Friend Encounters: Tom Arnold and Jayson Maples

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

I met Jayson Maples several years ago at Heroes and Legends Fan Fest in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Maples was the man behind the great show, which featured a full card of matches and several other wrestlers there for a meet-and-greet.

Since then, Maples has promoted several more events, although he has relocated them to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Heroes and Legends XXI has not yet been announced, but I will report on it when it is.

The current Heavyweight champ is Anthony Toatele. My old friend from Resistance Pro Wrestling Sugar Dunkerton is the Smoky Mountain Champ.

Although not at one of his shows, Maples met actor and comedian Tom Arnold. Now there are two characters! Arnold has shown his skills on television, in movies and in clubs. He has been through a lot, but he is still performing.

For more info on Maples and his events, go to HeroesandLegendsWrestling.com. Check back here for my recurring coverage.

Jayson Maples and Tom Arnold in Gatlinburg, TN-July 2022.

Jayson Maples and Heroes and Legends Wrestling Fan Fest

Jayson Maples debuted Heroes and Legends Wrestling Fan Fest several years ago. Fast forward to May 13, Jayson presents Heroes and Legends XIX in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

I have attended a couple Heroes and Legends events and they are a blast. I would have gone more often, but distance and schedules prevented me, much to my disappointment. It's not form indifference though. I plan on returning when I can.

Jayson is a great guy. A man of deep faith and spirit, Jayson is not shy about declaring his thoughts on social media. He isn't shy about showing his tremendous weight loss in the last few years. I am proud and happy for Jayson for both of these and for his convention, of course.

Among those appearing this year are Dr. Tom Prichard, Wolfie D and Jamie Dundee, Brian Pillman Jr.., Heath, Kevin Sullivan, Henry Godwin and so many more.  There will be plenty of independent wrestlers, too, along with a full night of wrestling.

Go to HeroesandLegendsProWrestling.com for more info. Also follow Heroes and Legends on social media and check here for updates.

Jayson Maples and me in Indianapolis, IN-July 2017.

Friend Encounters: Mascot Week Edition: Legend and Jayson Maples

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities. Today is a special Mascot Week edition.

I first met Jayson Maples at his Heroes & Legends event in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Heroes & Legends are great events, featuring wrestling legends, a fan fest and live matches. Besides all of that, Jayson is a really good guy.

Jayson has since moved to Tennessee, but Heroes & Legends lives on. While he has held events in Tennessee, he also returned to Indiana for an event. I really want him to return to Chicago, where he held one event a while back.

The picture below is abit misleading, as Jayson has dropped a lot of weight and looks great. Better yet, he is happier and healthier than ever.

Featured with Jayson today is Legend, the event mascot. Regal (not William) and majestic, Legend is the perfect mascot for Heroes & Legends.

Go to HeroesandLegendsWrestling.com for more info on Jayson's event. Check back here all week for more mascot fun and check here for my recurring wrestling coverage.

Legend and Jayson Maples in Fort Wayne, IN-July 2019.

Friend Encounters: One Man Gang and Jayson Maples

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

Based in Indiana, Jayson Maples is a former pro wrestler and current promoter. He is the man behind Heroes and Legends Wrestling Fan Fest.
George Gray wrestled under a few different names, before adopting the "One Man Gang" moniker which would become his most popular gimmick. After s hort perioed as the OMG, Gray was signed by the WWF, who quickly changed his gimmick to Akeem the African Dream, a gimmick which probably would never make it today. Even back in the 80s, it was a questionable choice, but Gray made it work. This really speaks volumes for Gray's skills in the ring and on the mic. Few people could have pulled off that gimmick.
After a few years in the WWF, Gray went to the WCW and then to the independent wrestling scene, resurrecting his One Man Gang character. Mostly retired, Gray still makes occasional wrestling appearances, as well as meet and greet appearances.
Gray was at the Heroes and Legends Fan Fest in October. Looking at the picture below, Gray and Jayson could be the Two Man Gang tag team. Both men lost a lot of weight over the years, but both men still can look pretty imposing. Fortunately, both men are really good guys and very fan-friendly.
Go to HeroesandLegendsWrestling.com to get all of the info on the great events. Also, follow Heroes and Legends on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Jayson Maples and George Gray in Fort Wayne, IN-October 2019.

