A groundbreaking event for Empire State Wrestling will occur this Saturday when it holds Everything To Gaine at Buffalo RiverWorks.
Everything To Gaine is a tribute to former ESW Interstate Champion “None of a Kind” Anthony Gaines, who tragically passed away earlier this year.
Although ESW held battle royals over the years, most notably the Last Chance Battle Royal to earn a spot in the Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Cup match, there is no “Royal Rumble” styled match within the promotion’s regular event itinerary.
Thus, this event holds up to Gaines’s moniker of being uniquely “None of Kind” within ESW’s canon.
Everything To Gaine –
Presented by Empire State Wrestling
Over half of the 25 entrants were announced. Two higher-profile names will enter the rumble.
Former World Wrestling Entertainment star Ricardo Rodriguez will make his ESW debut in the match. Ex-Extreme Championship Wrestling and Ring of Honor star H.C. Loc will also compete in it.
Like many of the wrestlers in the rumble, Loc was friends with Gaines. This includes some of Gaines’s closest friends such as Vince Valor.
The last several months were very difficult for Valor as he dealt with Gaines’s passing, his trainer, Tiberious King, healing from a serious injury, and Bill Collier taking the ESW Heavyweight Championship away from him.
Valor speaks on this and how he hopes to take a step toward redemption at Everything To Gaine in this promo: HERE.
He also discussed this with Buffalo’s CBS affiliate News 4 Buffalo: HERE
Gavin Glass was also one of Gaines’s best friends. After he passed, Glass returned to wrestling at Tough Luck to honor Gaines.
Glass talks about this and more in this promo: HERE
Frank Feathers is another competitor that was a close personal friend of Gaines. Both of them are former ESW Interstate Champions.
Over the last year, he aligned with Kevin Bennett’s entourage and recently was embroiled in a feud with Vinne Moon and his former trainer, Will Calrissian.
The entire Edge of Hope faction will enter the Everything To Gaine Rumble. The quartet is on a losing streak in ESW and look to bounce back in the match.
Watch what Edge of Hope said in this promo: HERE
James Sayga is in a similar situation. After starting off 2023 on a hot streak, Sayga failed to capitalize on several bigger opportunities in ESW and looks to change that at Everything To Gaine.
See what Sayga said in this promo: HERE
The other announced rumble competitors are Nick Ando, Cloudy, Matt McCoy and Tommy K. Many reveals will not occur until they enter the match.
Check out this hype video highlighting some previous ESW battle royal moments: HERE
In other action, Christina Marie will defend the ESW Women’s Championship for the first time ever at Everything To Gaine.
Marie captured the belt in a four-way match in May over Katie Arquette, Haley Dylan, and Adena Steele. She will face the debuting Sammi Chaos, a New Jersey product that is a regular in the Northeast U.S. indie scene.
Spencer Slade will put the ESW Interstate Championship on the line versus Cheech. Slade, who recently signed with the National Wrestling Alliance, beat Cheech’s tag partner Colin Delaney in April.
Cheech won a 6-way scramble match in May over Jordan Oliver, Mattick, Cloudy, Alec Price, and Sayga.
John McCheseny will look to bounce back after receiving several staples in his head from a guitar shot from former WWE star Elijah in May.
He will lock horns with Delaney. This duo share a long history of matches against one another. Delaney picked up the victory against Darren Crowe in May.
Collier, the self-proclaimed ESW Heavyweight Champion, will be in attendance at Everything To Gaine. Although not advertised in a match, Collier will certainly let his presence be known at the event in some fashion.
Tickets are on sale at ESWTIX.com. Front row seats are sold out but a limited amount of second row remains available. Online ticket sales cut off at Midnight on Friday. Ticket prices rise by $5 at the door.
Anthony Gaines wristbands will be available for purchase at Valor’s merchandise table. All proceeds from these sales will go to Gaines’s family.
Doors for Everything To Gaine open at 5 p.m. The opening bell is set for 6 p.m.
