Bryant Huff is thwarted at an attempt to spear onto his opponent as Chase Emery dodges the hit during Thursday evening's wrestling event at the Freedom Festival in Vienna. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

VIENNA – Suplexes, moonsaults, and armbars took center stage as Spencer’s Landing turned into an all out-brawl Thursday evening for the Red, White & Bruised wrestling event, showcasing wrestling legends and the intense athleticism of the independent wrestling circuit at the Friends of Vienna’s Freedmon Festival.

The event card featured a slew of independent professional wrestlers including Ken Anderson, known to many wrestling fans as Mr. Kennedy, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Rock & Roll Express members Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton.

The promoter of the event was James Hines, or better known as Bobby Fulton, a retired professional wrestler who is best known as part of the team “The Fantastics”. He said his promotion James Hine Promotions has been in the business for 49 years.

Fulton said his connection to wrestling began early with his first match at 16 in 1977, later that year Fulton promoted his first show.

Fulton said that the promotion has traveled to festivals and evens across a myriad of states including Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio, Georgia and Michigan. He said the Vienna event for the kind of show his group aims to provide.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan riles up the crow at the Red, White and Bruised wrestling show Thursday evening at the Freedom Festival in Spencer's Landing. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

“We provide a good family show,” Fulton said, adding that parents can bring young children and “not have to worry about what will happen.”

Fulton said professional wrestling can look fun on the outside, but the training requires commitment and the drive to discipline oneself to succeed in the industry.

“It’s very hard and demanding,” he said. “I sued to wrestle nine times a week in nine different cities.”

Before wrestling Thursday evening, Anderson, a former WWE wrestler stated that he hoped to entertain the crowd. He cited that former WWE chairman Vice McMahon often told wrestlers they were there to put smiles on people’s faces, a practice he still aims for each show.

“I’m wrestling, falling down, making people fall down, just coming here to entertain people,” Anderson said. “That’s what we’re here to do, give people a break from their day-to-day to have a little fun.”

Announcer Hank Hudson welcomes wrestling fans and other attendees to the Red, White & Bruised wrestling show at the Vienna Freedom Festival Thursday evening. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Anderson said wrestling events like the one in Vienna can reach audiences outside of the typical die-hard wrestling, but to family who may not normally follow or know much about the sport.

“Wrestling fans are the best,” Anderson said. “The die-hards are bread and butter, but it’s the people that are just here with their family and they get dragged over here or curiosity kills the cat and they wander over here and they watch and realize that they had it wrong all these years.”

Anderson shared that he once had a smilier perspective.


“I was once a detractor,” he said. “I was once somebody that didn’t like wrestling. I thought it was stupid and then I realized what I was missing out on all these years.”


He said independent shows are often especially enjoyable because they tend to be more interactive and have the performers closer to the crowd.

Pompano Joe, right, slams his opponent Rase Banon onto the mat during the opening match of the Red, White & Bruise wrestling event at the Freedom Festival Thursday evening in Vienna. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

The Freedom Festival continues through all of Saturday evening offering food, music, rides and more.

Schedule:

* Car show: 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

* Food and craft vendors: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

* Carnival rides: noon to 4 p.m., reopening from 5 – 11 p.m.; rides wristbands are $25 for an all-day pass

Superman Onyx, front, attempts to grapple Iron Russian, behind, during the Red, White & Bruised wrestling show at the Freedom Festival in Spencer's Landing, Thursday night. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

* Wild World of Animals show: 1 – 1:45 p.m.; 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.; 6 – 6:45 p.m.

* Patriot Parachute Team: 3 – 3:15 p.m. and 7:45 – 8 p.m. with a meet-and-greet following the 3 p.m. performance.

* Motorcycle drive-by: 6:30 – 8 p.m.

* Smash Mouth: 8:30 – 10 p.m.

* Drone light show: 10:15 p.m.

Mika, right, sets up Miss Hannah for an arm drag during a wrestling event hosted at the Vienna Freedom Festival Thursday. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Bryant Huff, above, prepares to slam down onto Chase Emery at the Red, White & Bruised wrestling event hosted at Spencer's Landing as a part of the Vienna Freedom Festival Thursday evening. (Photo by Gwen Sour)