Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Adrian Gomez, Founder, Owner, and President of Middle Kingdom Wrestling, a pro wrestling company in China.
Please tell us about your journey.
I actually came to China originally to work as an English teacher. While it was always my dream to live in China, being an English teacher wasn’t exactly my passion or something I was ever terribly interested in. So I thought, ok – I’ve already done one of the things that I’ve always wanted to do (live in China,) why not hit all the bases and make this a homerun? I love wrestling. Wrestling is probably the most consistent love that I’ve had my whole life. And just because I’m in China, as an English teacher, doesn’t mean that I can’t still be involved in the wrestling industry. And that’s how Middle Kingdom Wrestling came to be.
Please tell us about Middle Kingdom Wrestling.
Middle Kingdom Wrestling(MKW摔角王国) is pro wrestling with what I like to call “Chinese characteristics,” and we’ve been operating since 2015.
Being a foreigner (American) and operating a pro wrestling company in a unique country like China has been an interesting experience for me — and certainly not an easy one. Pro wrestling has not been established in China as it has in other countries like in the United States, Japan, and Mexico. So, developing a pro wrestling company while also trying to develop a pro wrestling scene in China from the ground up has been a huge undertaking for my team and I. But our calling to make a successful Chinese Pro-Wrestling or” 中国摔角 “scene, has been a driving force for us each and every day since we opened.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
The main thing is realizing first and foremost what the demographics are for your product and doing your best to cater to the interests of said demographic. Pro wrestling has never been associated with China, and so making in the journey to make “Chinese pro wrestling” be a thing, it has really involved taking the things that have already proven successful in the pro wrestling industry around the world – the athleticism, the characters, the drama – and then using the interesting points of the local culture that we’re based in, in an effective way to make sure that Chinese people can relate to it. The more we incorporate Chinese qualities into pro wrestling, the easier it is to make new and loyal fans for MKW. That goes for even making fans outside of our target demographic.
Any message for our readers.
You have an idea? Go do it. Don’t wait for another person to push you, nor should you always hang on waiting for the “right” moment. The person is you. And the moment.. is now.
Fantastic! So tell us, how can people find out more about you?
You can check out my Twitter and Instagram handles.
You can also follow Middle Kingdom Wrestling on Twitter and Instagram and support Chinese pro wrestling. Or visit our website, or just go straight to our videos by searching for Middle Kingdom Wrestling or our “MKW Blast-off” series.
Thank you so much for giving us your precious time! We wish you the best for your journey ahead!