Freak's 2013 Farewell Tour
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Macy Lucas is a local pro wrestling legend.
But wrestling fans know him better as The Freak Show, or simply, Freak.
A martial artist-style wrestler, Freak Show has been in the professional wrestling business for 11 years, starting at 22, and 2013 will be his final year.
“Last year, for me, wasn’t a good year for wrestling. With my situation and stuff – life – I couldn’t wrestle as much. I wanted to be there with my kids and see them as much as possible. So I didn’t take as many shows.
“In 2012 I learned how to live without wrestling.”
When CCW’s wrestling school relocated from Tillsonburg to London, Freak Show, who was a local instructor, did not go with it. It was life-changing for Lucas.
“I was so used to being in the ring training every week for the past 10 years. Jay (McDonald) gave me a ring. Without Jay, I probably wouldn’t still be wrestling.
“When I was training guys, I wasn’t just training them, I was also training myself. When you’re in the ring training for a couple hours, and when you’re working just as hard as your students, you pretty much got in your matches. I trained for two hours and I trained hard.”
Over the years he worked with Ianna Titus, Cezar, helped a young Tyler Triva and Leah Von Dutch start out, as well as Sgt. Dixon, Evilyn, Daemon Reznor… and more.
“We had so many students come to our school. I think I liked training them more than I liked wrestling in shows. Guys like Mr. Atlantis, he’s living his dream and I think that was my biggest accomplishment in wrestling – my students.
“I think Killer Allan Coulter was the student who made me the most proud. His determination, it made me see the true love for wrestling. With his heart and his determination, he deserves to be in that ring.”
Without the CCW Academy, Freak Show worked out at home and did his own martial arts.
“I just learned to live without wrestling and got used to that. I didn’t mind it. I was more than willing to accept that if I wasn’t going to wrestle in 2013… I was okay with that.”
Now, he said, it’s time to goodbye. A farewell tour.
“It’s not because I can’t take it anymore. It’s just that wrestling almost died out, in my heart. The spark wasn’t there as much. It was like * sigh * ‘ok, I’ve got to go do a show.’ Whereas really it should be, ‘YES, I’m wrestling!’ The enthusiasm wasn’t there anymore and I noticed that. So it’s best not to disappoint myself, disappoint fans, disappoint CCW. If it’s not in your heart to do it anymore, then don’t do it anymore.”
But McDonald, a local pro wrestling promoter since 2004, wasn’t going to let Freak walk away without one last fling.
“What we kind of decided for 2013, we’re going to go at this hard and we’re going to give him this one last final hurrah. In 2013, look for that. Since this is his last run, I’m going to do my best to book the most solid matches I can for Macy, for the fans, for everybody. Give him the best matches, give the fans the best opportunity to see Macy in his prime.”
“Or out of his prime,” Freak Show said with a laugh.
“You’re going to be giving ‘er man,” McDonald smiled.
“For friends and fans who have not seen me wrestle in a while, or maybe never, then this is your last chance to come see me wrestle,” said Freak.
“Macy wants to stay true to his character, his style, and his performance level. He’s not willing to go in and do a sub-par match. People come to see a Freak Show match and he gives them a Freak Show match.”
With time to heal, Lucas is ready to rumble in 2013. But he only has three scheduled shows left in Tillsonburg.
When he enters the Legion on Sunday, he will be thinking of his fans. Thinking of the feedback he’s received over the years from his fans.
“One time I walked into Godfather’s in Delhi, and one of the kids recognized me. He says, ‘You’re Freak Show… you know what, I’ve watched you since I was five’ – and he was probably 15-16. And he said, ‘you were my hero.’ He said, ‘it’s because of you, I’m going to go live my dream, and I’m doing it next summer.’
“I said, ‘thanks, that’s really cool.’ And he said, ‘No, thank YOU. It’s because of you.”
Freak Show’s two sons, ages 10 and 7, are okay with having a wrestling hero for a dad.
