Real Canadian Wrestling 19th Anniversary Tour Stops in Andrew

Real Canadian Wrestling 19th Anniversary Tour Stops in Andrew

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

While the Hart family is Wrestling Royalty in Canada, the sport has been a lifelong love of Vic Ewaschuk, whose fascination began as a teenager.

“We came off the farm in ’55,” says Vic who took in his first professional wrestling match in Edmonton two or three years later. “Tickets were $1.25 at the time. I had a paper route, but came early and carried the wrestlers’ bags.” That’s how he managed to get up close and personal with the athletes and develop an affinity for the sport.

The love of the sport rubbed off on his son Steven Ewaschuk who has owned and operated Real Canadian Wrestling, (RCW) since 2003. Ewaschuk’s wife Michelle and son Matthew are also heavily involved with company, along with his father Vic. On May 5, they brought his special brand of entertainment to Andrew.

Ewaschuk said this is RCW’s 19th anniversary tour and was happy to be back in Andrew after 13 years. He recognized local sponsors of the event which included the Village of Andrew as well as local companies BarPek Products Ltd. and Spectre Systems.

Silas Young has his opponent Ty Jackson in a hold.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

Spectre Systems owner Eddie Shepel is a former professional wrestler and was happy to help bring the action to Andrew.

One of the wrestlers was also in familiar territory, having grown up in Lamont. Nizar Watfa, aka The Sheik Akbar, said his very first memory as a young child was watching wrestling when his dad took him to a match. “It was in a high school gymnasium in Drayton Valley.

The Sheik Akbar has his opponent Marz the Specialist in a hold.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

He never envisioned being a wrestler himself, but was asked to fill in as a security at a match. “I never expected to wrestle or go anywhere with it, and then one day somebody couldn’t make it and they just put me in a match. The people really liked me, and so, and they just kept giving me matches. So, I just started travelling to different places and went a lot further than I thought I’d go with it.”

Watfa admits that wrestling, “was something I always liked as a kid and when I started do it, it was a lot of fun. Just seeing the crowd cheering or booing you, it’s kind of like an addiction and I wanted to keep going and entertain people. “Your heroes entertained you, and you kind of want to do the same, but on a smaller scale.”

Appreciative young fans.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo

He continues to train and travels weekly for matches in Calgary and Regina, and makes a few appearances in other small towns, trying to give back to a sport he has enjoyed both on and off the mat.