Attention wrestling enthusiasts! Stars from Empire State Wrestling (ESW) will be on hand at the Collectors’ Expo in the Buffalo Irish Center on Saturday to greet fans, sign autographs and talk about their sport.
Wrestler Danny Garcia will visit at 9 a.m., followed by Vince Valor at 9:30 a.m. and current ESW tag team champions Oliver Street Express at 10:15 a.m. Popular ESW ring announcer and comedian Chris Gullo will attend the Collectors’ Expo at approximately 9:30 a.m.
ESW will also host an informational table during the event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Irish Center is located at 245 Abbott Road in South Buffalo.
ESW promotes eight shows a year, primarily held at the St. Johnsburg Fire Hall in North Tonawanda, boasting crowds of over 400 wrestling fans who come to cheer the good guys and boo the bad guys of the sport. Larger “super show” events have been held at the Kenan Center in Lockport and the Frontier Fire Hall in Niagara Falls, drawing crowds of up to 1,000.
As Western New York’s premier independent professional wrestling promotion, ESW over the years has hosted many of pro wrestling’s top up-and-comers and biggest legends. Current World Wrestling Entertainment stars Kevin Owens, Luke Harper, Goldust, Rhyno, Jinder Mahal, Curt Hawkins, Cedric Alexander, Rich Swann and Tony Nese have all appeared in ESW’s ring. Pro wrestling legends Kevin Nash, Brutus Beefcake, Billy Gunn, X-Pac, The Honky Tonk Man, Jim Duggan, Demolition, Matt Hardy, Raven, The Sandman and several others have also appeared at ESW events.
Founded in 2002, ESW is run by Brett Stymus of Lockport. Over half of the performers involved in ESW reside in the Western New York area. For more information, please visit www.eswwrestling.com.
The Collectors’ Expo will feature more than 30 artisan, collectible and memorabilia vendors and 50-plus merchandise tables. Admission is $2, while kids under 10 will be admitted free. All attendees will also receive a free pack of “vintage” baseball, football or hockey cards while supplies last. All money collected at the door will benefit Dog Ears Bookstore, South Buffalo Alive and the Buffalo Irish Center. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/Collectors-Expo-162985497593654.
