Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
For Romeo Roselli, May 10th, 2025 won’t just mark the end of a wrestling career—it will be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
Roselli, best known to WWE fans as one half of The Heart Throbs, will step into the ring one final time at Northeast Wrestling’s WrestleFest at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY. The building, steeped in wrestling history, played host to legendary moments like the Bret vs. Owen Hart feud finale on WWF Action Zone and Bobby Heenan’s infamous ejection by Gorilla Monsoon on Monday Night Raw. But for Roselli, the County Center is something even more personal—it’s home.
“I grew up going to wrestling shows at the Westchester County Center and I literally did not miss a show for probably 15 years,” Roselli told PWInsider.com. “It's what made me become a fan. It’s what drew me to the art of professional wrestling. Once I committed to wanting to be a wrestler, I told myself that I had to wrestle there at some point in my life.”
On May 10th, that journey comes full circle. It will be the first and last time his seven-year-old daughter gets to see him perform live, a milestone that helped inspire Roselli to lace up the boots one final time.
“She knows that daddy used to be a wrestler. She knows that daddy’s going to wrestle so she can see her daddy wrestle,” he said. “It’ll be the first time she sees me. It’ll be the last time she sees me. That’s why this night means everything.”
Roselli’s passion for the Westchester County Center runs deep. From the balcony seats where he sat as a child to the front-row corner his mother would line up early to secure, the venue shaped both his fandom and his future. “This has been in my heart for about 30 years,” Roselli said. “To perform in the same building I grew up watching wrestling in, with my daughter in the crowd, is the storybook ending.”
While many fans might expect a reunion of The Heart Throbs for his swan song to bring some levity to the proceedings, Roselli clarified this match will be something different—more personal in tone and spirit. “This night is not about The Heart Throbs,” he explained. “This night is about Giovanni, Romeo Roselli, John Roselli—the young kid who looked up at the ring and said, ‘I’m going to do that.’ And now I get to say, ‘Yes, I did.’”
The show itself is stacked with major names from the past and present, including The Hardy Boys, Mick Foley, Lex Luger, Jerry Lawler, The Boogeyman, Kane and Mickie James. The event will feature a full fan meet-and-greet starting at 3 PM, with bell time for Roselli, The Hardys, Breezango and others hitting the ring at 7 PM..
Roselli’s road to this final match hasn’t been without hardship. Over the course of his career, he endured a string of serious injuries, including a torn ACL, PCL, MCL, and meniscus in his knee—at one point all at once. He also wrestled through a partially torn pectoral muscle while filming The Wrestler, hiding the severity of his condition to avoid being recast. “I barely had a knee, I could barely raise my arm—and I still had to wrestle Ron Killings for 30 minutes, ready to hit a high spot at any second,” he recalled. “God willing, it all worked out.”
While those injuries took a toll physically, they also shaped his evolution into a fitness and recovery expert. Today, Roselli channels that knowledge into his health coaching work, using his experiences to help others stay resilient and strong.
Having earned a master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion, credits his background with helping him prepare for this final match.
“I'm in my forties now, but I feel like I’m in the best position possible to perform,” he said. “I didn’t want to wait any longer. I didn’t want this to be a battle royal or an eight-man tag. I want to stand in the middle of that ring on my own.”
Outside the ring, Roselli found success in acting, appearing in Gotham, The Deuce, Saturday Night Live, and as mentioned above, The Wrestler alongside Mickey Rourke. Roselli and Ron Killings appear backstage with Rourke, playing a pivotal role in the narrative. “One thing Mickey told me was, ‘I hope I did your business justice.’ He meant it,” Roselli recalled.
Roselli also held championships in Puerto Rico and Italy, including a memorable NWE title win in Sicily in front of thousands of fans while draped in the Italian flag. “That was a dream come true,” he said.
But despite all the miles traveled and titles won, it’s May 10th in White Plains that matters most.
“This would be a lot different if I was just booked on the show. But being involved in helping put the event together adds another layer,” he said. “We’ve already sold over a thousand tickets. It’s emotional, but it’s exciting too.”
“This is literally one of the most important days of my life,” Roselli said. “And if there’s a kid in the crowd who sees me and one day says, ‘I want to do that,’ then I’ve done something right.”
Wrestlemania season ended for WWE last night, but for Romeo Roselli, his own personal Wrestlemania-style moment before his daughter is upon him with less than a month to go.
WrestleFest tickets are available now via Ticketmaster and at northeastwrestling.com. The Westchester County Center is easily accessible by car or via Metro-North from Grand Central Station in New York City.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
