End Of An Era
Doug reflects on Colorado’s New Era Wrestling
We attended New Era Wrestling’s (NEW) Spring Fling on Saturday, May 13th. It was, as it always has been, a great show. Unfortunately, Spring Fling was their last show. Even though we just started going to the shows last year, we always looked forward to the next monthly show. New Era was a pro wrestling staple in Colorado for 12 years, and during that time they seemed to do everything right. The promotion treated the fans right with engaging, and family friendly storylines, while also incorporating solid work-rate matches. From everything that we witnessed, New Era seemed to always treat the wrestlers who worked for them with immense respect by not just having a promotion for local wrestlers to work in, but by making sure those who did work for them had a place in the show.
My family and I attended our first NEW show, May The Fourteenth Be With You, on May 14, 2022 at Mile High Comics in Denver, Colorado. It was the first live wrestling show that my daughter got to experience. From the moment she got a glimpse of the first wrestler of the night, Lypto, she was hooked. We attended almost every monthly event over the course of the last year. We loved the family friendly atmosphere. My daughter enjoyed getting high fives during the matches as well as talking with and posing for pictures with the wrestlers and checking out the merchandise table. Bill and his family started to join us after the crazy soccer season began to wind down. Our families enjoyed some great nights together, cheering on the hunks, watching some fancy footwork, observing stunt grannies and even witnessing a lego spot. Attending New Era events turned into much more than watching wrestling for my family. It was a bonding experience. The joy it brought to my daughter put an endless smile on our faces. She was often the loudest one in there, screaming, cheering and booing during every match. She even cried once thanks to that real piece of shit Cody Devine. A few events later, she would come to terms with Cody, deciding he wasn’t that bad. From taking pictures with her favorite wrestlers Heidi Howitzer, Tyra and Lypto, to grunting with The Pillars of Destiny, and being the only kid that Austin Reddick likes, she made a lot of amazing memories that none of us will forget.
New Era had a very loyal fanbase. The roster consisted mostly of Colorado wrestlers and wrestlers who used to call Colorado their home and have now moved elsewhere. The most popular wrestler on the roster was definitely Duff Doyle. Once his music hit, the Duff faithful were up on their feet dancing away to the family reunion, and wedding favorite, “Cottoneye Joe”. Other New Era staples included Joey Kincaid, Juntsu, Jason Noel, Logan, Cody Devine, Hunter, Tyra, Lypto, Delta Jr, Daddi Doom, Jules and Bruce Rogers. Over the last year we have also had the pleasure of watching other great talents make a few appearances such as Heidi Howitzer, Austin Reddick, Ryzin, Sinn Bohdi, Bruce Wayans, Atiba, Caleb Crush, Filter, Jack Moody and Royce Isaacs.
When I first started attending New Era shows, it was held at Mile High Comics located in North Denver. Mile High was a very cool, and unique venue to hold a wrestling event. Being surrounded with fantasy, comic, and science fiction memorabilia all the while watching a real life hero’s journey take place right in front of you. Soon New Era was doing so well that the crowds they drew would eventually get too big for Mile High Comics and they needed to find a new venue in which they did in The Castle Event Center in Thornton. Similar to Mile High, Castle Event Center offered another unique setting for each event all the while allowing a larger amount of fans to enjoy the show. Each event at The Castle was a huge success. Every show completely outdrew the previous shows at Mile High, and even included two standing room only sell outs.
After two well attended, and entertaining shows, New Era announced that Spring Fling was to be held May 13, 2023. Unbeknownst to many it would also be the show for the promotion. As always Spring Fling provided us with what we came to know and love about New Era. Many of the ongoing storylines came to satisfying ends, old favorites came out of retirement, two of our favorite hunks battle it out inside the ring, Daddi Doom was on the receiving end of a Doomsday Device and Heidi Howitzer managed to commentate her own match while keeping it suitable for a family friend show. In what was quite possibly the best main event I’ve seen in the last year of attending New Era, Logan defended his New Era Championship against his former trainer and friend, Royce Isaacs, in a strap match. This match had it all: chairs, beef boys, tables, blood and even GCW style doors. With the help of Macormac Battle and Cody Devine, Logan was able to retain his title. What came next was very unexpected. With mic in hand and blood still on his face, Logan announced that this was the very last New Era show. This was unfortunately the end. They were closing the doors on what had been an amazing 12 year run of Colorado professional wrestling. This came as quite a shock to us and the rest of the crowd. It was then an emotional scene as the New Era roster assembled into the ring and the crowd began the chants of “New Era, New Era.” The mood at the end of the show was not one of mourning, but of celebration of what New Era was able to do. Despite all the ups and downs that come with running an upstanding wrestling promotion, New Era was able to be a mainstay independent promotion for over a decade.
We were lucky to witness the rise of New Era in the last year, and especially lucky to be in the crowd of one of Colorado’s longest running and respected promotions. While New Era may no longer be around, we will certainly not forget them. We would like to thank New Era as well as anyone who has ever worked for them over the past 12 years for helping build and maintain the Colorado independent wrestling scene.
