Brawl in Brawley brings out wrestlers, personalities, championship belts

BRAWLEY – KnokX Pro Entertainment and Academy, a professional wrestling training organization in Los Angeles, put on a 2-day show for local fans in Brawley on March 10 and 11 over the weekend.

The live events feature WWE Hall of Famer Jr. Rikishi Fatu, Reno “Black Pearl” Anoa’i, Eyez in Disguize, and more. The night of March 11, held at Hidalgo Society Inc.'s hall, marked KnokX Pro's sixth wrestling event in Brawley since 2015.

Brawley resident and pro wrestling connoisseur, Brian Arvizu, put on the show to not only provide entertainment for the public but also to raise money for high school scholarships. The scholarships will benefit Brawley Union High School graduates of the Class of 2023.

“Every year, Hidalgo Hall sponsors a scholarship for BUHS, and (KnokX Pro) is helping them raise money by putting on the show,” Arvizu said.

The Academy was founded by Anoa’i and Rikishi about 14 years ago, Arvizu said, and it is growing. Two wrestling duo have dedicated their lives to teaching the ins-and-outs of the wrestling business to students so their knowledge can be passed on by generations to come, he said.

Arvizu enjoys the reactions of the fans, from cheering on the “good guys” and booing the “bad guys," — or "faces" and "heels" as they're known in the pro wrestling biz, respectively.

Arvizu said the stress behind trying to find local sponsors, tickets, and promotions washes away once the event kicks off.

Pro wrestler ECC Jessica Roden, whose ring name is "J-Rod," discussed her life and what it means to her 'being the ultimate athlete.'

Roden is originally from Ohio and attended the University of Alabama. Since graduating, she has chased her dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Roden has participated in other wrestling events, such as AEW Dark, and tried out for Women of Wrestling (WOW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Having a diverse background in athletics, Roden has participated in a variety of sports such as volleyball, softball, cheer, track, and gymnastics. She has since applied all she's learned in athletics to her career in professional wrestling, crediting it as a place "to get away." Roden is a student in KnokX, trained by the Samoan Dynasty legends Rikishi and Anoa’i.

“We’re putting on a display tonight of the students that train and work with the Samoan Dynasty and getting a lot of on-the-road experience,” Roden said.

She says she gains valuable experience from traveling to different cities, and she is continuously working her way to the next level of professional wrestling and getting more exposure.

Roden’s goal, which she ultimately achieved, was to “take back what’s mine," referring to the ECC championship belt, from her opponent on March 11, Daniella Kamela.