Champions Down Under #1- Aussies Find International Success; New Championships Introduced To Kick Off 2025

Image Credit: @digitalbeard, @newphotographystudios, @mknell

Hey, it’s Robbo back with a new series! I was very happy to kick off my Christmas holidays with the 12 Days of Christmas series, looking at a different Aussie wrestling promotion each day around the country. It was great to have an idea of mine come to life and work out so well, and I really appreciate the feedback I got for it all. Plus, it was a lot of fun to watch a lot of Aussie wrestling, with a large chunk of it being new to me.

For this one, it’s from the mind of the boss man, and it means a lot to be trusted to cover this. Every two weeks- so basically the middle of the month and the end of the month- I’m going to look at champions and championship matches going on around Australia for that two week period. The first part being about “what’s happened” and the second part being about “what’s coming up?” I’ll try my best to get to all the promotions I can, of course covering the major ones and any smaller ones I come across. Much like the 12 Days of Christmas series, if there’s something in particular I’m missing, let me know in the comments of wherever you see this article! We can grow this thing together as one great Aussie wrestling community.

Primarily, this will cover the local Australian wrestling scene, but I’d be remiss on this particular week to not mention WWE and one of its biggest stars, who just happens to be a proud Australian, Rhea Ripley. Last week, WWE Raw aired live on Netflix for the first time ever. It was a star-studded event, with WWE Legends and celebrities galore in the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. In one of the featured matches on the show, Rhea Ripley defeated Liv Morgan to win the Women’s World Championship once again. Congratulations Rhea!

Now, onto the main course…

New South Wales

What’s Happened?

• Rhea Ripley wasn’t the only Australian to capture international gold to start 2025, as Robbie Eagles kicked off 2025 by winning the IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag Team Championship with Kosei Fujita in the opening match of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19, a Ladder War. On Jan 4, the “Ichiban Sweet Boys” def. Knight & Kushida, TJP & Akira, and Connors & Moloney
• With the tag title win, Eagles is now a double champ, as he currently holds the Soul of PWA Championship that he defeated Tuckman for last April at PWA Ringmasters. He defended the championship successfully in the dying days of 2024, besting both Paris De Silva and Jack Bonza in a thrilling triple threat at Mounties Mania. Following his Wrestle Kingdom win, it was back to PWA for Robbie on January 11, heading to the Crowbar in Sydney for Let Them Fight 4, where he retained the Soul again against the “Silly Superstar”, Billy Preston.
• PWA Champion Jessica Troy is out of action for the time being, suffering a leg injury in a six person tag at Mounties Mania. However, she was able to avoid a break and is still a presence on NSW wrestling shows, serving as a commentator alongside veteran Ed Lock on the IWA Summer Meltdown Tour.
• Rock N Roll Wrestling held their Rock N’ Rumble on January 11 at Campbelltown RSL. The event had 3 championship matches, including a new championship in the titular match. The name is currently uncertain, as ring announcer Patrick called it the RNR Elite Championship, while pre and post match promos saw it referred to as the “Middleweight Championship”. The Rumble featured performers from Newy Pro and SLAM Pro League, including Dan Archer and the monstrous Slamoo, as well as the (former?) manager of the Greasers, Flame, so truly anyone is eligible for this title. The inaugural champion is “Heartless” Morgan Rose, who utilised his lackeys, The Dogs, to throw out the match’s Ironman, The Bachelor, after a gargantuan effort. Bachelor appeared to suffer an arm injury upon elimination, being helped to the back by a handsome, strong and shockingly single referee!
• Elsewhere on the Rock N’ Rumble card, Moses retained his RNR Championship against hometown hero, Ben The Referee, and Hunter PS Hayes & Killa Kye def. The Greasers to retain the RNR Tag Team Championship. Post-match, The Greasers fought in a wild brawl, ending their long-standing team after months of tension.

What’s Coming Up?

