LuchaRumble wrestling mania slams Greenport

Lucharitos’ fourth annual LuchaRumble, a raucous wrestling event, will sham-”rock” Greenport’s American Legion’s Burton Potter Post 185 this Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day.

To host this year’s spectacle, Marc LaMaina, the restaurateur behind the Lucharitos brand, which will offer food and adult and nonalcoholic beverages at the event, partnered with Joe Ocasio and his Championship Entertainment Productions professional wrestling company.

“We approached Mindy Ryan, who mans the helm at the Greenport American Legion, last year about the possibility of running a show and possibly a season of live pro wrestling — which is in talks — and she and the veterans were excited about the prospect,” Mr. LaMaina said via text message. “That really got us excited to bring wrestling back to Greenport. Joe and [wrestler Leonard Totora] and a few dedicated Greenporters are all in with me on making this a great evening of family-friendly pro wrestling. But none of this happens without the wrestlers. We are lucky to have such a great group of men and women who put it all on the line to entertain. These wrestlers are all class acts outside of the ring. However, some of them aren’t so nice inside the ring.”

Anyone familiar with previous LuchaRumbles or the matches briefly held at Mattituck Cinemas may recognize Mr. Ocasio as the Long Island Landmine. Unfortunately, the East Meadow resident will not don his wrestling boots this Sunday, as he is currently healing a torn ACL. Regardless, he promises “a really good time” for the whole family.

“It’s something different to do on St. Patrick’s Day, something great for family or even for a group of friends,” the wrestler and promoter said. “I think things get pretty mundane, just going to bars aimlessly. This gives you something to do while you enjoy yourself. It’s a different experience, it’s something great for the community and I think it’s going to be a home run.”

While the event will entertain the community on a popular party night, it’s also an important work night for the wrestlers Mr. Ocasio has lined up to step into the ring.

“They’re independent contractors, so I really do encourage everybody coming to take a look at all the pro wrestlers that are at the event, and especially, if they take a liking to them, get some of their merchandise,” Mr. Ocasio said. Children’s luchador masks will also be available at the event.

Among the wrestlers who will rock the legion hall is Mr. Totora, a.k.a. the black-clad, long-haired, trash-talking heel Dixon, who will fight a still-unannounced opponent Sunday. When he tried to whack his opponent with a steel chair at an event at Mattituck Cinemas last May, Greenport’s own Ryan Creighton had to step into the ring to teach the wrestler a lesson in the form of a forceful right cross. Recently, Dixon has been throwing digital jabs at Greenport native Ricky Saetta, the artist known as Ricky TeeVee.

“Dixon has been talking a lot of smack about Ricky TeeVee, because he’s a jealous S.O.B,” Mr. Ocasio said. “It’s going to be really fun and exciting. It’s pro wrestling, you never know what might happen, but [Ricky TeeVee] will be present and ready for whatever happens.”

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the wrestlers will be ready to rumble at 6 p.m. General admission tickets cost $25 and VIP tickets, which include front-row seating, a meet and greet in the ring after the show and a swag bag, cost $50. Tickets are available from purchase through a Venmo payment to @lucharitos. Transactions should include the ticket purchaser’s full name, the words “wrestling tickets” and the number of tickets they wish to purchase.