By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
It’s been several years since professional wrestling brought in crowds in Del Rio.
Hopefully, those crowds are ready to cheer, boo and more this Sunday.
Texas Wrestling Entertainment returns to the Queen City Aug. 8 as Texas Thunder rolls into town for a full slate of matches at the Del Rio Civic Center.
Doors open at 3 p.m. Bell-time is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Rudy Gonzalez, the owner/promoter of Texas Wrestling Entertainment, said he’s happy to be returning to Del Rio but said fans may be a little unfamiliar with the talent that will grace the ring.
“I rely a lot on my own students for the shows, and they like working for me because they know I won’t jerk them around and will treat them fairly,” Gonzalez said. “The last time we were in Del Rio, Max Castellanos was just breaking in. He was the second or third match and now he’s been picked up by another promotion. Same thing with Moonshine Mantell. Last time he was in Del Rio he was beating up Rudy Russo all over South Main Street. Now those guys, Max and Moonshine, are wrestling for SWE Fury out of Dallas. I can’t use them anymore because they’re committed full-time for this new promotion and they’re trying to build them into stars.”
Gonzalez explained he would have several wrestlers from Florida taking part in the show in Del Rio. The main event will see former Lucha Underground champion Mil Muertes against Romeo Quevedo, a talented independent wrestler who recently had a tryout with the WWE and could be getting picked up soon.
“Yes, the fans will see some unfamiliar faces, but I’m trying to do the same thing for them that SWE is doing for my old guys – get their name out there and get them some notoriety,” Gonzalez said. “No matter what, I’ve always felt I still have an obligation to bring as best of a wrestling show to Del Rio.”
Gonzalez has helped bring professional wrestling to Del Rio for well over a decade. Originally a trainer with the Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy, and an active wrestler who’s shared the ring with a variety of legends over his 40-year career, Gonzalez has helped many men and women achieve their dreams of grappling success. The list of people he’s helped train include former world champion Daniel Bryan, former tag team champions Lance Cade, Paul London and Brian Kendrick, and Alex Gracia, who has competed in matches for Shimmer, Stardom and AEW and competed most recently in Ring of Honor’s Women’s Championship Tournament.
The next star to emerge from Gonzalez’s tutelage could be Myka Madrid, who typically competes under the one-name moniker Myka.
Madrid has been wrestling for several years now and has even competed in front of the Del Rio fans, but Gonzalez said she has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years. That improvement led her to a match on Shine 67 and a match against former NWA Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa on the July 21 episode of AEW Dark: Elevation.
“We just did a show in Florida. She was involved in a three-way match and she and the other women just tore the house down. So much so that the fans were chanting ‘boring’ at the main event. Some of the fans even chanted, ‘We want the ladies!’ She also did a thing with Tessa Blanchard and she was referred to the Women of Wrestling promotion,” Gonzalez said.
Myka will be a part of Sunday’s show in Del Rio as she defends the Women’s Texas Title against Viki.
After nearly a year away from the ring, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gonzalez said TWE has done a couple of shows already in San Antonio and as far away as Harlingen.
Gonzalez said not having wrestling shows allowed him to focus on his wrestling school, but he said he missed having shows. It wasn’t because it brought money in, but because of what it offered to him, his students and the fans.
“I will have been in the business 40 years in January and I’ve always been under the thought process that wrestling and wrestling shows gives fans an escape from the every day hustle and bustle and drama. It just gives them a break from all that,” Gonzalez said. “When you’re doing these shows, the last thing on my mind is the president or COVID or vaccines. It just gives you a chance to step back and take a deep breath and just enjoy the show.”
“It’ll be good to see the fans coming back. The first match we had folks were coming in ready for something to happen. I’m pretty excited for our event in Del Rio. I’m really trying to put something special together for the show,” Gonzalez added.
Tickets are on sale online through Eventbrite. General admission tickets are $10, VIP tickets are $20, and tickets for kids are $8. For more on the show, or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/163939041085
