Bridgehampton, New York -- a picturesque village in the Hamptons known for its equestrian events and upscale retreats, considered part of "the Hamptons" -- also has a subtle but intriguing connection to the world of professional wrestling. While no major wrestling events have been known to take place, one of the more unexpected figures associated with both the town and pro wrestling is A.J. Pierzynski, the former MLB All-Star catcher with native ties to the area.
Known for his fiery personality on the baseball diamond, Pierzynski has worked with both TNA Wrestling and WWE. On December 8, 2005, Pierzynski appeared on the TNA Impact! series. Accompanied by White Sox strength trainer Dale Torborg, Pierzynski presented TNA wrestlers A.J. Styles, Chris Sabin and Sonjay Dutt with memorabilia from the 2005 World Series. At the ceremony, an incident was staged to include Pierzynski in a controversy with the wrestlers. Pierzynski then made his professional wrestling "managerial" debut at TNA Turning Point 2005 on December 11, 2005, accompanying Torborg, Sabin and Dutt to ringside for their match against the Diamonds In The Rough.
On October 10, 2006, Pierzynski appeared on ESPN2's Cold Pizza, wearing TNA Wrestling's X-Division Championship belt, and challenged WWE Champion John Cena, who was also a guest that morning, to a "Title vs. Title steel cage match" whenever Cena wanted to have it. Pierzynski returned to TNA in January 2007, when he and Torborg confronted Lance Hoyt. On the September 7, 2009, edition of WWE Raw, Pierzynski made replaced Chris Jericho in a game show called The Price is Raw, with Bob Barker hosting.
Just a short drive from Bridgehampton is Amagansett, where former WWE executive Shane McMahon has owned property, underscoring the area’s appeal to figures in the wrestling industry.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on June 14, 2025.