New Jersey’s Monster Factory is a dream machine for aspiring pro wrestlers
“I knew from the jump we would be successful.”
Tucked inside a sleepy residential neighborhood of Paulsboro, there’s a faintly lit gym with a red marquee that spells out “Paulsboro Wrestling Club.”
It looks nondescript, but die-hard wrestling fans recognize it as the home of the Monster Factory, the grounds from which the most electrifying talents in the world of wrestling got their start.
Led by owner and former wrestler Daniel McDonald, a.k.a. Danny Cage, the training center has been the mecca of entertainment wrestling, a sport built on high-flying athletic ability, precision-sharp technique, and personalities that bust through a TV screen.
WWE wrestler Matt Riddle cut his teeth in the Gloucester County facility. Impact wrestler Steve Maclin and Ring of Honor announcer Ian Riccoboni honed their skills on the floors of the Monster Factory gym. And now, Cage and his students are at the center of an Apple TV+ series titled Monster Factory that premiered Friday.
After years as a wrestler in the independent circuit, Cage purchased the Monster Factory in 2011 from former pro wrestler and founder Larry Sharpe, who died in 2017. Since then, Cage has taken on Sharpe’s old-school brand of training to help launch the careers of wrestling stars who have gone on to sign with big-name companies like WWE, AEW, and Ring of Honor. Currently, nearly 40 students train under him at the Monster Factory, many of whom will be featured on the show.
“I knew from the jump we would be successful,” Cage, 49, said. “I just knew the hurdles I was going to handle were going to be there.”
Monster Factory wrestler Gabriella Belpre, who wrestles under the name “Gabby Ortiz,” said the TV series was a long time coming.
Belpre, 28, who has trained under Cage for seven years, has grown stronger and more agile through an assortment of weight training and intense wrestling drills, all pushing her to her mental and physical limit in preparation for intense shows at the Paulsboro facility, where she tries to catch the eye of star-making scouts.
“It’s the thing that I’ve stuck to the longest in my life,” the Philly native said. “I’ve acted, played music, danced. learned how to sew, and tried to draw. I’ve tried everything, but this is the thing I stuck with and I’ve been the most successful at. So I’m motivated to keep getting better.”
David Goldschmidt, now 22, celebrated his fifth birthday at the Monster Factory, and the experience sparked his passion for wrestling and his enduring connection to the center.
His favorite wrestler was John Cena, and when Goldschmidt, who wrestles under the name “Goldy,” started his career at 17, he took notes from the superstar athlete-turned-superhero movie star. But the Marlton native has branded himself with the help of Cage, who revved his motor at a time he felt his wrestling tank was empty.
“I always say [Cage] is like a second father figure to me,” Goldschmidt said. “I can go to him with anything, and I don’t think I can say that about a lot of people.”
Hurley Jones Jr., known as “Bobby Buffet,” was also unsure if a career in wrestling was the right path.
When he started training in 2018, the Plainfield, N.J., native took several breaks due to personal matters, but for the last few years he’s dedicated time to perfecting his craft.
“It’s been a roller coaster,” Jones, 24, said. “There are days when it’s good, then there are days when it’s bad. But at the end, when you’re reminded of your passion and what got you started in the first place, it’s easier to stay disciplined when you have that stuff in mind.”
Wrestler Lucas DiSangro, 24, who performs under the name “Twitch,” drives 45 minutes four to five times a week to scratch his itch for chain-wrestling moves, takedowns, and pins.
For nearly eight years, DiSangro, who claims to be the only pro wrestler with Tourette’s syndrome, has worked with Cage to refine his skills, but the Levittown native said the camaraderie that permeates the Monster Factory gym is what keeps him coming back.
“A lot of wrestling schools will say, ‘We’re a family,’ but I don’t really know how true that is for other wrestling schools,” he said. “It’s true at Monster Factory – we all look out for each other. If I didn’t show up, [Cage] would be blowing up my phone.”
Aside from her own ambitions as a WWE star, Belpre is hopeful the Apple TV+ series will shed more light on the work Cage does and the people he’s helped climb the ranks in the industry over the years.
“My ultimate goal right now is to make sure that our stories get heard, and I’m really excited about that,” she said. “I don’t know if my window has closed, but I’m just going to ride it out and have a good time.”
While signing to WWE or AEW is in his sights, Goldschmidt said Cage has inspired him to consider coaching when his days as a wrestling star come to a close — not only to showcase the tools and decades-old techniques of the trade but to make a similar impact in others’ lives beyond the squared circle.
“Some coaches tell me, ‘Your only job is to train them and rest,’ and I’m like, ‘No, you don’t understand what a coach is,’” Cage says. “That’s just teaching a dog how to sit and stand – that’s not a coach. There’s more than that.”