The life of a professional wrestler is marked by the miles on the road. Travel can take you far from home and your loved ones. For Pepper Parks (Jesse Guilmette) and Cherry Bomb (Laura Dennis), the newly married couple has the luxury of touring the country together.
Married on September 21, 2013, Pepper Parks and Cherry Bomb have had very busy schedules lately. Whether they are in Los Angeles, New Jersey, Philadelphia or Buffalo they are usually together.
Pepper Parks and Cherry Bomb. Photo by Bliz Photography
“It is great! I love it!” said Parks. “To be so involved with wrestling and to share it with someone special that has the same interests motivates me.”
While they are not always on the same shows they make their schedules work. “I’ll ride along with Pepper or we will get connecting flights that have stopovers together,” said Cherry Bomb.
In any career there are hard choices that must be made in order to gain more experience. Parks, a Buffalo native, and Cherry Bomb, originally from London, Ontario, have made the Queen City their base of operations for some time now.
They have been able to drive to shows locally and into Canada but, in order to grow sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone. In the near future they will be relocating to New Jersey to further their careers. “If you act you go to L.A. or New York. For wrestling you go to the East Coast,” said Parks.
“You need to go where the wrestling is.” Cherry Bomb continued. “Being in that environment should get us on bigger shows.”
Combat Zone Wrestling promoter DJ Hyde is excited for Parks and Cherry Bomb, who perform regularly for his promotion, and will be on the Cage of Death card on December 14th against Greg Excellent. “The advantage of moving to New Jersey is that you are near three premier independent promotions: Ring of Honor, Dragon Gate USA and Combat Zone Wrestling,” said Hyde. “They will be able to train at the CZW school and will be able to further cultivate their talent.” Hyde pointed out that the New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Philadelphia area is a wrestling hub.
“Nothing is ever perfect. Moving away from family and friends is never easy,” stated Parks. “If you love what you are doing, then your loved ones will support you.”
Wrestling is a career full of sacrifices but, the support of family can make it easier. “My mom is going to come down to New Jersey to help us out,” said Cherry Bomb.
The wedding ceremony of Pepper Parks (Jesse Guilmette) and Cherry Bomb (Laura Dennis) was, well, a little more physical than some. Chris Ocean Photography
Pepper Parks has been a mainstay of Empire State Wrestling for promoter Brett Stymus. Pepper Parks takes on heavyweight champion Chris Cooper on November 30th for ESW. “Pepper Parks and Cherry Bomb are as professional as you can get,” said Stymus. “Any promotion would be crazy to pass on an opportunity to have both of them on their events. They deliver everything pro wrestling is and should be.”
Both Cherry Bomb and Parks have had the opportunity to expand their in-ring characters since joining CZW. The duo is known as the life coaches and wellness gurus of the promotion. “Our characters trigger insecurities with people. Everyone has felt that they don’t look good, or felt bad. They can relate,” said Bomb.
“We wanted to make a personal connection, to be remembered,” stated Parks.
Both are known as gym and healthy living fanatics. “We take that life and times it by 10. Also, we don’t look like the rest of the roster,” said Parks.
Whether they are together in the ring or driving across America Pepper Parks and Cherry Bomb are doing it together. Sometimes you have to leave the ones you love to further your career, but not Pepper Parks and Cherry Bomb.
RELATED LINKS
- Nov. 7, 2012: Pepper Parks brings spice to the ring
- Pepper Parks social media: Twitter: @pepperparks, Facebook, and Instagram
- Cherry Bomb social media: Twitter: @cherrrybomb, Facebook, and Instagram
- Allie / Cherry Bomb / Demon Bunny story archive