There was a time not that long ago when watching a wrestling match was considered good wholesome fun.
In fact, the first time Mark Bartolucci was exposed to the sport, he was with his Nonna.
When Bartolucci, AKA El Tornado, and the rest of the Maximum Pro Wrestling crew put on a show to open the Italian Festival, they will be bringing the sport back to where it began. There is no choreography or questionable actions — just feats of athleticism.
“It's the circus, MMA, figure skating and demolition derby all rolled into one,” Bartolucci said with a laugh. “We play off the crowd ... and we do beat each other up — badly.”
To top it off, the event is also a fundraiser for the Sudbury Playground Hockey League. Full proceeds from $15 tickets will go to supporting youth hockey in the city.
A good show, for a good cause, starring a hometown fighter. A promising evening of entertainment indeed.
Bartolucci has been on the professional wrestling circuit for nearly two decades.
“As soon as I stepped in the ring, I fell in love,” he said.
Within two months, he was going into the ring with the best of the best.
“I never looked back,” he said.
His career has taken him all over — he did a five-year stint with the WWE's talent enhancement program, he won titles and although he was never signed, “we sure wrestled a lot” at major venues.
“It's the realest sport I've ever been in,” he said.
While the sport has a tendency to push the body, Bartolucci has managed to remain free of major injuries, despite the rough nature of his sport. A success in itself, Bartolucci is able to maximize on his performance record and continued ability to perform to enhance the in which he competes in.
Every show Maximum Pro Wrestling puts on is geared to help a local charity in the host city.
In the case of the Sudbury Playground Hockey League, Bartolucci said it was an easy choice.
“I have experience with them,” he said.
The show, which has been kicking off the Italian Festival for the past few years, is once again getting the cultural festival started. Bartolucci and about a dozen other fighters will duke it out at the Caruso Club beginning at 7 p.m. on July 4.
Tickets can be purchased in advance from the Caruso Club or at Rock Topic.
Furthermore, Sudbury Sports Mag, NorthernLife.ca's sister publication, is hosting a ticket give-away contest for two tickets to Maximum Pro Wrestling's July 4 event at the Caruso Club. Three winners will be selected. For your chance to win, submit a selfie of your meanest-looking wrestling face to Sudbury Sports Mag's Facebook page. Winners will be announced July 3.
Be Italian for a day
While the wrestlers are kicking off the Italian Festival, they certainly aren't the only attraction.
What kind of Italian celebration could be complete without mountains of food, foosball and soccer? The weekend-long event is an opportunity for Italians, and people who simply appreciate the culture, to be part of it's many traditions.
There is something for everyone — including a children's area, a “disco-techa,” and of course the famous Regions of Italy Food Fair.
For more information, visit www.carusoclub.ca.
