POWNAL — Everyone, get ready to rumble in Pownal. Xtreme Wrestling Alliance, out of Albany, N.Y., is coming to Pownal Elementary School next Saturday, Feb. 4, for a professional wrestling show that includes former WWE star Fandango and “Baby Gorilla” Andrew Anderson, who appeared in the 2008 Mickey Rourke film, “The Wrestler.”
Doors at Pownal Elementary will open at 5:30 p.m., with wrestling starting at 6:30 p.m.. Pownal Parent Teacher Group will be running concessions for the event, for which they will keep the proceeds.
Jerry Farrington, who runs Xtreme Wrestling Alliance, said parents need not worry too much if kids want to watch the show.
“Being that it’s an elementary school, it’s not going to be quite as crazy… We’ve got to watch the language and the mannerisms,” he said. “It’s still going to be a lot of fun, I’m just going to have the guys tone it down a little bit.”
A former wrestler himself, Farrington went by “Gorgeous” Jerry Idol during his days in the ring. He trained at Walter “Killer” Kowalski’s school of professional wrestling in Malden, Mass. with some of the biggest names in WWE, including Paul Levesque (more commonly known as “Triple H”) and Perry Satullo (“Perry Saturn”).
Farrington retired from wrestling after 10 years in 2003 due to injury. Now, instead of being the limelight, he teaches the next generation of wrestlers at Xtreme Wrestling Alliance.
The former grappler said Saturday’s show is an opportunity for fans to come out and get up close to watch big names like Fandango and Anderson, as well as catching a glimpse of potential future stars in the wrestling world.
Farrington said events like these are comparable to minor league baseball, with personalities hoping to one day make it to “The show,” and you never know when scouts are going to be there.
“I know they do it in New York City a lot, and in Jersey. I don’t know about around here,” he said. “Wrestling hasn’t been in Vermont in a long time.”
While Vermont isn’t known as a wrestling hotbed, Farrington said he was happy to do a show in the area, especially for a good cause.
“I’ve always loved the area,” he said. “It’s just a nice ride, and the people are friendly.”
Also included on the card that features 12 wrestlers are Viktor Vanko and Shockwave, the breakdancing robot, both of whom Farrington said are indispensable to him in the everyday training at his wrestling school.
For tickets, call 518-795-5705, or buy them in person at Gamer’s Grotto on Main Street in Bennington. They are $20 if purchased ahead of time and $25 at the door.