WWE NXT creates memories for Special Olympics Florida athletes at Orlando Plane Pull
The sixth annual Orlando Plane Pull to benefit Special Olympics Florida was a festival-style event centered on a competition among teams of 15 and a 60-ton Boeing 737 aircraft.
WWE’s NXT fielded a team of 12, captained by Wesley Blake of The Forgotten Sons, on Nov. 2. Blake is a graduate of the Dory Funk Jr. Funking Conservatory in Ocala.
Blake was joined by his Forgotten Sons brethren Steve Cutler and Jaxson Ryker. Also, Babatunde, Reina Gonzalez, Chelsea Green, Xia Li, Jordan Tolulope Omogbehin, Bronson Reed, Robert Stone, Shane Thorne, and Daniel Vidot.
Head coach Matt Bloom and all-purpose Staffer Ryan Katz attended, adding moral support. Ring announcer Jon Quasto helped emcee the event, and marketing manager Meghan Bertovich navigated the NXT efforts.
The goal was to find the team that can pull the plane 15 feet the fastest. It’s essentially a giant tug-of-war between each team and that 60-ton airplane, provided by United Airlines at its North Hangar at Orlando International Airport.
United Airlines team members talk about the plane used, the plane pull and Special Olympics Florida.
Photos and videos from the event
Team NXT, the two-time defending champs, participated as an honorary member, pulling as one and then splitting into teams with Special Olympics Florida athletes.
Interviews with Special Olympics Florida athletes who participated in the plane pull with WWE NXT superstars.
Several days prior, some of the Special Olympics Florida athletes visited the WWE Performance Center to tour the Orlando-based facility and train for the plane pull. That was followed by a pizza party.
Special Olympics Florida CEO and president Sherry Wheelock discusses the event, WWE NXT and more.
In my video interview with Steve Cutler of The Forgotten Sons, he discusses the plane pull, Special Olympics Florida and Halloween.
FDC RRT Platoon 10 finished first. pulling the plane 15 feet in 6.160 seconds. HICV Resort Ops/Rickenbackers was second in 6.280, followed by Orange Krush in 7.065.
Interview with Tom Strickland, who is a plane pull champion, and his friend Will Conrad. Strickland, a former resident of Merritt Island, has participated in big plane pull events to benefit Special Olympics at Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Viginia..
As for the fundraiser portion, teams must raise a minimum of $1,500 to participate. Their efforts allow Special Olympics Florida to continue providing year-round training, health exams and athletic competitions at no cost to more than 51,000 athletes statewide.
Aside from the competition, camaraderie and fundraising, the event welcomed food trucks (like Fat Ones hot dogs), vendors, cornhole, hula hoops, a car show and more.
Spending time in the flight deck an added bonus.
In Spring 2020, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport will host its first Plane Pull for Special Olympics Florida.
Visit https://specialolympicsflorida.org/.
NXT War Games
NXT TakeOver: War Games is Saturday, Nov. 23 live on WWE Network from the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois. It is part of WWE Survivor Series Weekend in Chicago.
Rhea Ripley, Candice LeRae, Tegan Nox, and Mia Yim vs. Shayna Baszler, Io Shirai, Bianca Belair, and Kay Lee Ray.
The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong) vs. Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee, Dominik Dijakovic, and TBA.
Matt Riddle vs. Finn Bálor.
And more.
NXT on USA
NXT is 8 p.m. Wednesdays on USA Network live from Full Sail Live at Full Sail University in Winter Park, near Orlando.
For everything NXT, click https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt.
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This story was originally published November 20, 2019 at 12:17 PM.
