I’m a huge fan of everything pro-wrestling, not just WWE. In particular, I’m a mark for anything that combines giant monsters, lucha-style stunts and talking plantains. A few years back, I had the rare opportunity to photograph Kaiju Big Battel, a Boston-based wrestling federation created by art students and pro-wrestling fans. Think New Japan Pro-Wrestling meets GWAR. Photographers were allowed to photograph from one side of the ring with no barricade and no idea when or what move was going to take place.
To say this was a learning experience is an understatement. At one point, a flying alien did a baseball slide right towards me that truly looked frightening through my 70–200mm lens. I quickly turned my head sideways only to clock the poor photographer standing next to me with my lens hood. I apologized profusely and she understood.
From what I remember of the show, this was a pseudo invasion angle in which Chikara’s Chris Hero crashed the party and challenged Dusto Bunny to a duel. Chris Hero did a great job making a giant fluffy dust bunny look like a million dollars, but in truth, the audience was really there to see massive carnage and zombie plantains.
As an aside, I just noticed that Kaiju Big Battel is still alive and well and will be performing in Boston on April 23 at Once Upon a Time in the East. If you have $20 to spare and want to see a great show, check this out.
