The biggest pro wrestling event in the Queen City of the season is set to occur this Saturday when Empire State Wrestling returns to its familiar stomping crowds.
ESW will return to Buffalo RiverWorks for Brawlfest 2024. As one of ESW’s marquee events, Brawlfest will feature a star-studded lineup that will include a former World Wrestling Entertainment star plus a litany of top independent wrestling talent from North America and the local scene.
“I’m really excited for what this year’s Brawlfest lineup is going to offer,” said ESW promoter Brett Stymus. “When it comes to wrestling in the City of Buffalo, I don’t think there’s any cards that will come close to what we offer this spring.”
The biggest name headlining Brawlfest is ex-WWE star Elias, now known as Elijah. He will take on the returning “Big League” John McChesney.
There is history between the two. Elijah and McChesney faced each other multiple times in Pittsburgh, Penn. before Elijah signed with WWE, including one in a steel cage.
This Saturday’s match came about when McChesney unexpectedly arrived at ESW’s last event in April.
McChesney interrupted Spring Smash by attacking a new wrestler who was already in the ring and the wrestler was helped to the back. McChesney proceeded to call out Elijah to face him at Brawlfest.
ESW will crown its first-ever Women’s Champion at Brawlfest. At Tough Luck in March, the all-women’s tag team match broke down, resulting in a no-contest.
This led ESW management to declare that all four participants will take part in a four-way match to determine the first champ. The competitors in the match will be “Courageous” Christina Maria, Katie Arquette, “The Violent Vixen” Adena Steele and Haley Dylan.
The other sanctioned title match will be for the ESW Tag Team Championship. The current champions, CXR, will defend the belts in a rematch from Spring Smash against Greed.
CXR retained the titles despite T.J. Epixx being jumped by Greed during their entrance and needing medical attention.
Brawlfest 2024, presented by Empire State Wrestling
The self-proclaimed ESW Heavyweight Champion “Big Time” Bill Collier will be in action. Collier will face “The White Bronco” Channing Decker.
Collier added the Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Cup to his possession after beating “The Inspiration” Gregory Iron for it at Tough Luck. Decker teammed with Robby Vegas, Tommy K and Matt McCoy on the same event in victorious fashion against Edge of Hope.
A scramble match is set for Brawlfest. The participants include Game Changer Wrestling stars “The East Coast Beast” Jordan Oliver and “The Prize” Alec Price, To Infinity & Beyond’s Cheech, High Seas’s Cloudy, “The Holy Hand Grenade” James Sayga and Edge of Hope’s Mattick.
Oliver last wrestled in ESW two years ago, defeating Tre Lamar. Price will comeback after dropping the ESW Interstate Championship in a scramble match in January to Spencer Slade.
Cheech was victorious at Spring Smash in a scramble that included Robby Vegas, Tommy K, Zach Nystrom and Shayne Stetson. Cloudy beat Cody Fluffman in March.
Mattick teammed with stablemates Jeremiah Richter and Cerin Rahne in April to face Sayga and the tag team Starburst.
Cheech’s partner, Colin Delaney, will be in singles action. After failing to capture the ESW Interstate Title from Slade last month, Delaney will look to return to the win column versus “The Gashed” Darren Crowe.
Crowe is also looking to get back to winning matches after losing to “A Cut Above The Rest” Gavin Glass at the last event.
Glass will aspire to extend his current win streak at Brawlfest when he faces Edge of Hope’s Richter. Along with beating Crowe at Spring Smash, Glass beat former ESW Heavyweight Champion Kevin Bennett in March.
In tag action, Will Calrissian will come out of retirement to team with “Red Hot” Vinnie Moon.
They will face Calrissian’s former protegee “His Royal Freshness” Frank Feathers and his ex-student Randy P. The match came into fruition after Moon beat Feathers in March and post-match antics boiled over leading Calrissian to declare his return.
This will be Calrissian’s first match since he entered a War Games steel cage match in November 2019. Randy is a former ESW Tag Team Champion with Andy C as part of the Oliver Street Express.
They faced each other in a dual farewell match in March 2019 before returning to be Kevin Bennett’s cronies in recent years.
Randy P sounded off on the match here:
Rounding out the announced matches, “Buckwild” Tommy K will square off against “Your Captain” Nick Ando. Ando’s last ESW match was in March versus Sayga.
Premium seats are sold out, but general admission tickets are still available at ESWTIX.com. Online ticket stubs can be taken to Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino after the show for $15 in slot plays.
The official afterparty spot will be at Cook’s Bar & Grill, located on Katherine Street in Buffalo.
