Pro wrestlers ready to ‘Brawl Under the Bridge’

Giustino Racchini
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 6:01 a.m. | Wednesday, July 10, 2024 6:01 a.m.

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KSWA

Super Hentai applies a headlock to Joshua Kavod during a KSWA event.

Michael DiVittorio | TribLive

Yinza, “The Pittsburgh Luchador,” plays to the crowd during a KSWA event in 2021.

KSWA

Beastman gets Man Child up on his shoulders during a KSWA match.

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Tyler Grayson and J Ru square off in a KSWA match.

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The late Dominic DeNucci leads the Rock ‘n Roll Express to the ring for a KSWA match.

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Shawn Blanchard hits a cutter on Lou Martin during a KSWA match.

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The Rock ‘n Roll Express is cheered by fans at a KSWA event.

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The Ram, Justin Sane, Harley T. Morris and Sin Born tumble to the mat in a four-man suplex during a KSWA event.

KSWA

Man Child works over Beastman during a KSWA match.

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Sin Born dives off the top rope onto Yinza, Big Country Matt McGraw and Shane Starr during a KSWA match.

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Shawn Blanchard works over Lou Martin during a KSWA match.

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Rev. Ron Hunt hits a headlock takeover during a KSWA match.

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Demolition Ax works over Shawn Blanchard during a KSWA event.

As KSWA heavyweight champion, “the Face of Pittsburgh” Lou Martin has competed in hundreds of professional wrestling matches in dozens of venues.

There’s something special about the Brawl Under the Bridge.

“The venue for the event under the historic Homestead Grays Bridge is pretty unique for an event,” Martin said. “The bridge just adds to the overall aura of the event as a whole.”

The ninth annual Brawl Under the Bridge is scheduled for Saturday underneath the Homestead Grays Bridge. Gates will open at 4 p.m. with the first match set for 5 p.m. The show should be wrapped up by 9 p.m., co-organizer Frank Cunniff said.

During his time as a comic book artist, Cunniff began to think about hosting a wrestling event. While a student at Bloomsburg University, Cunniff ran the newspaper and one of the editors he worked with was Brandi Mankiewicz, who is now a writer for Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

All of this inspired Cunniff to start the event, along with his wife Sarah, in 2015.

“I worked on comics before I started the event, and I was familiar with the area because I was also the sound guy for Oyster Fest that was held at the Homestead-Grays bridge,” Cunniff said.

Cunniff said event organizers have kept ticket prices low at $10 for general admission and have partnered with local businesses. Wolf’s Pub in Munhall will be serving drinks, and Yuengling is one of the event’s biggest sponsors. Providing food for the event is a local church, West United Methodist Church, and Jo-Mar Provisions, a butcher shop from the Strip District that will be making sandwiches with its special house-blend sausage.

Martin will be one of the main attractions Saturday, defending his KSWA championship against Freek E. Doyle of the Freak Show faction.

There’s also a special championship belt defended only at the Brawl Under the Bridge. Champion T-Rantula will face Anthony Alexander for that prize Saturday.

KWSA hosts 20-30 events per year, Martin said, with the people of the Pittsburgh area making the atmosphere memorable.

“The crowd is always wonderful and outstanding, which makes it a special night for everything and everyone,” Martin said.

Owner Bob Orkwis said the event continues to be one of the main attractions that KWSA puts on each summer.

“I love this event because it has grown so much as a grassroots organization,” he said. “It showcases what we do by showing it off to a crowd that continues to come out and support year after year.”