Pro wrestling show returning to Butler
BUTLER TWP — Sam Adonis is hopeful of wrestling in the WWE down the road.
For now, the Dallas (Texas) resident is happy wrestling in the main event of his father’s show as Dan Polinsky’s Pros of Wrestling promotion is putting on an eight-match card at 7:30 p.m. May 25 in the Tesla Center Crystal Room, formerly known as the Days Inn in Butler.
Adonis, 34, will be taking on former FNW Wrestling standout Derek Dillinger in the main event. Mars graduate Gina Delucia, who had a tryout with WWE, is taking on Women of Wrestling star RayLyn a.k.a Chantilly Chella. WOW airs locally on the Pittsburgh CW channel late at night.
Adonis had his first professional wrestling bout at age 17.
“I grew up on this stuff. It’s been a part of me all my life,” Adonis said of pro wrestling. “I remember riding around on my bike putting up posters promoting shows when I was a kid.”
He is now one of the star wrestlers for the AAA promotion in Mexico, similar in size and interest to the WWE in the United States. Adonis still does a number of independent shows as well.
“My father’s retired now and he’s doing a great job keeping his independent wrestling program going,” he said. “He absolutely loves it and when I’m able to get on one of his cards, it’s a big thrill for me.”
Adonis said he wrestles six to eight times a month. His schedule involves plenty of travel.
“I wrestle back-to-back nights in different cities quite a bit,” he said. “I recall wrestling in Mexico on a Wednesday, Toronto (Ontario) the next night, back in Mexico the night after that.
“The travel takes a bigger toll on your body than the actual wrestling does. We all put up with that side of it because this is our life’s work, we consider ourselves artists and wrestling can be a lucrative business. There’s always a chance you can end up wrestling on TV on Monday nights.
My end goal is to get into WWE. I feel like I’m moving in that direction,“ Adonis added.”
His brother is WWE broadcaster Corey Graves and his sister-in-law is WWE women’s wrestler Carmella.
Polinsky brought a Pros of Wrestling show to the Tesla Ballroom in February and attracted a big crowd.
“We packed the place,” he said. “It was a no-brainer to come back. Now that we’re having a show Memorial Day weekend, we’re calling it a ”Salute to our Heroes.“
Local VFW Honor Guard and first responders will be on hand for the opening of the show. Butler High School 10th grade Chorus member Sophia Cornetti will sing the national anthem and God Bless America.
RayLyn, originally from Imperial and now living in Texas, is looking forward to getting in the ring with Delucia. Her actual name is Rachel Kelvington.
“I know I’ll be the bad guy because I’m going against a local girl,” she said. “When I’m wrestling on TV, I’m usually the good guy, at independent shows, I’m usually the bad guy because I’m going up against somebody somewhat local to that community.
“It’s easy for me to get into character. I’ve been a bartender, a hairdresser, and I’ve met a lot of different people. I take on some of those different personality traits to help develop my character.”
RayLyn has a black belt in karate and has done kickboxing.
“I’m sure this (Delucia) girl is good, but I use a lot of experience and a lot of skills,” she said.
Visit eventbrite.com and search for Pros of Wrestling or call 412-3351622 for tickets.
