In December 2023, ASÉ Wrestling had it's first show. They wanted to make a statement and did they ever. Their inaugural show emnated from the historic Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, NC. This venue has seen matches from the likes of Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Dusty Rhodes, and Jushin Liger. D'Lo Brown was on commentary. A message aired during the show from Mark Henry. To cap it off, the main event saw Aja Kong face Trish Adora. It is believed to be the first time two women have main evented that building.
From there, they brought in Teddy Long and Ron Simmons to celebrate Black History Month. Long would be named as General Manager while Caprice Coleman would be crowned commissioner. Talent like Kevin Knight, Jonathan Gresham, Sonny Kiss, and Kiera Hogan have wrestled for ASÉ.
While ASÉ has had dream matches, they've also built storylines too. None bigger than the one between Darius Number One and Darius Number Two. Following a confrontation during ASÉ's first show, Lockhart returned to the ring for the first time in two years to face Mr. Darius Carter. Their feud would culminate at the one-year anniversary show with Carter beating Lockhart to become the inaugural men's champion.
When I first interviewed Lockhart about ASÉ, he said it was his love letter to pro wrestling. I interviewed him again to discuss the company's first year and what's next.
During ASÉ’s first year, Lockhart learned that people’s expectations “shouldn’t have so much to do with me. I have to do what I do with the energy I have. I don’t want to push things too far too fast.” Fans often ask when they’ll see a certain wrestler and Lockhart has to remind them that they started doing shows bimonthly. “I shouldn’t really have to explain that. We’re making something we really care about, sometimes it takes a little longer.”
He also learned that curating and promoting means that his job is never really over, but you can’t be on call 24/7.
ASÉ travels to show LUV
In early February, ASÉ traveled outside of the Charlotte market to take part in “LUV”, a tribute to the late Tre D. The show was a collaboration between ASÉ, Naptown Pro, and F1GHT Club Pro in Indianapolis over “Royal Rumble” weekend. Lockhart clarified that “we were guests at Naptown’s home. People are asking me how it feels to take ASÉ on the road and this didn’t really feel like that to me. It felt like getting a few of the guys that work for us, putting them in a van, and getting on the road and making the date.”
The three promotions were ones that Tre D. loved and promoted and Lockhart was honored to be a part of the “LUV” show. The show aired on IWTV and ASÉ will be putting out some content from that show.
ROH’s KAUN competed at ASÉ last October and also competed at “LUV”. He’s taken an interest in Suge D.’s Pan Afrikan World Diaspora Championship. “Kaun started the conversation that he and Suge didn’t have at the last ASÉ show. Kaun had a lot to say to Suge.”
Kaun and Suge had been trading barbs online and their run-in “matched the energy.” “He feels like he’s above everything. He’s the prince that was promised, right? He feels like everything should be his and he’s starting with Suge apparently.”
While they lent their name and logo to the show, Vegas will be their first real-time taking ASÉ on the road. They will be part of all of the indie shows colloquially referred to as “More Than ‘Mania”. For the last few years, independent wrestling promotions, talent, crew, and fans have descended on whatever city is hosting “WrestleMania”.
ASÉ closes out Year One with a champion
When speaking about losing to Carter in the main event of the tournament to crown the inaugural ASÉ champion, Lockhart stated “It didn’t feel good to have my head bounced off the mat for that finish. But in a weird way, a weight was kind of lifted off me that night.” As much as he hates to admit it, Carter is “ready to run with the ball.”
ASÉ having a title “feels good. It feels like a step in the right direction at a good pace. At a pace that others might have done more quickly, but I think that’s what makes it feel more unique.” Storytelling is something he’s been trying to navigate in real time.
ASÉ TV provides accessibility
Initially, ASÉ was live-streaming some of their shows. They moved away from that and Lockhart calls himself a realist. “I know that when you put stuff behind a paywall, especially as a starting brand that has not proven itself, you’re only going to get so many eyeballs. But we needed some kind of start-up, some kind of financial support to start off.”
He knows that accessibility is important as is knowledge. “Some people didn’t know what they were getting, so I’m going to have to give a little to get more.” The episodes on ASÉ TV allow more fans to get to know them and their stories as they return to live shows. Following their Vegas show, they are tentatively returning to Charlotte in June.
“Now they’re more immersed. Now they know why they want to purchase a ticket to an ASÉ show, not just word of mouth. There’s a visual that goes to it.”
Lockhart isn’t one to pat himself on the back, but did want to say that people have told him that ASÉ is their favorite place to work. “This has been such a positive experience for the locker room. Their guard can be down. It can be as enjoyable as they imagined. There aren’t people making them feel tense or people being a little weird. This really feels like people being together doing something that they love. ASÉ being such a spirit of love is what’s essential to making this work. I’m a person where I wanted to see wrestling change for the better.”
“I’ve been a victim of the negative and the awful things that pro wrestling has to offer. I’ve seen a number of things that the industry needs to change. So, I’m glad with that in my mind and my spirit that I’m doing that through action. We’re doing that through action, I should say.”
