Know Your Indies: Wrestling Is Art

Welcome to Know Your Indies, a new series here at CageSide Seats that aims to help shed some light on the various independent wrestling promotions in North America. We hope to demystify the indies and help shed light on companies that could be in your backyard. Wrestling is best when the word is spread around. That's how the art of wrestling grows and flourishes. Speaking of art, here's our first company profile:

PROMOTION: Wrestling Is Art

BASED OUT OF: Massachusetts/Rhode Island

WEBSITE/FACEBOOK/TWITTER: Website/Facebook/@WrestlingIsArt

WHERE YOU CAN BUY THEIR SHOWS: SMVOD

ABOUT:

Wrestling Is Art is a part of the CHIKARA-sponsored "Wrestling Is..." family of promotions. It runs basically in the state of Massachusetts, and is the baby of Colt Cabana. Their next double-shot of events will be branching out into Rhode Island.

CHIKARA is Americanized lucha libre based around multiperson tag matches, colorful characters in masks, and a healthy dose of humor. Wrestling Is Art's milieu seems to put a bit of emphasis on more of the English World of Sport mold, in addition to the parent company's identity. It's hard to get a real hold on it after only two shows, but with the wrestlers they've booked so far, the promotion seems to lend itself to a lot of mat-based action with a modern indie spin.

FLAGSHIP ARENA/ARENAS:

They don't have a flagship arena yet, per se, but the only arena they've run both on their first set of shows and will be running on their next set is the Haverhill High School in Haverhill, MA, located on 137 Monument Street. They will also be running at the Varnum Armory in East Greenwich, RI, on 6 Main Street.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH:

The "Wrestling Is..." promotions seem to have a core of wrestlers that appear on nearly every roster, at least on the East Coast. The more bombastic ones seem to be The Baltic Siege, the Devastation Corporation, and Jervis Cottonbelly, but Wrestling Is Art seems to center on the non-masked wrestlers.

Starting at the top, Colt Cabana is conspicuous by his presence only on the "...Art" roster. For those who are just getting into the indies, Cabana is one of the most gifted comedic wrestlers in wrestling history. He also is proficient in the English mat style.

Tim Donst is another guy who is prominent in the company. He has a strong amateur background, but isn't afraid to throw some suplexes. I'm not sure if he's running the same, Raven-esque character as he is in CHIKARA, but he's definitely wrestling the same style.

"...Art" is also the only promotion so far that has turned up AR Fox, who is one of the premiere high-flyers on the scene. His finisher, the Lo-Mein Pain, is one of the most innovative and exciting around.

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NEXT EVENTS:

The next two events happen on May 11 & 12, 2013. The show on the eleventh is at Haverhill High School, while the show on the twelfth is at the Varnum Auditorium. Tickets are $15 for front row, $10 for general admission, and as with all "Wrestling Is..." shows, kids get in free with a paying adult.

So, CageSiders, is there anything else to add about "Wrestling Is..." for those of us who are new to the indies? Anything more you want to know? Have any of you been to any of their shows, or plan on going in the near future? Sound off in the comments with all of your thoughts.