women's championship. According to her Big Time Wrestling (BTW) profile: "Nakano hails from the Pit of Despair." ..Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • "Nakano" executes a headlock on "Rose" in front of guest referee "Mario" Eventually "Rose" breaks free and wins the match and the title belt via pinfall. "Nakano," "Rose," and "Mario" also wrestle for Bay Area based promotion BTW. With PDW still in its infancy, Dustin has to book wrestlers from other organizations. He also wrestles for BTW...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • In the six bout of the evening, the "Frisco Flame," left, and "Money" Mike Rayne face-off in a blindfold match...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • "Mother Truckin' Otis" makes his way to the ring before the Silver State Championship. "Otis" would wrestle PWD "heel" "Hired Gun." A "heel" is bad guy. A "face," good. ..Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • The "Hired Gun."..Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • Fans boo "Gun" outside the ring...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • "Otis" and "Gun" discuss the "finish" or the planned end of the match backstage. "Gun" "got over" "Otis" winning the the first ever Silver State Streetfight...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • "Frank Lee Gorgeous" and his manager "Funky Brewster" wait inside the ring for "The Dreamachine" to make his entrance before the start of the heavy weight championship match.. .Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • "'The Dreamachine' Dustin Ardine."..Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • The heel, "Gorgeous," taunts the crowd...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • "Gun" interferes with the match, aiding "Gorgeous" by choking "Ardine" with "Funky Brewster's" cane...Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • The agony.....Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • ...of defeat. In a post-match "interview," "Ardine" said he would look forward to fighting "Gorgeous" again with the hope of someday holding the heavy weight title belt. ..Photo by David Calvert/Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

View: 100 | All