September is finally here, and Northeast Wrestling’s biggest event ever is right around the corner. Just like you guys (and ladies), I’ve been looking forward to NEW’s mega-event on 9/22 at Dutchess Stadium for months.
I’ve been lucky enough to help call the action for NEW events for more than seven years now, and I can honestly say that there have been many events that I just assumed we could never top. When we welcomed stars like Chris Jericho, Ric Flair and Bret “Hitman” Hart, I thought we peaked each time. I mean, how could we possibly top that? When the likes of Kurt Angle, Christian, Jeff Hardy, Mick Foley and John Morrison went all-out in our ring, I just knew it wouldn’t get any better. When legends like Roddy Piper and The Ultimate Warrior made special appearances for NEW, I couldn’t believe that we could outdo ourselves again. When we brought packed houses back to the Mid-Hudson Civic Center…well, you get the idea. But then, Northeast Wrestling officials dropped two words that would change the game again…
…Hulk Hogan.
The cartoons. The movies. The books. The TV shows. The sold-out arenas and stadiums year after year. The World Championships. The bodyslam heard 'round the world. The Monday Night Wars. The training, the prayers and the vitamins. The Black and white. The red and yellow. Add them together and what do you get? Simply put, the most popular, recognizable icon in the history of professional wrestling., and because you demanded it, he is finally returning to the New York area to be a part of this amazing night. It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this man in the flesh, and I am genuinely excited for all of the fans from distances far and wide who are making plans to join us.
By the way, I can't remember the last time that Hogan and his oldest and most notable archrival, Rowdy" Roddy Piper, were in the same place at the same time, but it will happen on 9/22. We are scheduled for an awesome fireworks display after the show... wonder if there will be any during it?
With the appearances of these two icons, NEW is experiencing record-setting demand for tickets to this event. I highly encourage you to log onto northeastwrestling.com right away to order tickets or find out where/how to buy them while they are still available.
Other thoughts on “Wrestling Under The Stars”:
Brian Anthony vs. Matt Taven: To me, this is the biggest NEW Championship match in years...perhaps ever. Two natural rivals who became bitter enemies go at it one more time for the richest prize in Northeast Wrestling, along with of all the pride that goes with it. I've personally witnessed both men rise from the bottom of the roster, emerging in their own time as NEW's two biggest franchise players. Ego, jealousy and plain-old competitiveness ensured that these two could never truly coexist, but with so much on the line, who will truly step up to the plate (you know, because it's a baseball stadium) and finally prove that they are the better man? As usual, Taven will have the vixen-like Kasey Ray at his side for what could be his final chance to win back the gold he held for two long years. Can Anthony rely on the support of his "Anthony Army" of fans to push him to victory in what will assuredly be a brutal falls-count-anywhere battle?
Vader: Has there ever been a more physically-dominant superheavyweight in wrestling? Over the years, most men of that enormous size would simply wait for their opponent to come to them. Instead, Vader would come after you and then beat you senseless for daring to get in his ring. All aggression, all impact... and now, the man called Vader looks to follow up on his recent appearances on WWE Raw by proving that he's as tough as ever when he gets down and dirty at "The Dutch".
Matt Hardy vs. Sami Callihan: Many of you have seen the debuting Callihan on Youtube or DVD, where his hard-hitting domination of the "underground" wrestling world has earned him a cult following, He'll have a lot to prove on 9/22, as will Hardy, who wants to re-establish himself as one of today's very best. The intensity (and skill level) for this one should be off the charts for this first-time matchup, and that could make for a classic encounter.
Diva's Tag Match - I could go on and on about how much I'm looking forward to this one, but 9/22's picture will certainly be worth a thousand words. Leave it to NEW Original Velvet Sky to make sure that the long-awaited reunion of The Beautiful People would happen right here in Northeast Wrestling. She and Angelina, together again, are sure to strike one heck of a chord with most of the menfolk that will help pack Dutchess Stadium, but the hottest tandem in wrestling had better keep their eye on the ball (because it's a baseball... oh, never mind). The hot-tempered Rosita seems determined to knock the blonds down a peg, while Madison Rayne's history with Love and Sky might give her team a tough edge to beat. Dont forget about special guest referee Amy "Lita" Dumas, who will not be intimidated by any of these four ferocious females.
Jerry Lawler and NY Yankee Joe Ausanio vs. Romeo Roselli and Luke Robinson: When NEW officials suggeste that "The King" and "Cool Hand" Luke pick tag partners from the NY area for this huge challenge match, it was no shocker that Luke went straight to the clubs... and came back with NEW Original (and former opponent of Lawler's Romeo Roselli. Lawler, on the other hand, wasn't too concerned with finding a great wrestler... he wanted a winner, so he went to the Yankee yearbook and found former pitcher (and local hero) Ausanio. This one should be one heck of an entertaining spectacle, but who is truly the X factor in this one... the inexperienced Ausanio or Roselli and Robinson's manager for the night, longtime Lawler arch-enemy Jimmy Hart?
Let's not forget that there are plenty of other huge stars set for competition on 9/22, including the debuting Dustin Rhodes FKA Golddust, whose unique brand of weirdness infused a great deal of "attitude" into pro wrestling's hottest years. The man called Vader proved that he is as hard-hitting as ever on WWE Raw not long ago, and it'll be a big-fight feel when the former three-time World Champion makes a rare appearance inside the squared circle on 9/22. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan remains wrestling's most popular patriot, and it'll be a real treat to see him kick some butt under the stars...and, presumably, Old Glory. NY's own will also get a chance to shine in the form of debuting sensation Tony Nese and WWE developmental prospect Bill Carr.
Also, remember to adjust your plans to get to the stadium early and be a part of the biggest meet & greet session in Northeast Wrestling history. Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Vader, Matt Hardy, Jerry Lawler, Lita and all of the superstars on that night's event will be a part of this one-of-a-kind mega-experience. You've seen the usual wrestling conventions that give you a few big names, so don't miss your chance to attend on 9/22 and get up, close and personal with all of the biggest stars in wrestling at one time.
As always, keep a lookout for even more updates on "Wrestling Under The Stars" and future events at Northeastwrestling.com, as well as our facebook and twitter (@newwrestling1) fan pages, and feel free to drop me a line at gerrystrauss@aol.com or on my twitter/facebook pages. 'Til then, I'll see you from behind the mic at Dutchess Stadium on 9/22! 
