New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling

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New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling (WPW) is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.

New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
Acronym WPW
Founded October 2003
Headquarters Wellington, New Zealand
Founder(s) Martin Stirling
Formerly Wellington Pro Wrestling
Website [1]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Formation

WPW started in October 2003 by martial arts trainer and veteran New Zealand wrestler, Martin Stirling. Wrestlers trained by Stirling first performed at the Armageddon Convention on September 20, 2003, as part of an Impact Pro Wrestling show, and the promotion was launched under the name Wellington Pro Wrestling (WPW). Their first show was held on November 14, 2003 in Petone. WPW then got re-branded to New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling in January 2005, This was partly because the domain name for WPW was already used and to reflect the growing interest in touring New Zealand (Christchurch, Masterton, Levin, Gisborne, Hastings and Auckland) as well as the Wellington area.

[edit] Expansion

WPW has performed shows in Christchurch, Palmerston North, Porirua, Otaki, Levin and Paraparaumu, making it the most widely touring New Zealand promotion and the only one to perform in New Zealand's South Island. Wrestlers from WPW have also wrestled for Australian promotion Major Impact Wrestling.[1] Female wrestler Misty also competed in the all women's Australian promotion PWWA.

In May 2006 a number of WPW wrestlers, led by former WPW booker The Punisher and WCW/ NWA star Rip Morgan, left to set up a rival promotion called Kiwi Pro Wrestling. Since then WPW has had a working relationship with Auckland based promotion Impact Pro Wrestling. In 2008 WPW featured on the television show 'Good Morning' which is a nationally seen show on TV One to promote Powerplay V with all profits being donated to the Te Omanga Hospice. WPW also co-promoted a show with the Australasian Wrestling Federation featuring former ECW, WCW, WWE and TNA Superstar Raven. In 2009 current WWE Superstar Chris Masters featured at Powerplay VI, making numerous television appearances to promote the event including 'Good Morning' and '20/20'.

WPW has further expanded opening new branches within major cities through out New Zealand including a branches in Hastings, Gisborne and another based out of Blenheim which also goes under the name Southern Championship Wrestling.

[edit] Martial arts

Thanks to Martin Stirling's martial arts background, WPW has made much of its links with New Zealand's martial arts scene. Many of their early shows featured demonstrations of fighting styles such as karate and kickboxing[2]. Shows have also been co-promoted with major Sumo events such as the 2005 Oceania Sumo Championships[3] and the 2006 New Zealand Open Sumo Championships[4].

Also in 2006, WPW co-sponsored sumo wrestlers Sio Sakaria and Mark Tanu to attend the Junior World Championships in Estonia, where they won silver and bronze medals respectively[5].

In 2009 WPW wrestlers Travis Banks and Tykade both won gold medals at the Oceania Sumo championships in Australia.

[edit] Triangle TV

[edit] Invasion

WPW previously aired on Triangle TV. The show debuted on the 21 August at 11pm. Invasion includes touring of WPW and was officially kicked off on the 16th of August in Wainuiomata and now occasionally, Upper Hutt. The show ended prior to the New Year of 2009.

[edit] Championships

[edit] Current champions

Championship Current champion(s) Date Won Event Previous champion(s)
NZWPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship Rufguts November 27, 2009 NZWPW Movember Defeating D-Hoya by cashing in his Right To Challenge
NZWPW New Zealand Tag Team Championship Travis Banks & JC Star October 30, 2009 NZWPW The Bay Bash Manalanche
(Ben Mana & Adam Avalanche)

[edit] Roster

  • Adam Avalanche
  • Axl
  • Ben Mana
  • "The Ideal Experience" Corey Dallas
  • Chad Howard
  • Cheetah
  • Carmella Caprice
  • Dan "The Man" Stirling
  • D-Hoya
  • Dreamcatcher
  • JC Star
  • Jimmy Sparx - Inactive
  • Johnny Idol
  • Kid Caprice
  • Matariki - Inactive
  • Mikey Rave
  • Misty
  • Osiris
  • Rehua - Inactive
  • Rose Caprice
  • Rufguts
  • Shining Nick Silver
  • Stella Hammer
  • The Nerd
  • "The Peak Of Perfection" Travis Banks
  • Tykade James

[edit] Others

  • Damian Tait (Referee)
  • Jack Williamson (Commentator)
  • Martin Stirling (Owner)

[edit] Tag-Teams

  • Five-Star Revolution (JC Star and Travis Banks)
  • Circus of Tragedy (Dreamcatcher and Osiris)
  • The Caprice Sisters (Rose Caprice and Carmella Caprice)
  • The Party Boys (Mikey Rave and Kid Caprice)

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ New Zealand Wrestling Archive: NZWPW Stars in MIW. March 13, 2006
  2. ^ New Zealand Pro Wrestling Informer: Report from first WPW show. November 18, 2003
  3. ^ New Zealand Wrestling Archive: NZWPW - "Powerplay II" Preview. March 17, 2005
  4. ^ Sumo and Professional Wrestling Collide. April, 2006
  5. ^ New Zealand Pro Wrestling Informer: NZWPW Sumo Success. August 29, 2006
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