“That’s the first thing they say, they say ‘this is my dad, he’s a wrestler.’ Even if we’re at the park and they meet a new kid, they say, ‘That’s my dad. He’s a wrestler. He’s Freak Show.’ I’m like, buddy, you don’t have to tell her that.’
“My kids love it.”
But they won’t be wrestlers. Not if he has any say in it.
“I want them to get an education before they can go out and ‘play.’”
Lucas, who lives in Delhi, went to Valley Heights Secondary School but did not wrestle in high school.
“No, but there was martial arts in high school. We did some tae kwon do for two years.”
He also did judo, and his after-wrestling future might be in martial arts or kick-boxing.
“I wouldn’t mind training to doing that, the kick-boxing, but I’d have to go ‘back to school.’ That’s my goal, I want to get some actual fighting, I want the contact. We’ll see if I can take the training. If my elbows can’t take it, then I won’t do it.”
His third option is off a bit off the map.
“Soccer… I like soccer. Martial arts and the soccer ball work well together. For the past three years I volunteered to teach kids soccer, and last year I was a coach. My son plays soccer in Tillsonburg.”
Over the years, the sport took its toll on Freak’s body. His joints and muscles, and elbows in particular, have absorbed the impact of countless ‘bumps,’ falls, knocks, bruises, and strains. Now in his early 30s, he’s ready to try something different.
“It’s just a matter of wear and tear. It just kind of died out for me and I wouldn’t mind trying something else. I’m not saying this is a ‘retirement’ because with retirement you kind of have to have a career first. I had a hobby. It wasn’t really a ‘career’ for me, I wasn’t there to make money to support my family. My career is Fleetwood.
“I had a good run, it was a fun hobby, but I think it might be time to do something else. Something closer to home so I can be there with my kids.”
EARLY CAREER
“I watched a show in Tillsonburg – Jimmy Superfly Snuka – and I knew I wanted to do it.”
He met a promoter who offered a lot, but delivered very little.
“I started out bad in wrestling. It was a bad scene. I was meeting the wrong people, I think. They almost ruined it for me.”
It turned around in 2004 when he hooked up with McDonald’s wrestling new promotion, Pro Wrestling Xtreme. Today, Freak Show – with Cody Deaner (formerly Cody Steele) – is the only remaining active CCW/PWX original wrestler.
“Scott Chase,” said Freak, recalling his first-ever PWX show.
Over the years, one of his favourite opponents has been Jake O’Reilly.
“I like wrestling with him, he gives me a good fight. He’s very skilled and he’s one of the No. 1 guys I want to take on this year.
“And Derek Wylde, both matches I’ve done with him were great. Deaner, in St. Thomas, he was great, too. Matt Burns, he’s another guy, it was just natural.”
Freak Show also wrestled legends like Pat Tanaka and Big Daddy D, who was HUGE.
“Big Daddy D, it was my biggest challenge to date and I don’t think I can get any bigger. They say it’s not the size that counts… well, yeah, but when the size is 500 pounds…”
He may not meet another Big Daddy, but Freak wants to ‘go big’ before he ‘goes home.’
“I want to do the David vs Goliath this year, if I could. I want to wrestle the big guys. It’s more of an accomplishment for me. Because I’m the smallest guy, just about everything I do is going to be David vs Goliath.”
If Goliath happens to be holding the title belt, all the better.
“I’ve been winning. I should be right up there in the ranking, and I kept my eye off the ‘prize’ because that’s Cody Deaner’s (championship) belt. Deaner ran with it, and to me, that’s still Deaner’s belt. If I had to, I’d ‘borrow’ it, but I’d do it off somebody else.”
“Well, right now it’s (Tyler) Tirva’s belt,” McDonald noted.
“That’s Cody Deaner’s belt,” Freak Show quickly countered.
“Since Day 1, Cody Deaner has probably held that belt 85 per cent of the time,” nodded McDonald.
“Jay’s got a lot of shows lined up this year, and maybe I’ll get a title shot at one of those shows,” said Freak.
“So you’re saying you’re eyes are on the prize this year?” asked McDonald. “The championship?”
“Yep, my eye’s on the prize,” Freak grinned.