CHAOS IN LANCASTER YOUNG PROMOTER A SUCCESS AFTER DEBUT OF PRO WRESTLING EVENT.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer

Lancaster-based pro wrestling promoter Mike Dickey has no illusions about outdoing big-leaguers Vince McMahon or Ted Turner.

But judging by Dickey's first CHAOS wrestling event at Lancaster's Angel Hall on Sunday, the 23-year-old Palmdale High graduate knows how to put on a pretty good show.

Dickey took a financial risk by importing former WWF stars Nikolai Volkoff, Iron Shiek and Terry Funk, mixed in with a few local rookies who appeared to be wrestling for the first time. Dickey had a good turnout - selling more than 600 tickets - and he's already planning another show for October.

Thanks to corporate sponsors, a cable television deal, T-shirt sales and more than 50 volunteer workers, Dickey said he actually came out a few dollars ahead, a major accomplishment for a fledging club-wrestling promoter; most don't last very long.

``I'm a wrestling fan, but I'm doing this to make money,'' Dickey said. ``The WWF draws 30,000 people to its events, and I know I'm never gonna be that big. But on the indy circuit, some shows only get 50-100 people, and there's no way they can survive. If I can get 400-500 at my shows, everything will turn out OK.''

Dickey said he paid his wrestlers from $100 to $2,000, plus expenses.

Volkoff, who said he earned about $600,000 annually when he was a WWF tag-team world champion, said he occasionally participates in arena shows. Events such as Dickey's, which involved an autograph session, are a huge step down. But that's OK because Volkoff, now in his late 40s, prefers working weekends only.

``I remember I once went three months with no rest - 87 nights in a row,'' said Volkoff, as fans lined to pay five dollars for an autographed picture. ``Now, I work weekends only, one month here, one month there. It's not bad. It's still a good thing because I pick my spots.''

Dickey's first show had some glitches. For instance, it started 40 minutes late, the announcer's microphone didn't work, somebody forget to bring the ring bell and the ring tarp got ripped when a table was brought into the ring - and a real brawl involving at least six people broke out in the audience after the second match.

Nevertheless, Dickey, who said he was satisfied with his security guards and no arrests were made after the brawl, thought things went better than expected.

``It actually went well,'' Dickey said. ``The crowd really liked it. Everyone stayed until the end and we sold out 200 T-shirts. The ring got torn and that will cost about $500, but you take the good with the bad.''

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) One of the Hardcore Inc. wrestlers is out after being thrown into a table by one of the Haystacks Brothers during wrestling match in Lancaster.

(2 -- color) Veteran wrestler Nikolai Volkoff meets 12-year-old fan Bruce Lapid of Santa Clarita.

Gerry Gittelson/Staff Photographer