Culture in the coalfields: How a wrestling company and its champion are entertaining a community

MADISON, W.Va. – About 300 people draped in a canvas of Halloween costumes and professional wrestling T-shirts made their way through the doors of the Madison Civic Center in the heart of the West Virginia coalfields. Their anticipation pulsed through the gymnasium as the static recording of The Star-Spangled Banner came to a close and the bell rang. 

Behind the black curtain stood the evening’s first performers, including the 8-Bit Kid. As he entered the ring to confront his opponent and set up the night’s main event on Oct. 4, the 8-Bit Kid was attacked by a second adversary. The All Star Wrestling WV Heavyweight Champion had a triple threat on his hands, one that would take place in the midst of a gym saturated by the smell of slightly burnt popcorn and the dim overhead lighting reminiscent of an indie horror film. 

The beloved champion stood tall atop the ring ropes despite the attack, amping up the crowd in a triumphant manner as the opening segment drew to a close. All Star Wrestling WV and its top title-holder once again pumped life into the center of the ring – and the center of a small community. 

The day’s work started for Kasey Huffman long before the promotion’s dedicated fans filed into the venue. “The 8-Bit Kid,” Huffmanly is a Boone County native and has reigned over his fellow wrestlers since winning the prestigious heavyweight title in March. 

The road to championship gold for Huffman was not without its sacrifices and dedication to the craft. Training, performing and traveling all play a part in a wrestler’s journey in such a theatrical, physical industry.

“I’ve been wrestling with ASW since 2018,” Huffman said. “I’ve been going hard ever since. I haven’t missed a single show.”

ASW has served as a proving ground for countless independent wrestlers since its inception in 2006. It also fuels a subculture in southern West Virginia that brings the community together.

Roots of passion

Professional wrestling has been a staple of Appalachian culture, especially in West Virginia, since the mid-1950s, when professional wrestling broadcast productions such as Oak Hill, West Virginia’s WOAY-TV “Saturday Nite Wrestlin’” ruled the region’s entertainment zeitgeist. 

“Growing up, these guys were bigger than life to me,” Damron said.

“Wrestling was on all the time. It was on through the week, on the weekends, Saturdays and Sundays were full of wrestling. These guys were big celebrities to me.” 

Damron’s champion shares a similar sentiment on the deep history of the industry in the area. “Especially here in Madison, a lot of these people grew up in the time of wrestling where they (wrestlers) were like superheroes,” Huffman said. “They really take this stuff seriously; they pack this place out, it’s a community thing here in coal country.”

Wrestling fans would often be so convinced that a particular wrestler’s character was real that they would take action against the “bad guy” during or after an event. The dying age of strict “kayfabe,” the art of keeping in-ring storylines under wraps and treating them as legitimate at all times, has suppressed outside confrontation over the years, but promoters say in southern West Virginia, fans still suspend disbelief.  

“The people down here still believe that what we do is real, and that’s what we want,” ASW promoter Gary Damron said.

Good vs. evil

Fans sustained looks of engagement at the Halloween Mayhem event in October as the crowd acted as characters in and of itself in each story. Jack Sharp, a “bad guy,” riled up the Madison faithful with fictitious confrontations that boosted the wrestler’s heel status. It was just one of many instances that included the crowd in the craft. 

Everyone on the match card and behind the scenes contributes to the continuous stream of entertainment directed toward the passionate fanbase, no matter their role. The art of wrestling is simple at its core, despite the intricate individual storylines and memorable moments.

“It’s a wonderful story of good versus evil,” Damron said. “It’s a man’s soap opera.” 

Fans united in disapproval as the bad guys, or “heels,” tried to cheat and escape Halloween Mayhem with a victory in the opening match. Fans also came together to cheer when the good guys, or “babyfaces,” got the upper hand. 

The crowd got the upper hand as well, with smiling faces abundant after taking in the event. One man was partly responsible for the collective joy: the 8-Bit Kid. 

People’s champion

There are bigger stages in the world of wrestling than the Madison Civic Center on a Saturday night. But for a Boone County native like Huffman and the fans who support ASW, that platform becomes the heart of the town for a few hours.

“I lived in poverty growing up, so going to these shows was like watching WrestleMania on TV,” Huffman said. “There’s a lot of people here that don’t get the opportunity to go out and do things. So if we can change their life for a couple of hours once a month here in Madison, West Virginia, I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

All Star Wrestling WV hosts up to a dozen events per year in Madison. The company’s next show is on Dec. 31, “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” at the Madison Events Center. 

Ty McClung contributed to this story.