First-Ever Arms Classic Headed for Erie

The Erie Sports Commission is pleased to announce that Presque Isle Downs and Casino will be the first-ever host of The 2015 Dave Chaffee Arms and Bikini Classic on Saturday, January 30. The event will feature a series of bouts culminating in an arm wrestling matchup between Erie’s own World Champion Dave Chaffee against Mike Ayello, the fifth-ranked heavyweight arm wrestler in North America. 

Dave Chaffee is a six-time national champion, 2014 and 2015 WAL Champion, 2013 Arnold Classic Champion, third-ranked heavyweight in the world.

Arm wrestling competition will kick off the day at noon, as amateur arm wrestlers compete in five classes – Pro Right, Pro Left, Women’s Pro Right, Amateur Right and Amateur Left – for cash prizes. The Bikini Classic begins at 6 p.m. Two rounds of competition will determine the first Miss Bikini Champion, who will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize and a trip to Reno, Nevada.

The main event begins at 8 p.m. and will feature six of the top arm wrestlers in the United States in three Super Matches. The first match sees Paul Talbot, a four-time national champion ranked third in the world, against Doug Erlich, who is a two-time national champion and ranked 16^th in the world. The second match pits Quinlan Mendez, the 2011 Arnold Classic Champion and 2014 WAL Champion, against Justin Bishop, a one-time national champion who is ranked in the top five in the world. The winner of each match will be awarded $1,000 cash.

Chaffee and Ayello will face off in the final Super Match, with the winner taking home $5,000.

Admission is free for spectators at all events. Spectators must be 21 years of age and older.

“Real Training and Fitness is excited to bring another top-level event to its hometown here in Erie PA,” said Jack Sullivan, Owner of Real Training and Fitness, the event’s sponsor.

“We’re excited to support this new event and showcase Dave Chaffee’s talents to a hometown crowd,” said Ron Sertz, Executive Director of the Erie Sports Commission. “Jack Sullivan has proven that he runs high-quality events, and this will be no exception. Presque Isle Downs and Casino will be highly-charged on January 30.”

For more information, visit www.realtrainingandfitness.com.

The Erie Sports Commission is committed to promoting the Erie region as a prime destination for sports and recreation. The major goals of the ESC are to attract, create, support, and host sporting and recreational events that have a positive economic impact on the region, and assist in maximizing the potential of all regional sports facilities and venues. The ESC strives to enhance the image of Erie by showcasing the community, promote wellness through healthy lifestyles, and improve the quality of life for community members of all ages.