Bizarre Underground Wrestling takes over BA with Mr. Nasty v. Merc and the final match of Tommy Dean

Friends and fire. Buddies and blood. Carnage and community. Welcome to Bizarre Underground Wrestling.

John Black, owner of southeast Tulsa’s Spaded and Jaded Tattoo, began the local wrestling organization in 2024 to give back to the community. 

It has since evolved into a series of annual happenings, including the Aug. 8 Summer Bizarre, last April’s inaugural Sex and Violence event and bimonthly house wrestling events. The intense cult that has grown around the events makes for interesting places to meet people.

“It started out as something fun in the back of a tattoo shop, and now we rent a venue and throw a block party for the community,” Black said. 

The third annual Summer Bizarre, held at Broken Arrow’s Property Event Center, 11500 S. 129th E. Ave., featured a car show, a petting zoo, on-the-spot tattoos, local vendors and, of course, pro wrestling.

Events like this one bring together local wrestling fans under one roof. Two fans, who’d never met before the event, became fast friends. One told the Flyer, “I believe wrestling is a melting pot. There’s always a place for someone.”

Throughout the event center, there was one wrestler on everybody’s mind: Tommy Dean. After a decade-long career, this year’s Summer Bizarre was Dean’s final fight.

The event began with a Battle Royale. After a lengthy melee involving about 20 humongous men, it was Razor Sharp who emerged victorious.

“I’m really excited about what’s next,” said Razor, a barber outside of the ring. “This is something that I love. I will continue to wrestle until I can’t (any)more.”

With the crowd warmed up, it was time for a “No Disqualification Tag Team Match.” But this was no ordinary NDTTM. This was Dean’s final act.

Dean and his partner went up against young upstarts Riley Grinn and Titan, both of whom Dean used to coach. The action was gritty, with neither team willing to give up. 

After being hit with a flaming chair, Dean began to bleed from the forehead and fell to the floor. The ref counted to three — Dean lost. With that third and final slap of the mat, his career came to an end.

“I got to live my dream for 10 years,” Dean said, tears forming in his eyes. “That is more than most people will ever get to do.”

After Dean’s emotional exit, it was time for the main event. If you ask sports fans to name the fiercest rivalry in sports, you might get an answer along the lines of OU-Texas or Red Sox-Yankees. But the wrestling fanatics of Broken Arrow knew it was Mr. Nasty and Merc.

The two wrestlers fought during introductions, they fought in the crowd, they fought on tables. They even fought in the hallway. Fans mercilessly booed Merc and lovingly cheered on Nasty. The fight was so intense that not even the ref was safe. After 30 minutes of carnage, Mr. Nasty emerged victorious.

Amid the action, Black reflected on Bizarre Underground Wrestling’s larger mission: bringing the community together around common values. 

“Be good, kind human beings to each other,” Black said. “Live for a better purpose. That’s what it’s about.”

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