For decades, the free-wheeling, anything-goes World Wrestling Federation set the standard for professional wrestling built on larger-than-life mega-stars like Hulk Hogan, Randy “Macho Man” Savage and literally the largest of all, Andre the Giant.
Along with big-hair music artists and splashy clothing, “WrestleMania” was definitively ’80s at its height, a huge showcase of giant personalities.
Fast-forward several decades and the WWF is now the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), the Hulkster (Terry Bollea) turns 71 this August, and the audience for “fake wrestling,” while still significant, also has become more niche than lawncare companies in Arizona.
But hold up. Wrestling never completely went away. And now it just might be back bigger than ever.
Make that, smaller than ever.
The Micro Wrestling Federation is fast gaining popularity across the country. The full-scale, WWE-styled spectacle is rostered by a cast all under 5 feet tall.
Founded in 2000 by CEO Jack Darrell Hillegass, the MWF is the longest-running organization within the little person wrestling industry and, by the numbers, the most successful to date.
Micro wrestlers have been featured in Sports Illustrated, Country Music Television and are even featured now in their own reality TV series on the Discovery Channel.
Their live shows are a combination of action-packed wrestling bouts and Jerry Springer shows gone wrong. It’s the WWE for “South Park” fans.
This Saturday night, the big little brawlers make their way to Cheyenne for an epic, one-night-only throwdown at Forum 619.
Baby Jesus causes pain for his big brother Lil Show. (Courtesy Photo) 
The most popular luchador in the Micro Wrestling Federation is Micro Tiger. (Courtesy Photo) 
2023 Micro Diva of the Year Lil Chola about to land on Pinky Shortcake. (Courtesy Photo) 
2023 Micro Wrestler of the Year shows why he is one of the best. (Courtesy Photo) 
Andrew the Giant finds it difficult to stick to a diet on the road. (Discovery Channel)
Minivan Maulers
These Micros, as they call themselves, really get around.
Up to 10 competitors and support staff travel from town to town with very few nights off. Little person wrestling events are so in demand, two distinct units — dubbed Micro One and Micro Too¬ — travel simultaneously across the country.
Each competitor will easily wrestle more than 200 times in a calendar year as MCF puts on more than 450 shows, annually.
Touring group Micro One features the most popular athletes in MWF, including fan favorite Syko.
“The worst part of life on the road is being stuck in a van with eight smelly micros,” Syko said. “But it’s all worth it. Everywhere we go there is just a mob of Syko fans.”
Micro One was at the Jaguar Room in Denver on Tuesday, the Oasis Night Club in Scottsbluff on Wednesday, Copperhead Road Bar in Colorado Springs on Thursday, and the Colorado Bar & Grill in Oak Creek on Friday — all before their scheduled appearance in Cheyenne on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Micro Too is making its way through the Midwest. All this as another batch of up-and-coming stars work the home front where Micro Wrestling is headquartered in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Nightly shows there run Wednesday through Saturday all year-round in their 300-seat mini-arena.
All that traveling is hard on athletes like Andrew the Giant. He admits to getting bigger by the day — bigger around, not taller.
“It’s really hard to stick to your diet on the road,” complains the heaviest Micro.
Meet The Drop-Kicking Dwarfs
Much of the six-episode Discovery series revolves around Pinky Shortcake (real name Ashley Waterhouse) and Syko (Derec Pemberton), and rightfully so. Wherever the Micros tour, people want to see those two in particular.
“Everywhere we go, people like to pick me up. They like to hold me. The girls all want to take me home with them. It’s crazy,” said pint-sized pugilist Syko, who stands 4-foot-4 and weighs in at 103 pounds.
Ladies: Back off. Syko has a girlfriend (Pinky). In fact, the little lovebirds got engaged during a championship MicroFest event last summer when Syko proposed after Pinky pinned him in a match. They have a 3-year-old daughter together.
On tour, Pinky and Syko follow the usual game plan nightly, only occasionally going off-script. The couple starts with a typical lovers’ quarrel, trading verbal barbs. Before long, they are going at each other in the ring until Pinky’s high-flying front flip off the top turnbuckle flattens her fiancé to the mat. 1-2-3 pin. Bout over.
There’s also Ivar the Micro, the 85-pound announcer/hype man who hopes to become a wrestler himself one day, and jewel-gloved Micro Jackson (DeShawn Richardson), the 3-foot-6 wrestler with a chip on his shoulder.
“I love to be underestimated,” Richardson said. “I’ve always felt discrimination for being little person and for being black.”
Then there’s Lil’ Show the Redneck Brawler, who is the veteran wrestler still touring to support his wife and children. His little brother Baby Jesus, along with newcomer Hot Rod, are two up-and-coming wrestlers looking to prove themselves on the tour.
“It’s a rollercoaster of a lifestyle,” HotRod said. “We have groupies. We hang out after the show, drink a little.”
The Micro Wrestling Federation crew in Orlando, Florida. (Courtesy Photo) 
The Micro Wrestling Federation championship belt. (Getty Images) 
The Micro Wrestling Federation is growing in popularity, performing in venues large and small across the U.S. (Getty Images) 
Syko receives a lot of attention from his adoring fans. (Discovery Channel) 
She said yes! Syko proposes to Pinky after their epic bout last summer at Micro Fest. (Discovery Channel) 
She got the ring. Pinky shows off her rock after accepting a marriage proposal from Syko. (Discovery Channel) 
Micro One crew ready to rumble in Cheyenne. (Discovery Channel) 
Micro Jackson, left, gets mad during a confrontation with the Lil Show. (Courtesy Photo) 
Micro Fans cant get enough of the action. (Courtesy Photo) 
Commentator Ivar the Micro does his thing ringside. (Courtesy Photo) 
Baby Jesus cleared for landing. (Courtesy Photo)
Pint-Sized Appeal
Bringing back a nostalgia for the heyday of Wrestlemania events is one huge reason why the Micro scene has gone macro. Fighting little people also are quickly becoming powerful role models for likewise little people and other marginalized minorities.
Syko often said he feels the responsibility to prove size doesn’t matter. Anything is possible for those with a dream.
Pemberton (Syko) was a high school wrestler in Kansas City before starting his own micro wrestling company 10 years ago. From there, he went to work with Extreme Midget Wrestling, where he performed for six years before switching over to the Micro Wrestling Federation.
Waterhouse (Pinky) is originally from Maine. Her father and uncle played Queasy and Sleazy, respectively — two of the three “kings” for Jerry Lawler of the former World Wrestling Federation.
The Micro One crew rolls into Cheyenne for a Saturday night showdown at Forum 619. The friendly neighborhood gathering club is a nonprofit organization helping to fund military programs, youth initiatives and community support endeavors. Its handy 700-seat dance hall is rented out frequently for family functions and entertaining shows of all kinds.
Forum 619 first booked a Micro Wrestling event back in 2022. The show did surprisingly well for a weekday (Tuesday), and organizers expect this weekend’s show to be a sellout.
“We had a really good turnout last time,” said club chair David Ehler. “It’s a fun, comical show, really. The people loved it.”
Jake Nichols can be reached at: Jake@CowboyStateDaily.com
Jake Nichols can be reached at jake@cowboystatedaily.com.
