I've just only recently gotten into the world of independent pro wrestling and all that it encompasses. But before my foray out of "mainstream" pro wrestling, in the late 90's maybe early 2000's, I stumbled upon a tape trader on Kayfabe Wrestling's messages boards who was selling a VHS collection of Japanese Death Matches.
I'd never even heard of death matches - so I was genuinely intrigued by the genre. They did not fail to open my eyes.
My memory is shitty, I couldn't tell you who or whom were on the tapes, I just remember carnage and explosions and a thought.
"Tell me this is fucking fake,". You know, that common thought thrown our way by friends and family who don't get what we see in pro wrestling.
"You know it's fake, right,"?
Fast forward to 10/30/20, on the eve of Halloween night and one of the United State's greatest hardcore wrestling legends, Matt Tremont, called it quits.
Now, I had to wait till I got up this morning to watch, as my six and three-year old daughters spent the night last night. All the wrestling they've seen thus far is Paige v. AJ. I'm not sure they are ready for light tubes and blood, just yet.
Tremont's last stand came against the dude everyone love to hate but in all reality one of the best at what he does:
Rickey Shane Page.
The reality of the damage death match wrestling creates is in the tale of the tape, as Tremont is younger than Page, but calling it a career after a decade or so of blood stained ring mats covered in shards of glass.
Tremont, a poet of the macabre, showed the world one last time what death match wrestling is about - he moved around the ring with an effortlessness signaling the acknowledgement of his legs understanding this was the final lap in a career that has been truly historic.
In some ways however, this was just as much a tribute in space and time for the late Danny Havoc. Tremont has spoken about Havoc since his death, citing that Tremont himself wouldn't be where he is today. Havoc went to bat for Tremont early and often in his career - and In my opinion, Havoc's passing has been a key component in Tremont's desire to hang it all up.
As much as Danny touched so many in his career, Tremont has honored his fallen brother's respect and belief in him by cultivating a historic career of his very own.
From bringing Onita to the states - possibly his crowning achievement, to opening up his own wrestling school to teach the art he so loves, his career path hasn't been typical but it has been eventful.
The old adage in wrestling is that you go out on your back. And Tremont did, succumbing to a Page in a brutal 200 light tubes of death match in front of a huge crowd at the H20 Wrestling Center.
Yet, it feels to me like he went out on top. On his own accord. At his own time. Against who he wanted.
Thank you, Matt.