Mayor Adam Stockford will wrestle a mystery opponent on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Hillsdale County Fairgrounds. 

The evening event will feature a series of matches between professional wrestlers, as part of the Championship International Wrestling promotion group.

“We got the mayor fighting which will give it a little hometown flavor,” Phil Monahan, American professional wrestler said. 

Stockford said Monahan asked him to sponsor the event.

“I said, ‘You know what, Phil? I’ll be a sponsor if you let me wrestle,’” Stockford said. “He thought I was just joking, but I was being serious.” 

The doors will open at 6 p.m. and the first match starts at 7 p.m.

Stockford said he wants to be wise about how he spends his reelection campaign money. He said he thought this event would encourage the community. 

“It’s an all ages event, from grandma to the youngest grandkids,” Monahan said. “We’re big on making this a family friendly event.” 

All tickets are sold at Checker Records coffee. General admission tickets cost $13. VIP tickets cost $20 and allow people to enter at 5 p.m., get a front row seat, take home a souvenir poster, and meet the wrestlers. Tickets will also be sold at the door for $15. 

Monahan said the event will feature a large steel cage for the main wrestling match, as well as a “micro” championship.

“That is going to be the first time for Hillsdale County to ever have a midget championship wrestling match,” Monahan said. 

Stockford’s history in wrestling will help him in his match against the mystery opponent, who is a professional wrestler, Monahan said. 

Stockford encouraged all Hillsdale residents to buy a ticket. 

“Tickets are not expensive and it should be a good time,” Stockford said. “Hopefully it will give everybody a good show and everybody will get a kick out of it.”