PWA King of the Metro Review (04/07/2026)
- 5 days ago
- 14 min read
By Mick Robson
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We’re deep in Rumble Season, and after last week’s stellar MCW Ballroom Brawl, we jump back to NSW for the top promotion in the state, PWA! King of the Metro is the site of PWA’s annual Rumble event. Last year we saw the Tuckman go wire to wire. Always a special event, made more special by the location- the iconic Metro Theatre, right in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.
The Dropouts and North Shore Wrestling have been at each other’s throats for years. Tonight, they settle it “One Last Time”. Also, there’s a big time title fight as the underdog champion, Big Fudge, defends against perennial top contender, the powerful and dangerous Jack J. Bonza.
And of course, the Rumble match itself. This year, Shay Kassidy has the unfortunate distinction of drawing the #1 spot. I sat down with her last week to talk about King of the Metro, as well as her career and meteoric rise in PWA and other promotions like MCW, SLAM and Integrity. Check it out!
Without any further ado, let’s do this!
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I was there live, but here we go reliving it all on YouTube!
(Note: the dark match was Neal Mercer def. Ol’ Curly. First time seeing them both, but safe to say the future of PWA is in good hands with talent like that!)
We open the show with a roaring Metro crowd, and wow- we have pyro! Really setting that big time feel up as Andrew Rose, Kris Gale and Diego welcome us to the show.
Time to do the Dagger with the Dropouts. It’s Tuckman and Jess Troy, with Scott Green on the injured list, versus North Shore Wa- I mean, North Shore Wrestling. And of course we run it back with the Dagger as we all dance and have a good time. North Shore are not pleased.
Match 1: The Dropouts (The Tuckman & Jessica Troy) (w/ Scott Green) vs. North Shore Wrestling (Sam Osborne & Jack Osborne) (w/ Will Kiedis)
Tuckman and Sam chain wrestle with intensity and a sense of urgency in the early going. Tuckman hits a backslide but his application to be a Backslide Girl seems to be denied as Sam kicks out. Tuckman does some good lucha things with arm drags. Will Kiedis trips up Tuckman, giving Sam a brief advantage, but then Scott Green does the same thing! Turnabout is fair play here. Scott’s leg may be injured but he’s still a factor. Jess tags herself in and immediately goes for the Fujiwara armbar on Sam. Dropouts clear the ring and do the Dagger once again as the red hot crowd joins in.
Jack Osborne tags in. He’s a powerhouse and a difference maker, so Jess needs to use her speed and finesse to survive and thrive. The Osborne brothers get the advantage and beat Jess down. Jack with a spear in the corner, followed by a massive fisherman suplex. Double team follows and Jess is in trouble. Sam goes to the submission game but Jess escapes. Hot tag to the Tuckman and the Metro explodes. Bodies go flying and Tuck hits a top rope cross body for a great near fall.
Tuck looks for the springboard cutter but Jack catches him with a powerslam. North Shore go for their tag finisher- double team Cross Rhodes/Roll The Dice- but Jess breaks it up with a pump kick. Great team synergy even though Tuck & Jess aren’t regular tag partners. They hit R2 + Triangle for Move Thief on the Osbornes! Stereo Fujiwaras and North Shore are in trouble! The crowd screams “tap!” but Jack lifts Jess and powerbombs on Tuck to break up the dire situation. Dropouts come back moments later though, and Jess hits a suicide dive on Jack while Tuck comes in with the rolling stunner. It should be over but Kiedis pulls Referee Hannah out of the ring!
Scott Green hops up and starts trading strikes with Kiedis on one leg! Dropouts celebrate momentarily but Sam comes back and hits the Mosman Driver on Tuckman. Jess comes in and hits an AA on Sam! Great strength shown there, but then Jack cuts her in half with a Spear. Tuck comes back and hits a lifting cutter, then there’s a shoutout to Grayson Waller with the middle rope Kobe elbow drop! Justified “this is awesome!" Chant breaks out, but Jack ruins the fun with another huge Spear. North Shore hit their finisher- but Tuck kicks out! Jess comes back in with a Spear of her own, then dives onto Jack on the outside, clearing the way for Tuck to hit the springboard cutter on Sam... and that’s it!
