PANAMA CITY — Joni and Jamie Barlow “eat, sleep and breathe wrestling.”
On a recent Saturday night, the twins were ringside at a New Heights Wrestling (NHW) card at the Panama City armory when dastardly wrestler Jael Rose swatted at a sign their mother, Christine, was holding up. Christine yelled at him, joining the chorus of fans passionately involved the rancor that, at times, was intense enough to warrant attention from security.
Along with their mother, the twins are “superfans,” according to NHW co-owners Waylon Barley and Norm Kaiser, who said he was even thinking of putting Christine on the payroll.
The twins regularly attend NHW events, Christine said, usually driving to DeFuniak Springs. “It is the best indie wrestling show around,” she said.
In wrestling fan slang, “indie” means the independents, operating outside the rubric of any major company or mainstream consideration.
Their favorites: Now 28, the twins, who have Down Syndrome, have been fans of professional wrestling since age 10. “Funny and crazy,” Joni called it.
They each have their favorites: Jamie cheers for “The End Game” Paul Jordane, while Joni likes NHW World Heavyweight Champion “Mr. Handle That” Mike Facen.
Jordane, who adorned Jamie’s T-shirt, was a towering figure Jan. 17 at the armory, muscular and shirtless with long, dark hair and a confident swagger. When he took off his pants to reveal the tights he would be wrestling in, the audience let out an audible squeal.
Jordane competed in two matches, one against the stoic Johnny Sturgis and the other against colorful high-flyer Tres Soulja. He won both.
Facen, of Tallahassee, is five years into the wrestling business and has his eye on a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the major wrestling company that is considered the NFL of the sport. Before the show, Facen wandered around the building bare-chested, gold belt slung over his shoulder. A mass of muscle, he stopped to talk to Christine, Joni and Jamie.
For all the punches and maneuvers doled out during the show, before the match everyone chatted like old friends catching up.
Christine said NHW is family-friendly, and the promotion focuses on children and people with special needs, two demographics accounted for in the Jan. 17 audience. Christine thinks wrestling is attractive to a special needs audience because of the personalities of the wrestlers.
This was the second show in Panama City for NHW, and it was a taping for a television show that airs at 2 a.m. on WPGX.
“Panama City is absolutely friendly to us,” Kaiser said.
The promotion plans another show at the armory April 18.
Until then, the Barlows will have do make do watching other wrestlers.
“I like any kind of wrestling,” Jamie said.
One of their favorites is Goldust, whose T-shirt Joni wore Jan. 17 at the armory.
“He kissed me on the forehead,” Jonie said of Goldust, recounting a time last year they met the wrestler, whose real name is Dustin Patrick Runnels but uses the name Dustin Rhodes. They even made an impression on Rhodes’ father, wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, whose real name is Virgil Riley Runnels Jr.
"Dusty loves these two," Christine said.