By Michael Heilman
History was made Friday Night January 26, 2018, as professional wrestling made its long-awaited debut in the Campus Event Center Room at Stockton University. “Old Time Wrestling” is an independent wrestling company located in Williamstown, New Jersey. Wrestlers took the stage in front of fans, students and faculty. This event was sponsored by the Student Veterans Organization. Wrestlers Mik Drake, Eddie Hawkins, Jay Evans, Bonesaw Jesse Brooks and more showcased their skills in front of a packed house.
How did professional wrestling finally make its long-anticipated debut? Caleb Taylor from the Stockton Student Veterans Organization explained, “we were looking for new ideas for fundraisers and new ways of bringing money in.” Taylor also noted that “some of the money goes to the Guyer 6 Foundation, which is a fund for Veterans attending Stockton University. Veterans in need of financial help can receive a one-time, non-repayable donation. Veterans don’t have to repay the donation.
This event took a month to put together. Taylor said, “Nate Bott wanted to bring wrestling to Stockton and use to wrestle for this company. He put us in contact with owner Jim Molineaux and Mik Drake, who used to work in Student Affairs at Stockton University. Having those two connections is what brought them here.”
These connections paid off as the event sold over 170 tickets. The action was fast paced, hard hitting, and full of acrobatic moves. The wrestlers interacted with the audience during the show something you don’t see enough of in major wrestling promotions. The event was a huge success for Stockton University, OTW and most importantly, the fans. With the first pro wrestling show in the books, let’s hope that more wrestling shows will return to Stockton University in the near future.
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