What: 2018 Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Weekend
When: All day Friday and Saturday
Where: Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, 712 8th Street Suite 100; Big Blue Parking Garage and Ashby Event Center, 3915 Kell Blvd. E.
Information (940) 264-8123 or pwhf.org
Wrestling fans of all ages from all over the world will be out for the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame’s 17th annual Hall of Fame Induction this weekend in beautiful downtown Wichita Falls.
The first big weekend event will be the customary card of high profile wrestling matches, but this year they will be moved from the corner of 8th and Ohio to the Big Blue parking garage, or what everyone is calling Fight Club.
“A lot of people are calling it Fight Club, said Johnny Mantell, president of the board of directors. “It should really be good in there because it will echo and have a great atmosphere.”
The doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the bell is at 6:30 p.m. he said. The double main event is “Big Guns,” Justin Andrews and Jimbo Lucas vs. “The Dirty Blondes,” Michael Patrick and Brian Brock. The other half of the main event is “Tokyo Monster” Kahagas vs. “The Reinforcer” Andrew Anderson.
Prior to the headlining acts, there will be a light heavyweight match between Erik Grayson vs. Sebastion Envi. “It’s a new junior heavy weight division,” said Mantell, “with a weigh in at 3 p.m. at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. They must weight 208 or under.”
There will also be a Tag Team Challenge between Jerome Daniels and Lou Gotti Sterrett vs. Blue Angel, Jr. and Sangre Guerrera, Jr. Finally, the opening bout will be Jamie Holly vs. Chris Wolfe, “a couple young guys working their way up the ranks.”
Admission is $15 for the first 4 rows ($20 at the door) and general admission is $7 advance ($10 at the door). Tickets are available at the downtown Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, and Natural Grocers.
There will be 1,400 chairs set up in the garage with a huge light stanchion above the ring. They will turn the other lights off in the parking lot.
After the matches are over around 10:30 p.m. or so, one locker room will go to Fuzzy’s to eat dinner and mingle with the crowd. The other group goes to Red Robbin to eat and hang out with fans.
The big wrestling weekend continues from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday with a trade show in the Big Blue lobby and an autograph line.
“Last year at the Meet and Greet, we had 37 wrestlers. You can get autographs and if you want to lean over and get a selfie, you can do that, too,” he said.
They already have Rose, Gorgeous Gary Young, Rod Price, Hollywood John Tatum and Sonny Ono confirmed for the autograph line, but there are only 100 tickets available, Mantell said.
After the trade show, the event moves to Ashby Center (the old Denim and Diamonds) for the formal Induction Banquet. Two inductees have already confirmed their attendance, Toni Rose and 88-year-old Pampero Firpo.
2018 inductees include Pioneer Category (1865 to 1942): Fred Beell and Ralph “Ruffy” Silverstein; Television Division Category (1943 to 1984): Eddie Graham and Ernie “the Cat” Ladd. Modern Era Category (1985 to today): Sting and Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Also included are Ladies: Toni Rose; Territory/Colleague Division: Hiro Matsuda; International Division: Pampero Firpo; Referee Division: Joe Higuchi; Executive Division: Red Bastien and Tag Team Division: “The Flying Redheads” Red Bastien & Billy Red Lyons
“We play a vignette for every inductee and it’s a seated banquet meal. Last year, Larry Hennings sang his induction speech. You never know what these wrestlers are going to do and that’s one of the fun parts about being around them,” Mantell said.
“That said, it will still be a family event,” he emphasized. “There will be no chairs over anyone’s head.”
The Induction Banquet sold out last year, and tickets are available, along with the Meet and Greet, online at pwhf.org or at the museum.
“Wrestlers will also be in and out of the museum all day Friday and Saturday,” he said. General admission for the museum is $3. $2 for military and seniors. Kids under 6 are free.
Proceeds from the weekend events go to keep the Hall of Fame open.