Wrestling with the message

TOP DADS: “We Wrestle” carries a message for dads to be the best dads they can be for their kids, a message that Mike Blazey holds true. Mr Blazey has wrestled with alcohol and drug addiction, but has come out on top and is now happily married with two kids. He and his wife Renee run the House of Breakthrough Church youth programme “Revolution Youth”, and on Saturday night you can see Mr Blazey, AKA “Billy Boy Blazey”, in the “King of the Cage” match. Here Billy Boy Blazey flies high above Vance Valentine at the 2014 event. Picture by Liam Clayton

WRESTLING mania will take hold of the Showgrounds Event Centre on Saturday night with the return of “We Wrestle”.

The spectacular American-style wrestling event has an all-Gisborne line-up and is in its eighth edition since humble beginnings in 2007.

Youth Force Tairawhiti Charitable Trust and House of Breakthrough Church run the event with a group of 99 percent volunteers.

Organiser Scott Cowan is hopeful for another sell-out crowd. Since 2007 each event has sold out and the last three events attracted 1600-strong audiences.

The family-friendly evening is not only about wrestling and entertainment. Wrestling is a metaphor for wrestling against those things in life that hold people down and prevent them reaching their potential.

A key message for the family event is for dads to be the best dads they can, Mr Cowan said.

Crowd favourite ‘‘Billy Boy Blazey’’ (Mike Blazey) sums up what the event is about. Mr Blazey grew up in Australia and as a young man wrestled with drug and alcohol addiction.

“It was taking me in a downward spiral,” he said.

Turning his life aroundHe happened to meet a Gisborne woman in Australia and moved to Gisborne seven years ago. They attended House of Breakthrough and he began to turn his life around.

He and wife Renee are drug-free and have two children. They run the centre’s Friday night youth programme “Revolution Youth”.

“I went through the same things that some of those kids are going through.”

That youth programme instigated “We Wrestle”, of which Mr Blazey is one of the biggest stars.

“I love the action,” Mr Blazey said.

“But also seeing the looks on the kids’ faces, and passing on the message to them that they do not have to wrestle alone against things that hold them down in life.”

Mr Cowan said ticket sales have been strong, and although there are some remaining, those wanting to come along had better get in quick.

There will be three wrestling matches and a performance from the Gisborne band One and a Half Men.

Mr Cowan said not to miss the “King of the Cage”, the third match and main highlight of the night in which Billy Boy Blazey will be in action.

We Wrestle ‘‘King of The Cage’’ 2016 is on Saturday at Showgrounds Park Event Centre, with doors opening from 6pm.

Buy your tickets for $10 from Blooms on Gladstone florist, and family discounts are available.