Initial impressions of Real American Freestyle wrestling episode: Did they get the first episode right? Is it okay for kids? Did it set the stage for matches well?

I’ve been a fan of all types of wrestling my entire life, be it the squared circle worked style or legitimate combat. I enjoy modern American wrestling and classic Lucha Libre as well as UFC or high school folk style. Whatever connects in the human brain that enjoys seeing why two people have a reason to go one-on-one, then watching them resolve it, has always appealed to me.

Maybe it was seeing the “Rocky” franchise during pivotal years. I’ve often referred to “Rocky” as the greatest wrestling movie. Simply observing two people fight is watching criminal behavior, but to know the character of someone, and why they would fight, or to know how despicable the other person is and ready to see their downfall? That’s what great story is made of.

In the era in between WCW and AEW, the true number two in wrestling was the UFC. It offered much of what wrestling fans looked for. Big stars. Big fights. Noteworthy live events. Now UFC has exploded into its own industry and, like independent wrestling was an avenue to WWE, smaller MMA organizations and training gyms started appearing in a city near you.

None of these organizations would have been able to be what they are without the world’s oldest sport, true mat wrestling. For whatever reason, a true professional sport has never been an option. You can make it to the Olympic Games, but after that it was coaching jobs if you wanted to stay in the sport. MMA became an option, but not everyone is okay getting punched in the face. Kurt Angle showed what was possible of an Olympic wrestler, but Gable Steveson reminded us that it takes more than one skill set to put it all together.

Watching any type of wrestling was always a chore. Occasionally you’d find NCAA games, and while technically available in a pre-streaming world, I could never find any Olympic wrestling on television. A couple of decades ago there was an attempt to start a professional league. I remember my TiVo (yeah, that’s long ago) showing me an option for RPW, Real Pro Wrestling, on the PAX Network. It was fun but short lived, and in the truest sense of the word, professional wrestling wasn’t going to happen.

Then, coincidentally, on the 30th anniversary of the first episode on WCW Nitro, the first event from RAF, Real American Freestyle, streamed on the Fox Nation app. The executive producer on this project is Eric Bischoff. Being an admitted “83 Weeks” fanboy, I had been hearing about this project for months on Eric’s podcast. Very intrigued and with time on my hands over the weekend that it aired, I tuned in. I’ve had a week to reflect and wanted to look back on my five lasting impressions from RAF 01.

Match Order

The decision was made to go with traditional match order, which is lightest weight to heavyweight. In hindsight, I’m not sure that was the right move. Eric knows from worked wrestling how important the first match was. The man who is second-most-known for bringing legitimate cruiserweight wrestling to America, in part to open shows with action, should have gone with a more dynamic personality and matchup. Were this a traditional TV property, I could see some channel changing happening.

Great Potential Stars

There are some great personalities behind these athletes. The idea with RAF is to create conflict and desire to see someone succeed in the same way you’ve seen that presentation done from UFC to “American Idol.” Lots of people can fight, sing, or in this case, wrestle. Why do we want to see them wrestle and why do I care if they win or lose?

It’s always the story that makes the action mean something and good story has great characters. On the first event alone I learned about a former Belator champion, a man who is turning back time with the way he conditions his body, and a wrestler who defeated former Gold Medal winner Gable Steveson when Steveson’s plan was to use the NCAA tournament and Wyatt Hendrickson as a stepping stone for his return to the pure sport after his WWE release. And in true Eric Bischoff fashion, when there was an issue with a competitor who couldn’t perform that night, a fantastic replacement in Holly Holm was put into her first competitive wrestling match.

Kid Access

What makes any franchise last for the long term is your product being discovered by children. Be it Hulk Hogan as the face of the WWE, Spider-Man hooking kids on comics books, or Joe Camel looking cool while smoking cigarettes (okay, maybe some mascots are better left behind), companies have always known that children wanting your product is key. Kids want it, parents buy it, and when disposable income is a thing as an adult, you want what you had or wanted as a child.

That’s why part of my favorite parts of the presentation was the ability to let kids come up to the athletes after their matches. They’d run up with folded papers in hand getting autographs from these athletes they see as massive stars. Good on the venue and promotion for giving those kids lifelong memories and maybe future athletes or long-term fans who will support this product.

Points Systems

I wrestled in high school, so I understand that in mat wrestling, there are points to score. Even if you knew a little about folk style wrestling, this was freestyle, which has modified rules and point systems. I did spend a year in freestyle, so I was able to recall a fair amount. There was an added rule where you can push your opponent out of bounds to score.

I would like to have seen a package featuring a couple of sparring partners showing some positions, key moves, and explaining how the points work. Even understanding what a pinfall is to most is different. Most people watch professional (worked) wrestling, and think you have to hold shoulders down for a count of three, whereas in mat wrestling, if both of your shoulders touch the match at the same time, it’s match over.

Works for Mega Matches

The main thing that the company will need to survive will be eyeballs, and there is some fun potential with RAF. During the show, Tito Ortiz came out and interrupted Chael Sonen during some between match analysis. It was awkward and could have been done better, but I like the concept.

In the past we’ve seen celebrity boxing. Even now, Jake Paul and setting up influencer matches makes serious bank. UFC has had some exhibitions where older fighters may square off, but there are many complications with boxing or other forms of fighting where fists are thrown.

RAF offers a unique way to let two people settle a score with less danger of concussions or other permanent injuries that not only put the performers at risk, but makes watching a bit cringe knowing that, as an example, maybe Mike Tyson should not be in a ring with gloves on anymore.

RAF is full of legitimate contenders and champions, but wrestling is also safe enough of a sport that we allow children to take classes before they begin elementary school. With that level of safety and a physical from a physician, anyone can get out on a mat. Hell, I’d have let Brock Lesnar or Kurt Angle wrestle in me in a wrestling match, but zero chance I’d be in a MMA fight with either. The body can take a slam and a half nelson as long as the doctor says you won’t throw a hip out when landing.

This can add some really fun match-ups as long as it doesn’t get silly with the people involved.

Overall, I ended this event with pride for a sport I’ve loved and participated in, but also pride to see hope in a new endeavor for these athletes, the entrepreneurs, and my business hero. Looking forwards to the next event here.