Ex-WWE Matt Cardona star to challenge for ESW heavyweight championship

Press Release 

Empire State Wrestling will bring Western New York's best independent wrestling product back to Buffalo RiverWorks on Saturday, May 13, with “Brawlfest” 2023. The headlining match for Brawlfest will feature ex-World Wrestling Entertainment start "Indy God" Matt Cardona (formerly known as Zack Ryder) against ESW heavyweight champion "The Remix" Kevin Bennett.

Since exiting WWE, Cardona has won numerous wrestling titles across the independent wrestling scene. He will attempt to add the ESW heavyweight title to his collection when he faces Bennett at “Brawlfest.” Bennett has accumulated an impressive amount of gold over the past few years, including the Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Cup.

Other matches scheduled for “Brawlfest” include:

√ ESW interstate champion "The Prize" Alec Price versus "The Holy Hand Grenade" James Sayga

√ ESW tag team champions High Seas versus To Infinity And Beyond

√ Dog collar match: "His Royal Freshness" Frank Feathers versus "Invincible" Vince Valor

√ Bang Bros versus CXR

√ "Courageous" Christina Marie versus Ray Lyn

√ "Big Time" Bill Collier versus "Raddy Daddy" Cole Radrick

√ Trevor Outlaw versus "The Cambodian Dragon" Yoya versus "Sky Prince" Anthony Young versus Alex Daniels

√ "The Inspiration" Gregory Iron, "Rockstar" Robby Vegas, "Buck Wild" Tommy K and others will be in action

Front-row and second-row tickets are sold out. General admission tickets are $20. Balcony tickets are $40. Tickets can be purchased at ESWTIX.com (service fees apply). Ticket prices increase by $5 on event day. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the opening bell set for 7 p.m. “Brawlfest” will air live on IndependentWrestling.TV.

Upcoming Events

√ “Friday Night Heat” on Friday, June 23, at Frontier Fire Hall in Niagara Falls

√ “Mayhem at the McCarthy” on Sunday, July 16, at McCarthy Ice Arena in Batavia

Anyone interested in vendor space or sponsoring either of these events can email [email protected] for more details.