Wrestling Schools. Rated.

Passionate about Pro Wrestling

[backbumps]

Review - AIW Academy

Location: Cleveland, OH

Current Trainers: Johnny Gargano

Price:  $1,500 for a 1-year course

Direct inquiries to: [email protected]

What’s Good: In the last few years, head trainer Johnny Gargano has become one of the most in-demand free agents available. He’s been a regular on NXT television, and travels the globe. Though new to training, he undoubtedly brings a modern perspective to the work.

In the Middle: E-mail inquiry sent over a week ago remains unanswered.

What’s Bad: Finding information online, like the class schedule, new start dates, or footage of actual training, is all but impossible. And, with Gargano departing for NXT duty later this year, the school’s future seems questionable at best.

Rating: 7 out of 10. The departure of Al Snow’s camp in Lima began a dearth in Ohio for competent training, that this recent arrival (founded in 2014) has helped to refill. Granted, AIW Academy lacks the name value of other wrestling schools, but this is reflected in the lower price point.

YouTube video posted by AIW Academy: https://youtu.be/fNwDdaJKbcU

[backbumps]

Review - Santino Bros Wrestling Academy

Location: Bell Gardens, CA

Current Trainers: Mongol Santino, Joey Kaos

Price: $2,000 for tuition. They also require you to buy mandatory training equipment, which totals an additional $149.94.

Direct inquiries to: [email protected]

What’s Good: Permanently set up for pro-wrestling training, they’ve occupied the same space since 2010. They offer a variety of classes, and are especially geared toward beginners.

In the Middle: The make frequent claims of being the “elite” training center in Southern California, but given the complete lack of alternate training options still in operation, this is a somewhat empty claim.

What’s Bad:  Their site claims they offer classes 3 days a week, but to look at their interactive calendar, this doesn’t seem to be true. Worse, the classes all seem to start at 5:00 pm. Ever try getting around the Greater Los Angeles area in rush hour traffic? Trainers Santino and Kaos are not well regarded for their wrestling skills, and the most credible training seems to come from outsiders - who appear infrequently, and as their social media shows, cancel often.

Rating: 4 out of 10. On the surface, the pricing seems quite attractive, but with a bit of digging, you can see they aren’t delivering that kind of bang for your buck. Sadly, you’d be better off crossing the border and seeking out training from veteran luchadores in the Tijuana scene for a better overall experience and value.

YouTube commercial for the facility:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ing3sMWpLvo

[backbumps]

Review - Chikara Wrestle Factory

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Current Trainers: Mike Quackenbush, Ophidian, Drew Gulak, Fire Ant, Chuck Taylor & Hallowicked

Price:  $249 for “tiered” class, $4,000 for “core” class.

Direct inquiries to: [email protected]

What’s Good: The Wrestle Factory offers more classes, more options, more pricing and payment plans and a greater diversity of trainers than any other wrestling school currently in operation. They offer free “Intro to Pro Wrestling” workshops so you can have a trial class at no cost. The CHIKARA Facebook page and the Wrestle Factory twitter account both give daily glimpses into what the facility is all about. The Wrestle Factory also hosts regular live events, giving the graduates a chance to learn in front of a “hometown” crowd. Head trainer Mike Quackenbush was recently guest coaching for the WWE at their Performance Center. The school’s most famous graduate is current WWE superstar Cesaro.

In the Middle: Whilst this is more in reference to live events than training, parking on the block where the Factory sits can be tricky.

What’s Bad: Nothing.

Rating: 10 out of 10. Everything you should be looking for in a wrestling training facility can be found here. The Wrestle Factory teaches all different styles, and their graduates end up on tour with CHIKARA. That’s been their model basically since launch, and it still works today, about 15 years later. Their new “tiered” class and “core” class options are something new in the field, and since Drew Gulak left the CZW Academy and joined the Wrestle Factory staff, CHIKARA’s got the most enviable cast of trainers of any school operating today.

YouTube commercial for the facility:

https://youtu.be/-NufPITG0ao

[backbumps]

Review - Paradise Alley Pro Wrestling School

Location: East Haven, CT

Current Trainers: Paul Roma, Mario Mancini, Dave Paradise

Price:  $3,900.00

Direct inquiries to: [email protected]

What’s Good: The school has some affiliation with Northeast Wrestling, the best-drawing independent league in the United States.