Winners: The Dropouts (at 16:26)
Thoughts: The hard cam was literally shaking on that finish. That was red hot. Incredible atmosphere and incredible action to match. They set the bar obscenely high with that. The emotion was at a fever pitch, and I’m glad they found a way to get Scott Green physically involved safely. North Shore were the perfect foils for the Dropouts, who are and have been the most over act in PWA by a considerable distance.
Post match, the Dropouts do the Dagger once again to the crowd’s delight. Wait, Will Kiedis has his Golden Esky that he can cash in for a title match... he seems to threaten it but decides against pulling the trigger. The Dropouts have their moment in the sun.
We get some wrestler entrances to the Metro from earlier in the day, including Shay Kassidy, Lachy McIntyre, Jimmy Zero, Brotherhood of RANGA, and the champ himself, Big Fudge.
Match 2: Last Chance Scramble- The Anomaly vs. Jesse Lambert vs. Velkan vs. Hari Singh vs. Randy Chambers vs. Mick Moretti
A surprise entrance here with the Rapscallion! He’s hurt my heart and taken away the “Turn Down For What” drop, with a creepier entrance theme kicking in.
Everyone takes their shots at the biggest threat in Moretti and he falls out of the ring. Anomaly backdrops Chamber onto the stage- that looked painful. Anomaly gets low bridged out a moment later, the cameras didn’t really catch it but from sitting in front of where he landed live- he hit the ground HARD. Some rapid exchanges between Velkan and Hari follow. Tornado kick by Velkan scores but gets his head taken off a moment later by a Chambers clothesline.
Anomaly back in the fray and wipes everyone out with headbutts. Velkan wipes him out with a springboard clothesline. A plancha follows up. Not to be outdone, Jesse dives from the top rope with a cross body onto the pile of bodies at ringside! He tries to follow up but Hari rolls into a beautiful ankle lock. Frenetic action here, hard to cover it all. Anomaly grabs Jesse’s other foot and bites it, causing Hari to let go in disgust. Far be it for me to yuck anyone’s yum, but yeah, feet really aren’t my thing.
Velkan breaks up the fun with a Destino, and Chambers hits him with a Buckshot Lariat. The SLAM visitor seems quite proud of himself- but takes a stunner from our EPW friend, Jesse! And wow, what a sell. Makes Scott Hall at Mania X8 look basic. He somehow lands upside down with his feet dangling over the top rope!
A moment later, Moretti re-joins the match- he's been missing for several minutes here. Fisherman buster on Hari. Dragon suplex on Jesse- and it’s all over!
Winner: Mick Moretti (at 8:16)
Thoughts: You couldn’t have such a big event and a Rumble without an Aussie wrestling legend like Mick Moretti. He took a nap for 95% of this match and let the lower card of PWA shine, which really spoke to the insane depth of the roster, that those guys were able to shine as bright as they did here. Also, our interstate visitors- former disputed SLAM Heavyweight Champion Randy Chambers and current EPW Coastal Champion Jesse Lambert- were fantastic additions. The GIF of that Stunner spot is already making the rounds- shoutout to @AusWresGIFS on Twitter.
A promo airs for The Climb, featuring PWA’s ladder match for the Golden Esky, on the 28th of August at Liberty Hall.
A promo airs for the PWA Heavyweight Championship match.
Bonza has a cool entrance featuring fire dancers. Fudge has an entrance set to Sir Mix A Lot’s “Baby Got Back”, as we all wave laminated butts on paddle pop sticks. Hard to say which entrance is cooler. Fudge has a gun to “destroy all butts”, and I’m going to assume that includes Bonza’s!
