One of the most gleefully raucous events in town is scheduled for the August event for the Flea Off Market. Louisville Championship Arm Wrestling(LCAW) is, as the name suggests, an arm wrestling league, but with more than a touch of showmanship. Formed in November 2014 and with a rotating roster of around 15 wrestlers (think of it as a cross between conventional arm wrestling, luchadors, and the WWE) with each wrestler having their own unique aesthetic and narrative. Each performance is a continuation of the kind of serialized theater that makes modern wrestling such a compelling and often ridiculous story. But that doesn’t mean that the members of the LCAW don’t take it seriously.
League President Joe Becraft, aka Buck Dungle, presides over the madness with a strong, but firm hand. He has an easy command of the crowd in his cowboy hat and fanny pack, a ringleader to the chaos. Matches are punctuated by the crowd booing and cheering for heroes and heels, a melodramatic spectacle that’s as much theater as it is competition. That theatrical touch is not for nothing. Starting off as a one-time show for the Baby Horse Theatre Group, the LCAW grew from there.
Of course Becraft stays in character. As Dungle he explains, “We never wanted there to be a fourth wall. Since the art of professional wrestling is a love and obsession of mine and many of my friends and colleagues, the idea came to me to craft a show that was a presentation of all the elements of wrestling that make it so fun and unique as a genre of performance. It is a loving tribute to the tropes and trappings of pro wrestling of all styles and eras.”
He continues, “LCAW is a singular, original entity. However, we drew some inspiration from the CCLAW organization, a national group of women in many different cities who organize and put on arm wrestling shows as fundraisers. Our philosophy is definitely one of showmanship, good times, commitment to character, and a love and appreciation of our audience and burgeoning fan-base, whom we’ve dubbed the ‘LCAW Faithful’.”
A Colorful Cast of Characters
Each wrestler has a theme. There are heels like Geno Grigiot, who Dungle describes as a “semi-wealthy wine connoisseur,” and who may or may not be a bitter rival. Fan favorite Grrunt is a silent barbarian who strolls into the ring, usually a stage at a local bar, to heavy metal, glaring at his opponent until the match concludes. The wrestlers include local musicians like Vaderbomb front man El Chubbs, a luchador mask bearing mad man or Kotton Kandy a Juggalo (or Juggalette, if you will) mother with an attitude to match her disposition.
“In LCAW, there are many different competitors who compete for many different reasons,” says Dungle. “Some wrestle because they strive for greatness, some lust after fame, some seek revenge, some are bloodthirsty, and some chase the thrill of the competition.”
He adds, “Each wrestler is part of the LCAW story. There are dozens of other characters, feuds, and storylines at work that simply must be seen to be believed!”
There is some method to the madness, at least as far as the actual arm wrestling competition is concerned. The LCAW is home to men and women of all stripes, competing regardless of weight class or skill set. The rules and stipulations per match are circumstantial to the event, specific with each showdown, sometimes breaking down by wrestler. It can get crazy.
Dungle says, “We’ve featured several ‘No-Disqualification’ matches, and many where specific weaponry like thumbtacks, barbed wire, fly swatters, etc., are permitted. There is no division in LCAW based on size, age, gender identity, or any other classification of person. We are an all-inclusive company.”
The Plot Thickens
Ultimately, it’s all about the story. The LCAW is like a series of small plays, possibly improvised, possibly not, all that tap into some extremity of American culture. It’s all the drama of a soap opera with all the machismo of a cage match.
You can’t define your heroes without your heels. Last year, the narrative involved Geno Grigiot, who according to Dungle, “threatened the very existence of LCAW by sneakily purchasing the LCAW trademark.”
Naturally this resulted in an arm wrestling match between rivals Grigiot and Dungle, the latter of whom claimed victory after “a Barbed-Wire ‘I Quit’ match for complete control of the company.”
Bringing real world threats into their theater adds an air of relatability to the otherwise extraordinary individuals in the LCAW. For example, Dungle warns, “I’d steer clear of former LCAW Lucha Champion El Chubbs though, as he is currently suing LCAW for the rights to use his name and image on the many pieces of merchandise we sell at our shows.”
Double Vision
Their next match is hosted at the Flea Off Market, a pop-up event, hosted this weekend in NuLu. What can you expect? Dungle admits, “We’re very excited to be presenting the inaugural LCAW Twosomes Scramble, a tournament of teams of two to crown the very first LCAW Terrific Twosomes Champions! It’ll be one of our biggest, most significant shows to date.”
You can catch the LCAW at 7:30 p.m., August 6 at the Flea Off Market, located at 1007 E. Jefferson St.
