Sam Adonis, a 6-foot-4 pro wrestling villain who can launch his 235-pound frame off the top rope with ease, has been all over the world. But he still remembers when he was a “fat kid from Monroeville.”
Adonis, 30, has performed everywhere from Japan to Mexico, Hanover, Germany, to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was recently featured on a billboard. On Thursday, the heel will be a hero when he comes home for Wrestlerex, a series of matches held at Rex Theater on the South Side. Doors open at 7 p.m. and wrestling starts at 8. Tickets range from $20 to $50 at www.eventbrite.com. This will be Adonis’ fourth wrestling event in his hometown.
“I think Pittsburgh has the best fan base on the planet,” he said. “There is so much pride in this city. Just look at the way we support our sports teams. I wanted to give wrestling fans something they could support, and something with a Pittsburgh identity to it.”
Joining Adonis on Thursday is another homegrown talent, Neon Ninja Facade. Facade, 35, was known as Michael Cichowicz while growing up in Port Vue. He has worked all over the world for pro wrestling’s biggest promotions. He said Pittsburgh, a wrestling town with a long, distinguished pedigree, is rediscovering its roots.
“It seems like the amount of people we are reaching is growing, and we aren’t just getting hardcore wrestling fans. There are a lot of casual fans, just there to check out the event,” he said. “Wrestling aside, it is a spectacle. It’s a party.”
The South Side venue is a good start, and the sponsors, Iron City Beer and Kyklops Tattoo, are as Pittsburgh as it gets. The food is provided by another local company, Blowfish BBQ, Adonis said.
They feel familiar to a kid who first took the ring with his brother when he was 7-year-old Samuel Polinsky, He and his older brother, Corey Graves, 35, got hooked on wrestling early in life.
When their father, Dan Polinsky, saw how much his sons loved wrestling, he plunged head-first into the business. Then a volunteer firefighter in Westmoreland County, Dan was approached to help host a wrestling show in 1992. He got involved with promotion, and before long his boys had a ring to roll around in. The brothers remain close.
“He taught me how to take a hit,” Adonis said. “We worked on moves together. We always give each other advice. We're both still just as Pittsburgh as it gets."
In wrestling there are good guys and bad guys, and Adonis has thrived on being the bad guy. He was signed to WWE in April 2011, but a knee injury put him on the shelf, and he was released not soon after.
Two days before he was released, his brother was signed and was on the path to wrestling stardom until multiple concussions halted his career. Graves retired in April 2014, and has since become a star announcer for WWE, calling Friday Night Smackdown and big pay-per-view events.
Adonis’ career took a different turn. He was picked up in 2016 by Mexico’s powerhouse promotion company, CMLL (Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre). He quickly became a hated bad guy from the wrong side of the border.
In Mexico City, Adonis entered the ring wearing trunks with a caricature of President Trump and waving a huge American flag. He sometimes flung tortillas to stir up the crowd.
While he’s quick to point out the character isn’t a reflection of his beliefs, he knew playing an ugly American would make him the perfect foe for Mexico’s favorite good guys. His public persona in Mexico gave him the opportunity to compete in Japan, including with the famed Ultimo Dragon.
“Getting to work with Ultimo Dragon blows my mind,” Adonis said. “In 1996 or ‘97 this guy comes on my TV for ‘Monday Nitro.’ I'm saying ‘Oh my God, this is the best wrestler that has been in a ring.’
“I wrestled him and we built a connection. He was the one that got me into Japan. And to know that I have ripped his mask off in Mexico and Japan, I have been to his house for multiple barbecues, it’s surreal. He is a classy gentleman.”
The self-described fat kid says he is in the best shape of his life. When he graduated from Gateway High School, he weighed 300 pounds. He is now 235 pounds of muscle.
“I live my life based on never step backwards,” he said. “You have to evolve. Right now I'm definitely at the top of my game. I'm more agile and athletic than I have ever been. But I also have the experience.”
With new moves and increasing popularity, Adonis believes the apex of his career is yet to come. He hopes to see Pittsburgh’s wrestling scene rise with him.
“This is something I wanted to do for my friends and family who aren't necessarily wrestling fans. A lot of people wanted to see me wrestle, but they didn't know when, where or how. Now everyone knows where to find a great night of wrestling in the city.”
Saul Berrios-Thomas: sthomas@post-gazette.com.
First Published: February 26, 2020, 8:56 p.m.