In the Middle: Roma’s career was a string of flops on the WWF and WCW stages. Mancini and Paradise hang their hats on being enhancement talent for the WWF over 20 years ago. That’s the pinnacle of their careers.

What’s Bad: Paradise Alley has no wrestling organization outside of the training school. So upon graduation, you are on your own to find work. Their entire internet presence is a decade out of date, at best. They disclose little to no information about pricing or schedule on their site, or via email. The school has never produced a noteworthy talent.

Rating: 1 out of 10. The opposite of “state of the art.” Bottom tier training sold at a top tier price.

YouTube commercial for the facility:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjpFXoexgJM

[backbumps]

Review - New England Pro Wrestling Academy

Location: North Andover, MA

Current Trainers: Brian Fury, Johnny Vegas

Price: $1,500.00 to start, then $50 per month.

Direct inquiries to: 978-852-8534

What’s Good: NEPWA is the combination of Killer Kowalski’s School of Pro Wrestling and the Chaotic Training Center, which was once run by the late Steve Bradley. The group has good name value, and a solid reputation for turning out competent performers that conduct themselves with respect. Multiple rings in-house allows for experienced and rookie classes to go on simultaneously. The school’s most notable graduate in the past decade is Sasha Banks.

In the Middle: Current trainers Brian Fury and Johnny Vegas are capable, at best. The days of the legendary Kowalski and longtime WWF prospect Bradley are in a distant past.

What’s Bad: Any wrestling school that won’t publicly disclose their training fees is at least a little suspect. This can be used as a tactic to later claim additional costs are involved. Videos posted to their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/neprowrestling) routinely show overcrowded training sessions.

Rating: 7 out of 10. The best overall option in New England, currently. Classes are overcrowded thanks to the popularity of the program, and its solid reputation. Despite having lackluster careers as in-ring performers, Fury and Vegas consistently churn out capable talent.

YouTube commercial for the facility:

https://youtu.be/nPoD5bNGF98

[backbumps]

Review - Mercury Pro Wrestling Academy

Location: Arvada, CO

Current Trainers: Matt Yaden, Dustin Uhrich, Hoodlum, Nikita LeFleur

Price:  Not posted on website.

Direct inquiries to: [email protected]

What’s Good: Clean, spacious training space (they share a room with Grudge MMA Training Center) with ample parking.

In the Middle: None of the academy’s head trainers could even be considered “name” independent talent, let alone “top name.” Yaden, when working for TNA under Al Snow, worked in the front office, not in the ring.

What’s Bad: Beware of wrestling schools that don’t post the cost of tuition. This can be used as a tactic to alter their price or later claim additional costs are involved.

Rating: 2 out of 10.

YouTube commercial for the facility: https://youtu.be/0zybsEtvQGk

[wrestling-giffer]

[backbumps]

Just waiting around for Cesaro to become the biggest superstar in the WWE - what an athlete!

[backbumps]

Review - BackBreakers Training Center

Location: Scranton, PA

Current Trainers: Justyn Glory

Price: Offering numerous price plans, ranging from $3,000 to $2,000 depending on size and frequency of payments.

Direct inquiries to: [email protected]

What’s Good: Affordable pricing, with lots of different payment options. Classes are relatively small in size.

In the Middle: Prior to Justyn Glory, BBTC was owned and operated by Johnny Glitter for over 10 years, and never produced a noteworthy graduate.

What’s Bad:  Open just 6 hours a week total, those 6 hours are divided up among “beginners,” ”intermediate” and “advanced” training. There are numerous better options within a 2 hour radius of Scranton, featuring more hours and more reputable trainers.

Rating: 4 out of 10.

YouTube video about the facility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3wH9sCbQpo&feature=youtu.be

[backbumps]

Review - The Monster Factory

Location: Paulsboro, NJ

Current Trainers: Danny Cage, Bill Wiles, QT Marshall

Price:  $3,500. A try-out is required prior to starting, at a cost of $50.

Direct inquiries to: [email protected]

What’s Good: Plenty of training hours and monthly live events featuring trainees are two important points the Monster Factory has over other New Jersey shops. The Monster Factory also has name value in the northeastern United States like few other operations can boast. The Big Show, Tatanka, Cliff Compton, Bam Bam Bigelow, Chris Candido and tons of other notables have come out of the Monster Factory during the days when it was owned and operated by Larry Sharpe.

