Friend Encounters: Dennis Rodman, Ed and Heather

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

In March, I attended Squared Circle Expo VI. It's not just a great wrestling convention. SCX has quickly become one of the best celebrity conventions of any kind. 

Dennis Rodman was one of the headliner guests this year. What perfect timing, too. The three-time NBA champ with the Chicago Bulls was just voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. This was probably his first autograph signing since that announcement.

For those who don't know, Rodman dabbled in pro wrestling as a tag team partner of Hulk Hogan and a member of the NWO. While Rodman would never be confused with Bruno Sammartino, he did what he needed to do. He was himself, in all his fabulous outrageousness. 

Getting him as a guest at SCX was a big coup and it paid off as his line was ridiculously long. Two folks who didn't have to wait in line though were Ed and Heather, one-half of the Fab Four who run SCX. 

I've known Heather for about 15 years and Ed not much less. I first met her at Resistance Pro Wrestling and Ed at a different convention. Saying they are a fun couple is an understatement. They are great folks who bust butt to make the convention fun for all. They also squeeze in a little fun for themselves and rightly so.

With SCX VI in the books, everyone is already looking forward to SCX VII. No info is known about that yet, but you can learn a bit more about SCX at squaredcirclex.com.

Ed, Dennis Rodman and Heather in Indianapolis, IN_March 2026.

Friend Encounters: Heather, Ed and Troy

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

It's hard to say who the biggest celebrity is in this picture. I would say they are all celebrities. Depending on the day, they might say none are or they might debate who is the biggest.

Married couple Ed and Heather were staples of the independent wrestling scene. Now they are mostly retired. I am inclined to say Heather is the biggest celebrity (because she is the toughest lol).

Troy is a staple on the convention scene. The man goes to more shows than I do.

Together, this trio is a huge part of Squared Circle Expo, the great wrestling convention in Indianapolis on March 27-28. This picture was a foreshadowing of things to come, as it happened before the SCX I, but even then, they were all heavily involved in conventions.

Heading into SCX VI, Ed and Heather are two of the promoters and Troy manages the volunteers. Together with Adolfo, Carrie and a staff of volunteers, they run a fantastic event. The trio is a lot of fun, along with being very hard-working. 

All three will be surrounded by more than 75 wrestling legends and current stars, along with thousands of fans. SCX is the best wrestling convention and I can't wait to see all of them.

For more info, go to squaredcirclex.com. Also, check here for my updates.

Ed, Heather and Troy in Fort Wayne, IN-October 2019.

Friend Encounters: Haku and Ed Gonzales

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today's Friendly Encounter took place recently at the Squared Circle Expo IV. I was there to witness it, as I always attend SCX events.

I first met Ed Gonzales at SCX, although I probably crossed paths with him at various comic cons over the years. Ed is the husband of semi-retired wrestler Hardcore Heather Owens. Together with Adolfo and Carrie Dorta, they created SCX and have run four great events.

Ed posed with one of the toughest men in wrestling. Whether you know him as Haku, Meng of Tonga Fifita, you know he is a legit tough guy. Even most other wrestlers name him when discussing the toughest in or out of the ring.

Ed is a former wrestler and a tough one, but even he will admit Haku is even tougher. This is also oa rare photo of Ed with one of the wrestlers at SCX. He is usually too busy to get many pictures.

Haku was just one of about 70 wrestling legends at SCX IV. I have written about it many times, but it truly is the best wrestling convention out there.

SCX V is already scheduled for April 18-19, 2025 and I'll be there as always. Go to SquaredCircleX.com for more info. 

Haku and Ed Gonzales in Indianapolis, IN-March 2024.

Ed Gonzales and Heather Owens and Squared Circle Expo

Ed and Heather. Mr. Zubaz and #classybroad. A Chicago Bears fan and a Cincinnati Bengals fan. They make quite a couple. They also make great convention organizers.

Ed and Heather are half of the folks behind the Squared Circle Expo, the best wrestling convention. Along with Carrie and Adolfo, they have built SCX into a powerhouse in after only three shows. SCX IV promises to be even better.

I first met Heather many years ago when she wrestled for Resistance Pro. Heather was underutilized, but never complained (even when she had to wrestle BD Smooth, a task nobody should have endured. LOL). I met her husband Ed at a different convention back shortly after. Yes, these folks have been dealing with me for about a decade.

Although it is cliche, they work hard and play hard. They are the life of any party and the backbone of any organization.

SCX runs so smoothly because of the foursome running it and the team they developed. If you have any doubts, you can see for yourself March 29-30 when SCX IV comes to Indianapolis.

The guest list has started to be announced. Sting! Kane! That's an amazing 1-2 punch. It's not as amazing as the Ed-Heather combo, but I might be biased.

Go to SquaredCircleX.com for more info. Also, check here for my recurring coverage.

Ed Gonzales, Heather Owens and me in Schaumburg, IL-November 2018.

Squared Circle Expo Update

A lot has changed since my last update on the Squared Circle Expo 2020. Unfortunately, the end result is the postponement of SCE 2020 until 2021.

