PWDU 2024 Year End Awards, Plus Site Update
PWdownunder.com would like to wish all our readers a very happy new year.
We have a number of new features planned for 2025, along with our Aussies Abroad weekly feature by Imogen and our All Elite Weekly feature with RAZ, Robbo will be taking a closer look at the title matches happening around Australia with the new “Champions Downunder” fortnightly feature. Our next new feature will be “Women’s Wrestling Downunder” another fortnightly post covering all the incredible Women’s wrestling action taking place here in Australia. Expect both features in late January or early February 2025.
Our resident PPV & PLE guy Rhys Williams will also be putting together a monthly list/feature for all the upcoming events from WWE, AEW, TNA & NJPW for each month, with Aussie times and where to watch.
In 2025 PWDU will continue to give our readers insights from wrestlers, promoters, referees and past names involved in our great wrestling scene here in Australia.
On to our 2024 Year End Awards… (our Top Male wrestlers list, including our ‘Male Wrestler Of The Year’ will be released on Australia Day, our Top Female wrestlers list, including our ‘Female Wrestler Of The Year will be released this Saturday, 4th January)
PWdownunder.com would like to thank Alpha Trophies for producing our 2024 awards.
Physical plaques or certificates will be sent out to our Aussie based winners..
2024 Referee Of The Year – Edwin Lay (VIC)
Our 2024 Referee Of The Year (plaque award) goes to the ever reliable Edwin Lay. Congratulations Edwin and thank you for your contributions in 2024.
2024 Promotion Of The Year (plaque) – Slam Pro Wrestling League (ACT)
Slam Pro Wrestling League (ACT)
SLAM! boasts a very impressive talent roster- as something of a midpoint between Sydney and Melbourne, they’ve been able to entice the best performers from both scenes to appear on their shows. Along with a strong core group from Canberra, boasting the likes of Mikey Broderick, Luke Watts and Dan Archer, they’ve kept shows at a consistently high quality from the outset, ensuring no punter left a SLAM! show disappointed. In just their 10th event ever, SLAM! drew 1,713 fans, they capped off the year with Rage In The Cage II, with an attendance of 2,432!
Slam Pro Wrestling League is the first PWdownunder.com Promotion Of The Year.
2024 Tag Team Of The Year (plaque) – The Parea (VIC)
The most consistently dominating tag team in Australia, working for top promotions across several states RCW in South Australia, MCW in Victoria, EPW & NHPW in Western Australia, World Series Wrestling in New South Wales and Queensland. MCW Tag Team Champions (x2), World Series Wrestling Tag Team Champions, NHPW SST Legacy Tag Team Champions & OPW Tag Team Champions all in 2024.
The Parea claim No.1 in our 2024 Top 10 Tag Teams. Eli Theseus & Gabriel Aeros ranked No.2 in the 2023 Top 10 Aussie Tag Teams and No.6 in the 2022 Top 10 Aussie Tag Teams.
2024 Interstate Traveller Of The Year – Adam Brooks (VIC)
2024 Interstate Traveler Of The Year is Adam Brooks. Wrestling across the country in 2024, WA, SA, NSW, VIC, QLD & ACT.
2024 Moment Of The Year – Grayson Waller Returns To PWA
“No other country in the world can touch what we do. We run it.”
This is something we have never seen before: a WWE superstar in an Australian wrestling ring while under contract. Over the years names like Rhea Ripley, Broson Reed and Indi Hartwell have gone to the WWE but while under contract never returned home to wrestle in a ring. With Grayson returning to his home company and the tournament he won in 2019, he didn’t return to verse just anybody he returned to verse someone who he took under his wing and help train “Jimmy Townsend”. The history between these two is also why Grayson has made the journey back to Australia.
Waller image: New Photography
2024 TV/Major Promotion Aussie Abroad – Bronson Reed (SA)
Reed first started his career in the Australian independent circuit in 2007, but it wasn’t until 2019 that Reed signed with WWE. After some work with NXT, Reed took a break from the promotion to wrestle with New Japan and Impact Wrestling before returning to WWE in 2022. Earlier this year, it was clear to many that Reed was struggling to find his footing in the major promotion, with the talented wrestler not even receiving a spot at February’s Elimination Chamber in Perth. It wasn’t until the middle of this year that Reed seemed to have taken things into his own hands, and began to entirely dominate the WWE locker room. Since then, Reed has destroyed almost every single WWE male wrestler with his iconic series of hard-hitting ‘tsunamis’, and has made a name for himself as one of the toughest guys on the main roster. The Aussie has completely reinvented himself in such a short amount of time, and it’s inspiring to see what can happen when hard work finally pays off.
This year’s special mention for Aussies Abroad Major Promotion winner is none other than Aussie powerhouse Zaria
2024 Indy Aussie Abroad – Lena Kross (WA)
The sheer number of rings this powerhouse has competed in not only in Australia but across the world this year has been impressive, as she continues to bring the Aussie heat worldwide. Some highlights of her work this year include her time with Sendai Girl’s Pro Wrestling, House of Glory in New York, and EVE in London. Kross also placed 99th this year in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s top 250 Women list; an impressive number that further proves her impact on pro wrestling across the world. It is clear to both local and international audiences that Kross is destined for greatness.
This year’s special mention for Aussies Abroad Independent winner is fellow Charli Evans.
2024 PWDU Contributor Of The Year – Samuel Beeton (QLD)
PWdownunder.com is proud to announce Samuel Beeton as our 2024 PWDU Contributor Of The Year (certificate award). Although Samuel has decided to step away to pursue other journalistic ventures Samuel was always a consistent contributor throughout 2024. Samuel was ready to post whenever it was needed and his posts were informative and to the point. PWdownunder.com thanks Samuel Beeton for his contributions.
A special certificate will be sent out to Samuel in January 2025.
PWDU has created a special Aussie Wrestling service award. Recipients will be someone who has given a considerable amount of years service to Australian wrestling, in or outside the ring.
Our first ever Aussie wrestling service award goes to South Australia’s own HAVOK. This year HAVOK marked 25 years in Australian wrestling, on behalf of fans, wrestlers and promotions across the country we’d like to say thank you to Havok for his commitment to Australian wrestling.
PWdownunder.com, Alpha Trophies and AusWresCards are very proud to announce the creation of the Australian Wrestling Pioneers. As part of our year end awards each year PWDU will honor names from the past as a ‘Pioneer’ in Australian professional wrestling.
Honorees will be presented with a plaque or trophy either in a private setting or at a live event in collaboration with the appropriate wrestling company. A PWDU representative will be chosen to present the award to our honorees.
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