ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – On Saturday, February 24, UPW Pro Wrestling is celebrating a quarter of a century with an event at the Delta County Chamber of Commerce.
“UPW has been around a long time, and it’s had a lot of peaks and valleys,” said UPW Pro Wrestling Owner Lloyd Sarrel. “We did shows a lot at The Delft, and for the last three to four years, we’ve predominantly been out of Iron Mountain at The Maxx. With it being the 25th anniversary, we thought it would be apropos to come back and do a show in Escanaba.”
The family-friendly event will feature a full roster of talent, including a notable WWE alumnus.
“I started wrestling in 1996, then in 1999, I was hired by WWE to be a developmental talent,” said professional wrestler Nick Dinsmore. “In 2004, I debuted on TV, WWE Monday Night Raw as the lovable character Eugene. I was also a coach for them, 2013 – 2015. In between there, I started my own wrestling company, and it’s pretty much consumed my life.”
Wrestlers like Devon Sischo, known professionally as The Dev, are representing the younger generation of wrestling.
“I’ve been in this business for about seven years, but I’ve been around the business my whole life,” he said. “It was my escape from reality. I managed my dad, Peter B. Beautiful, with my uncle. I had my first match at 13. It’s been a journey.”
Jason Ferrier, who goes by J-Sin in the ring, says they all share a lifelong passion for what they do.
“I was the biggest wrestling fan, but it was never in my thought process to be a pro wrestler,” he said. “I was a professional speed skater. I found a pro wrestling school, went there, 22 years later, here I am. It was really a dream, but the only thing I’ve ever loved in my entire life is pro wrestling.”
Sarrel says Saturday’s show will feature a series of major showdowns.
“Our heavyweight champion, our American champion, our tag team champions, and our women’s champion are all on the line,” he said. “There’s a grudge match that’s happening with the three UPW originals—Peter B. Beautiful, Slick Rick, and Supreme Brett Powers—taking on Judge Jesse, Rick Caurdiea, and Johnny Shane.”
The wrestlers invite fans of all ages to join the experience that’s been drawing fans to UPW Pro Wrestling for the last 25 years.
“There’s some magic with professional wrestling that just draws people in like a family,” said Dinsmore. “When a company has a good product, it has characters that people will relate to, they’ll keep coming back. UPW has definitely done that.”
“Just being blunt, life’s hard,” Ferrier said. “It’s not a lot of fun out there. You have bills, you have to go to work. When you walk through that door, forget about that.
Be entertained. I want people to be completely lost and enjoy themself. And whether it’s booing or cheering, just have fun.”
Tickets for the UPW Pro Wrestling 25th Anniversary Extravaganza will be available at the event. General admission is $15. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with belltime at 7:00 p.m. Click here for more event details.
For fans outside of Delta County, UPW Pro Wrestling is hosting Maxximum Carnage in Iron Mountain on March 30, followed by MarquetteMania 2 at Marquette’s Lakeview Arena on May 4. Visit the UPW Pro Wrestling Facebook page or upwuprising.com for more information.