Squared Circle Expo Update

The Squared Circle Expo was scheduled for May 29-30, but had to be postponed, like every other big event. The SCE organizers have been very busy staying on top of the situation, exploring all options and keeping everyone posted on developments, the latest announcing new dates of August 21-22. My coverage continues at Squared Circle Expo 2020 Update on the Patch and here, of course.
Along with the new dates, the SCE organizers released info regarding ticket and hotel statuses. Basically, all will transfer over, unless you contact them to change things. Many of the scheduled wrestling guests will still be at the SCE. The SCE organizers are waiting to hear from the rest of the scheduled guests, as well as reaching out to others who originally couldn't make the May date. In any case, the SCE 2020 will be full of wrestling greats.
While, of course I am excited about meeting so many wrestling legends, I am probably just as excited about seeing old friends again. There is nothing like being cooped up in a condo for 2 months to really make one appreciate human contact.
One of the friends I will see is Jayson Maples, an Indiana-based wrestling promoter who has become a friend through our meetings at various conventions over the years. Jayson is the man Heroes and Legends Pro Wrestling fanfests and wrestling shows. While mostly held in Indiana, Jayson ran a show in Chicago last year and the success seemed to indicate more would follow. Jayson has been in the wrestling business for many years as a performer and a promoter. Aside from bringing great wrestlers to many conventions, Jayson is a great guy.
The picture below isn't a great representation of Jayson. Oh sure, he still has the big smile, but everything else about him is much smaller thanks to his tremendous transformation. He has lost a lot of weight and looks and feels better than ever. I cannot wait to congratulate him in person on his effort and achievement.
Go to HeroesandLegendsWrestling.com for more info on Jayson't events. Check SquaredCircleX.com for all of the info on this great event. Also follow Squared Circle Expo on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Friend Encounters: Cody Rhodes, Brandy Rhodes and Jayson Maples

This is a weekly series featuring my friends who have met celebrities.

I have featured my Indiana wrestling promoter friend Jayson Maples several times. As a wrestling promoter, it is natural that he would meet and befriend many wrestlers. Two of the biggest wrestling names right now are Cody and Brandi Rhodes.

The youngest son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes, Cody is one of the main people behind All Elite Wrestling, the biggest, newest promotion. Cody had some success in the WWE, but despite his talent, he was never a main eventer. As one of the folks in charge of AEW, it is easy to see how he could be part of the main event picture, but Cody has earned everything he has and he hasn't jumped to or hogged the AEW spotlight.

As the WWE's main competitor right now, AEW is gaining fans and exposure. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. You can't overtake the WWE overnight and maybe AEW never becomes #1, but a solid #2 is very impressive.

Cody met Brandi while both were in the WWE. Brandi was a model who entered the WWE and became an in-ring performer as well as a broadcaster. Of course, she is a big part of AEW, onscreen and behind the scenes.

Jayson has done pretty well for himself, too. He promotes fantastic shows mainly in his native Indiana, although he expanded to Chicago last year. He brings in legendary stars for the fan fest, along with having a packed lineup of great indy talent.

For more info check out HeroesandLegendsWrestling.com.

Brandi Rhodes, Jayson Maples and Cody Rhodes in Atlantic City, NJ-August 2018.

Friend Encounters: Stephanie Bellars and Jayson Maples

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

Today I am featuring a really good dude who is a wrestling promoter. Jayson Maples is the man behind Heroes and Legends Wrestling Fan Fest, based out of Fort Wayne, IN, but expanding outward of late.

I first met Jayson years ago when I attended one of his shows. His shows feature big name wrestling legends and a full card of great wrestling matches. Many of my wrestling favorites and friends have wrestled there, like Sugar Dunkerton, Hardcore Heather Owens, Scotty Young and others. It is a full day of wrestling entertainment.

Over the years, I have witnessed Jayson undergo awesome changes. Years ago, Jayson was a wrestler and much heavier. He has lost a bunch of that weight and is healthier than ever. He is also happier than ever, especially in his family life. I am very happy for Jayson. He deserves it all, because he has worked hard and is such a great guy.

Stephanie Bellars also seems to be doing better than ever. Stephanie rose to fame as Gorgeous George, accompanying "Macho Man" Randy Savage to the ring during his stay in WCW. Stephanie's stint in pro wrestling didn't last long, but she remains a fan favorite.

While I don't believe Stephanie has been to Heroes and Legends Wrestling Fan Fest, she did connect with Jayson at a convention last year. Hopefully, he was working on bringing her in for his convention. 

For more info on Jayson's great events, go to HeroesandLegendswrestling.com. You can also follow Heroes and Legends Wrestling on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Stephanie Bellars and Jayson Maples in Atlantic City, NJ-August 2018.

