In 2020, the entire world was shuttered amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and live entertainment, including professional wrestling, took a major hit, as venues were closed when the industry, as well as the rest of society, found itself in unprecedented territory. Some of the biggest events on the pro wrestling calendar were reduced to empty buildings and a static environment. It goes without saying that independent wrestling, a much more grassroots operation without the safety net of big time media rights contracts or corporate sponsorships, struggled with required expenses, but no live events to generate revenue. When a promoter has a lease on a venue, the rent is due when the rent is due. As a result, promoters across the country had to think outside of the box to get a product to the fans in a safe manner. Through the advancements of technology, there were live streams of limited capacity shows, and closed set tapings, similar to what some of the national groups produced to satisfy those previously mentioned lucrative television contracts.
The Pittsburgh region has an extensive and storied history, often incorporating many talents from around the tri-state area. In order to keep the scene moving forward through the uncharted waters of the pandemic, many of the steel city stalwarts came together for the Fight Underground project, a dojo-style series of bouts that allowed the fans to watch fresh content from home, with a strict safety protocols for those involved in the closed set tapings.
In retrospect, most of us from the tri-state area tried to make the best of a tough situation. It was far from ideal, but on a chilly Saturday morning in October, I sat alongside Pittsburgh legend, Paul Atlas to call the action for a combination of new faces and familiar grapplers.
One of the bright spots of that otherwise dreary October day was when I saw Sam Beale, an athletic over-the-top youngster that immediately stood out for his outlandish attitude, as well as his crisp in-ring skills. With his trademark crocs, fanny pack, and flowing curly locks, if you saw the guy, you knew he had to be somebody, even if you didn’t initially see him in the ring.
The ironic part of this is that the real-life 28-year-old behind the persona is much more balanced and structured than the overbearing character that he portrays in the ring. In fact, when the native of the Buckeye state began to pursue higher at the University of Toledo just a few years before I saw him at the Fight Underground tapings, his aspirations of the squared circle actually influenced his direction outside of it.
“At first I went to be a teacher but decided it wasn’t for me so while I was deciding my next degree I wanted it to align with my wrestling career best I could, so I chose communications. At the time I thought it would improve my mic skills so that’s what helped make that decision. It helped in so many other ways. It taught me how to be a true professional in all aspects of the business. Resume building, communication skills, and how to manage a business structure are so much more that what I thought it would help with,” Sam remarked.
When he broke into the business a decade ago, he treated his education of the squared circle the same way that he approached his studies of higher education at the university. It wasn’t uncommon for him to literally hit the canvas during the weekend before he figuratively hit the books Monday morning. That philosophy instilled a sense of true professionalism from his earliest developments as a sports entertainer.
“As compared to wrestling training, it was very similar in the idea that you will get out the same amount as you put into it. The amount of effort and work you put into your studies will determine your grade. Similar with wrestling, the amount of work you put in when no one is watching will have a big factor in your success in the business,” he explained.
While he was near the completion of his degree in Toledo, Beale did the same thing that any young wrestler does in their earliest years, he hustled for any chance he could to hone his craft in front of a paying audience. Late-night gas station food and sometimes meager compensation were the tradeoff for the valuable in-ring experience that it provided. There were times that the house was packed, other times that those events were sparsely attended, but the goal was always the same, to learn as much as possible in the process. Beale zigzagged his way around the north east and the mid west to polish his skills. He didn’t know it at the time, but sometimes the finer points of the performance open the door for big opportunities.
“I ended up working with TNA in a student vs. teacher angle. It was when my trainer, Trey Miguel returned to TNA during COVID for a storyline with Sami Callahan. Sami brainwashed one of Trey’s students to come to TNA and confront him. I had a 10-second match where I clubbed Trey from behind and then quickly lost. That one club to the back impressed D’Lo Brown, and turned into working with the company for a year.. It was an incredible run and that taught me at a very young age how to work TV,” Sam explained.
That 10 seconds into the ring turned into a one-year contract to work on television with some of the most accomplished performers in the business. In that regard, the grappler that touts the greatness of his perm had a dividing line between the two chapters of his career so far. He spent the first five years as a pro learning his way, and he has spent the five years since taking the lessons he learned in the television environment to take his performance to the next level. After spending virtually his entire adult life as a pro wrestler, Sam cites the ability to impact fans beyond just the bout in the ring.
“My career highlight so far has been creating lifelong memories for fans each and every-time I go out there. I take a lot of pride in being able to emotionally connect with fans and really give them their money’s worth. They work all week to spend their hard-earned money to enjoy professional wrestling and escape their realities. So, being able to be their escape from the real world truly means the world to me,” he commented.
Speaking of the realities of life, Sam Beale the professional wrestler can be many things, depending on the assignment that night. Menacing villain, the heel that might slip on the banana peel before his precious perm connects with the canvas, or the fun-loving baby face that can get the crowd to rally him to victory. However, after the final bell sounds, his boots are unlaced, and his tattered wrist tape hits the floor, Sam Beale is a family man. He trades the bumps and bruises of the mat for Bluey and Blippi on Youtube. A unique balancing act for sure, but Sam cites his family as more rewarding than any championship he’s ever held.
“It’s the most challenging thing I have ever had to navigate. First and foremost, I would not be able to be the wrestler I am without my wife. She is owed everything, all the sacrifices she has given for me to be gone and chase this crazy dream means the world to me. My dad once told me behind every true champion is an even better women. Family will always be first in my eyes. It’s so important for me to chase my dreams, not only for me, but for my kids. I want to show them that they can be whatever they want to be if they work hard at it and never give up,” Beale said.
Sam has a full calendar, working as an independent pro wrestler, while balancing the responsibilities of family and full-time work outside of the business. But, after ten years, he has no intention of slowing down, and adds new organizations to his accomplished resume on a regular basis. In fact, in just a few weeks, he’s scheduled to make his debut for the West Virginia-based Victory Championship Wrestling group when he competes against Andrew Palace, one of the stalwarts of the Pittsburgh area, in an anticipated bout on November 6th at the Bishop Donahue building. After a decade as a pro, Beale has a routine for his travel across different states on any given weekend, but he has aspirations to eventually fill up his passport as well.
“Every year I make a list of things I want to accomplish for the year. One of those big ones for next year is to wrestle overseas, whether it’s Japan, England, or France. I want to go across the pond and bring my ‘permfection’ with me. I also would love to make wrestling my only source of income. These will all happen and I will enjoy the journey to them along the way,” Beale concluded.
For more information on Sam, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/sammy.beale
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
E mail [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
