Two Perspectives: PolyAm Cult Party 4
The Fan’s Perspective: Mike Senatore
On the eve of the 4th of July, nearly 100 fans packed into a small gym-turned-nightclub in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood to watch live professional wrestling at PolyAm Cult Party 4. The event, part of a series of pro wrestling shows held and promoted by independent wrestler MV Young, went live on streaming website Twitch.tv at 4 p.m., and the event’s card of 10 matches had the crowd on its feet and the livestream’s chat of over 1000 viewers buzzing for the next three hours.
After Billy Dixon and Eel O’Neal’s match spilled out onto the sidewalk, Dixon’s dragon sleeper submission proved too much for O’Neal, securing the win for Dixon.
PolyAm Cult Party events are different from other independent wrestling shows in several ways. Young, the self-proclaimed leader of the PolyAm Cult, a name given to his sizable following, has created a community based on shared ideals of inclusion and real, non-performative diversity, with an anti-establishment vibe that felt more akin to a punk rock concert than a pro wrestling show at times.
The community prides itself on being different, being self-made and, for having the best pro wrestling in the world, something that the performers try to prove every time they hit the ring. Each match featured performers of different styles, with a brutal hardcore match featuring thumbtacks and a step-ladder leading seamlessly into a match where the two competitors spent the opening minutes playing a game of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with the referee holding the Nintendo Switch. The show’s main event, a falls count anywhere match between Billy Dixon and Eel O’Neal for “Dixon’s F1ght Club Chocolate City Championship”, came to an end with Dixon putting O’Neal to sleep on a Brooklyn sidewalk.
Ziggy Haim got the crowd pumped up as she made her entrance prior to a hard-hitting match with EFFY. (Reid Harris Cooper/@reidhcooper)
There was something for everyone to enjoy, which is what the performance show aspires to achieve. From where I stood in the crowd, the excitement among the audience felt like it was shared equally by the performers, as was confirmed by some of the wrestlers themselves.
“Honestly, it lived up to its name: it was a party,” said Jody Himself, who took on former WWE superstar Colin Delaney in a losing effort. “No part of the event felt like work. From the pre-show rave music to the post-match drinks, the entire thing was just a celebration of wrestling. The crowd was electric from the start and was probably the best crowd I ever performed in front of.”
“MV has done an amazing job at captivating an audience that feels like none other, especially when you factor in streaming numbers and focus on his product from social media,” stated Josh Fuller. Fuller faced off with showrunner MV Young in a hard-fought match for Young’s Wrestler’s Lab Championship, which he retained. “Going out in front of the crowds at PCP feels like we’re on the verge of something big. The people in attendance give their all and make you work your hardest as a performer.”
As someone who hasn’t been to a live wrestling event since 2015, being in attendance for PolyAm Cult Party 4 gave me everything I could want from pro wrestling. Between the great matches, the welcoming atmosphere and the overall vibe of the show, it’s easy to see why these shows are as successful as they have been, and why the “PolyAm Cult” will continue to grow with each event.
The Wrestler’s Perspective: Jarett Diaz
When I initially heard of MV Young’s “PolyAm Cult Party” series or PCP, I truly thought it was just another backyard show, where untrained workers try to go viral on Twitter with stunts and beg for Twitch streams.
I could not have been more wrong.
“The GameChanger” Big Game Leroy and accountant CPA waged war via Super Smash Bros. until the game broke down into a wrestling match. (Reid Harris Cooper/@reidhcooper)
When I arrived at PCP4, I was greeted by some of the friendliest faces, and positive vibes I have ever come across at a wrestling show. I can candidly say that arriving at a typical wrestling show can sometimes be a daunting experience. Walking into a mostly empty venue, being greeted by the very wrestlers you’re going to compete against, both for attention, and of course in physical competition, is rarely a light and fun occasion. But this was different. I quickly learned, as I met everyone on the card, that the roster was there to put on a show as a collective, and raise an entire community.
To the uninitiated, professional wrestling can often seem silly. Over-the-top acting meeting over-the-top-rope action doesn’t always make sense to the average person. However, if you’re able to suspend disbelief, and buy into the product for what it is, you can have just as much fun watching pro wrestling as you could watching Game of Thrones or any Marvel property.
Enter PolyAm Cult Party 4; the crowd mostly populated by “the girls, the gays, and the theys,” quite unsurprisingly made for that much more of a fun performance from the wrestlers.
Knowing full well that some of the most open-minded people in the world had shown up (or logged onto Twitch) to watch us do our thing opened up the flood gates of creativity. There was no cynicism, no idea too outrageous, and most importantly, no egos getting in the way of a good time.
My match was a six-person inter-gender tag team match, in which three stereotypical Bronx Latinos (toting a hookah, a chancleta, and my personal favorite, a 99¢ Arizona Iced Tea) took on a mermaid, a fabulous drag queen, and a simp.
Jarett Diaz, Johnny Santos, and Matt Awesome vs. Aspyn Rose, Eddy McQueen, and Mikey Banker: here’s the video (skip to 1:21:00)
I’ve never had a match this uniquely presented, and not to mention the live audience being game for absolutely everything. I honestly believe that this show was one of the most collaborative, liberating pro wrestling shows that I’ll ever be a part of.