Old fashioned throw down, rope jumping wrestling is coming to Powell River as the All Star Wrestling (ASW) Night of Champions takes to the ring at Powell River Recreation Complex on Saturday, June 18.
Three ASW titles will be on the line and five matches will be featured during the show. ASW is a touring wrestling company that started in 2007 as a throwback to the old, family-friendly wrestling events of the 1980s and early 1990s. It hosts events for charities as well as taking old school wrestling to communities around BC.
Co-owner Mark Vellios, who wrestles as Gorgeous Michelle Starr, said there hasn’t been a wrestling event in Powell River since about 2000 but back in the day it was always one of the best communities to visit.
“I enjoy going from town to town and entertaining the fans and getting a rise out of the people,” said Vellios. “I always like when they yell and scream at me and boo. It gets the adrenaline rush going.”
The main match up of the night will see Vance Nevada, aka Mr. Beefy Goodness, two-time holder of the ASW trans Canada title, defend his title against Kyle Sebastian, winner of the 2011 Cauliflower Alley Club’s Future Legend Award. Sebastian is the up and comer versus Nevada, the most active wrestling champion in Canada, who has defended his title from coast to coast.
The ASW tag team title will also be up for grabs as team Greatness on Demand featuring Starr and Disco Fury match up against title-holders Mr. India and TKO. India and TKO won the title in Squamish last September, defeating Team Japanada.
Vellios has been competing for 24 years and used to wrestle on the original BCTV All Star Wrestling show in the early 1990s. Fury has competed for 13 years, making the pair two of the most seasoned fighters in ASW. The only problem is that Starr and Fury have been having issues for the past year and have taken to fighting each other on occasion. Officials are concerned over whether the pair will be able to get along for the match.
In the ASW cruiserweight category Marc Anthony will take on Adam Ryder to decide the first ever cruiserweight title. This should be a tight match between two of the best cruiserweight wrestlers in Western Canada. And with some luck Anthony may just break out his notorious singing skills for the crowd.
Also on the card is a mixed tag team match featuring coed teams facing off against each other. Raven Lake and Bruiser Joe will be teaming up to take on The Waspette and The Panama Wasp. In the match the male wrestlers will only be able to wrestle with each other and same for the females.
Audience members are encouraged to yell, cheer and boo as much as possible during the matches as the wrestlers love crowd participation. There is no blood or coarse language, making the show appropriate for all ages. Wrestlers will be available for photographs and autographs at the event.
Tickets are $25 for front row, $20 for the floor and $15 for bleachers and are available at the complex or online. For more information on ASW, readers can visit the website.
