Author: DJ Jarka

As Empire State Wrestling nears the end of its event schedule for the year, it looks to close out 2025 in a major way. ESW will conclude the year at WrestleBash XV at Buffalo RiverWorks on Friday night with a slew of highly recognizable names to many wrestling fans. Empire State Wrestling presents WrestleBash XV World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Famer Teddy Long will be in attendance. A meet and greet will be held for fans to interact with Long. But the marquee names do not end there. Former Total Nonstop Action Wrestling World Champion Mike Santana will make his…

With Empire State Wrestling’s “4th and Gold” now in the books, my focus turned as I was labouring through  September. Due to outside circumstances, September was an off month from refereeing for me. Friends from out of the area came in for Labor Day weekend and I also hosted my fantasy football draft (now in its 19th season) so I could not make the last Southern Tier Wrestling show in Jamestown, N.Y. I cannot make the next Empire State Wrestling show in Salamanca, N.Y., due to my day job as I am laboring through September. Laboring through September But wrestling-oriented…

In 2018, I explore my experiences over the latest independent wrestling show I worked on. Empire State Wrestling’s “4th and Gold” event in at the St. Johnsburg Fire Hall North Tonawanda, N.Y. (a suburb of Buffalo). This event was different from previous events held at St. Johnsburg as before the show there was a superfan tailgate party. The party featured games, food, beer, and other activities the fans could partake in alongside ESW wrestlers and staff. There was one activity I was a part of that left me a bit drenched: a dunk tank. As the party kicked off, I…

When Empire State Wrestling returns to its traditional stomping grounds in Niagara Falls this Friday, it will do so in a groundbreaking fashion with 1 FALL!. A first-time-ever dream match is scheduled for its next event 1 FALL! This match will feature Miracle Generation versus former Game Changer Wrestling Tag Team Champions Bustah & The Brain – the team of “The Prize” Alec Price and “The East Coast Ace” Jordan Oliver. “Bringing in the best talent to the Buffalo area is one of my biggest priorities,” said ESW promoter Brett Stymus. “And I think we hit the nail on the…

Empire State Wrestling will continue to honor the legacy of one of its most cherished roster members when it returns to Buffalo RiverWorks on Saturday, July 26, with Everything to Gaine 2025. Everything To Gaine 2025 will once again celebrate the life of the late “None of a Kind” Anthony Gaines. The highlight of the event will be the second annual Everything To Gaine Rumble, with the winner receiving an ESW Heavyweight Championship title shot. Everything To Gaine 2025 Last year’s winner was one of Gaines’s best friends, “Invincible” Vince Valor, who used his opportunity to defeat “Big Time” Bill…

Empire State Wrestling will hold its first Buffalo RiverWorks event of the year this Friday with Brawlfest 2025. The event will feature several notable names making their ESW debuts including one of the biggest champions currently on the indie wrestling scene. “I am fully committed to bringing in the best talent available to ESW in an effort to provide the most exciting matchups to all our dedicated fans,” said ESW promoter Brett Stymus. Brawlfest 2025 presented by Empire State Wrestling Reigning Game Changer Wrestling World Champion Effy will make his ESW debut. According to Stymus, Effy is one of the…

Empire State Wrestling continues its annual tradition of hosting a benefit for the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Department this Saturday when it holds Spring Smash 3 at Medina High School. This will be the third consecutive year a ESVFD wrestling fundraiser will be held at the local high school. Prior charity events were held at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds located in Albion, N.Y. The first of these was held in 2018. “This is the 5th year (excluding the COVID years) that we’ve had the privilege of hosting this fundraiser with ESW,” said ESVFD event organizer Ryan McPherson. “They’ve done…

Empire State Wrestling will hold its first New York State event of the year this Saturday. “Tough Luck ‘25” will occur at the Frontier Fire Hall in Niagara Falls. Tough Luck 25 “I’m excited to bring ESW action back to our regular stomping grounds,” said ESW promoter Brett Stymus. “I think all our fans are in for a real treat with the action-packed night we have in store for them.” Tough Luck ‘25 will see  newly crowned ESW champions in action. Among those will be ESW Interstate Champion “The Holy Hand Grenade” James Sayga. After chasing the title over the…

Empire State Keystone presents Crisis. Empire State Wrestling will hold its first event of 2025 this Saturday. The event will be under its Keystone brand in Erie, Penn. at the Saga Club. The event, called “Crisis”, will feature a mix of Erie-based wrestlers and wrestlers from ESW’s main roster. However, this event will also be a last. Upon news that the Saga Club was acquired by new ownership, this will be the final ESW Keystone event held there. The closing occurs nearly one calendar year since ESW expanded into Pennsylvania by buying the previous home promotion at the venue, Pro…

Hello, everybody! It’s been a long time since I sat down and punched out a blog. This past year was busier than I expected not just in the wrestling world but outside it, too. With a lull in family and wrestling activities after the holiday season, I caught up with things and reached a point where I could write about my referee journey again. The last event I blogged about was Buffalo Championship Wrestling’s February 2024 event WrestleSunday II. A full year of events occurred that I did not write about. There is no way I can do separate blogs…