Empire State Wrestling makes a star-studded return to Niagara Falls on Saturday in an event that will feature two major returns to its ring.
All-Elite Wrestling’s Danhausen and TNA Wrestling star “Speedball” Mike Bailey come back to ESW for Evil Empire at the Frontier Fire Hall for the promotion’s first event of the fall.
Danhausen will team with ESW Women’s Champion “Courageous” Christina Marie as a tag team called “Courageoushausen”.
The duo will face The Production (Katie Arquette and Derek Dillinger). The match came about after Marie was jumped from behind by The Production in Erie, Penn. Watch the clip of this attack here:
After consulting with ESW management, Marie then responded to The Production in this clip: here
Prior to signing with AEW, Danhausen last appeared in ESW in January 2020 when he defeated “Your Captain” Nick Ando.
Empire State Wrestling Presented Evil Empire
After previously challenging for the ESW Heavyweight Championship in March 2023, Bailey will return to ESW in another high-profile matchup.
The former TNA X-Division Champion will square off against ex-ESW Interstate Champion “The Prize” Alec Price. In his most recent ESW match, Price took part in a six-way scramble match this May.
ESW Tag Team Champions CXR will team with “Buckwild” Tommy K against former ESW Tag Champs High Seas and Groff. Tommy K took on ESW Heavyweight Title Holder Bill Collier in July, while the others in this match competed in the Everything To Gaine Rumble on the same card.
The ETG Rumble was won by Vince Valor, which guaranteed him an Heavyweight Championship opportunity. Collier told ESW management that in order for Valor to get a title match at WrestleBash in November, he must meet certain conditions that he personally set. This includes handpicking who Valor will compete against at Evil Empire.
Valor will face members of Edge of Hope in a three-on-one match. He will go it alone against Cerin Rahne, Darren Crowe and Mattick.
Edge of Hope found themselves on the losing end of many of its ESW matches over the last year. But due to their strength in numbers, the odds likely will be in their favor for this bout.
Gavin Glass will take on John McChesney in singles action. Glass put on an impressive performance in the ETG Rumble, which included eliminating McChesney from the match. McCheseny spoke about this in a recent interview on Erie News Now. You can watch it here:
After being brutalized by ESW Interstate Champion Spencer Slade during the ETG Rumble, James Sayga informed ESW management he wants revenge against Slade and a chance at taking the title from him.
Before getting this title shot, Sayga must face Slade’s previous NWA tag team partner, Rush Freeman. This will be Freeman’s first ESW match.
A tag team match is set between Will Calrissian and Vinnie Moon against Frank Feathers and Randy P.
This match was originally scheduled for Brawlfest 2024, but Feathers and Randy assaulted Calrissian backstage, rendering him unable to compete and turning it into a two-on-one bout. Calrissian returned with vengeance at the ETG Rumble and sought both of them out.
Him and Moon will look for payback against those two at Evil Empire with both sides being on even strength.
Matt McCoy will lock horns with Price Purgold. Purgold tagged with Julio Diamante in his last two ESW matches to challenge for the ESW Tag Titles. McCoy competed in the ETG Rumble in July.
Channing Decker will be in action at Evil Empire. Decker challenged Slade for the Interstate Title at the ESW Keystone event in August and took on Collier for the Heavyweight Title in May.
A canned food drive will be held at Evil Empire to benefit Little Free Pantries: North Tonawanda. ESW is requesting fans provide non-perishable grocery items to help needy families in the local community.
The official Evil Empire afterparty will be at Mooney’s on Main Street in Tonawanda. Fans are welcome to enjoy food and drinks alongside members of the ESW roster and check out the special ESW banner displayed on Mooney’s front patio.
Evil Empire will air live on IndependentWrestling.TV at 7 p.m. EDT. The returning Veda Scott and ESW staple Rob Sanderson are set to do commentary together.
Doors for Evil Empire open at 6 p.m. Pre-sale priced General Admission tickets are available on ESWTIX.com until Friday at midnight for $25 plus service fees. General Admission tickets will be sold at the door for $30.
