ROBBO’S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS #10: Newcastle Pro Wrestling
Happy Christmas Eve Eve! It’s Robbo back with the 12 Days of Christmas series, and just in case you missed the last 9… what this series is about is putting a spotlight on Aussie pro wrestling. Every day, I’ve written an article on a different Aussie wrestling promotion, fueled by coffee and an undying love for this form of entertainment. We’ve gone all around the country, different states, different levels of promotions- from the powerhouses that have produced WWE Superstars to the humble local feds that burn with a passion to get to the next level… and today, we’re back in my home state, New South Wales, for the final time in this series…
Day 10: Newcastle Pro Wrestling (NSW)
Newy Pro is such an underrated promotion in my opinion. As much as people give PWA, MCW, EPW and even Riot City Wrestling (ooh, is that a spoiler?) their flowers, not as many people give Newy Pro their due. Look at Charli Evans. World travelled, a well-deserved stellar reputation as a multi-faceted, incredibly talented pro wrestler. Where did she get her start? At Newy Pro’s training school, the House of Free Fighting. What about the wrestler ranked #99 in the PWI 500 this year, the current PWA Champion, Jessica Troy? Yep, the Granola Grappler started at Newy Pro at the same time as Chevs.
Founded in 2011 by Adam Harragon (who wrestles as Happy Hoffman), Newcastle Pro Wrestling is often considered a sister promotion of sorts to Sydney’s PWA. They share a considerable amount of talent, but Newy Pro does veer towards a more family-friendly presentation of wrestling for the most part. They have recently ventured into 18+ shows with the “Shattered” series at the Hamilton Station Hotel, but for the most part, Newy Pro- like Wu Tang- is for the children.
The roster is strong, as while they do make great use of the world-class Sydney talent, like a Jack Bonza or Robbie Eagles, their core and most featured performers are typically Newcastle born and bred. The likes of Ben Braxton, Rita Stone, Mat Diamond, Dazza and previously Carter Deams (I still live in hope for a comeback!) have run things at Newy Pro to great success. The fan base is loyal and passionate, and that’s been exemplified in my trips to Newcastle, when I make the 4 hour trip from home for their big City Hall shows. That City Hall audience is something else!
Newcastle City Hall is a gorgeous venue. Since 2021, Newy Pro have run shows at City Hall, and every time, they’ve put their best foot forward, with stellar pro wrestling. When I’ve been able to attend live in person, the atmosphere is incredible, whether it’s seeing Dazza topple Mat Diamond inside a steel cage, or seeing Rita Stone break down barriers by beating Hoffman to unify the Women’s and Middleweight Championship, a Newy Pro City Hall show is a next level experience. It’s a shame that the local council has insisted on upping the venue hire fees in such a substantial way, over 10K per show now I believe. Considering the amount of fans, like myself, that travel up and put money into the city of Newcastle solely because of those events, it feels like a raw deal.
That brings us to our featured video for this article. Due to wanting to feature a 2024 show, in order to give the best representation of the current product, our pickings were a little slim on the YouTube channel. They do feature a good amount of content- including the full Brawl At City Hall 2 show from 2022- but their more current shows are typically on TrillerTV (formerly FITE). So today we have, from the beginning of 2024, is their Fight Knight event!
Front and centre on the show graphics and the event itself is super-athlete Ben Braxton. He successfully defended his Newy Pro Heavyweight title against Gatt, and he has continued to be a dominant presence in Newy Pro in 2024, recently turning back the challenge of the Loose Ledge, Adam Brooks at City Hall.
Current Champions
Newy Pro Heavyweight Champion- Ben Braxton
Newy Pro Middleweight Champion- Leo Tempest
Newy Pro Tag Team Champions- The Dropouts (The Tuckman & Scott Green)
Support Newy Pro and Aussie wrestling as a whole by following on the socials, check out the YouTube channel and their shows on TrillerTV! And of course, if you’re able, buy a ticket and head on up to a show, there’s nothing like the live experience.
With that, we keep heading south for our next entry, where the weather may be cold, but the wrestling action is hot! Thanks for reading along and I hope you’re enjoying this look at the Aussie pro wrestling scene.
Until next time, take care.
A man who loves his wrestling, MMA, and has been known to dabble in karaoke. Previously wrote for Snap Mayors Media and ran The Arena Media for several years. As many wrestling fans do, I often envisioned myself becoming a pro wrestling superstar, but having Cerebral Palsy makes that dream a tough one to attain. Did do a brief referee spot for Rock N Roll Wrestling and I’d love to do more non-wrestler roles if laying the Smackdown is out of my reach, but until then, I’ll be hitting you with some refreshing writing like an F5!
