SCOTT TADY

PITTSBURGH — New Brighton pro wrestling legend Shane Douglas joins forces with his longtime manager, “The Queen of Extreme” Francine and their “Little Brother,” Ned Rolsma, a 7-foot tall former sitcom guest-star, to get Western Pennsylvania in the holiday spirit the “Hardcore” way .

Douglas, a five-time Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion and ECW founding member and Rolsma (“Marcus Eriksen” on CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother” will make a two-day convention appearance, Dec. 20-21, at AnimeVerse/ WrestleVerse at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, then co-host a “Hardcore Holiday Happy-Hour” Christmas Party at Helltown Brewing Co. in the Strip District that Saturday.

The convention unites fans of anime, gaming and wrestling. Visitors can meet favorite legends from the golden era of professional wrestling, dive into entertaining
celebrity Q&A panels, show off their cosplay skills in contests, and explore a vast selection of merchandise, including rare figurines and collectibles.

After their day-long Dec. 20 convention appearance, the trio will “haul out the
holly” and throw back some beverages at their trademark “Hardcore Holiday Happy-Hour” from 6-8 p.m. at Helltown Brewing,1700 Penn Ave.

The trio will sign autographs, take pictures, conduct a Q&A and host festive holiday
party games with fun prizes, as they combine wassailing and wrestling for a packed  house full of Christmas-crazed wrestling fans! R&B and rock group Yukon John and The Sulfur Creek Band will headline until 11 p.m.

“I’m super-excited to be back in Pittsburgh, especially at Christmas time,” Francine said. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the wrestling fans and sampling some of Helltown’s latest concoctions as we reminisce on all the good times and great memories we had in ECW and all over the world. Come get festive with me and Ned and ‘The Franchise’, and I’ll let Santa know if you’ve been naughty or nice.”

Douglas said in a press release he looks forward to interacting with local wrestling supporters because “coming home to ‘The ‘Burgh’ because “my entire childhood and professional career will forever be tied to this City and Pittsburgh’s incredible wrestling fans. I owe so much to them, and cannot wait to see them at the Convention Center; and I’m so excited to throw back some homemade Helltown beers and put the Holidays in a headlock!”

Rolsma, a former pro basketball player and featured actor in many TV commercials, added “There is nothing like the Holidays in Pittsburgh. The charm and the magic of Christmas come alive in Downtown, and I can think of no better way to get festive than by roasting our proverbial chestnuts on some of The ‘Burgh’s best brews while playing some fun party games and wassailing with my two favorite wrestlers and their hometown fans.”

If you go:
AnimeVerse/WrestleVerse Fest – Dec. 20-21, David Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh. Tickets and details at animeversefest.com.

“Hardcore Holiday Happy-Hour” starring “The Franchise” Shane Douglas and “The Queen of Extreme” Francine, hosted by Ned Rolsma, 6-8 p.m., Helltown Brewing Co.,
1700 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh. Info: helltownbrewing.com