Around this time last year, I was gearing up for my second WrestleFest (technically). That one? A lot was going on. Like, an overwhelming amount. My third WrestleFest in Canada went a lot smoother, so I want to take a moment to explain what I did differently to make it that way—especially since, if you’re going, you have less than a month to prep.
Now, mind you, some of this I learned vicariously—because why step on a rake you just watched someone step on?
📅 Put your plans on a calendar.
If you (or the person you’re meeting up with) have a hard time remembering things, put them on a calendar and share an invite. You both probably have smartphones, so set reminders for where you need to be and when.
⏳ Plan for social time and rest.
I promise you, if you don’t plan for rest, you won’t have time to rest. By match #8 at 2 PM—when your day started at 8:30 AM and you’ve had neither breakfast nor lunch—you’re gonna be exhausted.
You don’t have to do that to yourself. Make time to eat, grab coffee, and just chill with your new wrestling friends. Saying “no” to a few things so you can recover means you’ll have the energy to enjoy the whole weekend. Trust me on this one.
🚶 Plan for travel time.
Unless all your matches are in one building (which, lucky you, some might be!), factor in the time it’ll take to walk, take the train, Uber, etc. Running from match to match without buffer time can turn a fun weekend into a stressful one.
🕰️ Give yourself some “do nothing” time.
Schedule a little time to do… whatever. Whether it’s exploring the area, grabbing a drink, or just seeing where the moment takes you, those spontaneous experiences make for the best stories and memories.
🤷 Don’t take changes or cancellations personally.
Unless you have a reason to assume bad intent—don’t. People are here to have fun and things change. Schedules shift. Matches get missed. It’s just the way of things. Roll with it, adjust as needed, and keep going.
“OK, but like… what’s with all this planning? Where’s the fun in that? I’m here for spontaneous rumbles, sir!”
True enough! You are definitely here for the spontaneous stuff. You’re also here for matches—and the people around you fit into one (or more) of these three groups:
1️⃣ People who are here for as many matches as possible
2️⃣ People who want a mix of matches and sightseeing
3️⃣ People who make underground wrestling content
And for at least two out of those three, some planning is required—otherwise, the likelihood of things happening drops hard.
Matches don’t just fall out of the sky, and it’s safe to assume that:
- (a) People don’t have infinite free time (even if they wish they did).
- (b) People don’t have infinite energy (because they’ll be worn TF out—happy, but exhausted).
If you need to adjust times or reschedule, do it! And again, don’t take things personally. There may not be infinite time or energy, but with nearly 600 people attending, if you miss a match with one person, there’s always a chance to make magic happen with someone new—who might even become a new friend.
The following text is a blog post by Synxiec from MeetFighters.com. Thank you for tapping the issue out for me, Fighter Synxiec. Well, written, and I agree.
– SlovakLeo