Lockhart said if they had an unlimited budget, they’d have people on contract and bring them back for every show. “I would love to do a two-hour tour with this crew because everyone is so talented. I just want to put this out in the world, if you see someone you like that hasn’t been back, there’s no heat. There’s no disinterest. It’s just a matter of right place, right time and it doesn’t make sense. We’ve loved every one we’ve gotten to work with.”
Show lengths are an ongoing topic among fans, especially with so much to watch and that we have access to. Pacing is something that ASÉ has done really well with. Lockhart says it’s true to an extent that shows need to be for fans because wrestling fans are going to support wrestling. “At the same time, if I want to expand and make this digestible for people to remind them why they loved pro wrestling, come back or come one time to watch a spectacle and have fun, it needs to be something to remember that they had fun at and didn’t feel tired.
“Outside of some shows where we kind of get things done, get things moving – you know some things have to happen when they happen or you’re going to have to wait a year for it – so I try to make that happen when I can. Some shows do go a little bit longer than I wanted them to, but my goal going into this was when the show ends, I want them wanting more and wanting to come back. And not ‘ugh, the last time I went to an ASÉ show, I was there until midnight.’”
Lockhart praises the team and crew for helping them run tight shows. ASÉ commentator, Chris Lea, helps put together the shows minute-by-minute and Kevin Pierce helps with production. “Even Gerard Bonner steps in at some points. We all kind of collaborate.”
Seeing growth through ASÉ TV
While editing the shows for ASÉ TV and rewatching what they’ve done over the last year, Lockhart has been able to see growth in the talent. “Seeing just the confidence; it rises up through each episode. I’m like, ‘wow, look at this person.’ There’s months in between each episode for some people. There’s two people I’ll put over. One is Charity King and Kevin Knight.”
“Charity King, from show one, there’s this girl you’re watching here and there’s something there. By show four, she’s so confident and kicking ass. And it’s like the amount of growth and ability that was there, you know you can put it on the NWA title run (the King Bees were NWA women’s tag team champions last year), you can put it on the platform she’s been given. You can put it on the talent she’s been working with, but to see that growth makes me really proud.”
Lockhart reveals that both Kevin Knight and KAUN had both never had live mics in their hand and that gave them an opportunity for growth. You’re seeing people put it together in real time. I’m able to see it almost on fast forward going through these shows.”
“Another thing is just things I’ve forgotten.” Lockhart found wrestling at 12 and that one of Chris Jericho’s books caught his attention because he could see what a career could or should look like or “what a journey man’s life is like and what it could put me through.” At one point, he had a journal to track his matches, but it only lasted a few months. “I think by the twenty-something match, I lost the journal. I don’t know where it is, maybe I’ll find it one day. But there’s been so many things that I’ve been blessed to do. I remember a lot of them, which I’m thankful for, especially as many times as I’ve been hit in the head."
"For stuff I don’t remember, it’s nice to be like, ‘damn, that was dope. I forgot I said that. I forgot I did that thing.’ A lot of times, it’s promos. I won’t watch something for a long time. I’ll watch myself from like three years ago and I’ll be like, ‘damn, that kid was good. I should’ve kept saying that.’ Video and Instagram is all I really have now.”
ASÉ is WrestleMania weekend bound
With the shows that happen during ‘Mania weekend, there are dream matches galore. Some shows do tend to advance at least one storyline. When asked about what to expect from ASÉ’s show, Lockhart replied to expect “a healthy blend of both. I feel like a lot of people come to “WrestleMania” weekend and try to do their own “WrestleMania”. There’s so much going on, people moving from place to place. Some people might not watch all of your show because they’re trying to hit every show.”
“I think I saw this as more of a sampler. So where continuity matters, you’ll see people who have been interacting before interact again. That’s for sure and I’m sure that their story will continue, including myself on that note. I think this is more of a showcase to show you what ASÉ does well. So the idea is not get in, get out, but come in, blow your mind, make you want more, make you watch the show, tune in to the show and say ‘what have I been missing?’ and leave hopefully happy. That’s really my M.O. with this show.”
ASÉ’s show will be on Thursday, April 17 at 11 AM PST. As of right now, the way for fans to watch is to be determined as they figure out logistics. It’s possible it will be pre-filmed for ASÉ TV. “If we can give it to you live, trust me, we will.”
Lockhart pointed out that WaleMania is that night, so they purposely chose a time earlier on Thursday since both shows attract a similar audience. As Lockhart was wrapping up, he concluded that “independent wrestling is beautiful.”
Year Two expectations
During Year Two, Lockhart says to expect more shows, more new names, more friends stopping by, and hopefully continue to see a good pace and expansion. “More visibility is what I hope. That’s what I really hope for this year; more visibility and more income.”
His final message is to “continue to support ASÉ TV and if you haven’t checked it out, there’s so much on ASÉ TV that you don’t get at live shows and so much on ASÉ TV that you don’t get on the pay-per-views you watch. So all three versions of watching ASÉ are unique and different to themselves.” He also reminds fans and promoters that wrestling doesn’t have to be one way and one vision isn’t the gospel.
“ASÉ TV is my purest form of what I want ASÉ to be.”
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