The SCE was set to debut in Indianapolis, IN in August. Due to the health pandemic, it had already been postponed from the original May date. Becaus ethe health situation is about the same, the organizers of the SCE decided to postpone the debut until 2021.

While I hated to see the event pushed back, it really was the right decision. Whether you believe in the severity of the virus or not, the restrictions imposed would make the convention a lot less fun for everyone. Meeting and taking pictures with wrestlers while everyone is wearing a mask is not quite the experience anyone wants. A wrestler in a wrestling mask as part of the gimmick is a different story. Nobody would mind Glenn Jacobs wearing his Kane mask.

I'm disappointed I won't meet all of the wrestlers scheduled to appear, but I am also sad I won't see so many of my convention friends. "Zubaz" Ed Gonzales is one of those friends, who I'm pretty sure would have been at the event.

Ed is a wrestling fan, semi-retired wrestler and convention regular. I have seen Ed many times at other conventions. It's always fun around Ed and his wife "Hardcore" Heather Owens.

As indicated by his nickname, Ed is the king of Zubaz. I believe Ed would live entirely in Zubaz if he could, although he comes close it seems. I support Ed's goals. I love Zubaz or any such casual pants.

Ed and Heather are also busy hosting the Pop Drunk podcast. The pair discuss everything about Pop Drunk figures, along with occasional (or frequent) drinking. It's an entertaining podcast from two very fun people.

I am already looking forward to SCE 2021. I am sure the organizers will make it even bigger and better than originally planned. It will be even better to see friends like Ed, Heather and so many others!

Check out Ed and Heather on Pop Drunk podcast on YouTube. Also, go to SquaredCircleX for news and updates.

Ed Gonzales and me in Schaumburg, IL-November 2017.

Friend Encounters: Bret Hart, Heather Owens and Ed Gonzales

Friend Encounters is a weekly series about my friends who have met celebrities.

The Squared Circle Expo has been postponed from the original May date to a future date to be determined. While I look forward to the convention, whenever it is, I am featuring a couple people involved.
Ed Gonzales and "Hardcore" Heather Owens have carved out a career on the independent wrestling scene. I met both through Resistance Pro Wrestling several years back. Actually, I probably met them even before RPro, when our paths most likely crossed at a few horror conventions.
Ed and Heather were part of the organizational team who put on the horror cons. Like Adolfo and Carrie, Ed and Heather were usually a blur at those shows. They played a part in more wrestlers being added as the years went on and they were usually heavily involved with events including the wrestlers at the convention.
It's a natural for them to be involved in the Squared Circle Expo. I am sure they will help bring in great wrestlers, while also contributing to the SCE in many other ways.
Actually, I am very much looking forward to seeing Ed and Heather, as much as seeing the big name wrestlers. They are two really cool people. They work very hard and play even harder. They are a lot of fun and I miss seeing them.
The dynamic duo didn't get a ton of pictures of themselves with the various celebrities over the years, but they did get one with Bret "The Hitman" Hart. That picture is one more person away from being a great stable. I would even volunteer myself. It would be a fantastic time.
I am sure Ed and Heather will be busy as usual at the Squared Circle Expo. I hope they take enough time to enjoy it themselves. I also hope they know how much fans love the event.
Check out SquaredCircleX.com and follow them at Squared Circle Expo on Facebook for all of the info and updates. I hope to see you all there when it is rescheduled..

Heather, Bret Hart and Ed in Schaumburg, IL-November 2015.

Squared Circle Expo Update

The Squared Circle Expo is scheduled for May 29-30 in Indianapolis, IN. With the pandemic, all conventions are in a holding pattern. The fine folks at SCE are keeping all updated as best as can be.
I wrote at length about their latest update at Squared Circle Expo Update on Patch.com. In short, the SCE is still scheduled as is, but the organizers are looking at other options with the host hotel and the guest wrestlers. They will keep all posted as developments occur and I will report their updates, too.
As we settle in for a long lockdown, we realize the things we miss most won't be the events. It will be the friends and the memories.
Ed "Mr. Zubaz" Gonzales and "Hardcore" Heather Owens are two friends I miss and looked forward to seeing at the SCE. It's no shock that I miss the #ClassyBroad, but yes, I miss Ed, too. They are such a huge part of the convention scene. I have known them for several years and they are two great people.
Nobody works harder than these two and nobody parties harder. Despite being extremely busy at conventions, they always have a few minutes to catch up.
Although I haven;t been with them in a while, at least I have been entertained by them through their Pop Drunk YouTube channel. They drink, talk Funko Pop figures and basically have a ball and I have just as much fun watching them.
It looks like the SCE will be postponed, but it will happen at some point. I will be so happy to see Ed, Heather and all of my other friends there. Until then, I will sit at home and watch Pop Drunk videos to get my Ed and Heather fix.
Check SquaredCircleX.com for all of the info on this great event. Also follow Squared Circle Expo on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Ed Gonzales, Heather Owens and me in Schaumburg, IL-November 2018.

