Every year, hundreds of fans and luminaries of the professional wrestling business come together to celebrate the spectacle of the squared circle. For 60 years, the Cauliflower Alley Club, a nonprofit organization that helps former grapplers in need, hosts its annual reunion to spotlight the titans of the industry, as well as raise money in accordance with its mission statement.
The 60th anniversary of the CAC reunion this past August was no different. The legendary Bret “The Hitman” Hart was in attendance with his niece, WWE superstar, Nattie Neidhart to be honored with the Art Abrams/Lou Thez Lifetime Achievement award. The Canadian technician and seven-time world champion wasn’t the only honoree of the prestigious award. The czar of the classic pro wrestling magazines, Bill Apter was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement award, recognizing his more than fifty years in the business as a writer, photographer, and editor of the printed pages that were key to the territorial days of the sport. A protege of Stanley Weston, who published boxing magazines as far back as the 1950s, Apter is considered by many to be a gem of the industry from the golden era. Despite being at the age of 80, Bill still has an energetic zest for life, and his appreciation for the CAC honor was apparent when he requested that the audience at the Plaza Hotel and Casino be the inductors for the award.
One of the highest honors given by the CAC is the Iron Mike Mazurki Award, named after the legendary grappler and one of the original co-founders of the club itself back in 1968. The award is based on excellent and longstanding contributions to the sport. In the past, names such as Steve Austin, Tully Blanchard, Ted DiBiase, Mick Foley, Trish Stratus, Sgt. Slaughter, Larry Hennig, Baron Von Raschke, Ivan Koloff, and CM Punk received the honor. This year, arguably the greatest performer to ever lace up a pair of boots, Ric Flair was scheduled to receive the award. Flair cited health issues and declined to make the trip to Las Vegas, but the legendary Jerry “The King” Lawler was added as a last-minute replacement to be there in person to accept the award on Flair’s behalf. Flair spoke to the crowd via a Zoom call to express his appreciation for the acknowledgement.
One of the many reasons that professional wrestling has thrived during the peaks, as well as survived the valleys of the industry is the notion of tradition is woven through the fabric of the canvas. The past is recognized for its contributions that paved a future for the current generation, a crop of talent that set the foundation for the next generation. The six decades of the CAC are a reflection of that.
As with any form of live entertainment, the grueling schedule takes a toll on the performers. Pro wrestling was no different, especially during previous eras when the athletes often didn’t have the benefit of world class medical teams that could travel with them. Taping up an injury and getting to the ring to give the fans their money”s worth is noble, but the talent paid a price for it. In acknowledgement of that dedication to answer the bell on any given night, the CAC’s Benevolent Fund is used to assist former grapplers in need, especially with medical or other necessary expenses after they hung up their boots. Each year, the Benevolent Fund distributes tens of thousands of dollars in assistance, often quietly out of respect to the privacy of the recipients to help them through hard times. So far, CAC has raised over $81,000 in 2026 for its Benevolent Fund.
Of course, the ability to provide this critical help to former pro wrestlers is only possible through the generous efforts of those that volunteer their time and energy to run the organization, including Club President, B. Brian Blair, as well as the membership of those in the club itself. Auctions, fundraising efforts, and donations throughout the year serve as a key addition to the funds generated through the annual reunion.
One such example is a local league in the western Pennsylvania area, a region known almost as much for its wrestling as the steel it once produced. Prospect Pro Wrestling was founded more than eight years ago, and after a nearly eight-month hiatus to reset its operations, the organization has grown exponentially since its relaunch last year. The mission statement was always to provide a platform for young talent, but founder Marshall Gambino, a tag team specialist for more than two decades on the Pittsburgh circuit, understood that without the past, there wouldn’t be a future to build toward. With 2PW thriving at its new home base at The Elements venue in Irwin, Pennsylvania since last year, Marshall wanted to get his organization involved with the noble goals of the CAC.
