Long Islanders Hawkins, Ryder, Nese win titles at WrestleMania XXXV

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Curt Hawkins is now 1-269 -- and one-half of the tag-team champs!

Hawkins and fellow Long Islander Zack Ryder beat The Revival Sunday night at WrestleMania XXXV to win WWE’s Raw Tag Team Championship at MetLife Stadium.

Hawkins, a 2003 Glen Cove High School graduate who co-owns Create A Pro Wrestling Academy in Hicksville when he’s not working for WWE, had been riding a 0-269 losing streak dating back to 2016 before finally getting a pin when it mattered most.

Hawkins appeared finished after taking a brainbuster on the floor. When The Revival’s Scott Dawson got him back in the ring he toyed with an apparently lifeless Hawkins, only for the LIer to get a surprise small package for the win.

Hawkins and Ryder, both 33, are back on top after first winning the tag-team title in 2008 during The Great American Bash pay-per-view at Nassau Coliseum.

For Ryder, a 2003 Calhoun High School graduate, it was his second big win recently. Earlier this week he he became engaged to NXT competitor Chelsea Green.

Hawkins and Ryder weren’t the only locals to win gold Sunday. “The Premier Athlete” Tony Nese, a Longwood High School graduate, defeated Buddy Murphy to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship in the opening match of the card.

Nese won an eight-man tournament on the WWE Network show “205 Live” to earn the title shot, then opened up Sunday’s show by displaying some of the offense that made him a contender.       

His most spectacular move came while Murphy was outside of the ring. Nese charged the ropes and flew over them while turning his body in the air, back-flipping onto Murphy on the floor.

He took Murphy’s best shots, at one point getting his leg on the ropes to avoid a three count. Nese finally finished Murphy by catching him in a German suplex into the corner, with Murphy hitting his head on the second turnbuckle. Nese then hit the ropes on the opposite side for momentum and kneed Murphy in the head before securing the pin.