East Setauket, New York, holds a special place in the tapestry of professional wrestling history, thanks in large part to the hometown connection of Mick Foley. Widely regarded as one of wrestling’s most beloved and resilient figures, Foley grew up in East Setauket, where his passion for the sport was ignited. As a teenager, Foley even attended wrestling events at Madison Square Garden, inspired in part by watching Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka’s legendary leap off of a steel cage.
Foley’s journey from local fan to global icon, as Mankind, Cactus Jack, and Dude Love, began in these formative years on Long Island. Interestingly, Foley attended high school alongside comedian and actor Kevin James, who also -- reportedly -- briefly trained in professional wrestling before focusing on stand-up comedy and television stardom. Foley has been documented to be a four-time world champion (three WWF Championships and one TNA World Heavyweight Championship), an 11-time world tag team champion (eight WWF Tag Team Championships, two ECW World Tag Team Championships, and one WCW World Tag Team Championship), a one-time TNA Legends Champion, and the inaugural WWF Hardcore Champion.
Adding to East Setauket’s rock and wrestling ties is Dee Snider, the frontman of Twisted Sister, who at one point lived in the town. Snider, like Foley, has long been associated with pro wrestling through his outspoken persona, rebellious spirit, and appearances at wrestling-related events and promotions. His presence in East Setauket further connects the town to the world of larger-than-life personalities and entertainment that wrestling embodies. Reportedly, it was Foley who inspired Snider to a lot of charity work in his non-working time.
Beyond its famous residents, East Setauket has also been the site of several documented live wrestling events that have brought independent promotions and rising talent to the area. 1985 events hosted by Pro Wrestling USA included Rick Martel (defending his AWA World Heavyweight Title), Nick Bockwinkel, The Rock & Roll Express, The Barbarian, Superstar Billy Graham, Curt Hennig (Mr. Perfect), Kendo Nagasaki, Sgt. Slaughter, Larry Zbyszko, and Bob Backlund.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on June 14, 2025.