South Milwaukee's 2023 Crusherfest will include some former WWE superstars. Here's who you can expect.
South Milwaukee’s Crusherfest is making a comeback after it was given the bolo punch in 2022 due to construction on Bucyrus Commons with some big-name wrestlers joining the fray.
Crusherfest is scheduled scheduled for June 3-4. Announcements about special appearances will continue through the week of April 16.
Here's who will be there:
"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
His classic entrance theme says the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase always gets his way. Crusherfest organizers got their way and booked DiBiase to attend this year’s festival.
DiBiase, a WWE Hall of Fame wrestler, started his professional wrestling career in 1975 but got his big break in 1987 when WWE brought him on as "The Million Dollar Man,” according to his website, www.milliondollarman.com.
He is perhaps most famous for his Million Dollar Championship belt which he debuted in 1989. After a failed effort to win the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania IV, DiBiase introduced the gold belt with the story that its prominent dollar signs were made with seven figures worth of diamonds.
DiBiase did end up winning WWE’s Tag Team Championships, the North American Championship and, most recently, purchasing a title reign with WWE’s 24/7 Championship — same as his character once attempted to do with the WWE Championship.
His in-ring career ended in 1993 due to a neck injury but he stayed in the business as a manager and commentator with WWE until 1996. DiBiase went to work for World Championship Wrestling in late 1996 and worked there until 1999.
DiBiase has since authored a book about his life called “Every Man Has His Price,” and is now a full-time officially ordained evangelist and motivational speaker, according to his website. He is also a spokesperson and board member for The Sunshine Foundation, an organization which grants wishes to children who are handicapped or terminally ill.
Marty Jannetty
One half of the tag team “The Rockers” with “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty is rocking into Crusherfest this year.
The high-flying duo “paved the way for a new competitive style, proving that leaner and faster Superstars could hold their own inside the squared circle,” Jannetty’s WWE.com bio reads.
Jannetty first teamed with Michaels in the NWA where they earned two World Tag Team Championship, according to WWE.com. The Rockers moved to WWE in 1988 where they had memorable rivalries with Demolition and The Hart Foundation.
The team dissolved after Michaels famously threw Jannetty through a window during “The Barbershop” segment in 1991.
As a singles competitor, Jannetty defeated Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship in 1993. The following year, Jannetty captured the World Tag Team Championship with The 1-2-3 Kid.
Jannetty also competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling.
Al Snow
What does everybody want? What does everybody need? Al Snow at Crusherfest.
Snow had his first professional wrestling match at 18 years old in 1982, according to his bio on the Ohio Valley Wrestling website where he’s listed as head trainer. Snow purchased the promotion in June 2018 and launched the Al Snow Wrestling Academy.
Snow worked with various promotions throughout his career including Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment where was known as a wrestler and trainer. He was head trainer for the company’s “Tough Enough” reality television show for four seasons featuring WWE hopefuls.
He’s held numerous championships with World Wrestling Entertainment including the Hardcore Championship, European Championship and Tag Team Championship.
Snow also worked for Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling for almost a decade in various roles, according to his OVW bio. Snow also owns the popular pro-wrestling clothing brand COLLARxELBOW.
There’s no word if Snow will bring his trademark mannequin head to Crusherfest.
Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Greg “The Hammer” Valentine earned many singles and tag team titles throughout his multi-decade career through the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s in the NWA, WCW and WWE.
According to WWE.com, Valentine won the United States Championship in the NWA and the Intercontinental Championship in WWE as a singles star. He also held the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship with Ric Flair and the WWE World Team Championship with Brutus Beefcake.
“Greg "The Hammer" Valentine's hard-hitting style in the ring will never be forgotten by those who saw him, and along with fellow WWE Hall of Famers, "Nature Boys" Flair and Buddy Rogers, Valentine helped make the figure-four leglock a staple of sports-entertainment,” his WWE.com bio reads.
"Cowboy" Bob Orton, Jr.
Wrestling legend “Cowboy” Bob Orton Jr. will be there, organizers announced April 17.
Orton, a second-generation superstar and WWE Hall of Famer, was often the ally of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and is remembered for his time tag-teaming with Don Muraco.
Ace, as he was later known, injured his arm in the mid-1980’s forcing him to wear a cast which World Wrestling Entertainment called “one of the most deadly foreign objects in WWE history” in Orton’s bio.
Orton is the father of current WWE Superstar Randy Orton.
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More special appearance announcements are coming throughout the week
The Crusherfest Facebook page is posting silhouettes of guests and inviting fans to guess who they are before making the official announcement.
Every day this week a new talent will be teased and revealed the following day.
"Anyone who tells us correctly who the wrestler is correctly for the five days will be entered into a drawing for a picture and autograph of their wrestler of choice," said Peggy Clark, Crusherfest 2023 chairperson. "There will be one winner only and they will be drawn and announced Friday (April 21) at 10 a.m."
What is Crusherfest?
Crusherfest celebrates South Milwaukee native Reggie “Da Crusher” Lisowski who wrestled professionally for over 40 years, winning the AWA Heavyweight Championship three times and the AWA Tag Team Championship five times with Dick the Bruiser.
A $40,000 GoFundMe campaign financed a life-sized bronze statue of Da Crusher near 11th and Milwaukee avenues that was revealed during the inaugural event in June 2019.
Brats, beer, polka and live wrestling are regular highlights of the event. Legends of the business also regularly made appearances including Baron Von Raschke, Kenny Jay, Eric Bischoff, Madusa and the High Flyers.
Crusherfest has been on the ropes a few times in the past. In its second year it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, it was rescheduled for October and there were hints the event would be held in fall again in 2022 before it was ultimately canceled. Going forward organizers plan to keep Crusherfest in June.
For the most up-to-date information, visit www.facebook.com/CrusherfestSM. The official website, www.crusherfest.org, is live but still under construction.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on Twitter @Redheadliner.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Cowboy' Bob Orton will be at South Milwaukee's 2023 Crusherfest
