Teacher learns the ropes of wrestling ahead of fundraiser

Feb 21, 2023

MIDDLEBORO — Nichols Middle School gym teacher Megan Enos decided to take a body slam at Middleboroughmania 2022, and once she felt the adrenaline from the move and the crowd’s reaction, she wanted to do more at the next edition of the wrestling show.

Enos began training for three hours a week soon after her first foray into the wrestling ring for Middleboroughmania 2022, the inaugural squared circle fundraiser for the Nichols Middle School parent-teacher association. After a year and plenty of time on the mat, she’s ready for her first full match.

“It brings back that joy of being physical, busting around and hitting people,” Enos said with a laugh.

At this year’s edition of the professional wrestling fundraiser to benefit the Nichols Middle School parent-teacher association, Enos will wrestle in a three-on-three tag team match. She credits her karate background with helping her adjust to wrestling quickly.

One of her teammates is Nichols Middle School custodian Garrett Perry, who wrestles under the ring name Powerful Pat Garrett and makes up half of the Beastmasters tag team with the Portuguese Power House.

As the third member of the Beastmasters for the March 10 event, Enos will assume the ring name of the Powerful Physical Educator. 

Nearly a decade ago, Enos and Perry developed an inside joke about her becoming his tag team partner after she learned about his side gig and attended a few of his shows with fellow coworkers.

“My response at the time was like, ‘No, we’re not. Be quiet,” Perry said.

“And here I am!” Enos said.

The Beastmasters play the role of the heel — wrestling slang for the bad guy — but they have wrestled in the area for so long that fans can’t help cheering them. They walk to the ring in masks with chains draped around their shoulders, ready to fight.

Middleboro hosted at least one wrestling show each year in the 1980s, when Perry and his friend Rick Fuller started training to enter the business. Fuller went onto work for World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s and hosted shows in his hometown while working as the featured performer.

When some of Perry’s friends in the business and Henry B. Burkland Elementary School Assistant Principal Greg Thomas asked him why there hadn’t been shows in town in a while, he and Enos teamed up to bring wrestling back to Middleboro.

Top Rope Promotions, a company based in Fall River, is partnering with Nichols Middle School for the second consecutive year to host the fundraiser in the school’s gym.

Last year’s event was its first edition, and Enos and Perry said it drew twice as big an audience as they expected.

“I was hoping just to cover expenses because I wasn’t quite sure how many people would go to something like that,” Enos said. “We blew it out the door. We had over 300 people come which is more than I expected, and the PTA did really well fundraising-wise.”

Perry added that he heard a few people regretted not attending the 2022 show and that this year’s edition will live up to last year’s standard.

“This was a very successful fundraiser last year,” Perry said. “We want to try to top it.”

Fans will see high-flying performers, superheavyweights, and women’s wrestling at Middleboroughmania 2023. 

Nichols Middle School faculty and staff members will serve as special guests, and Jora Johl of the nationally-televised promotion All Elite Wrestling is scheduled to perform.

“I think the bases are a little more covered this year,” Perry said. “There’s a little bit of everything.”

Middleboroughmania 2023 takes place on Friday, March 10. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first match beginning at 7 p.m. Purchase tickets here.