Micro wrestling show draws sold-out crowd and controversy in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A unique wrestling show featuring a troupe of little people is drawing big crowds across the country and they made a stop Friday night at the Buzzed Crow Bistro in Colorado Springs.

While the performers say it's all in the name of fun, others strongly disagree.

The group behind the event has been touring the country for over a decade, marketing itself as a form of professional wrestling entertainment.

DJ TooTall, a former wrestler and current team member, told KRDO13 the show is a way to bring joy to people and to showcase their talents.

"We do it so people can come out and relax and have a good time; take their thoughts, depression, or whatever it is, away and put a smile on their face," DJ TooTall said.

He adds, "There’s nothing bad about it. We're not exploiting anything. We're just making money off what God gave us."

The nonprofit advocacy organization Little People of America (LPA) doesn’t see it that way.

In a statement to KRDO13, the group called the event "dehumanizing" and said such spectacles jeopardize both the health and dignity of performers with dwarfism.

LPA also takes issue with the use of the slur "midget" in promotional materials, which they say contradicts ongoing efforts to advance the rights and representation of little people.

While acknowledging the physical risks, performers argue they face no greater danger than taller athletes in mainstream professional wrestling.

"It’s a sport. It’s the same thing as WWE or WWF, just in a shorter version," DJ TooTall said.

Despite the controversy, the event went on as planned; met with cheers, laughter, and enthusiastic applause from the sold-out audience.