Friend Encounters: The Undertaker and Jayson Maples

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

Today we feature Jayson Maples, a wrestling promoter from Indiana. Aside from running fantastic shows now, Jayson's wrestling roots go way back.

Jayson was a professional wrestler. Back in the 1990's, Jayson crossed paths with many famous wrestlers, including  young kid named Mark Calloway. This is one of many legends Jayson has known.

He has stayed in he business all these years and has built a solid reputation as a promoter. His Heroes and Legends Fanfest is a great event. The next one on October 5 is about two weeks away. It has a great lineup including Sting, Lex Luger, The Boogeyman, Kevin Sullivan and many more legends. There will also be several matches, including a steel cage heavyweight title match, a women's title match, a legends tile match and a gimmick battle royal.

Aside from being a great promoter, Jayson is simply a good guy. He always greets you with a big smile and a warm greeting. Jayson also needs to be applauded for his tremendous weight loss. I don't know the exact number, but Jayson worked hard at losing considerable weight. We're all happy to see him doing so well.

Mark Calloway has done pretty well, too. He became The Undertaker, perhaps the most sucessful "character" ever in pro wrestling. "The Phenom" is a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest of all time.

The next big event is Saturday, October 5 in Fort Wayne, IN. Check HeroesandLegendsProWrestling.com for the latest announcements.

Jayson Maples and The Undertaker in Ocean City, MD-July 1994.

Heroes and Legends Wrestling Fanfest and Jayson Maples

A couple years ago, I attended the Heroes and Legends Wrestling Fanfest in Fort Wayne. I totally had a great time, but scheduling conflicts prevented me from returning to another one. I have plans to change that with the next Heroes and Legends Wrestling Fanfest on Saturday, October 27.

Jayson is a really good guy. I do see him regularly at Days of the Dead when he brings in various wrestlers at his booth. At the DotD event in Indy earlier this year, he brought in WWE Hall of Famer Madusa. Having been a fan of hers from her time in the AWA back in the 1980's, I had wanted to meet her for the longest time. Jayson delivered and Madusa was fantastic.

The Heroes and Legends Wrestling Fanfest features many wrestlers as celebrity guests, along with an excellent night of wrestling matches. As of this writing, those matches include my bud Sugar Dunkerton versus the Ultimo Dragon with Sonny Onoo. That alone would sell tickets.

The star-studded wrestler celebrity guest lineup includes Kevin Nash, Terry Taylor, Demolition, Sgt. Slaughter, Swoggle and Brian Pillman Jr. Vendor guests include Mark Henry, Jeff Jarrett, Teddy Long, Jim Cornette, Doink, the Rock 'N' Roll Express, Francine, Justin Credible, Madison Rayne and Virgil.

Wow! That is a lot of wrestling talent past and present. That's a lot of talent in and out of the ring. Just meeting them all will take some logistic planning, but it'll all be part of the fun. It's one month away and I can't wait.

Check HeroesandLegendsWrestling.com for more info on this fun event. Hopefully, I'll see many of you there.

Jayson Maples and me in Indianapolis, IN-June 2018.

Heroes and Legends of Pro Wrestling VII

I had a blast at Heroes and Legends of Pro Wrestling VI, but unfortunately will not be able to attend Heroes and Legends VII on Saturday, October 22.  Still, I can support it, because it is a great show run by a good guy.

Jayson Maples runs Heroes and Legends out of Fort Wayne, Indiana.  He works very hard at putting together a great night of wrestling and wrestler appearances.  In contrast to the rough world of pro wrestling, if you are friends with Jayson on Facebook, you will see the cutest pictures of his little guy Noah.

Back to the wrestling, VII is going to be incredible.  Slated to appear are Ryback, Vicki Guerrero, Lex Luger, Nikita Koloff, The Godfather, Dutch Mantell, Raven, Swoggle, Gary Michael Cappetta and more.  That lineup alone is worth admission.  For me, Nikita by himself would have been enough to go, if I wasn't out of town.

On the wrestling card are Damien Sandow, Carlito, Ricardo Rodriguez, Tracy Smothers, Steve Lombardi and more.  A few of my friends from Resistance Pro,. including Sugar Dunkerton, Scotty Young and Jake Omen, will also be in the ring.

The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is a great place to watch, since all seats offer excellent views.  There are plenty of good dining and hotel options nearby, too.

While I will not be at Heroes and Legends VII, I will be there in spirit.  I will also look forward to an announcement about VIII, because I'm hoping my schedule permits me to make that event.  For more info, check out HeroesandLegendsWrestling.com.

Jayson Maples and me in Fort Wayne, IN-March 2016.