This week on New to Wrestling: After Dark, we’re joined by “The Prospector” Wes Barker—independent wrestler, old-school soul, and walking masterclass in how to grind with grace.

From training under Johnny Rodz to Reality of Wrestling with Booker T, Wes takes us through a journey built on passion, adaptability, and a little chaos (like debuting in front of the puppeteers from Fraggle Rock—yes, really). We talk about learning to work a crowd with no camera to save you, what it means to be character-first in a world chasing clout, and why sometimes the most important thing you can do is listen to the silence between moves.

We get into the difference between TV wrestling and indie madness, the art of staying present when the match goes off-script, and how Wes manages to keep it real even when the bookings get weird. There’s talk of Kentucky, camaraderie, and keeping territory-era authenticity alive in 2025.

Whether you’re deep in the indies or just getting your boots laced, this one’s for the folks who know wrestling’s about more than spots—it’s about stories, heart, and showing up better every time.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro: Welcoming The Prospector Wes Barker
• 5:41 Wrestling's simple storytelling: conflict and resolution
• 12:08 The Prospector's origin and wrestling philosophy
• 24:32 Training with Booker T, childhood hero
• 37:04 Creating authentic wrestling content on social media
• 46:27 Differences between TV and indie wrestling
• 58:03 Social media's impact on independent wrestling
• 1:04:52 First match for Fraggle Rock cast
• 1:07:22 Upcoming wrestling tour in Kentucky

The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!