In a dark little supper club hidden in a hotel, bodies are slamming against a mat, cameras are flashing, well-seasoned waitresses are serving drinks... and then the man-boobs come flying out of Kellion Raeth's unitard.
This is the surprisingly glamorous, funnier than you'd expect, sweaty and sometimes stunning world of local professional wrestling done by Tulalip Championship Wrestling.
It is also the part-time home of EvCC English major, Jacob Nanfito, aka the WildCard. The WildCard knows the business arguably better than anyone on campus: he's been practicing his unique wrestling recipe-- one part grappler, one part Vegas lounge lizard-- for more than five years now. But even the he has trouble defining the fans.
The crowd defies stereotypes. It includes 20- and 30-somethings in clever t-shirts who come to trade smart remarks with the talent and 50-somethings in button-downs and denim who don't crack a smile as they silently analyze the skill of the would-be superstars. Even the tweens make their presence known, practicing immature insults, shouting down the arrogant, obnoxious heels.
Today, the WildCard is focused on African American Literature, Intro to Mass Media and Nutrition, but has been a wrestling fan for over a decade.
"I'd been going to local shows since high school," says the WildCard, "and at some point I just got the itch to try it. I wanted to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone mentally and physically. After I started training and wrestling, I was hooked. Being in front of the crowd and having them connect with what you're doing, and get excited about the characters and ideas you've created-- it's addicting. There's nothing like it."
Wrestlers like WildCard specialize in pairing parody with physical prowess, which appeals to a wide variety of fans.
"The jacket, the music, the swagger. We knew we would be Wildcard fans for life! Him having some of my nachos during his match sealed the deal," says Emele Waraksa, who along with her husband John are fixtures at TCW events.
Other wrestlers go hardcore, sporting six-pack abs, toaster-oven tans and briefs that leave little to the imagination. Then come the flyers and the giants; one breed succeeds through stunts off the top rope, the other by perfecting the art of not getting knocked over.
TCW likely succeeds because it combines all these talents with compelling ongoing storylines, affordable tickets and just the right mix of passion and comedy. In contrast, many organizations disappear before they can establish a personality or following, suffering from high turnover, low cash flow and nonexistant leadership.
TCW even offers a touch of glamour-- a professional dj to play entrance music, ringside dining from the custom menu and the pleasure of seeing the same characters rather than the more common parade of unknowns at less successful companies all add up to a compelling way to spend $12 and a couple of hours on a Saturday night.
TCW and the WildCard will return to the Pacific Rim with a 6:00 p.m. bell time on Saturday, May 15.
Then, on May 22, the show moves to a larger venue, the Tulalip Tribal Center in Marysville, where kids under 12 are free.
TCW is offering The Clipper readers two-for-one admission to the May 22 show: just bring in this article and get a friend in for free. The show starts at 7:00 p.m. For more information, go to
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