In the Middle: Sharpe sold the Monster Factory in 2011 to current owner and trainer Danny Cage.

What’s Bad:  When Sharpe left, he took a lot of the Monster Factory’s experience, connections and credibility with him. Since then, current NXT wrestler Steve Cutler in their most significant success story. Be wary of any facility that charges a “try-out fee.”

Rating: 7 out of 10. Everything from the look of the training area to their website screams “fading glory,” but the Monster Factory remains fairly priced, and is still the best option in New Jersey for consistency.

Youtube video about the facility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC_l92l63RI

[wrestling-giffer]

[backbumps]

Neville vs. Kalisto could be the Tiger Mask vs. Dynamite Kid of this decade, given the chance. Two groundbreaking performers.

[backbumps]

Pro-Wrestling Training Myth: "To Qualify for the WWE..."

Pro Wrestling Training Myth: “To qualify for the WWE you must practice moves and promos for 2 years or more."

Pro Wrestling Training Reality: There is no timeframe that qualifies someone for the WWE. NXT recruiters weight age (#1) and cosmetic shape/physique (#2) above years of wrestling experience. The WWE’s Performance Center is designed to give a new hire/signee ample opportunity to develop the in-ring and microphone skills needed to ascend from the NXT roster to the touring WWE roster.

[backbumps]

Review - MCW Training Center

Location: Joppa, MD

Current Trainers: Pat Brink, Dan “Corporal Punishment” McDevitt

Price: $2,000 for beginners. Payment in full is required to start. Intermediate classes are $1,500.

Direct inquiries to: 443-356-6175

What’s Good: The group has played a role in the training of Lita, Mickie James, Orlando Jordan and current WWE/NXT referee Darrick Moore. They take safety seriously and have a good reputation for making competent wrestlers.

In the Middle: Head trainer Brink spent 2 years in the WWE developmental system before washing out. McDevitt is rarely in the ring.

What’s Bad: MCW is a far cry from it’s heyday of the early to mid 2000’s, due in some part to the merger/closure of 2003 - 2006.

Rating: 6 out of 10. Average price. The best training in Maryland hands down, but given the better options all within 90 minutes driving of Joppa, not the best in the greater East Coast market.

YouTube video about the facility: https://youtu.be/zYL0mGEnPnA

[wrestling-giffer]

[backbumps]

Pro-Wrestling Training Myth: “4 Years or More”

Pro Wrestling Training Myth: For a wrestling school to be considered safe it must be open for 4 years or more.

Pro Wrestling Training Reality: Years in business has no correlation to the competency of the trainers, or their attention to safety. How many years of experience do the trainers have? That is more telling than the number of years they’ve been in business.

[backbumps]

Review - Colorado Pro-Wrestling Academy/Xtreme Gym

Location: Sheridan, CO

Current Trainers: Sam Udell, Tommy Nicholson, Lonnie Valdez

Price: $3,000

Direct inquiries to: [email protected]

What’s Good: Udell is formerly of NXT under the name of “Travis Tyler.”

In the Middle: The trainers are all virtual unknowns in the grand scheme. Udell’s stay in the WWE was unremarkable.

What’s Bad: Not influential. Not well-connected. No graduates of any renown. Online reviews are virtually non-existent.  

Rating: 3 out of 10. With a head trainer sporting only 4 years of experience, the quality of training is dubious at best.

[nuclearbummer]

[backbumps]

Here’s hoping the financing for Lucha Underground Season 2 comes through soon! Incredible action!

[backbumps]

Pro Wrestling Training Myth: “Old School Style”

Pro Wrestling Training Myth: “Old school wrestlers often cheat wrestlers...”

Pro Wrestling Training Reality: Stereotypes about wrestling styles are just about as ugly as stereotypes about race. Who cheats students? Dishonest people cheat their students. Are all old school style wrestlers dishonest? Are there no dishonest modern wrestlers? These kinds of myths persist because of an ignorance that is fading in the age of the internet. Want to know what wrestling training centers result in well-trained, satisfied students? Read as many reviews online as possible. Personal accounts, Yelp! reviews, testimonials...all just a few keystrokes and clicks away. If you can’t find ANY such reviews? Let that be a red flag, not the style of wrestling being taught.