In the vast and varied landscape of professional wrestling, one niche genre has been gaining traction in recent years: Midget Wrestling. This unique form of entertainment, characterized by its smaller stature wrestlers, has captured the attention of audiences worldwide, offering a blend of athleticism, spectacle, and sheer entertainment value. Midget wrestling is professional wrestling involving people of exceptionally short stature.
Midget Wrestling Federation show.
The Origins and Evolution of Midget Wrestling
Midget Wrestling can trace its roots back to the mid-20th century, with the emergence of “midget wrestling” as a sideshow attraction in carnivals and traveling circuses. The attraction was very popular in wrestling promotions from the 1950s into the 1970s. Many cards included midget wrestlers and included tag team and women's midget wrestling. Television shows for promotions in various cities frequently included midget matches. In these shows, comedy was as important as athletics. The midget professional wrestlers had many gimmicks to attract audiences and revenue.
However, it wasn’t until the late 20th and early 21st centuries that Midget Wrestling began to evolve into a distinct subculture within the broader wrestling community. As Midget Wrestling gained popularity, it underwent a transformation, moving away from its roots as a sideshow attraction to become a legitimate form of professional wrestling.
Key Figures and Promotions
In its heyday in the 1950s and 60s, midget wrestling had the same kind of prestige later enjoyed by the WWF. Names like Lord Littlebrook, Little Tokyo and Sky Low, the first holder of the National Wrestling Alliance’s World Midget Championship, were well known by fans.
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One such promotion that played a pivotal role in the rise of Midget Wrestling is Extreme Dwarfanators Wrestling (EDW). Founded in the early 2000s, EDW quickly gained a devoted following, attracting fans with its high-energy matches and larger-than-life personalities.
The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again?) of Midget Wrestling
Midget wrestling began to wane after WWF's WrestleMania III. Afterward, promotions continued to feature midget divisions, but its popularity was slowly declining. By the mid-1990s, midget wrestlers mostly appeared in comical matches and segments, rather than serious competitive wrestling-type matches. Competitive midget wrestling declined sharply in the United States in the early 1990s.
In Mexico, this was not the case, as wrestler Mascarita Sagrada continued to compete in prominent Mexican promotions such as AAA and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Mascarita Sagrada is the most popular midget wrestler in Mexico and has also been featured in World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling in the United States. In fact, prominent Mexican promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) created their midget division the year before in 1989.
On the independent circuit, there was an increased interest in midget hardcore wrestling matches, and groups such as the Half Pint Brawlers began selling DVDs and opening for musical acts such as Kid Rock. In the early days of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (NWA:TNA) in 2002, the promotion included a hardcore midget wrestling division. In February 2000, the Micro Wrestling Federation (MWF), a wrestling promotion made up entirely of little people, was established. In early 2008, the Entertainment Shack booking agency acquired the MWF.
Controversies and Criticisms
Despite its growing popularity, Midget Wrestling has faced its fair share of challenges and controversies. Pro wrestling hasn’t been controversial since the risqué entertainment WWF promoted in the late 90s, but the word midget is. Critics argue that the exploitation of wrestlers of smaller stature for entertainment purposes perpetuates harmful stereotypes and reinforces societal prejudices. The Little People of America (LPA) have criticized midget wrestling as reinforcing stereotypes, and also frown on the word midget, calling it a racial slur. Midget wrestlers don’t see it that way. They wear the word on their sleeve, taking pride in the term that ties them to the long history of midget wrestling.
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In 2018, Texas-based organization Extreme Dwarfanators Wrestling, which has toured across the US for many years, decided to tour England and Wales in the UK due to the explosion of interest in the UK wrestling scene. They instructed Wales-based agency Degu Media to assist with the language, tone, and translational issues and began to eliminate the word "midget" from all UK marketing material. The Restricted Growth Association (RGA) opposed the event and describing it as a "freak show".
In response to these concerns, some promotions have implemented measures to ensure the safety and well-being of their wrestlers, including stringent health and safety protocols and regular medical screenings.
Impact on the Wrestling Industry
Midget Wrestling has had a significant impact on the wrestling industry, challenging traditional notions of what constitutes a “typical” wrestler and broadening the scope of diversity within the sport. Moreover, Midget Wrestling has proven to be a lucrative business venture, attracting sponsorship deals, merchandise sales, and lucrative television contracts.
The chaos inside the ring often spilled onto the floor, forcing spectators to their feet to keep track of the action. Like their larger peers, the wrestlers dressed in garish garb, taunted each other and the audience, and crafted a physically intense show that was one part showmanship and two parts athletic exhibition.
The Future of Midget Wrestling
As we look to the future, the future of Midget Wrestling appears bright. With its growing popularity and expanding fanbase, Midget Wrestling is poised to continue making waves within the wrestling industry for years to come. Midget Wrestling has emerged as a vibrant and dynamic subculture within the wrestling community, offering a unique blend of athleticism, spectacle, and entertainment. From its humble beginnings as a sideshow attraction to its current status as a legitimate form of professional wrestling, Midget Wrestling has come a long way.
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| Wrestler | Promotion | Championships/Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Sky Low Low | NWA | NWA World Midget Championship |
| Little Beaver | WWF | Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee |
| Lord Littlebrook | Various | Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee |
| Mascarita Sagrada | AAA, CMLL | Mexican National Mini-Estrella Championship |
| Little Tokyo | NWA | Various regional championships |