Shining A Spotlight On QLD – Sam Cannon

The Queensland Wrestling Alliance:
Shining a Spotlight on the North – Sam Cannon
By Trent O’Day

Name: Sam Cannon
Height: 5’10” / 179cm
Weight: 319lbs / 145kg
Signature/Finishing Manoeuvre: Second rope moonsault / World’s Strongest Slam
Championships/Achievements:

Current 4x QWA United Heavyweight Champion
Former 1x QWA Tag Team Champion
QWA Match of the Year recipient (2019, 2020)
QWA Move of the Year recipient (2021)

Companies Worked For:

Queensland Wrestling Alliance (QLD)
Wrestling Allegiance Rockhampton (formerly Queensland Wrestling Alliance Rockhampton) (QLD)
WideBay Pro Wrestling (QLD)
Australian Wrestling Alliance (QLD)
Venom Pro Wrestling (QLD)
Underworld Wrestling (VIC)
Explosive Pro-Wrestling: School of Pro Wrestling (WA)

Up here in the northern parts of Queensland, you can’t go too deep into a conversation about the modern history of the Queensland Wrestling Alliance (QWA) before the name Sam Cannon inevitably comes up in conversation. A few weeks ago, I wrote an article detailing the history of the QWA in the hopes of capturing the attention of a brand-new fan base, and hopefully broadening their minds as to what is truly happening within Australian professional wrestling across all corners of the country. It then dawned on me that not only did it feel like it was my responsibility to talk about my beloved company in detail, but also the talent that make it up. So, with that in mind, I couldn’t think of a better place to start than with our current QWA United Heavyweight Champion, and one of my closest friends – Sam Cannon.

Sam had always been a lifelong professional wrestling fan, and upon discovering that QWA existed in his hometown of Townsville, he began his training in 2016, at the ripe age of 18. A quick learner, and deceptively athletic for his size, Sam took to wrestling like a duck to water. His ability to soak up the fundamentals, his adept chain wrestling, in-ring psychology, and stage presence earned him his debut roughly 10 months after he first stepped inside the squared circle. His progress continued at a rapid rate and within 11 months of his debut, he was rewarded with his first ever QWA Heavyweight championship run. This accolade placed him in the QWA record books as the youngest ever QWA Heavyweight champion (which has still yet to be beaten) and set Sam up for a bright future within the QWA.

In 2018, Cannon cemented himself as one of the top performers in the state after an incredible match with Michinoku Pro Jnr. Heavyweight Champion Rui Hyugija at QWA’s hallmark event, Dominance. Performances such as this earned Sam his first interstate booking with Underworld wrestling in Victoria, where he more than held his own against performers with significantly more experience than himself. He then returned to Townsville and proceeded to carry the QWA on his back as crowds couldn’t seem to get enough of the brash, young, confident, agile big man. However, not content with staying in one spot for too long, Sam eventually took on an assistant trainer and mentor role for the Queensland Wrestling Alliance Rockhampton (now Wrestling Allegiance Rockhampton) in 2019.

QWAR was a sister company to QWA at the time, and Sam had been broadening his horizons through a vast range of online seminars – as training in Townsville was limited to the QWA roster and travelling to prestigious wrestling schools was difficult to manage. Stubbornly though, Sam persisted with his dogged determination and passed on every ounce of knowledge he could to the young Rockhampton crew, and continued to do so until roughly 2021, when he decided to place his focus back within the training grounds of his own backyard – the QWA. Cannon is now one of the head trainers in Townsville, and though he remains somewhat reserved as he goes about his business, he is a highly respected and valued member of the Townsville wrestling community.

I’ve personally had the pleasure of working with Sam over the years both inside and outside of the ring and he is nothing more than a consummate professional. Smooth as butter between the ropes, a mind for wrestling like no other, topped off with a moonsault that could bring a tear to a grown man’s eye – it is criminal that his work hasn’t been seen by more people around the country. Since his debut in 2017, he has travelled the state and plied his trade in a variety of different companies and even shared the ring with WWE Cruiserweight Classic competitor Damian Slater. Sam has achieved a great deal within the independent pro-wrestling circuit already, and yet he has no intention of slowing down any time soon. He has put on fantastic matches against Queensland based talent such as Seth Tylors (with whom he is now in a tag-team), Dick Riggs, EC Brownie, Colt Winchester, BroDay, Tommy Asguard and so many more.

I cannot express how talented this young man is, and if you get the opportunity, please check out some of his matches and see for yourself. Like his page, follow his journey and if you do decide to book him, you will not be disappointed. He is a fantastic wrestler and an even better human being, and that is why I decided to shine a spotlight on QWA United Heavyweight Champion, Sam Cannon.

You can follow him on Facebook: Sam Cannon – QWA, and Instagram: @sam_cannonqwa