Pro Wrestling Chaos: Fans sell out first show post-Covid

Chaos' first returning show in Kingswood sold all 250 seats before a single match was announced

"When I heard Chaos was returning, I got the feeling that expectant dads get; I was that excited," Isaac said.

After the world shut down for Covid in March 2020, Isaac Wide was one of many hundreds of wrestling fans who missed their favourite entertainment.

Mr Wide, who was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, has been a wrestling fan since the age of 10 and Bristol-based Pro Wrestling Chaos is his favourite promotion or company.

He is one of many fans desperately excited about the return of Chaos, which recently announced its first show in two years.

Billed as The Return Of The King, tickets sold out in unprecedented haste in a little more than 36 hours, with half of the seats selling in the first hour alone.

"Before the pandemic I was in supportive living and I used Chaos as a method of escape because I didn't enjoy it there.

"For someone who isn't that much of a socialite, the interaction with fans and wrestlers there is important to me," he said.

Isaac Wide often gets photos with his favourite wrestlers at shows

"I remember telling my dad when I was little that I wanted to be a wrestler but for someone in my situation there isn't a hope of getting in the ring.

"Meeting these big stars at Chaos is as close as I can get," he said.

When Isaac went back to living at home during lockdown, he found the experience difficult.

His mother Ruth Rowland said: "He got upset and asked me to cover his wrestling pictures on the wall because seeing them and knowing he couldn't go [to shows] upset him.

"I tried to encourage him to think about happy memories of shows but it didn't work."

'Sense of belonging'

Chaos is more than entertainment for Isaac - its fans donated £600 towards a mobility ramp for his house in 2017.

"We were about to build an extension on our house and needed a ramp for access, Chaos held a raffle for us which was amazing.

"When we go to shows, everybody knows who Isaac is. He has a great sense of belonging there.

"We've been to see wrestling in London and Cardiff and it's just not the same as in Bristol," said Ms Rowland.

Isaac has dozens of photos and autographs from previous Chaos shows

For Chaos promoter, and veteran wrestler of 12 years Gavin Watkins, the demand for its return has surprised even him.

Mr Watkins took on joint ownership of the company with fellow wrestler 'Wild Boar' Mike Hitchman in February 2020.

Their first show was booked for April, but Covid shut everything down and fans were refunded.

As the pandemic dragged on, Mr Watkins even stopped paying to run the promotion's website because the future was so uncertain.

"The local wrestling scene would be in a worse place if Chaos died, but we didn't know if we came back whether there would be a fan base.

"You worry whether fans would have drifted away and found other promotions," he said.

'Nothing announced'

Once restrictions were relaxed a cautious show booking was made for a return to Kings Oak Academy in Kingswood on 30 April with returning Chaos stars and wrestlers who have travelled the world.

Tickets were snapped up immediately.

"I texted Mike after half had sold in an hour and he couldn't believe it.

"We had no wrestlers announced, we had no matches announced, all we had was a date, a venue, and the name."

"Around 80% of the seats have gone to returning fans," he said.

Chaos is run by Mike Hitchman (L) and Gavin Watkins (R), who wrestles as "Flash Morgan Webster"

The last two years have also been difficult for wrestling-mad father-of-two Ryan, from Clevedon.

"It was part of our life with regular shows once a month, as soon as tickets came out we'd buy them.

"We'd go with the boys and it was something the kids loved," he said.

"Gavin's brilliant, the kids met him and he let them hold his title belt - they loved it and felt part of the show rather than someone just sat on a seat," he added.

Ryan's sons Tom and George met Matt Riddle, now a WWE wrestler, at a Chaos show in 2019

With Chaos' fans eagerly awaiting their first show in two years, Mr Watkins is feeling the heat a little.

"I'm stressed, it is nerve-wracking.

"A lot of people have spent their hard-earned money, and this will be our first show so it is a trial by fire.

"We have a vision for our fans, but you're nervous how it will come out on the night.

"I hope this show will bring a real wrestling boom back and we want to roll with this sell out," he said.