Maywood : Wrestling Match to Be Test

The city and a small wrestling-promotion company will stage a match on March 16 to see if there is a market for professional wrestling in the southeast Los Angeles County area.

Under an agreement approved by the City Council last week, the city and Johnson & Richards Inc., a Los Angeles-based company, will evenly divide the gate receipts for the 2 p.m. weekend match at Maywood Park, said Ed Ahrens, director of community development. Both will also divide certain duties, such as setting up the arena and selling tickets.

Ahrens said he approached the company about the venture when he found out it was looking for local wrestling venues. The match will be outdoors at a park grandstand. Advance ticket sales are scheduled to begin this week.

Barry Richards, a partner with the company, said if the event is profitable, they might hold monthly matches. The company, in operation since September, has staged matches at small venues such as The Country Club in the San Fernando Valley.

He said the company features lesser-known wrestlers--”we have no Hulk Hogans”--and generally draws an audience of 2,000 to 3,000.

Ahrens said the city last had wrestling in 1949, when the city celebrated its 25th anniversary.