Huntington, New York -- a vibrant Long Island town that encompasses the hamlets of Northport, Commack, Melville, and Huntington Station -- holds a unique and underappreciated place in professional wrestling history and culture. Though not as frequently spotlighted as nearby New York City or Nassau Coliseum, Huntington has nonetheless produced, hosted, and attracted a number of figures and events that deeply connect it to the wrestling world. From local legends to nationally recognized personalities with ties to WWE and beyond, the area’s impact spans both mainstream media and the squared circle.
One of the most visible ties between Huntington and the wrestling world comes through Bob Costas, the Emmy-winning broadcaster who hails from Commack. Costas made headlines in the early 2000s for his very public and often heated feud with WWE chairman Vince McMahon, most notably during a 2001 interview on HBO’s On the Record, which you can watch here. The interview, which featured an intense exchange over WWE’s programming and business ethics, became iconic for its raw tension and has since been replayed countless times in media retrospectives. Though Costas is better known for covering sports like baseball and the Olympics, his connection to pro wrestling through that clash with McMahon permanently cemented his relevance to the wrestling discourse.
The Huntington area is also linked to sports entertainment through the voices of Long Island radio: Opie and Anthony. Though based primarily in New York City, both Opie (Gregg Hughes, a native of Centerport) and Anthony Cumia were residents of the Huntington area. Their nationally syndicated show frequently featured WWE Superstars as guests, including names like Triple H, Kurt Angle, and Mick Foley. In 2001, Opie and Anthony also played a key on-air role for Vince McMahon’s first iteration of the XFL, providing live commentary and comedic insights during broadcasts. Their brash, unfiltered style resonated with many wrestling fans, and they served as cultural ambassadors between wrestling and the wider entertainment world.
Another celebrity with ties to Huntington and wrestling is Melissa Joan Hart. The actress, best known for Clarissa Explains It All and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, has been a longtime WWE fan and occasional guest at events. She made wrestling headlines in 2015 when she openly criticized WWE Superstar Kevin Owens on Twitter, calling him "lazy," which triggered a fierce backlash from Owens and his fans. While the spat was short-lived, it demonstrated Hart’s strong and public passion for the product — and her willingness to engage with wrestling personalities in a way that blurred the lines between fandom and feud.
Sal Iacono, better known as “Cousin Sal” from Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Fox NFL Sunday, also has roots in the area and once found himself in a bizarre, humorous on-air feud with WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. While the storyline was widely believed to be kayfabe (part of a scripted wrestling angle), it nonetheless drew attention to Iacono’s wrestling fandom and his ability to work within the theatrical conventions of wrestling. His background as a writer and comic also made him an effective foil for Piper, playing off the traditional heel-babyface dynamic in media appearances.
Within the realm of in-ring talent, perhaps the most prominent Huntington connection is Bubba Ray Dudley, one-half of the legendary Dudley Boyz tag team. While born in Queens, Bubba Ray -- as also known as Bully Ray -- is widely believed to have grown up in the Huntington area and has referenced Long Island roots in interviews. As a multiple-time WWE Tag Team Champion, ECW original, and TNA star, Dudley’s contributions to the sport are immense, and his local roots give Huntington yet another brush with wrestling greatness.
The late Ashley Massaro, former WWE Diva Search winner and fan favorite, also reportedly called the Huntington area home later in her life. Massaro, known for her punk rock persona and high-profile appearances in WWE between 2005 and 2008, maintained a strong connection to Long Island and was deeply involved in local community events. Her untimely passing in 2019 was mourned by wrestling fans worldwide, particularly on Long Island, where her presence had become familiar and cherished.
The Huntington area also was part of WWE’s regional days. Walt Whitman High School, located in Huntington Station, is believed to have hosted at least two WWF live events in the early 1980s. These shows featured major stars of the time, including Sgt. Slaughter, The Iron Sheik, and King Kong Bundy, bringing the action directly to Long Island fans long before WWE became a global touring juggernaut. These early shows were part of the territory system era, when the WWF would test markets and build local fanbases before expanding nationally.
A 1983 WWF live event in Northport, believed to be at the town's high school, was also unearth by Cagematch. Among the talent featured on this event's card were Curt Hennig (the future Mr. Perfect), Ray Stevens, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, Rocky Johnson (The Rock's father), Buddy Rose, Eddie Gilbert, and The Wild Samoans (including Roman Reigns' father Afa). Some of the same future WWE Hall Of Fame performers were on an April 1983 card at Melville's Suffolk Developmental Center.
An independent show hosted by NYWC in 2012 was documented to include Justin Corino, Dimitrios Papadon, Matt Striker, Mikey Whipwreck, Francis Kipland Stevens (Evil Kip), and DJ Phat Pat (Patrick Fitzpatrick).
More recently, Melville has hosted multiple live events for Create A Pro Wrestling at All Sportz Melville. Featuring both CAP graduates and talent that has been featured on WWE, AEW, TNA and ROH television, some of these events can be streamed via the school's YouTube channel; one of those events can be streamed here. Among the notables who have been part of CAP-presented events in Melville are multi-time World Champion Jeff Jarrett, WWE ID signee Aaron Rourke, former IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann, AEW star Alex Reynolds (Bethpage native), rising star Gabby Forza, Create A Pro co-founders Brian Myers (Glen Cove native with ties to Merrick) and Pat Buck, Nic Nemeth (former WWE Superstar and multi-time World Champion Dolph Ziggler), PCO, Danhausen, Moose, and MJF (Plainview native).
It was announced during the week of June 18, 2025 that Huntington's The Paramount will be the host venue for the NWA 77 live event and pay-per-view.
And speaking of The Paramount, per Mailman Nick and Newsday, it was reported in March that a Steven Spielberg-related film featuring Emily Blunt, Colin Firth and Colman Domingo was filming wrestling-related content at The Paramount. This appears to be that film, and if so, its cast includes Chavo Guerrero Jr. and AEW star Brian Cage.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on June 11, 2025. Updated on June 12, 2025, June 14, 2025 and June 18, 2025.