• PWA’s next event is a Black Label (18+) show at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville, called Tag Race. Card yet to be announced, but is sure to feature current champions in some capacity and further existing storylines such as the Jessica Troy/Charli Evans feud. The tag team PWA Premiership will also begin.
• The IWA Heavyweight Championship will be defended on January 18, as the champ Jimmy Townsend puts it on the line against Randal, who earned this opportunity by way of winning the Grand Gauntlet on the Summer Meltdown tour. The match has a stipulation to be voted on by the fans- which finishing move will be banned? The Superkick, the Kamikaze Cutter, or the Moonsault?
• All Star Wrestling start their 2025 on January 18 with Bega Bash, headlined by Heavyweight Champion Keegan Brettle defending against Canberra’s Luke Watts. Following that, All Star return to their home of Padstow RSL on Jan 25 for the Summer Spectacular, where Brettle faces heated rival Wes Williams in a First Blood match.
• Although yet to be officially announced by management, the social media barbs between Rock N Roll Champion Moses, and former WWE Superstar/Broncos player Xyon Quinn seem to indicate an imminent showdown at the Caxton in QLD (Feb 14) for the championship. Stay tuned…

Victoria

What’s Happened?

• The powerhouse promotion of Victoria, Melbourne City Wrestling, held their last event of 2024 back on December 8 at the Melbourne Pavilion, MCW End Game. And although it’s been covered on this site previously, I felt it was worth recapping as we start this series. Ricky South cashed in his Ballroom Brawl opportunity to defeat Caveman Ugg for the MCW World Championship.
• Additionally, Queensland wrestling prodigy Eugenie toppled Erika Reid at End Game to take the MCW Women’s Championship. Lots of inter-state warfare in MCW!
• The Parea defeated the Icons (Adam Brooks & Rocky Menero) in a 3 Stages of Hell match to win the MCW Tag Team Championship. Now, with the Parea based in USA for 2025, time will tell what the future holds for MCW’s tag division.
• The reigning MCW Intercommonwealth Champion, Robbie Thorpe, defended in a 3 way against Mitch Waterman and Tommy Knight.
• On January 4th, PCW held their Next Gen event. Aysha def. Rochelle Rogue to advance in the Women’s Championship tournament. Additionally, Orion Mencin retained the PCW Slam Championship against Maverick Walker.
• Adrenaline Pro Wrestling (APW) overhauled all their champions going into 2025, with 4 title changes on their Never In Your Wildest Dreams 5 show on the 13th of December. Josh Redfield is the APW Heavyweight Champion, Kris Law is the APW Legacy Openweight Champion, Nova Nicholls is the APW Breakout Champion, B-Squared are the APW Tag Team Champions, and Xavier Black is the APW Hardcore Champion.

What’s Coming Up?

• MCW’s next event is their Anniversary show on the 15th of March. So they may get less mentions in these articles until closer to that time, I just wanted to get them down here for documentation’s sake.
• The next PCW show is Ignition on the 25th of January. Admittedly, I haven’t followed PCW’s product, but from the ticket description it seems to be a smaller event, “on the road to Risk” on 22nd of February.
• APW kicks off their New Year with Breakout 51 on 31st of January.

Queensland

What’s Happened?

• Wide Bay Pro Wrestling, like APW in Victoria earlier, had something of an overhaul in its champions in the final event of 2024, WBPW Hall Brawl at Maryborough Town Hall. While Bobby Bishop retained his WBPW Title in a 3 Stages of Hell match against Yeet Stevens, we saw new champions elsewhere as Chook Slaydah won the WBPW Brute Force title, the Undeniable team of Rip Reilly & Logan Pearce became WBPW Tag Champions, and EC Diamond is the new WBPW Interstate Champion.
• Queensland Wrestling Alliance (QWA) has two sets of championships, with Bojack reigning as the QWA United Heavyweight Champion, last defeating Sam Cannon at Hardcore Halloween in October. Kulture are the QWA Tag Team Champions, retaining against Decadence on the same event. They held Ground Zero on Dec 7th, a show which according to the information I found had no championship matches contested.
• PWL are gearing up for a massive show at Eaton’s Hill Hotel on the eve of AEW Grand Slam Australia (Feb 14). As such, they have not held a show since Project Revolution V- which was covered in the 12 Days of Christmas series. However, we got a championship announcement on Dec 18 for the big ROW/PWL Supershow- it will be Aysha vs. Lena Kross vs. Lil Marz for the Renegades of Wrestling Women’s Championship!

