Wrestling Legends Assemble: SICW’s Fanfest III Set for May 16–17 at Hilton St. Louis Airport

Wrestling fans from around the country are preparing to converge on St. Louis for one of the biggest gatherings of legends in the sport’s history. Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling (SICW) presents Fanfest III on May 16 and 17, now set at the Hilton St. Louis Airport Hotel—a move that promises easier logistics for the more than 50 wrestling icons scheduled to appear. While the last two shows were held at The Aviator, SICW owner Herb Simmons acknowledged that the biggest complaint about the venue was the lack of air conditioning. Not that it would matter now, the Aviator recently closed it’s doors and is no longer running.

“The AC was an issue both year’s,” Simmons said. “But, when you have 300 or 400 people in a space, it’s going to be hard to keep that area cool. The Hilton makes things a lot easier with there being a shuttle that runs every 15 minutes. Last year, we probably made over 50 trips back and forth to the airport from South St. Louis.”

This year’s lineup reads like a who’s who of wrestling history, featuring names such as Bob Orton, Rikishi, Sabu, DVon, Kevin Von Erich, The Boogeyman, Matt Riddle, Abdullah the Butcher, and Dr. D David Schultz. Fans will also get a chance to meet WWE Hall of Famers and stars from various eras, including Jerry Brisco, Missy Hyatt, Rock ‘N Roll Express, Greg Valentine, Teddy Long, and many more.

“There will be an ECW connection this year with Shane Douglas, Sabu and Bill Alfonso,” said SICW owner Herb Simmons. “And we also will have stars of the 1980s WWF era with appearances from Tito Santana and Greg Valentine. Tito really enjoys sitting down and talking with fans—he gets a lot of joy from the event.”

Former WWE superstar Rikishi features a rich pro wrestling lineage. He is the father of Jimmy and Jey Uso. While both are longtime stars of the WWE, Jey recently won the WWE Title at WrestleMania and is considered one of the biggest stars currently in the company. Rikishi is the brother of late-WWE star Umaga. In fact, the Fatu family has been a fixture on the pro wrestling scene for decades.

The weekend kicks off Friday night with Bill Apter’s Q&A Session with Wrestling Legends. In a humorous twist, Apter had to rebook his flight after realizing he wouldn’t land until Saturday morning—missing his own show. Crisis averted, he’ll be present and ready to lead the night’s discussion.

“There’s always something that comes up,” Simmons said. “I’m glad he looked at his ticket in advance, so we were able to catch the error and get it fixed.”

Saturday’s schedule is packed:

• 9:00 AM – Fan Fest opens
• 5:00 PM – 2025 St. Louis Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
• 7:00 PM – The Bruiser Brody Memorial Battle Royal

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees include Greg Valentine, Ivan Koloff, Ox Baker, Jerry Blackwell, and Butch Reed. Special awards will honor Danny Boy Hawkins (Larry Matysick Award), Ron Powers (Sam Muchnick Award), and Teddy Long, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Fans can purchase an all-access bundle for $85 at SICW.org, which includes entry to all events throughout the weekend.

Simmons summed it up best: “If you can’t find someone there that tickles your fancy, are you really a true wrestling fan?”