Wrestling fans understand bringing back an old name. Spend a few years working under another one, come home, and there it is on the marquee again.
I’m doing something like that, even though most of you haven’t seen this name before.
So, hi. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m J. Daniel Rollins.
Sure, most of you know me as Josh (or Pastor Josh) and that still works. But J. Daniel Rollins was the name I wrote under professionally for more than a decade, and as I’ve begun writing more on Substack, I’ve decided I wanted something a little more… well… me. It’s the byline I associate with my journalism career and I’m glad to have a reason to put it above a story again.
For those who don’t know, well before I was a pastor, I was a journalist. I began my career writing for a few outlets in Columbus, Ohio covering the Columbus Crew and what’s happening in Columbus’ Hispanic community. In 2010, I began working for a newspaper in West Virginia, where I mostly covered high school sports. I even won a few awards for my journalism.
I particularly enjoyed writing about lesser-known athletes in small towns. I got to know their stories, their families, and the people that came to watch them play. It helped shape the full story. I liked getting to know those young athletes well enough to write a story that gave them some attention beyond a box score. I even had a few athletes thank me for helping them get the exposure they needed for scholarships that led to the careers they have now.
I’m not telling you all of that to brag. I’m telling you that to show you exactly why WrestlingDispatch.com exists.
A few days ago, my friend Rich Kraetsch of Voices of Wrestling jokingly called me “blog boy” during a discussion about a match between CMLL’s Kira and Keyra. I was almost finished taking photos of my journalism awards to send to Rich before I realized it wasn’t an insult. Rich encouraged me to keep writing since there’s not a lot of wrestling content out there like I hope to provide for readers who want it.
Much like my newspaper career, I still want to uncover forgotten or unfamiliar figures, gather the interesting details, and find a reason someone else should get to know them. That’s what I enjoyed about writing a feature on Jim Londos a few months ago. I began with a wrestler I knew nothing about and had the pleasure of finding out more.
That work is what I want to build Wrestling Dispatch around. The name acknowledges both parts of the undertaking. Wrestling supplies the subjects: the luchadoras in Mexico, the independent workers here in Ohio, and the people who’s careers require a little digging to understand.
Dispatch comes from my newspaper background. It’s a familiar word on a newspaper’s nameplate. It’s also a report sent back from somewhere. I like that sense of going out, learning something, and returning with a story to tell. It suits the kind of publication I want this to be.
Wrestling Dispatch brings my two existing projects together while giving me room to pursue more of those stories.
The Luchadora Project will continue as it has since its inception, covering an underreported part of pro wrestling. Lucha libre, particularly the women’s scene remains my primary subject. And it’s not because it’s my favorite form of wrestling, but much like those coalfield athletes, I feel like they have a story to share.
The Why She Matters series will continue, along with deeper looks into the history of women’s wrestling in Mexico. For example, I’ve spent the last month researching and compiling details for a feature on Irma Gonzalez. I believe she has a compelling case to appear on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Hall of Fame ballot. I believe it’s The Luchadora Project’s responsibility to make that case.
I also have the possibility to do some interviews with some active CMLL luchadoras. Those interviews aren’t confirmed, but I hope to bring you those conversations. I’ve learned many of them have read The Luchadora Project and appreciate the spotlight.
Working The Crowd remains as my column, offering a sometimes humorous, sometimes heartfelt look at wrestling through my eyes as a 40-soemthing pastor and a first-time father. Following this incredibly odd business while navigating those parts of my life gives me plenty to think about — and occasionally something worth sharing.
Beyond those projects, I’d love to spend time covering independent wrestling across Ohio. Some of those workers may never appear on national television, but I’d like readers to meet them anyway.
I also hope other writers will join me here, too. I’m interested in anyone with a well-researched, interesting story to contribute. Breaking news and aggregating someone else’s work doesn’ interest me. If you have a subject you’d like to pursue, contact me. I’d like to hear about it.
For my part, I’m bringing back an old byline and giving myself a place to do work I’ve missed.
I hope you’ll be along for the journey.