What’s Coming Up?

• QWA have their Tropical Rumble coming up on Feb 8th, which has championship implications as the winner goes to the main event of QWA Dominance 25.
• Wide Bay are back at City Hall on Feb 22 for Target Undeniable, as Jack Tarr challenges Bobby Bishop for the championship.
• PWL is likely to give us more newsworthy items in the coming weeks as more matches for the Supershow on Feb 14 are announced.

South Australia

What’s Happened?

• The vacant RCW Emerald Crown is no longer vacant, as Zak Sabbath def. Sigma at Battle For Supremacy 18 on December 14th. On the same show, Kings of Ruin retained the RCW Tag Team Championship against Cadie Tre & SWAT 1, Mr. Cliff & Red Smash 2 and The Enterprise. In the main event, Chris Basso def. Miki Fortune to retain the RCW Grand Title.
• At the latest Wrestle Rampage event, All Or Nothing on November 30, Havok def. Edward Dusk in a No DQ match to retain the Australian National Championship.

What’s Coming Up?

• The next Riot City Wrestling event is Reanimated XX on January 25th, and it will see a rematch between Basso and Fortune for the Grand Championship, and Sabbath puts the Emerald Crown on the line against Dean Brady.
• The next WR show is Clash at the Lion Arts Factory, and it will also feature championship action, as Misery Loves Company look to take the Australian National Tag Team Championship from Punch Drunk Istria & Joey Graham.

Tasmania

What’s Happened?

• In the final TCW event of 2024, End of Days on 14th of December, Andy Rhodes def. Shep Alexander to retain the TCW Championship.

What’s Coming Up?

• The next event for Tasmanian Championship Wrestling is their big 12th Anniversary show, titled Annihilation. By way of cashing in his Joker’s Wild title opportunity, Aaron Lynch will face Andy Rhodes for the TCW Championship in the main event on February 22.

Western Australia

What’s Happened?

• EPW Perth has already kicked off 2025 strong with a pair of Showcase shows at their School of Pro Wrestling on the 10th and 11th of January. In the main event of the second night, Noah Greene def. Robby Heart to retain the EPW Pride Title.
• In the last major EPW show of 2024, Reawakening XXIII, on the 14th of December, Marcius Pitt retained the EPW Heavyweight Championship in a four way, The Great George def. Rogan Karguis to win the EPW Coastal Championship, and the tag title triple threat ended in a no contest.
• In Southern Territory Wrestling news… STW ended 2024 with Ambition 3 on the 7th of December. Marco Garcia def. Levi Nixon to retain the Ambition Global Title, Rogan Karguis def. Hayden Zenith to retain the STW Championship, Best for Business kept the tag titles by defeating Australian Takeover, and in our one title change- Layla Divine def. Harli Hyde to win the Australian Women’s Title.

What’s Coming Up?

• EPW’s next event is A Hot Summer’s Night on the 8th of February. There will be an EPW Tag Team Championship match, as Australian Takeover put the gold up against The Pulse and DNT in a Three Way Riot Den Match.
• STW have announced an In Your Town event for the 1st of March at the Northam Rec Centre. Matches TBA, althought STW management has confirmed in an Instagram post that all champions will be involved in the event.

ACT

What’s Happened?

• Canberra powerhouse promotion SLAM Pro Wrestling League are basking in the glow of their record setting event Rage In A Cage II. However, SLAM wrestlers did participate in the Rock N Roll Wrestling Rumble, with Luke Watts, Dan Archer, King Vance and Slamoo all making a considerable impact, with Archer coming the closest to winning the Rumble.

What’s Coming Up?

• SLAM have announced their annual Rumble, taking place on the 8th of February. Also, the SLAM Masters Cup tournament is scheduled for February 22nd.

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And that does it for our first Champions Downunder. Hope you enjoyed, learnt something new, and if there’s any promotions or champions I need to look out for, let me know!

Until next time, take care.