BUFFALO, N.Y. — Whether you like seeing the stars shine on the big stage in WWE, AEW or New Japan Pro Wrestling, or you may just enjoy seeing homegrown talent get creative in the ring at your local fire hall, there are very human stories behind those storylines that make up a billion-dollar industry across the board.

A local professional wrestler describes how struggles outside the ring can make for the best story arcs and champions.

"Growing up in Buffalo, it was obviously hard and you know it was a constant fight," said Nickel City Wrestling's owner and one of the main rostered members, Steve "The High Flying Icon Shadokat" Stroh. "I mean ground up, started from nothing on the west side of Buffalo kid, city schools."

Stroh didn't start out life in the squared circle, but he might as well have.

"I'm 5-foot-2 ... everybody wanted to fight and that was fine with me. I had no problems with it," he said.

His height was the least of his uphill battles on most occasions.

"My mom was a single parent. My dad passed away when I was like 9 and so I stuck around, helped her," he said. "I helped her maintain some things for as long as I could and then and then it was time to branch off."

Staying close to home, he forged another one. Taking on the moniker of Shadokat, surrounded by steel poles, 2-by-6 boards and the welcome mat — the unforgiving canvas.

"It took me probably 10 years to figure out that wrestling is a science; it's not a guessing game," Stroh said.

Dues paid now, Stroh passes the knowledge and experience to new generations, but just don't try to tell him what he or his students are doing is fake.

"Is acting real?" Stroh asked. "Acting is real. Right there. They're acting now that character and it's no different than taking a class at a community college right? Theatrical arts or some sort of performance art."

Of course, the most real thing for the men and women who wrestle professionally is the bond they share with each other.

"It doesn't matter where you come from, or where you're going [or] where school will take anybody that needs a home," said Stroh.

So it's not the bright lights and even the moves that make the wrestling community. It's the family, something Stroh now gets to take literally. One of his star pupils and assistant trainers is his own son.

"He's been literally doing this since he would climb the step stool with the replica belt and have his mask on to match dad," said Stroh. "Since he was born basically, but I'd like to think that if it wasn't for his ambition for the same thing, I would have retired. When the doctors told me to eight years ago."

He plays the father figure while giving tough love in and out of the ring.

"They say that the best wrestling character you ever play is just an over-enhanced version of yourself," he said. "So it's my job to try to bring that out of them. And as you see, there's quite the characters."

Where he's been will continue to shape who Stroh is and everyone dedicated to the show well beyond the next pinfall.

"It's the longest relationship I've ever been in and the biggest commitment I've ever made, and I'm loyal. So until I can't, I'm gonna keep going," Stroh said.

Nickel City Wrestling and other independent promotions across the state work together on a regular basis to fill out shows with a wide array of characters and storylines. Many famous names have either started in the Empire State’s squared circles or signed major contracts, then come back to help promote local circuits.