Ever since NXT has become its own third brand (and especially since they started snapping up every independent wrestling star in the entire world), the past couple of years have been filled with bittersweet moments for fans of indie wrestling. Whenever news leaks (or WWE or a wrestler announces) that someone has been signed to the biggest company in the world, there is generally a farewell tour of sorts (or at least a finishing up of dates), accompanied by a series of farewell addresses.
The latest person to deliver a touching farewell speech is Heidi Lovelace, who just signed with WWE after receiving a tryout back in September. She’ll be reporting to the Performance Center in January, and just last weekend she wrestled her last match for Alpha-1 Wrestling in Canada. It was a loaded, year-end event for the company, featuring indie stalwarts like Michael Elgin, Ethan Page, Donovan Dijak, and Gregory Iron … not to mention the odd astronaut monkey (or would it be monkey astronaut?).
Heidi wrestled Rickey Shane Page in her Alpha-1 farewell match, and was then given a standing ovation by the roster as they gathered around the ring for her farewell speech. She even got to wrap up a storyline during her goodbyes to the roster, as she shook hands with men’s champion Kobe Durst.
Indie wrestling: it’s important, and it’s still real to me, dammit.