So, this past August with more than 400 guests in attendance at the reunion, Marshall and the rest of the 2PW management, including former NWA North American Tag Team champion, Paul Atlas stood on stage to present a $10,000 check to Brian Blair as a donation to the Benevolent Fund on behalf of Prospect Pro Wrestling.
“Our involvement with the Cauliflower Alley Club was out of wanting to give back to the wrestling community and support an organization that has done so much for people within the industry we love so much. What started as an opportunity to help turned into something very special for 2PW, ultimately allowing us to donate $10,000 to the CAC Benevolent Fund. Presenting that check in Las Vegas to Brian and the CAC Executive Board was honestly one of the most meaningful moments I’ve experienced as the owner and promoter of 2PW. To stand there representing our company and everyone who helped make that donation possible was something I am extremely proud of,” said Marshall.
“Being on stage to present 2PW’s $10,000 donation to Brian Blair was honestly a moment I’ll never forget. There are moments in wrestling where you realize what we do is about so much more than what happens between the ropes, and this was one of those moments. To stand there representing 2PW and knowing that our company, our fans, our sponsors, our talent, and everyone who has supported us was able to come together and make a meaningful contribution was incredibly humbling. It was an honor to be part of something that could make a real difference for Brian and the entire executive board at the CAC. As the marketing director, I’m constantly focused on promoting our shows, building relationships, and helping 2PW continue to grow – but moments like this remind me why all of the work matters,” added Emily Doyle.
“On behalf of the Cauliflower Alley Club Executive Board and our entire membership, I extend our heartfelt thanks to Prospect Pro Wrestling for its generous $10,000 donation presented during our 2026 CAC Reunion in Las Vegas,” Brian Blair said in a CAC social media statement after the reunion.
Back on the home front, Prospect Pro is gearing up for its next live event, a Halloween-themed presentation, at the Elements building on October 23rd. Along with that, the management team have continued to expand their event schedule, both in Irwin and across the region, as well as continue to increase brand awareness through its myriad of sponsors.
“Things have progressed incredibly well for 2PW since the relaunch. When we brought the shows to Irwin last year, we had a vision for what we wanted 2PW to become but honestly, what we’ve experienced has exceeded my expectations. Since the relaunch, we’ve had sold out events, broken attendance records, built an incredible group of sponsors and community partners, expanded our relationships within the wrestling industry, and had the opportunity to take 2PW to some very unique venues, including the 911th Airlift Wing in Pittsburgh in mid-September. All of those moments are special, but what means the most to me is seeing the continued support for 2PW and watching the company grow with every event,” explained Emily.
The management team has another stacked card for the fans at The Elements building. Pittsburgh icon, Super Hentai will challenge Jason Tyler for the Anarchy championship, with special guest referee, Jami Jameson assigned the contest. Matt Byers will square off against Jack Issac. A seven-man battle royal will determine the next challenger for the Top Prospect championship. In another bout to determine a future challenger, Phil Archer, Some Guy Named John, and Santana Diamondz will compete in triple threat action to decide the number one contender for the previously mentioned Anarchy championship. Two of the top tag teams on the Pittsburgh scene will collide with The Troublemakers vs. The Runway. In the main event, two steel city stalwarts, Gory and Andrew Palace will battle it out in a casket match.
“Since the relaunch, the overall business plan for 2PW has continued to evolve as we have grown and learned what works best for our audience, having changed venues and locations. We’ve put a stronger emphasis on building the brand, creating meaningful partnerships, improving the overall fan experience, and making sure each event has its own identity while still fitting into the bigger picture for 2PW. When it comes to marketing individual events, we try to approach each one a little differently. For something like our Halloween event, we lean into the theme and create a campaign that gives fans a reason to be excited beyond just the matches themselves. We utilize social media, community outreach, partnerships, and our existing audience to build awareness and momentum leading up to the event. The goal is always to make each show feel like something people don’t want to miss,” concluded Marshall.
For more information about the CAC, you can go to https://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org
For more information about the upcoming 2PW event, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/ProspectProWrestling
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
E mail [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
