Pro wrestling stars running event to benefit Tunnel to Towers

Professional wrestling stars Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo are set to inflict pain on a live audience in New Jersey next month for a good cause.

Maclin, who performs for TNA Wrestling (TNA), and Purrazzo, Ring of Honor’s (ROH) current women’s pure champion, will host Battle for the Brave: Wrestling Showcase for Heroes, which will benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

The bell will ring at 7 p.m. on June 6 at the Rahway Recreation Center in Rahway. Purrazzo said he and Maclin came up with the idea of ​​hosting a wrestling benefit show after working with Josh Lentin on the Heroes Cup Hockey Tournament. Purrazzo, who has been a wrestler for more than a decade, told Fox News Digital that he wasn’t sure they would really like promoting an event, but he specifically took on the challenge for a great cause.

Purrazzo added that he wasn’t exactly sure how the professional wrestling world would react to the event, but the support was tremendous.

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“It’s a great cause because the entire New York/New Jersey area, the Tri-State area, was really impacted by 9/11. It impacted both of our lives,” Maclin told Fox News Digital. “I enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2005. It affected everyone, so especially a lot of the talent on the card, everyone has some sort of story or connection to 9/11.

“And with Tunnel to Towers, a lot of people in this area love the cause and love what Tunnel to Towers does for the community by helping families of first responders, paying mortgages, paying for smart homes for injured veterans, and now paying college tuition for families of first responders and veterans who have lost loved ones.”

Maclin shed light on his service as a U.S. Marine. He served as a machine gunner in the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Weapons Company. He toured in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan between 2007 and 2011.

“Like I said before, 9/11 was a huge part of my life as a kid growing up,” he explained. “I grew up just outside of New York City. I was in my home room when 9/11 happened. It pulled me in that direction. It changed a lot of people’s lives. And for the better in me, because it instilled in me what I always knew I had to do, and that was to serve my country and fight for my country no matter what.”

“I chose the Marine Corps because the Marine Corps is the best. I’ve always been that way. I just try to work hard and keep one foot forward and keep moving forward, and it’s been a rollercoaster ride ever since. Now, here we are almost 25 years later and we’re putting on a wrestling show in honor of 9/11 and our first responders.”

The Battle of the Braves will coincide with America’s 250th birthday and America 250 celebrations across the United States. UFC is hosting an event at the White House in June, while IndyCar is preparing to race on the streets of Washington, D.C. in August.

Purrazzo and Maclin shared what being an American means to them, while growing proud of the United States.

“Growing up in New Jersey, 9/11 was a huge event. For me, I was in second grade. I didn’t understand what was going on, but in the days that followed, I felt a sense of unity where everyone was coming together, everyone was proud to be Americans, and we were going to fight and stand together and become one, united country. And I think that feeling always stayed with me, but as a veteran’s spouse, it took on a completely different role.”

“Having Steve share with me about his service and the things he saw and experienced with me gave me a new passion for letting veterans know that yes, war always comes home with you, but it doesn’t have to define you. Steve was so lucky that he was able to find wrestling right after he left the Marine Corps, and it kind of made him wonder, ‘What am I? Who am I next?’ It saved me from falling on the unknown path.

Professional wrestling stars Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo look at each other. (Provided to Fox News Digital)

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“And I think that’s something that our veterans are dealing with without the rest of the public knowing about it. It’s not talked about enough. They say 22 veterans, but right now the math adds up to 44 veterans a day losing their lives in this war – an identity crisis of who am I after service? So for me now, that’s what being an American is about, showing support for our veterans, showing that our country is here for them and that we’re here to support them, and that we’re here to support them. giving them the resources they need to live healthy and successful lives after service.”

Maclin recalled working on some of the Tunnel to Towers events earlier this year, which underlined what he was fighting for in Afghanistan.

“It didn’t matter who they were, man, woman, black, white, race, gender, anything. Everyone was praising our country and waving the red, white and blue American flag,” he said. “I know there is hostility towards certain views today, and for me, that’s what I’m fighting for, I’m still fighting for that.

“And when we have children in this world, we can pass on the knowledge; no matter what, I always want to preserve that pride in our country and fight for what we’re really fighting for: our brothers and neighbors.”

A Gallup poll conducted last June revealed that Americans’ pride in their country has waned, while a Fox News poll showed that six in 10 people are proud of the United States today.

Professional wrestling stars Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo became champions in TNA. (Provided to Fox News Digital)

Fox News Digital asked Purrazzo and Maclin how Americans can regain that pride.

“I think, as Steve said, the connotation of having American pride in our country right now is very negative. And I think having patriots who stand up and say: No, I believe in our country, I believe in its ideals, I believe in the foundation of what we’re built on — fighting for our freedom, fighting for what we believe in, fighting for our neighbors, fighting to support each other. I think being comfortable with that and being vocal about that is the first step.”

“We shouldn’t be ashamed to be Americans. We shouldn’t be ashamed to support our military, we shouldn’t be ashamed to support the ideals of this country and the things it was founded on.”

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Event details

Maclin exclusively told Fox News Digital that he will be a part of the Battle for the Brave Cup Gauntlet Match. He said that he would be the first contestant in the match, in which Richard Holliday, Megan Bayne, BDE and others would also take part.

“Everyone asks me: ‘Why wouldn’t you want to wrestle on your own show, especially for such a big cause?’ So from now on, I am officially entering the Brave Memorial Cup Battle as the #1 participant,” he said. “I will be facing 12 more competitors. It’s an over-the-top battle royal with the final two competitors turning into a match.

“I’m going to take the hard road and I’m going to take the hard road to get to No. 1 and I’m going to try to go all the way to be (last).”

Purrazzo said he is not in a game as of now. But he did not rule out being involved in commentary in some way.

Matt Hardy, known as the legendary professional wrestling team Jeff and the Hardy Boyz, will also attend the event.

“My brother and I are so excited to be starring in Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo’s very special Tunnel to Towers event. Tunnel to Towers is a very special organization that helps take care of people who get injured while working to protect us — people like the military, first responders, and police,” the Hardys said in a statement to Fox News Digital. he said. “We are grateful for the service of all these people and their efforts to keep us all safe and healthy. We look forward to raising as much money as possible.”

The event’s floor seats were completely sold out. there still is general admission tickets and meet and greet tickets at Hardy’s are still available.