Baron von Raschke wrestled at 86 years old over the weekend, and he won. That makes him the oldest male wrestler ever to compete in a pro wrestling match, per Fightful and F4W.
Von Raschke won Sidney Bakabella’s Halloween Ball Gauntlet Extravaganza at Dreamwave Wrestling’s “Trick or Treat” show. The event took place Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Kaycee Club in LaSalle, Illinois, per the official results.
Baron von Raschke Key Facts
Detail |
Info |
|---|---|
Wrestler |
Baron von Raschke, 86 |
Match |
Sidney Bakabella’s Halloween Ball Gauntlet Extravaganza |
Result |
Won; entered at No. 10 |
Finish |
The claw on Sidney Bakabella and Jordan Kross |
Event |
Dreamwave Wrestling “Trick or Treat” |
Date |
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026 |
Venue |
Kaycee Club, LaSalle, Illinois |
Previous match |
1996 |
Record |
Oldest male wrestler to compete in a pro match |
Previous men’s record |
Kendo Nagasaki, 84 (November 2025) |
Overall record |
Mae Young, 87 (2010) |
Where to watch |
IWTV, at a later date |
Booked for Autographs
Von Raschke had only been booked to sign autographs. Bryan Alvarez described what happened, per F4W: “Bakabella came up with the idea of having him in the match and pushed all day, and Baron eventually agreed.”
Von Raschke entered at No. 10. He put the claw on Bakabella and Jordan Kross and eliminated both to win. The story was that he was Bakabella’s old rival from the Indianapolis territory.
It was his first match in 30 years, since 1996. Alvarez said nobody involved knew at the time that he was setting a record, and that Von Raschke “had the time of his life and looked like a kid again.”
The other entrants were Channing Thomas, Kody Lane, Xander Pryde, Gaige Carter, Anna Ray, Matt Hatter and Dan the Dad.
The Oldest Wrestlers Ever
Mae Young still holds the overall record. She competed on the Nov. 15, 2010, episode of Raw at 87, winning a no disqualification, falls count anywhere handicap match against LayCool (Michelle McCool and Layla) with help from the Raw women’s roster.
The previous men’s record belonged to Kendo Nagasaki (Peter Thornley), who wrestled last November at 84, per F4W. Ric Flair, who had his retirement match at 73 in 2022, doesn’t make the top 10, per NDTV.
Oldest Pro Wrestlers to Compete in a Match
Wrestler |
Age |
Year |
|---|---|---|
Mae Young |
87 |
2010 |
Baron von Raschke |
86 |
2026 |
Kendo Nagasaki |
84 |
2025 |
Who Is Baron von Raschke?
Von Raschke is a former AWA star whose signature hold is the claw.
What Is Dreamwave Wrestling?
Dreamwave Wrestling is an independent promotion that runs shows in LaSalle, Illinois. “Trick or Treat” was recorded to air later on IWTV, per PWMania. Bobby Orlando won the Dreamwave Championship from Connor Hopkins on the same show.
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