Friend Encounters: Tiny Lister, Heather Owens and Ed Gonzales

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Ed Gonzales and Heather Owens are two of my favorite people from the wrestling world and the convention world. Yes, they have to deal with me in both places.

I first met Heather when she was wrestling at Resistance Pro. Hardcore Heather always gave a great match and she was such a sweetheart outside of the ring. Of course, she was also quite capable of a quick verbal (or physical) jab in or out of the ring.

Soon after, I met her husband Ed at a Days of the Dead event. Ed and Heather were part of the inner core at DotD. The duo was heavily involved in the wrestling aspect of Days, usually handling the wrestling guests and moderating the wrestling panels. Hardworking and fun-loving, these two were always one of the highlights.

At the last DotD in Chicago, they got a picture with actor Tom "Tiny" Lister, who also has a strong connection to the wrestling world. Among his many roles, Lister stayed as Zeus opposite of Hulk Hogan in No Holds Barred. That led to a few stints in pro wrestling. Most of his wrestling played off of his movie with Hogan, but he has carved a legitimate acting career.

One bit of trivia concerning Lister is that he is blind in his right eye. This makes his time in the ring more impressive. In a performance that relies on timing and ring presence, having half a field of vision makes it extremely challenging to hit certain spots.

I should also note that he is a big guy. Standing a legit 6'5", he towers over most of us, including Ed and Heather. Ed and Heather aren't short, it just looks that way in the photo below.

Prior to the last Days event, Ed and Heather announced they were leaving the Days con, along with a few others, including co-founder Adolfo. My reporter sense tells me something else is in the works. To guess it would involve wrestling would not be a huge leap, but I do not have any concrete information on that, just a guess from Magic JohngyBall.

Days will live on, but I will miss seeing these two at fture events. They can't escape me forever though. If there is another event on the horizon, you know I'll be "On the Beat" there, catching up with my old friends and creating new memories.

Go to DaysoftheDead.com or the Days of the Dead Facebook page for more info on this great convention. The next event is May 3-5 in Charlotte, NC.

Tiny Lister, Heather Owens and Ed Gonzales in Schaumburg, IL-November 2018.

Friendly Encounters: Sting and Ed Gonzales

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

I met Ed Gonzales at Resistance Pro.  Ed is an independents wrestler and the husband of "Hardcore" Heather Owens.  They are a fun couple and two really good people.
They are also hard workers at Days of the Dead events.  Ed has ben a big part of Days bringing in big name wrestlers (much to the dismay of a handful of horror fans).  I probably shouldn't even give the small group any thought, but I like to point out the idiocy of their mindset.
They view horror cons as sacred.  How dare the Days people bring in wrestlers, who have no connection to the horror scene?  Wrestlers do not belong at horror cons.
I don't remember the first wrestler Days had in their celebrity lineup, but I remember thinking it was a great idea.  Now, many wrestlers, several years and thousands of happy fans later, that decision is completely justified, although there is still a small group who complain.
I get an extra kick when I see a wrestler announcement.  I know there will be some immediate backlash, but the majority of attendees will be happy.
Few people there are happier than Ed though.  He gets to work Days and to "handle" the wrestlers.  How cool is it to hang with Ric Flair, Roddy Piper or Bret Hart?  Ed has done that and more.
At the Days event in Indy this year, the legendary Sting was the headliner.  Despite Ed being his usual; busy self, he did make sure to get a picture with Sting.  Not seen in the shot are Ed's signature Zubaz pants.
Days of the Dead Chicago is next weekend.  The celebrity guests include Dee Snider, Jeremy Bulloch, Daphne Zuniga, Fairuza Balk and Sean Astin.  You can go to DaysOfTheDead.net for all of the info.  Johngy's Beat will there there all weekend, as will Ed, enjoying all of the fun!

Ed Gonzales and Sting in Indianapolis, IN-July 2017.

Friendly Encounters: Ric Flair, Fifi, Heather Owens and Ed Gonzales

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

There is a lot of stuff that goes into this Friendly Encounter.  First is the setting.  It occurred at Days of the Dead in Atlanta.  I have written many times about the Days cons.  They are always an awesome time.
Why was legend Ric Flair at a horror con?  The answer is simple.  Demand.  Ric Flair draws fans.  The promoters of Days are open to other guests outside of the horror genre.  When you see Flair's line of 500 or so fans, it makes perfect sense.  Kudos to Days for thinking outside of the box.
The second element is Fifi.  She holds a place in wrestling history for her short stint on WCW television as the maid ion the "Flair For the Gold" segments.  Seeing her with Flair years later is a trip.
Lastly and certainly not least, is "Hardcore" Heather Owens.  Heather is part of the crew that makes the Days cons run.  She also happens to be one of my favorite wrestlers at Resistance Pro.  Heather is pure entertainment in the ring and as sweet as can be outside of the ring (do not tell her I said that).
I am sure this was a "mark out" moment for Heather and Ed.  I think it should have been equally so for Flair.  He had to be pumped for meeting this "classy broad."

Heather Owens, Ric Flair, Fifi and Ed Gonzales in Atlanta, GA-February 2016.