“˜Deathmatch’ attracts fans with blood
By Daily Bruin Staff
Sept. 23, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 XPW Wrestler Kid Kaos prepares to set
his opponent, Supreme, on fire during a recent XPW
match.
By Adam Titcher
Daily Bruin Contributor
With folding chairs on the floor and a bell on the ring side,
professional wrestlers Angel and GQ Money practice their moves with
banged up knees, sweating profusely and panting heavily.
Xtreme Professional Wrestling, which is proud of its
unconventional style, uses a lot of chairs, tables, weapons and
even fire as well as the infamous “King of the
Deathmatch.”
The “˜Deathmatch’ originated from Japan and offers a
more violent, bloodier and more believable event with barbed wire
ladders, nail covered beds and explosions inside the ring.
“We are literally the World Wrestling Federation on
steroids,” says Voltron, the webmaster of
www.xpwrestling.com. “People are getting pizza cutters to the
forehead. I squirm when I see that stuff.”
Outside the ring, stands XPW owner Rob Black. While he makes
positive remarks about the realness of the headlock move, his vice
president of operations, UCLA alumnus Kevin Kleinrock adds his two
cents.
Kleinrock has followed wrestling since grade school. After
watching Wrestlemania VII, he knew he wanted to work
professionally. His career started in high school, assisting the
Southern California Championship Wrestling organization.
While in college, he met adult film czar Black, who had decided
to start his own wrestling organization. After a dinner meeting,
the two started the XPW in Reseda, California on July 31, 1999.
The show was a hit from the beginning. Ratings were high and
audiences were so large that the XPW moved locations several times
to accommodate. Currently working from the Olympic Auditorium in
downtown Los Angeles, Kleinrock feels his dream has come true.
“I have accomplished everything I have wanted to do in
wrestling with the XPW,” Kleinrock said.
Capturing over 25,000 viewers per show, the XPW has stunned the
wrestling world. Besides pay-per-view events, the show airs monthly
on KJLA, channel 57. The show is now shooting for weekly
episodes.
Recent buyouts of two other popular wrestling leagues ““
World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling
““ by the WWF have given its owner Vince McMahon a
near-monopoly.
The XPW, though, is not threatened by their PG-style of
fighting. With ratings second to only the WWF, the XPW is reassured
that its violent and intense style appeals to a loyal crowd.
Although its origins are in the adult film company Extreme
Associates, no adult film stars are involved in the organization.
Kleinrock is proud to claim that the XPW’s profit comes from
its own merchandise and home video sales.
The fans who buy these items come out to see their favorite
wrestling personalities, including GQ Money.
“If it don’t make dollars, it don’t make
sense,” says Money when interviewed during a show.
GQ Money is a 24-year- old former student of the University of
Colorado. He started his own wrestling school in Denver, but due to
conflicts, he left the company and flew out to L.A.
Here, he found the XPW and has been with them since April 2001.
Currently part of the most elite faction in the XPW, GQ Money
manages other wrestlers full-time while fighting a
occasionally.
Criticized for a stunt gone bad ““ where another wrestler
suffered third degree burns ““ GQ Money simply claims that
setting one of his wrestlers on fire was a job well done.
It is the idea of near death experiences that keeps the fans
returning. It is an adrenaline rush not only for the wrestler but
also the viewer. GQ Money does not complain about his job either.
He sees himself involved with wrestling for the rest of his life.
Though dangerous, it keeps a smile on his face.
“White Trash” Johnny Webb is the XPW’s current
world champion. On the upcoming Oct. 13 show, Webb will defend his
title.
Some may say that Webb takes extreme to the next level. He
sacrifices his forehead as well as his body to sharp objects. He
has broken his ankle and collarbone, but enjoys gloating about all
his lacerations. If blood brings the fans, then he is willing to
shed it.
“I don’t enjoy getting cut up but it comes with the
territory,” says Webb.
It is this attitude that keeps the XPW producing shows monthly.
Black and Kleinrock have created an atmosphere that keeps fans
asking for more.
“Our goal from the beginning was to bring hardcore
wrestling to the West Coast,” Kleinrock said. “That is
what we have done.”
