On May 28th 2013, CZW’s “Ultraviolent Golden Boy” announced he would be participating in his last ever deathmatch on June 2nd in Germany. This was not a teary-eyed retirement however, as 28 year old Drake Younger simply decided it was time to move on with his career and “do what’s best for me & my family.”
To say the notion of ‘deathmatches’ is polarizing would be quite the understatement. In the hyper-cynical era of wrestling we live in, where the mainstream is maligned by the diehards, but most alternatives are similarly criticized – the cult of ultraviolence is seemingly the last real subculture of wrestling that feeds off a tiny niche of rabid fans. It’s ‘their style’, and they support it, no matter what reservations the broader wrestling world will have.
The other side of the issue being that, to be frank, many consider deathmatches to be the last bastion of an era pro wrestling needs to forget. Peering through the thick white clouds of shattered light-tube particles is like seeing into wrestling’s past, when most hid behind a veneer of feigned blissful ignorance – an era where people subjected themselves to excessive levels of violence for a pop and a mediocre payday because ‘they didn’t know any better.’
I don’t pretend to know all there is to know about deathmatches, but when all is said and done, I’m glad Drake made this decision. While he has been a valuable asset to this extremely dedicated niche, Drake is a very talented performer who owes it to himself to preserve his body where possible, and broaden his horizons to conquer more and more new ground in the wrestling world. I’m excited to see what’s next, not only for Drake as a person and a wrestler, but for the deathmatch scene as a whole.
Personally, I feel like the older and wiser we get, the more we need to question and query every aspect of pro wrestling when it comes to the health and safety of performers. Serious questions have to be asked in a lot of areas and not just in the realm of deathmatches. While I absolutely see why it engages some fans, and I won’t turn my nose up and act like I’m above it, I just don’t know how it can be justified in this day and age. Can blood enhance a wrestling match? Absolutely. Does a style that looks to be more genuinely painful illicit more of a reaction? Undeniably – and that transcends deathmatches, as some of the most critically acclaimed matches, some of which you will read praise for on this very site, have included excessive stiffness and dangerous risks. But does all of this come at a price? Yes. And is that price worth it? Ultimately, no.
Drake’s timing with this announcement is likely not a coincidence. Younger noted on twitter that May 28th marked 18 months of sobriety and clean living on his part, a tremendous achievement, and one that could perhaps speak volumes about his decision to move past deathmatches. If health, well-being, and life as a family man are at the forefront of his mind, then it’s no surprise that he made such a huge change, one which undoubtedly surprised number of hardcore fans. While this could be something of a watershed moment for the genre, as one of its performer outright moves on in the name of self-preservation, something tells me the deathmatch scene is far from finished. Time will tell.
There is more to this story than what it all means for deathmatches however. Just as Younger has adjusted his focus and has his eyes trained on the future – so should we. Drake’s upside in the ‘traditional’ realm of wrestling is significant, as evidenced by his overwhelming support from the SoCal faithful in PWG recently. The Reseda fans have gravitated to Drake to a degree almost no one anticipated. A legitimate underdog story about a genuinely nice guy getting on top of his game is one everyone can appreciate – but I think not enough credit is being given when it comes to what Drake brings in the ring.
While I won’t say he had the two best matches, or did the coolest highspot, and please spare the pedantic star-rating arguments – for me, Drake was the MVP of PWG’s All Star Weekend. He brought a babyface presence to his matches that was positively impossible to tear your eyes from. The crowd desperately didn’t want Drake to fall victim to whatever Sami could think of next on night one, and they DESPERATELY wanted him to take the title from Cole on night two. On both occasions, Drake’s selling was excellent, eliciting a very real reaction from the people. As divisive as the night one main event was – Drake as the blood soaked hero, defiantly shaking his finger at the referee insisting he not dare stop the match was, in the most basic sense, great pro wrestling. The night two main event really hammered home that storytelling and garnering sympathy was a Drake strongpoint, as the fans clambered for his title win and were outraged when they didn’t get it.
The next few months will be fascinating for Drake, his fans, and the indie scene as a whole. He’s proved a lot, and has plenty more to bring to the table as a wrestler, with more headlining performances in PWG undoubtedly on the cards. Keep watching this space folks, as one of the most unique and engaging personalities in indie wrestling continues his ascension to the top.
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