SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – West Coast Pro Wrestling takes over Fluid 510 in Oakland on Sunday, October 12 – and the Bay’s wrestling promotion is ready to make it a night to remember.
Core and Tor got the chance to speak with West Coast Pro founder Scott Briganti, who explained how the promotion came about, what makes it so special for the Bay, and what fans can expect from their debut in Auckland.
West Coast Pro started with a phone call from longtime coach Sparky Ballard, who ran, Briganti said Gold mine In Pacifica. “I got really involved going to a lot of local shows and a lot of shows in Los Angeles,” he said. “He was like, ‘Man, you should try this.’ We started our show in Pacifica, actually became West Coast Pro and got our identity in South San Francisco at the State Hall. The rest is history – we were up and forward the whole time.
So why does Briganti think West Coast Pro is so important to the Bay Area? “Because it’s the Bay Area,” he said.
Bay Area pride is what drives everything they do. “We named our shows after notable Bay Area albums,” he said. “Everything we did, I wanted it to be intertwined with the culture. I’m a very proud person to be from the Bay Area. When people come to our show, they see it on our graphics, they hear it from our playlist — they know exactly what they’re getting themselves into.”
West Coast Pro also runs the West Coast Pro Academy in Pacifica, where names like Vinny Massaro, AEW’s Aaron Solo and Starboy Charlie are training the next generation. “I am a firm believer that everyone can contribute to the world of professional wrestling,” Briganti said. “When they come to our center, we evaluate where they stand, where their mind is, and whether they are up to the capabilities we are looking for. We have very high standards.”
He talked a lot about Starboy Charlie, who he watched growing up in the industry. “Basically Charlie’s family,” Briganti said. “He’s grown up before our eyes. He was just a rookie, and now he’s progressing very quickly. Wrestling is his life.”
This weekend’s event — “Put That on Something” — is a nod to Oakland and its culture. “We’ve been wanting to come to Auckland for a long time,” he said. “The city is the city, man. You can’t mention Oakland without mentioning Hoodslam — they’ve been running it forever. We wanted to come out there and show our love and bring our act to Oakland. That name was just a nod — a sign of respect.”
West Coast Pro has become known for its mix of local talent and stars from Japan’s AEW, WWE and Marvelous. “You’ll see people on the West Coast show who will be on TV a few years later,” he said. “Jacob Fatu was our champion, and now he’s all over WWE. We had Lee Moriarty, Brian Keith, Daniel Garcia – a lot of guys that fans say were ‘adopted by the coast.'”
Aside from the matches, Briganti said the energy of the shows is what makes them special. “We are doing everything we can to make sure everyone is safe and feels welcome,” he added. “We don’t want elitism or tribalism — just people coming to enjoy the greatest thing on Earth: professional wrestling.”
So what can fans expect on Sunday in Auckland? “The best professional wrestling you can afford at this level,” Briganti said. “If you want to know what pro wrestling looks like at its highest levels before people sign, this is it.”
For anyone who cannot attend in person, a screening will take place Stream for free on YouTube in West Coast Pro Wrestling. Tickets are available at westcoastpro.eventbrite.comFans can use the code WCOAK15 to 15% discount.
“Put this on something” happens. Sunday at Fluid 510 in Oakland.
As Briganti said – “This is what it is, West Coast.”