Bad Boy B is sprawled out on the mat as Bamm-B, positioned up high, prepares to dive on top of him during the first of several matches Friday night, Feb. 28, at the City-County Athletic Complex. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

WARSAW – What do you get when you combine eight midgets and plenty of cold beer?

Date night in Warsaw for a few hundred people.

Nearly 500 people packed the Multi-Sport Building at the City-County Athletic Complex Friday night, Feb. 28, for a raucous Midget Wrestling show sponsored by Midgets With Attitude, which does more than 200 shows a year.

The audience was made up of mostly young adults including lots of couples and only a handful of families who brought children – and for good reason.

Owner and promoter Harvey Anderson, while working up the crowd before the show, made it clear that the crew of midgets were not there to play nice and warned that the performers might every well try to antagonize onlookers. Or, as he said repeatedly, “Piss you off.”

He also warned spectators not to enter the ring or throw drinks onto the mat. If you don’t like what’s happening, Anderson’s advice was blunt: Just leave.

Anderson served as host and DJ and ratcheted up the environment with pulsating rock and hip-hop music. During the first two matches, fans, who paid $20 and $30 for tickets, fully seemed to enjoy the spectacle of little people fighting it out.

As is the case with most wrestling events, props were a big part of the excitement. A shiny new garbage can and lid and a clipboard were all used as weapons of sorts early in the show. Pieces of the clipboard – broken over somebody’s head – flew into the crowd.

Trevor Brown and Brad Thomas were part of a group of 11 from Danny’s Sports Bar and were jazzed about the chance to watch midget wrestling while drinking beer. Brown was surprised at the size of the crowd.

“This is a lot bigger than I thought it would be,” he said.

A representative of the CCAC said the show exceeded expectations.

The CCAC lined up a one-day beer license for the event, Eric Townsend, deputy director at the CCAC, said.

The CCAC has hosted other more traditional wrestling shows in the past, but Friday night’s performance topped the turnout of those. He said they sold 230 advance tickets and more than that the day of the show.

“We didn’t know it would be this good, but we’re happy with the results – for sure,” Townsend said.

He said he did not hear of any complaints about the format.

Anderson, who has been involved in midget wrestling for about 10 years, says the show can serve as an eye-opener for some.

“People understand that little people can make money and enjoy doing what they do for a living,” Anderson said. “You don’t have to be a tall person to be a wrestler.”

Merchandise promoting the show was available. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

Trevor Brown (L) and Brad Thomas enjoyed some beer before the show Friday night at the CCAC. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

Props like the garbage can and lid were a big part of the show. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

Plenty of people took home digital memories of the event. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

Bamm-B makes an appeal to the ref during her match. She eventually won. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

Fans were enthusiastic about much of the show. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

The wrestler, known as P.O.D (“Pissed Off Dwarf), gets the crowd warmed up Friday night, Feb. 28, at the CCAC. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

Bamm-B jumps on the back of Bad Boy B while the ref looks on. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.