New Jersey’s WrestlePro is the baby of indie veteran Pat Buck, co-owner of the Create-A-Pro Wrestling School alongside WWE’s Curt Hawkins. They have two events running over WrestleMania week, including one of the kickoff shows on Wednesday, April 3 at 8pm at the Rahway Recreation Center in Rahway, New Jersey. It’s an all-comedy card featuring some comedic pioneers and some hungry young stars, in what should be a fun way to kick off a week-long wrestling mecca. It’s airing live on Fite.tv
Bird Box Match: Shawn Donovan vs. Buster Jackson
Based on the Netflix movie phenomenon Bird Box, the first ever Bird Box Match will see not only both competitors blindfolded but the referee as well. Shawn Donavan is an 18-year pro and longtime veteran of New Jersey’s Independent Wrestling Federation (IWF), where he’s a 2x IWF Heavyweight Champion and 3x IWF Tag Team Champ. He’s been working with WrestlePro since 2016. Buster Jackson is a New Jersey native who started out with Pro Wrestling Syndicate (PWS) before moving to WrestlePro in 2016 as well.
Matt Macintosh vs. Johnny Clash vs. Jake Manning vs. Anthony Bowens
This fatal four way sees four very different personalities in the ring. Matt MacIntosh was a former PWS Heavyweight Champion before Pat Buck created WrestlePro out of PWS’ ashes. When WrestlePro was started, he became the inaugural WrestlePro Champion. He’s also worked for such other promotions as Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), House of Glory (HOG) and more. Johnny Clash is a student from Buck’s Create-A-Pro, where he’s the reigning and 2x CAP Champion. Jake Manning is a 15-year pro from Iowa, who has been a long time regular with Northeast Wrestling (NEW) and Mid Atlantic’s Premier Wrestling Xperience (PWX), where he’s a former PWX Heavyweight Champion. Anthony Bowens is another PWS alumn who moved over to WrestlePro, where he’s a former 2x WrestlePro Champion himself.
Streetfight: Swoggle vs. Dan Maff
Former WWE Superstar Swoggle has a lot of crazy matches over WrestleMania week, and on Wednesday he kicks it off with a streetfight against one of the toughest men on the US indie scene in big Dan Maff. A 20-year ring veteran of the New York scene, he also worked for Ring of Honor in the mid-2000s as part of The Prophecy with BJ Whitmer, where he was a 2x ROH World Tag Team Champion. He’s also been a part of Da Hit Squad with Monsta Mack for over a decade, winning tag gold around the indies. But as a singles wrestler, he’s just as punishing and Swoggle is in for a tough contest.
Tag Team Gauntlet Match – Kevin Matthews & Fallah Bah vs. Blue World Order (Hollywood Nova & Blue Meanie) vs. Team España (Jos A & Jos B) vs. Shook Crew (Bobby Orlando, Bryce Donovan & Max Caster) vs. Breakfast Club (CPA & Francis Kipland Stevens) vs. Massage Force (VSK & Dorian Graves)
A 6-team gauntlet match featuring some tandems that are known to inject some comedic elements into their gimmicks and matches. The IMPACT Wrestling pairing of Kevin Matthews and Fallah Bah seemed an odd duo initially, but the two have achieved a cult-like fandom the past year and become fan favorites. ECW’s Blue World Order (bWo) reunites with Hollywood Nova (Super Nova) and Da Blue Guy (Blue Meanie) representing the faction. Team España, former WrestlePro Trios Champions, are one of WrestlePro’s most popular duos, while the Shook Crew are CAP students ready to break out. The Breakfast Club are also CAP students and former CAP Tag Team Champions, who have been honing their craft for a few years now and are just breaking out with the likes of WrestlePro and Carolina Wrestling Federation (CWF) Mid Atlantic. Massage Force are a tandem that has worked quite regularly with Beyond Wrestling since 2014, as well as WrestlePro and CAP.
“Buzzkiller” Pat Buck vs. Santana Jackson
The head honcho himself, Pat Buck is in action on Wednesday night as well. Apart from being the WrestlePro owner and co-owner of CAP, Buck is a 16-year veteran of the indies himself, with Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), New York Wrestling Connection (NYWC) and much more. He faces a wrestler who’s part Michael Jackson impersonator in Santana Jackson. Jackson went viral last year with the video of him executing his “moonwalk DDT”.
Kikutaro vs. Bobby Hayward
One of the absolute comedic masters in pro wrestling is Japan’s Kikutaro, who celebrates 25 years in the ring in 2019. Kikutaro has wrestled in All Japan, Osaka Pro, DDT Pro, and just about every Japanese promotion, as well as working in the US, where he recently moved. He’s facing another student of Pat Buck in 2x WrestlePro Champion Bobby Hayward, who’s been wrestling since 2012.
Santino Marella & Colt Cabana vs. Heavenly Bodies (Desirable Dustin & Gigolo Justin)
Two veteran funny men, in former WWE Superstar Santino Marella and Ring of Honor’s Colt Cabana, pair up for a tag team match against former 2x WrestlePro Tag Team Champions The Heavenly Bodies. Desirable Dustin & Gigalo Justin have been a tandem since 2012, back in PWS, and continue to be one of WrestlePro’s top teams. They’re not just restricted to WrestlePro however, as they’re also 2x Reality of Wrestling (ROW) Tag Team Champions with Booker T‘s promotion in Texas.
Team Tremendous (Dave Barry & Bill Carr) vs. Demon Bunny (Rosemary & Allie)
Dan Barry and Bill Carr, also known as Team Tremendous, have been a comedic tag team staple on the indies for some time now. Forming in Beyond Wrestling in 2012, the two have also fought in CZW, House of Hardcore, HOG, All American Wrestling (AAW) and even PROGRESS Wrestling in the UK. They’re pairing up against the best friends duo of Demon Bunny, featuring former 2x IMPACT Knockouts Champion (and latest AEW signee) Allie and “The Demon Assassin” Rosemary, a former Knockouts Champion in her own right.
