Episode 17: How to Wrestle With a Live Wire with Bobby Ford

Bobby Ford discovered professional wrestling when he was a kid and was immediately captivated by its energy and theatricality.

As a middle child among three brothers always vying for attention, wrestling's performative nature aligned with his natural inclination to entertain. After drifting away from his passion during high school and college, attending a 901Wrestling show reignited his determination to become a wrestler. He spent two years paying dues as a “do-boy” before finally getting consistent training in perhaps the most Memphis way possible: in a wrestling ring set up in someone's front yard in Nutbush. Under the guidance of Andy Mack and Dustin Anthony, Bobby trained there every day during summer 2021, enduring 3-4 hours daily in unshaded heat. This grueling experience prepared him for his first match at Black Lodge, where despite anxiety, he found confirmation that wrestling was his calling. Enter Livewire Bobby Ford. 

We talk about wrestling's physical demands and how "everything you do in there hurts," requiring both cardiovascular conditioning and pain tolerance. Bobby explains how his firefighter career complements his wrestling passion. He discusses wrestling's creative elements from entrance music to storytelling, and shares experiences playing both hero and villain. We explore wrestling's relationship with masculinity and sexuality, acknowledging its "inherent sexuality. Bobby describes Memphis's wrestling scene as filled with "young, hungry wrestlers" embodying the city's spirit.