ICYMI, Part XI: an interview with e-low the artist
So we’re calling it what, the FFWF title? And it’s a solo reign? I’m not sure if you’ve seen Lio Rush (ROH Television Champion)’s recent promo work but for a wrestler that is known to constantly reinvent himself, this possessed, contact wearing persona with black gums has reinvigorated his once meteoric rise in the industry. Where do you stand on reinvention of caricature in pro wrestling? Obviously, if someone is fortunate enough to make it to the main stage, leaving that spot and pushing your creative limits into a corner has given the fans a new breadth of connection with the performers, on the indies, in the undersold arenas, people like Zilla Fatu signing with NXT… Are the indies becoming developmental territories for Paul Levesque and TKO Enterprises?
eta: I haven't exactly named it yet, but I've been thinking about it! And yes, it is a solo title reign!
I am familiar with Lio Rush and have been for several years now! I think that anyone taking a risk like that with their character is always refreshing to the character and the performer. It allows them to be something new and different, which can be challenging, but in his case, can also be very rewarding. I have been a huge fan of Danhausen for over 5 years (he is the only signature on my belt). He took a chance & I think it's great to see people like him & Lio embracing their creative visions. It seems to be paying off for both, in my opinion.
I definitely have seen the indies as a place that WWE & AEW both scout, and more than we probably even know. They are training the future of the wrestling business on local levels. WWE can't have a performance center everywhere (yet) & AEW stays within the realm of a lot of independent companies & even lets their own talent perform there when they aren't being used on TV. You never know who is in the crowd or who is keeping their eyes on upcoming talent. I think that's pretty awesome for all of the athletes, the wrestling world is fairly small, relative to other things. A lot of connections can be made from just a few shows. I have hope for many of my local wrestlers, because a lot of these people are extremely talented. Whether they want to go to WWE, AEW, NJPW, or any other "big" company is up to them…
What's your take on Bret Hart saying that it's hard to watch present day wrestling because he considers the spots in matches too obvious and badly timed?
eta: I see where he's coming from. The wrestling in 2026 is pretty different from the wrestling of the 90s. I like both for different reasons, but I do feel like the normalization of kicking out of finishing moves has gone too far. You shouldn't have to hit your finisher 6 times in a match to win it! That & sometimes matches go on way too long, for no reason. People nowadays seem to like fighting the video game style, when back in the day they were going for more of a "real" fight kind of feel. The athleticism of today's wrestlers is ridiculous, but doing all of these spots could leave more room to make mistakes and botches. Everything has to be precisely timed and practiced so that it all goes right. I appreciate all of the luchadors and high flyers that put their bodies on the line to bust out some crazy shit that we've never seen. But I also appreciate somebody like Eddie Kingston, who is more of that brawler-type, who comes into a match like he's about to kick ass for real.
e-low the artist is an independent rapper and producer originally from Knotts Island, NC. Currently located in Denver, CO. He was absent for about 5 years, but ever since the end of 2025 has returned to music and performing. He blends political satire and pro wrestling with love for his hometown and presents it under the RHYTHMIC INTELLIGENCE label. His latest project, ALGORHYTHMIC INTELLIGENCE, was his return to music at the end of 2025, with another project planned for the end of 2026.
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