Former WWE star Gangrel coming to Empire State Wrestling

Gangrel set to appear alongside WNY’s top wrestling talent

Empire State Wrestling returns to the St. Johnsburg fire hall, 7165 Ward Road, North Tonawanda, on Saturday, Aug. 17, for “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” Pre-sale general admission tickets are $15. Tickets increase $5 the day of event. Front and second row tickets are sold out. Doors open at 5 p.m. with bell-time at 6 p.m. “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” will be recorded for ESW’s streaming service partners. 

The following wrestlers are scheduled to appear at “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”:

•Former World Wrestling Entertainment star Gangrel will be in action.

•Newly crowned ESW heavyweight champion Daniel Garcia will defend the title for the first time against Beyond Wrestling’s “Blue Thunder” Jay Freddie.

•Local legend Jonny Puma makes his return to in-ring action against viral star “None of a Kind” Anthony Gaines.

•All-Elite Wrestling star Trent Barretta will face “The Blade” Pepper Parks.

•Ex-WWE star Colin Delaney will take on AEW’s Evil Uno.

•North Tonawanda native “The Remix” Kevin Bennett will face Cleveland’s Atticus Cogar.

ESW shows are held throughout the calendar year, primarily at the St. Johnsburg fire hall in North Tonawanda, boasting crowds of over 400 fans. Larger “super show” events are held at the Kenan Center in Lockport, and the Frontier fire hall in Niagara Falls, drawing crowds up to 1,000. ESW also runs on an annual basis outside the Buffalo metropolitan area such as Salamanca and Albion.

As Western New York’s premier independent professional wrestling promotion, ESW over the years hosted many of pro wrestling’s top up-and-comers and biggest legends. Current World Wrestling Entertainment stars Kevin Owens, Luke Harper, Matt Hardy, Rhyno, Jinder Mahal, Curt Hawkins, Cedric Alexander, Ruby Riott and Tony Nese all appeared in ESW’s ring. Pro wrestling legends Kevin Nash, Brutus Beefcake, Billy Gunn, X-Pac, The Honky Tonk Man, Jim Duggan, Demolition, Raven, The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, Papa Shango, The Godfather, Bushwacker Luke and several others also appeared at ESW events.