September 06, 2016

BY JEREMY BERGEN
SWAN VALLEY STAR AND TIMES
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It’s been a few years since the last time professional wrestling has been showcased in Swan River, and this time around, a local performance will feature the hometown hero and New Xperience Wrestling (NXW) Champion ‘Kid Dynamite’ Alix Vanna – otherwise known by his civilian name, Chris Kosolowsky – as well as a special appearance by professional wrestling pioneer, manager, and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hall of Famer Jimmy ‘Mouth of the South’ Hart.

The show will take place on Friday (Sept. 30) in the Swan River Community Centre. Get ready for two solid hours (plus intermission) of wrestling entertainment.

“We’re going to have six matches, with a couple of one-on-one matches and tag matches,” said Kosolowsky. “I’ll be defending my NXW championship against my frenemy Jackie Lee, who is currently the Premier Championship Wrestling (PCW) champion.

“I used to be really nervous before these types of matches, but now I just try to relax and train as much as possible beforehand, because I know I’m going to take a beating and have to deal one out as well. To say our style is high impact is an understatement, and I’ll be looking to knock Jackie’s teeth down his throat.”
Regardless of an apparent feud between two athletic competitors, Kosolowsky assured that this was a show that the whole family could attend.

“There’s going to be no blood and guts involved, (harsh) language, barbed wire, or thumbtacks,” he said. “I invite everyone to bring their children, grandma, anybody. I hope to fill up that arena and make it a big night.”
Hart should make a big impact on the show, as he is looking to bring his legendary presence to Swan River.
“Believe it or not, I might be managing,” he said. “I’ll be bringing the Jimmy Hart megaphone and jacket, and I’ll be doing some autographs and pictures with fans.

“There are a couple of (wrestlers) that I’ve seen on tape that look very promising. I’m kind of like the Dick Clark of wrestling, and I’m always looking for the next big thing.”

Hart is known for managing some of the best in professional wrestling, including Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, the Nasty Boys, ‘The Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase, Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, and many more. In addition, Hart is a musician known for composing many of the intro themes for the wrestlers in the big-time leagues.

“Hopefully, if I do come out and manage somebody, or when I’m introduced, I definitely might play ‘Eat Your Heart Out Rick Springfield,’” he said, which is a song he wrote and performed, and was featured on The Wrestling Album – the first album of theme music released by the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE).

“These smaller leagues are the future of wrestling. There’s a whole new era starting in WWE, and a lot of the talent in (the smaller professional leagues) are going to WWE. (Veteran wrestler) Triple H has a school in Orlando, Fla. where they find a lot of young talent around the country, send them to Orlando, and get them prepped for (WWE).

“Everything was in small territories when I started out in Memphis, Tenn., and then Vince McMahon had the brains of putting together WrestleMania where he put together all the stars of the different territories,” Hart continued. “WWE is still going strong 33 years later.”

Kosolowsky said he did meet Hart at events before turning pro, and added that he loves being able to live his dream.

“I want to prove to the naysayers how athletic, talented, and technical I can be,” he said. “I want to show people that I deserve to be in that spotlight, and to never give up on your dream.”

The show starts at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:15 p.m. Tickets will be sold in advance for $17, or $20 at the door. They can be purchased at Valley Door Systems, Home Hardware in Swan River, or from Kosolowsky himself, who said that he usually has tickets on his person at all times.