Richard Holliday is turning social media attention and indie wrestling momentum toward a May 16 ACW Reckoning match against Andrade El Idolo.
Richard Holliday’s next major independent wrestling test is set for ACW Reckoning, where the Connecticut wrestler is scheduled to face Andrade El Idolo on May 16 at the MJN Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.
The match puts Holliday, a former Awesome Championship Wrestling heavyweight champion, opposite one of the most recognizable names on the card. Fox News Digital identified Andrade as an All Elite Wrestling star and the New Japan Pro-Wrestling IWGP global heavyweight champion.
Holliday, who has built his current presentation around being the “most marketable” man in professional wrestling, framed the match as part of a larger run of prominent independent dates. In an interview with Fox News Digital, he said his ACW matches have recently included Matt Cardona, Matt Riddle, Killer Kross and Mike Santana.
“The matches get bigger and bigger and now I’m wrestling Andrade,” Holliday said.
Holliday’s profile has grown beyond the ring, with the wrestler crediting daily posting across social platforms for helping introduce him to fans who may not have seen him perform live. He said the goal is to turn that online attention into ticket-buying interest for independent shows.
The wrestler’s path began in Connecticut after he moved away from Division II football at the University of New Haven. Holliday said a wrestling school opened near his home in November 2014, at a time when he was ready to leave football and pursue wrestling full time.
“I always knew I wanted to be a professional wrestler,” he told Fox News Digital, describing the timing as a moment that felt like an opening.
Since beginning his career, Holliday has collected championships across several promotions and was ranked No. 112 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s top 500 singles wrestlers in 2021. He most recently held the ACW heavyweight title before losing it to Killer Kross last month, according to the report.
ACW Reckoning’s lineup is expected to include Ben Bishop, Steph De Lander, Indi Hartwell, Mance Warner and The Righteous, along with Holliday’s match against Andrade. Holliday praised ACW’s production and backstage operation in the interview, calling it the most professional independent promotion he has worked for.
For Holliday, the May 16 match is both another showcase and a test of whether his online growth can keep translating into bigger independent wrestling stages.
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