National Independent Championship Wrestling (NICW) will hold its second annual Ken Steel Memorial Mardi Gras Brawl on Saturday, March 30, to honor “The Machine” Ken Steel, a former pro wrestler who is better known to some as Kenny Pack.
The show will be held at the Stuart Rotary Building. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the bell to start the first match rings at 7 p.m.
Scott Rutter, of Rutter’s Martial Arts, said Steel was originally from Patrick County.
“He was an independent professional wrestler. I know the last couple of years before he passed away, he actually was an assistant football for Patrick County High School (PCHS),” he said.
Rutter said Steel also worked in the Quest program to help with troubled youth.
“He worked with some of those kids through Patrick County and at the high school and elementary schools,” he said.
Rutter said he decided to hold the show to honor Steel because Steel previously owned the NICW promotion.
“His goal before he passed away was to host wrestling promotions in our area. in Patrick County, Floyd, Martinsville, Henry County, Bassett. He was always wanting to host them, and just bring an old-school, pro-wrestling, family-oriented event to our area,” he said.
When Steel hosted a show, Rutter said he often gave back to the community with some of the funds from ticket sales and concessions going back to help the PCHS band, wrestling team, or football team.
“He had gotten sick because he was diabetic, and he held like one or two shows in Patrick County in 2014-2015, somewhere in that time. He was unable to continue to do it consistently because of his health,” Rutter said. “When he passed away, I took over the wrestling promotion and I wanted to keep that memory and keep that going.”
Rutter said the show is called the Mardi Gras Brawl because New Orleans, LA was one of Steel’s favorite places in the world to visit.
“His wrestling character was billed from New Orleans,” he added.
The main event will be a NICW title match with street fight rules between “Dragon” Scott Lee and “Bad Luck” Bobby Yela.
A NICW Tag Team title match between The Starliners Mike Williams and Rick Kelly and The Unholy Alliance Eclipso and Scott Weddle also will be held.
Other matches include an APW heavyweight championship match between Chase Bennett and Lance Erikson, the Mid-Atlantic Heritage Title match between Larry Cooter and John Heartbreak, and the Cuban Assassin vs. “USA” Tony Ray.
Marshall Law, Damien James, Adam Hex, Ace England, Kidd Lightning, K-Killah, and Adam Marcum will also perform, and an over-the-top-rope battle royal is scheduled.
Adult tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Tickets for children under 12 are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.
Advanced tickets can be purchased at Little Caesars, Boyce-Holland Veterinary Services, Stage Coach, and at all Rutter’s Martial Arts locations.
The event is sponsored by Rutter’s Martial Arts, Impressive Prints and Designs, Boyce-Holland Veterinary Services, Friedrich’s Family Eye Care, Lawless Welding & Fabrication.
