Pro Wrestling to stomp on Belleville

Courtesy of NPWS/ Pro Wrestling to stomp on Belleville.

 

By Jeff Bahr

Belleville will be treated to raucous larger-than-life physical theater (ouch!) when all-star professional wrestling returns to town for two shows on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 17 and 18, at the Knights of Columbus hall, 94 Bridge St. The event will be hosted by National Pro-Wrestling Superstars (NPWS) and will help to benefit the Knights of Columbus organization.

The Friday night show pays tribute to WWE Hall-of-Fame manager, Captain Lou Albano, who passed on to that great squared-circle-in-the-sky in 2009.

For those who remember the 350-pound Albano, nothing more really needs to be said. For those that don’t, the man who wore the cheesy rubber band around his beard and acted as one-third of the “Triumvirate of Terror” was equal parts vile, tasteless, underhanded, conniving, despicable, sleazy, backstabbing, hateful, creepy, and gross.

Most importantly, however, Albano was and still is beloved by wrestling fans worldwide. You say that last description doesn’t square with the ones that came before it? Look, jabroni, as the pro wrestlers say, don’t go there! We all might meet Captain Lou in person when our time on earth expires. We don’t need to get the big fellow mad!

With this brand of admiration for Albano in mind, the annual 2012 Captain Lou Albano Memorial J-Cup Tag-Team Tournament is slated to bend the turnbuckles at 7:45 p.m. The one-night single elimination tournament will feature “twelve of the best tag-teams on the independent circuit today,” according to NPWS spokesman Joe Panzarino.

The 2011 winning team of tag-team wrestlers, Delaware’s own “Mr. Entertainment” J.D. Smoothie & “The White Urkel” B. Fehrm will be on hand to defend their shiny trophy. Other pairings will include the bone-smashing talents of The Gavone Brothers (“Smiling Smith James and Big Vic Vorhees), the Lords of Rock and Roll (The Jersey Kidd and “Retro Rocker” Rikki Roxx), and ROH star, Rhett “The Threat” Titus. NPWS Junior Heavyweight Champion “Jersey Shore Jock” Mike Dennis will also be on hand, reports Panzarino.

Returning Saturday night for a second dose of confrontations, altercations and lacerations, NPWS is featuring defending tournament winner “The Love Machine” Nicky Oceans and a host of other wrestlers in the 2012 Chris Candido Memorial Jersey J-Cup Tournament – a one-night single elimination competition featuring “some of the best cruiserweights and junior heavyweights on the circuit today,” an NPWS press release says.

The New Jersey-born Candido, a former star of the WWE, ECW, and TNA wrestling organizations, passed away in 2005 at just 33 years of age.

Women Superstars Uncensored stars Alicia, Jennifer Cruz, and Kimberly will also be making appearances during the weekend, Panzarino said.

Single show tickets are priced at $19 for adults and $17 for children and seniors. Two-show tickets are available for $28. Tickets are available at the following outlets:

Belleville: Rosebuds, 528 Joralemon St.

Nutley: Maniero’s Sport Shop, 234 Franklin Ave.

Kearny: New Linden Deli, 690 Kearny Ave.

North Arlington: United Check Cashing: 7 Ridge Rd.

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