From Power Rangers to People’s Champ: An introductory essay

(Young KenRock some time in 1999)

The Beginning

Before we get into it, let me introduce myself. I am Kenny Wilkes Jr.Baltimore born and raised since the summer of 1995. Oldest of three, Tribal Chief of my generation, etc., etc.

You might remember me from my breakout role in The Wire.. okay, maybe not. But chances are, you’ve seen me around; maybe pushing a cart across the Horseshoe Casino floor, indulging in a classic chicken box at your local carryout, or crushing crab cakes at Jimmy’s during a WrestleMania viewing.

Wrestling has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. It has been my passion, my escape, and at times, my obsession. So let’s rewind to where it all began.

Flipping Channels, Finding Destiny

Like many fans my age, my relationship with wrestling traces back to the Attitude Era. I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I discovered it, but I have flashes of memory from the summer of 1998.

The first came at my grandmother’s house. While flipping through channels, I landed on WCW Nitro. I really don’t remember there being any action at that moment, so I kept it moving but I remember that ring, and I remember those three letters: W-C-W.

The second glimpse came while watching Small Soldiers with my great-aunt and cousins. In one scene, a TV in the background showed a clip of Raw is War. If my memory serves me right, it was The Rock vs. Ahmed Johnson (though I could be way off). That brief moment intrigued me, and I turned to my cousins and asked, “y’all watch this? too” They did. In fact, they were huge fans. They even let me watch a VHS tape though, I fell asleep before the actual matches started.

That¹ Christmas, my first wrestling figures arrived WCW figures, to be exact. I got the WCW Ultimate Ring and Cage, which came with The Giant and Kevin Nash. But despite these early exposures, wrestling wasn’t my top priority just yet. My heart at the time belonged to Power Rangers and Fox Kids.

Turning Point no TNA

Everything changed in 1999. That was the year I first watched Sunday Night Heat and later, SmackDown!. Those shows were my gateway into the wild, electrifying world of the then-WWF.

But what truly sealed the deal? WrestleMania 2000 on the N64. That game was my initiation, my full immersion into the business. I wasn’t just watching wrestling”I was playing it, breathing it, living it.

Like many kids my age, the 1999-2000 period was monumental for me. It was also when I became a die-hard fan of The Rock. And when I say die-hard, I mean it. I had the posters, the portraits, the character cups, the t-shirts. Action figures? Of course. I even tried to emulate his sideburns well after he had shaved them off. That’s how deep the fandom ran.

It wasn’t just about the swag, it was his promo skills, the way he captivated an audience, the emotion he put into his matches. The Rock was never just a wrestler; he was the guy. And to me, he still is.

Holding On to the Memories

Looking back, that year-and-a-half period was pivotal. In spite of everything happening around me, wrestling was my constant. It was my world. And if I could relive it all again, first-hand, I would in a heartbeat.

But that is the beauty of nostalgia. The memories remain, locked in time, ready to be shared. Over the years, I have passed them down to my siblings and younger cousins, just as my family introduced me to wrestling back in the day. And someday, I hope to share them with a child of my own.

Because for me, wrestling isn’t just entertainment it’s a lifelong love affair.

(AI tried, BUT YOU SEE IT)