By Nick Bond

As the critically acclaimed film “The Wrestler” showed, the life of a professional wrestler is one of trials and tribulations. But that hasn’t stopped University student Raul “Rez” Barquet from attempting to make a go of it in the squared circle.

With this goal-and a desire to bring live professional wrestling to the 11549-“Rez” and the recently formed Hofstra Wrestling Organization, will be hosting East Coast Professional Wrestling’s May Massacre.

Along with “Rez,” who will be working in a tag team match with partner Tommy Gun against Smooth Savage and Big Money, the show will feature ECW legend Balls Mahoney in the main event, a no-holds barred affair against local wrestler Lenn Oddity. Ring of Honor wrestler Delirious and others round out the five match card.

“The idea started at an e-board meeting,” said HWO president and founder Josh Richter, “We started thinking of a dream card, a realistic one, and it all went from there. As for actually getting the wrestlers, Rez and Kevin (Hansen) have been phenomenal”.

Although the process began at the beginning of the semester, it truly kicked into high gear in the past two months. “Like Josh said, it started as brainstorming at the HWO meetings,” said Rez, “Then it got to the point where we were actually getting price quotes for the wrestlers and the rings and all of that stuff.

Even with all the preparations and negotiations over the past months, the actual journey to the final product has been a long and winding one. “It’s a rolling process,” said Rez, “but that’s just the nature of the business.”

Thankfully for Rez, Richter and the rest of the HWO and ECPW, the process seems to be coming to a close, and what began as an idea at an e-board meeting now finds itself less than a week from fruition. The action starts at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5 in the Multipurpose Room and tickets will be sold for $5 at the door.