A new show has begun airing across Canada on Bell Fibe1 and it’s all thanks to a group of talented Nova Scotians. Real Wrestling follows 16 professional wrestlers as they compete in an epic tournament where matches can take place both inside and outside the ring.
The show was conceived by the production team after Bell reached out looking for a show centred around wrestling. Sleepy Bear Productions (Halifax Homicide, Betula Nigra) and director Dave Mullins got a greenlight for the concept and later brought on producer and host, David Boyce, who is already a key player in the east coast wrestling scene.
Because of pandemic travel restrictions, the production was cast entirely with Nova Scotia talent. “There were definitely some great wrestlers from other areas of the maritimes that we would have loved to cast,” said producer Boyce, “but since we filmed last winter, they weren’t able to travel in and out of Nova Scotia.” Boyce is not disappointed. “We had a fantastic cast. A lot of the show is actually improvised because we already loved the characters these wrestlers created. Each filming day we gave them the general concept and let them go where they wanted with it.”
The show stars stunt performer, professional wrestler and actor Chris Sampson, Halifax Homicide star Julie Arab, and part-owner of Kaizen Academy, Ryan Covey.
In addition to being cast with only Nova Scotian wrestlers, the production was filmed and set entirely in the HRM. Many of the matches were set in Kaizen Academy, Halifax’s wrestling school, with some of the cast being pulled from their students. Because the concept of the show includes matches both in and out of the ring, you’ll also see action in locations like an arcade and a parking lot. “There were a lot of cinematic matches,” says Boyce, “and we gave the talent a lot of input on how the matches played out.”
At the time of filming, the pandemic had severely impacted the wrestling scene in Nova Scotia, with all live shows being suspended and even training dropping to minimal levels. “It was great to give these guys some work during a hard time in the industry,” Bocye reflects. “These guys were true professionals. They showed up on time and did exactly what we needed them to do.”
Boyce stresses that this is not just a show for wrestling fans. Although there is lots of action with some awesome wrestling matches to see, the plot is incredibly character-driven and involves a love story, some drama, and a lot of comedy and was written to be enjoyed by wrestling fans and non-wrestling fans alike. “This is not just 16 generic musclehead wrestlers. We’ve got a lot of variety in characters, which makes for a great story.”
Real Wrestling, which began airing on Bell Fibe 1 near Christmas, has seen a lot of positive feedback from both seasoned wrestling fans and people new to the scene. There is certainly potential for a second season, with production prepared to continue the story. “I’m just really proud of it,” says Boyce. “It’s like nothing that has even been filmed in Nova Scotia and I really hope it gives the wrestling scene in the Maritimes a boost.”