MEXICO — After several years on hiatus, professional wrestling is making a return to Mexico.

Arthur MacIsaac, an employee with the River Valley Recreation Center, said the recreation center was approached by Main Event Wrestling from Bangor about holding a wrestling event at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 21.

“At first, we were a little hesitant,” MacIsaac said Wednesday. “In the past, we’ve had problems with the different promoters that have organized wrestling events in Mexico. We didn’t know if we wanted to get back involved with that.”

However, MacIsaac said promoter Sonny Roselli convinced the staff of the River Valley Recreation Center to give him a try.

“He told us, ‘Just give me a shot,’ and ever since, he’s done an incredible job setting things up,” MacIsaac said. “He’s been following up on everything for us, whether it’s doing radio promos, putting up fliers or reaching out to different media outlets.”

MacIsaac said the only stipulation that the River Valley Recreation Center had in regards to holding the wrestling match was getting retired Auburn wrestler Luke Robinson to compete.

“Luke has a huge following in the state,” MacIsaac said. “He was on a reality show through the World Wrestling Entertainment organization called ‘Tough Enough,’ and he’s wrestled against a ton of professional wrestlers. He’s retired right now and runs his own personal training business.”

MacIsaac said Robinson was his first choice to compete at the wrestling match.

“My son was a huge fan of Luke’s wrestling,” MacIsaac said. “A few years back, around the time that he was doing the reality show, I sent a message to him on Facebook asking if he would show up at Applebee’s for my son’s birthday. When I got to the restaurant, the first thing I saw driving into the parking lot was Luke waiting for us. The fact that he did that meant so much to me.

“When Sonny told me about the wrestling match that he wanted to host in Mexico, I told him that I wanted Luke to wrestle at the match,” MacIsaac said. “Even though he had retired from wrestling recently, when Sonny told him that I had asked him to wrestle, he accepted. That just shows you how nice the guy is.”

Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show kicking off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8, or $10 at the door.

Among the wrestlers competing at the June 21 event are Roselli, wrestling under the moniker “Italian Superman,” Main Event Wrestling champion Mark Moment, the Tag Team Champions known as “The Leatherheads,” John “The Bomb” Bryer, and a duo known as “The Minute-Men.”

Robinson announced through his business’ Facebook page that he will donate all of his earnings from the wrestling match to charity.

MacIsaac said he’s excited to see the response from the community.

“I think we’re going to have a packed house,” MacIsaac said. “We’ll have our kitchen open and we’ll be cooking food on the grill. It’s going to be a good night. If this event goes well, who knows? Maybe it’s something we’ll be able to bring back in the future.”

Tickets are being sold at the Mexico One Stop and at the River Valley Recreation Center. For more information or to purchase a ticket, call 364-4912 or 418-1228.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com