T-R PHOTO BY AUSTIN CHADDERDON —T-R PHOTO BY AUSTIN CHADDERDON A wrestler goes airborne after being struck by a ladder in the “Rise to the Top Ladder Match” during the RUGGEDpro event at the Salvation Army on Saturday.

Marshalltown fans got a taste of WrestleMania in their own backyard on Saturday as the homegrown wrestling crew RUGGEDpro put on an eight card event to a full house at the Salvation Army.

RUGGEDpro founder and organizer Austin Fouts was excited to see reserved seating sell out last Monday and a good showing through general admission the day of. Fouts created the group in 2018 with a majority of its events in Marshalltown and online.

RUGGEDpro will be in Oelwein on June 4 and have its last event at the Salvation Army before moving to the Impala Ballroom on June 11.

Fouts said he can’t remember a time in his life when he hadn’t been obsessed with wrestling and wanted to bring that passion back to Marshalltown.

“I do this to bring fun and welcoming entertainment to town to give our community a positive way to spend their Saturday nights,” Fouts said.

His absorption in wrestling led Fouts to wrestling school in northern Iowa in 2015, and it brought obstacles that he had to wrestle within the meantime.

“I noticed that there were too many cliques in the business,” he said. “I wanted to create a fun safe place for talent and fans to come together and enjoy pro wrestling.”

In addition to the events RUGGEDpro puts on, it also offers a fifteen week training program for fans wanting to become wrestling stars themselves.

It takes a lot to keep these events going in balance with Fouts’ day job as a program supervisor for REM of Iowa. Between the organization, training and promotion, when asked what it takes to keep it going, Fouts responded, “Too. Dang. Much.”

Pro wrestling is a show that’s choreographed and rehearsed to some extent, but even so, the stakes seemed high at times.

During a six-person ladder match, the goal was to be the first to climb a ladder in the center of the ring and reach a gold suitcase (which one assumes is full of money) suspended from the ceiling. There’s a lot of back and forth in which one athlete will make it halfway up the ladder, dramatically catch his breath and be thrown to the ground in his hesitation.

At one point, a wrestler held the ladder over his head parallel to the ground, swinging it around in a circle and hitting his opponents in the face as they flew to the mat. Anyone who looked closely or captured a photo would see the wrestler’s hands in front of his forehead to absorb the blow – nevertheless, in real time it’s an entertaining bit of athletics – and the crowd was losing their minds with excitement.

The level of risk rose to a line that was blurred between choreography and genuine danger when a wrestler was thrown from the top of one ladder onto another ladder that was propped parallel to the ground between the ropes. He landed on his back bending the metal.

When everyone walked away from each match reappeared and later appeared in the crowd or merch table to sign autographs, it recalled Randy the Ram, Mickey Rourke’s character in the 2008 movie “The Wrestler.”

“Fake” or “real,” these entertainers are dedicated in an extreme way to the fans that show up and cheer their name – or boo and villainize them.

T-R PHOTO BY AUSTIN CHADDERDON — Wrestlers went to the air during Saturday night’s RUGGEDpro event in Marshalltown.

RUGGEDMANIA Results

Rex Kenway won the Zach Grigg Memorial Royal

During the new heavyweight title reveal Lars Metzger returned and stole the title and proclaimed himself the new champion.

Angus Keyser retained his Heritage Title in a Midwest Bull Rope Match against Bam Bam Bundy

ValhallaRising dethroned Stud Club as the champions of the tag division. Rex Kenway walked out on the club during the match.

Jameson Mcgregor defeated Tyler Jones, The “All-Star” Clay Cooper, Zeke Dynamics, Bo Gott, Keaton Stoneburner in the Rise To The Top Ladder Match

Maru and The Wanderer went to a no contest once the use of legos became involved.

Photos by Manning defeated Branden Juarez in a Street Fight

Blair Onyx defeated Valentina Loca and Russell Odair

After Austin Fouts made the main event for the original Heavyweight Title The Frontman JAH-C defeated Nicky Scent to become the OFFICIAL Heavyweight Champion.