Built small to last
Midget wrestling tumbles into Des Moines next week
By Matt “It’s MillerTime” Miller
The Micro Wrestling Federation merchandise sums up the industry’s popularity in four words — “I support midget wrestling.” And while these athletes are small, their organization continues to pack a punch with an attitude and fan base that are reaching new heights. Both the athletes and attitudes tumble into People’s Court in downtown Des Moines next week.
“We’re like the WWE superstars but half the size,” said J-Mazing, a former midget Chippendale as well as a former dwarf cage-fighting champion. “It’s been a really unique experience, and I love entertaining people.”
Based out of Nashville, Tenn., the Micro Wrestling Federation was created in 2000 by Jack Darrell. Today, the 10 to 12 midgets, all shorter than five feet tall, entertain all ages and perform at nightclubs, casinos, arena events, school fundraisers and motivational speaking events. The cast is made up of wrestlers, referees and a handful of production assistants who coordinate everything from building the ring and aligning the proper music to managing segments of the live show. Touring up to 60 cities per year and with wrestling names like Meatball, Justice, Short Dawg, Little El, Demo, J-Mazing and Blixx, the federation has certainly made a name for itself.
“People want to see midgets because we’re people that you don’t see every day,” J-Mazing said. “Midgets have taken advantage of the opportunity to perform in a number of competitions like the midget toss, soccer, basketball and some like wrestling. Plain and simple, people come to our events to see midgets.”
The federation uses a 12’x12’ ring, compared to a normal ring that is either 16’x16’ or 18’x18’. Drawing up to as many as 500 audience members per event, the federation features three different shows — “The 6 Midget Wrestling Show,” “The 8 Midget Wrestling Variety Show” and “The 10 Midget Micro Event — MidgetPalooza” — to accommodate venue size.
“It doesn’t matter what type of venue or how many people show up, we’re going to be out there giving it our all,” said J-Mazing, who stands at 3’11” and tips the scales at 70 lbs. “We have lots of padding on, but getting thrown around definitely takes a toll on your body. Over time, it wears on you. I’ve been competing two years now, and I hope to keep it going for a long time.”
While WWE and the Micro Wrestling Federation have a number of similarities, J-Mazing said the two organizations are also different.
“WWE has too much drama and other distractions that take away from the wrestling aspect,” he said. “We focus simply on wrestling, and that’s the bottom line. We may leave some unanswered questions for the next match, but the audience knows what they’re going to get when they sit ringside.”
Coined as the “Greatest Little Show on Earth,” the group has taken advantage of being small in stature.
“Being called a midget isn’t anything new to me,” he said. “I grew up with people talking bad about me and asking a lot of questions about how it feels to be a little person. To us, we feel normal and are doing what we like to do.”
Locker Room note: Des Moines University and the American Association of Podiatric Sports Medicine will host the First Annual Dodgeball Derby on Jan. 23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the DMU Wellness Center, 3200 Grand Ave. Cost is $75 per team and teams can range from six to eight players. All players must be 18 years of age or older. Themed and costumed teams are encouraged. Proceeds will benefit Variety — The Children’s Charity. Register by Monday, Jan. 18 at www.dmu.edu/rsvp/dodgeball or e-mail danielle.n.butto@dmu.edu. CV
Caption: People’s Court, 216 Court Ave., will host the Micro Wrestling Federation on Jan. 21. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 - $25. Photo courtesy of Micro Wrestling Federation
