Rob Elowitch runs one of the top art galleries in New England but he was in love with another canvas — the canvas in a wrestling rink.
For the past 20 years, he’s lead a secret life of sorts. Art lovers may know him as the head of an upscale gallery but wrestling fans around the country know him as Robbie Ellis, the sexiest sexagenarian super-stud in wrestling.
He may only be 5 foot 7 inches and 170 pounds, but the 67-year-old is a force to be reckoned with in the ring, often taking on and beating competitors less than half his age.
Robbie’s unusual passion is the focus on an award-winning new documentary called “Canvasman: The Robbie Ellis Story.”
Rob explains how he’s been a lifelong fan of the sport and found a way to pursue his passion.
His moonlighting has even got him written up in Sports Illustrated and featured on several network news programs.
Rob says his art business is still his first love, and at first, he feared his wrestling hobby would negatively impact the gallery when word started to spread. But the exact opposite happened — it’s actually helped his gallery business to boom.
What’s life on the road like for a 67-year-old wrestler? Rob says these days, some of his best friends are in their 20s. He says he loves learning and the younger guys he wrestles with are constantly learning new things and teaching them to him.
In fact, he says he’s found that they’re also some of the most creative and exciting people he’s ever known — and remember, he’s an art collector!
Find out why he continues to keep getting back into the ring — even when he leaves it with two black eyes and stitches.