This didn’t really fit in any other topic. Its not really a catfight or wrestling “story”, its more like a real life account and information from back in the day. I’m almost 67 years old now, which means my husband and I did a lot of growing up during the late 70’s, entire 80’s and into the early 80’s. Things were way different back then. No “correctness” and people didn’t get “offended”, they got pissed off at someone. And they were wild and crazy times back then too, so the husband and I were wild and crazy too. Trying all kinds of things and doing all kinds of things.
At this point in time I was already wrestling other girls for the b/f’s to watch and enjoy, but something in me just had this crazy desire to take it a little further. So I apply to one of the catfight or wrestling video production companies. I'm not going to give out the name of the company so I don't create any kind of backlash. And I am not going to give out my “fight” name either since that would indicate which company I was involved with. But this company had at least 3 very recognizable names already doing videos for them. And if you have any old, well used catfight VHS videos laying around, one of them might have me in it.
My husband and I traveled to their “studio” to talk to them and discuss how this whole thing worked. The studio was basically someone's backyard, surrounded by a privacy fence. I wont give out any names, but the “director” looked me over and gave us a rundown how things work at this company. Being new I was going to be a jobber, which I assumed I would. They laid out what I was allowed to do and what I wasn't allowed to do and how I should react and respond to certain moves and holds. It was made perfectly clear that all my punches to one of the big name girls were to be “pulled”, whereas their punches would ony be slightly pulled to me to achieve the desired affect of the punch. I spent some time with this other woman who I did not know or recognize going over moves and holds and what different moves meant and what I was to expect and how to reacted, which was basically the scripted out segments. Like when she did this to me I was to react this way or move to a certain place and she would then do this and that and whatnot. The whole thing left very little room for me to ad lib anything when it was all said and done. Since I had never done anything in a ring, we also practiced me being whipped into the ropes and bouncing off, at which this point this woman drove her shoulder into me knocking legitimately flat on my back. We also did her throwing her arm out to the side, catching me on the neck and again, landing me on my back. And then telling me this is what I can expect.
Then they discussed the pay schedule. I would make 30% of the video sales over a 3 month period. The problem we had with that was, we were entirely dependent on them truthfully stating how maqny videos were actually sold. Their response was that is the only way they do now and they could show us sales invoices if we wanted. This wasn't some kind of business venture as much as it was I wanted to give this a try and see how it goes. Just being wild, crazy and excited about the whole thing. Being on tape if different peoples homes just had a certain turn on about it too.
Of course my first match is one of their top name girls, highly recognizable and known. I started out slow and easy, thinking she might do the same given this was my first time. Boy was I ever wrong. She did little to pull her punches. Most of them were full-out punches and my reaction didn’t have to be scripted, it was real that - hurt – and - I - can't - catch - my - breath punches. The rope whips and getting knocked on my ass were all for real too. On the canvas I had holds used on me I never knew existed and I would say the stomps were maybe half-pulled but still quite effective.
So when it was all done, I was laying spread eagle on the canvas, my bikini top long gone and honestly exhausted, hurting and beaten. One month later the company informed me that my video was their second best seller up to that point and at the end of 3 months was still their second best seller. My pay (according to them and their statistics) was $400 and an offer of a second fight with 40% take on my part. You have to remember, it was 1981 and we were young and crazy, and $400 was like hitting the jackpot so I agreed to a second match with them.
This has already lingered on long enough so I wont include that second endeavor but might at some point add it in. But this was supposed to be a brief idea of how things once were and a little bit about me as well. If you got this far, thanks for reading.
