Joshua "Sir Samurai" Littel
Most nights, Joshua Littell waits tables in a Sacramento restaurant. But on the third weekend of every month, he becomes "Sir Samurai". He dons a costume and steps over the ropes, into the ring, as an independent professional wrestler. He puts his body on the line as he and fellow performers entertain crowds at Cristo Rey High School in South Sacramento.
They emulate the WWE's stars of TV and pay-per-view. The call themselves "Supreme Pro Wrestling."
Littell was a wrestling fan long before his first match. But, at age 29, his interest turned into a new identity. As Sir Samurai he wrestles among a diverse cast of characters, many of them tattooed and draped in flamboyant regalia. Backstage, they’re friends, but when the bell rings, the drama begins, and the crowd sees brutal stories of betrayal, revenge, rivalry and victory.
What drives Littell to travel as far as Portland, Oregon, and Reno to wrestle for less money than he'd make for a night waiting tables? "This scratches an itch," he says, "that nothing else can scratch."
Harry "Hip Hop" Henderson
Fresno resident and independent pro wrestler Harry “Hip Hop” Henderson was a fan of pro wrestling when he watched it as a child with his uncle. He pursues his love for the craft despite the challenges he faces in his daily life and in the ring.
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