“There’s going to be some hell to pay on Saturday,” Tommy Dreamer said, warning fans what they might see when he steps into a lumberjack match against Josh Shernoff at ACW Indypendence Day. The event is set for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET at the MJN Center in Poughkeepsie.
What Tommy Dreamer said
Dreamer opened by blaming a rising challenger for running his mouth and taking advantage of Dreamer’s recent absences from ACW shows. “So now, there’s no more running and I’m going to get him and I’m going to do what made me famous,” he told reporters, promising a tougher, older-school approach.
He softened briefly for fans who might be “a little squeamish” about more physical spots but made clear his intention to answer provocations in the ring. Dreamer framed the bout as personal, invoking decades of experience and his history performing in the Mid-Hudson region.
The feud so far
The lumberjack match is the latest chapter in an escalating conflict between Dreamer’s allies, known as The Now, and the group Sent 2 Slaughter. The immediate spark came in January when Josh Shernoff pinned Dreamer in a six-man tag at the Poughkeepsie Rumble.
Tensions rose further in May during Reckoning, a show that featured a chaotic steel cage match. During that bout, Sent 2 Slaughter and The Now confronted each other in and around the cage, with witnesses describing violent moments that extended beyond scripted spots.
Dreamer has repeatedly criticized Sent 2 Slaughter for what he called behavior that can “go beyond pro wrestling,” saying the line between performance and real harm was crossed. The dispute has driven the booking for ACW Indypendence Day, turning a local card into a personal grudge match.
Match details and stakes
The lumberjack match scheduled for ACW Indypendence Day is not a standard singles bout. Ringside will be lined with performers from both factions who act as lumberjacks: their role is to keep combatants inside the ring, but they can also throw wrestlers back into the ring or escalate brawls near the ropes.
On paper the main event reads as Dreamer and his allies versus Shernoff and his crew, but the lumberjack stipulation raises the odds of outside interference and chaotic spots. That format plays into Dreamer’s promise of old-school violence while also increasing the potential for unpredictable moments.
For Dreamer, stakes are both competitive and reputational — he has framed the match as payback for previous provocations and as a defense of friends and peers he says were harmed in recent incidents.
Safety concerns and context
Dreamer acknowledged the line between theater and real injury, saying he now recognizes responsibility to the wrestlers and fans in attendance. He referenced friends who were hurt and noted the emotional impact on families when a performer suffers a real injury.
Fox News reported that, following the Reckoning cage incident, Vik Dalishus required hospitalization. That report and Dreamer’s comments form the basis for concerns about safety; this article presents those details as reported and notes they have not been independently verified by this outlet.
Dreamer has also alleged out-of-ring provocations by Sent 2 Slaughter, including confrontations that fans and wrestlers described as crossing established boundaries. Those claims were repeated in his interview and in contemporary coverage of Reckoning; they remain allegations at this stage.
The MJN Center, where ACW stages local shows, has historic resonance in the region and for Dreamer personally. He said performing in Poughkeepsie still feels like “an honor” and stressed that promoters and talent share responsibility for preventing real-world escalation.
What to watch Saturday
Fans attending ACW Indypendence Day should expect a noisy, physical main attraction at 6:30 p.m. ET. The lumberjack stipulation makes outside involvement likely, so moments of chaos near the ropes and rapid shifts in momentum are reasonable forecasts.
Key moments to monitor: how ACW officials and referees manage the ringside lumberjacks, whether any participants are removed for safety, and how Dreamer and Shernoff handle direct exchanges early in the match. A quick pin or a brawl that spills into the crowd would change the night’s tone immediately.
Local context matters: ACW positions the show as grassroots live wrestling in the Mid-Hudson area, with affordable tickets and a community-oriented crowd. That environment raises stakes for promoters to keep the action dramatic but contained.
FAQ
When and where is ACW Indypendence Day?
ACW Indypendence Day is scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET at the MJN Center in Poughkeepsie.
Who is Tommy Dreamer facing in the lumberjack match?
Dreamer is slated to face Josh Shernoff in a lumberjack match featuring members of The Now and Sent 2 Slaughter at ringside.
Was Vik Dalishus hospitalized after Reckoning?
Fox News reported that Vik Dalishus was hospitalized following the steel cage incident at Reckoning. That detail is presented here as reported and has not been independently verified by this outlet.
Source: Fox News. Details in this article are based on Dreamer’s interview and Fox News reporting; this outlet has not independently verified all claims.