Match 3: PWA Heavyweight Championship- Jack Bonza (w/ EC Brownie) vs. Big Fudge (c)
Bonza overpowers Fudge in the early going. A stomp to the foot provides an opening for the champ, and he hits his trademark headscissors to send Bonza flying. It doesn’t last long though, as Bonza hits a backbreaker. He goes for a scorpion crosslock (I did some Googling, Rose) , Fudge makes the ropes, and Brownie hits a cheap shot from ringside. Fudge creates separation with a neckbreaker, the Sugar Rush, and a tornado DDT... but barely gets a 2 count.
Fudge tries to come back with the Butt Punch but Bonza dodges it and hits a sitout powerbomb for a near fall. Bonza goes for an electric chair but Fudge reverses into a victory roll for a 2 count of his own. Some moments of hope for the champ here. Bonza lays in the lariats and the chops harder though. Fudge tries to mount a comeback, and after ducking another Bonza strike, opts to hit Brownie on the outside with a suicide dive! Back to Bonza with the Butt Punch! Follow up top rope cross body gets a near fall.
Fudge looks for a chokeslam, but Bonza grabs Ref Rach to stop it! Right behind her back, Brownie cuts through Fudge with a huge Spear! Oh come on, you’re gonna tell me you didn’t feel that massive man charging about a centimetre behind you? I would hate to accuse the lovely red-haired Ref Rach of being someway biased, but that’s a bit suspicious... Huge Bonza lariat connects, but Fudge kicks out! Thunderous “Fudge” chants break out at the Metro!
The fight spills to the outside and Bonza grabs a few chairs to set up ringside for something special. I’m 99% sure this isn’t no DQ, but anyways... they get back in the ring and Fudge is actually getting the advantage, raining down right hands! He hits the Butt Punch again and goes for the chokeslam, but Bonza reverses into the ankle lock! Fudge fights his way out and finally hits the chokeslam- but Bonza kicks out! Those chairs need using, so they battle in a nearby corner, and Bonza powerbombs Fudge through the makeshift row of chairs!
A hush falls over the crowd, and Fudge comes up with some of the worst bruising I’ve ever seen in a wrestling match. It’s like one level below Cody’s torn pec. Bonza gets Fudge back in the ring... but he kicks out! Bonza wrenches Fudge into a Boston crab... but the champ somehow makes the ropes! Desperation inside cradle by Fudge for a 2 count. Bonza sets up for the Napalm Thunder Driver- but Fudge turns it into a Stunner! Brownie gets involved, and that gives Bonza the opportunity for a roll up, pulling the tights... but Fudge kicks out! Fudge hits a chokeslam... and it’s over!
Winner: Big Fudge (at 20:01)
Thoughts: A second genuinely classic match on this show. Bonza was a killer, Fudge was the perfect underdog, they built on their history and knowledge of each other’s moves, and we had the x-factor of Brownie. And that chair spot! Thankfully, Fudge is okay, nothing broken, just heavily bruised- confirmed with the man himself- but dear god, that was brutal.
Post-match, Bonza and Brownie jump Fudge... then North Shore Wrestling’s music hits and Will Kiedis is cracking open the Golden Esky!
Match 4: PWA Championship Match- Will Kiedis vs. Big Fudge (c)
Kiedis hits a Shining Wizard... but Fudge kicks out! The crowd erupts, but Kiedis lines up for a second one, a groggy Fudge takes it, and we have a new champion!
Winner: Will Kiedis (at 0:40)
Thoughts: As much as he’s a North Shore Wanker... Kiedis is really an unsung hero of PWA. Incredibly consistent with his promos, character, wrestling, he can do it all. It was predictable in a sense- with the new Golden Esky match happening next month, Kiedis had to cash in on this show, the only question was whether he’d do it on Tuckman or Fudge. And after he didn’t do it earlier to Tuck, this was the logical outcome. Congratulations to Will Kiedis, North Shore Wrestling now run PWA.
Fudge gets “Thank you Fudge” chants as he leaves.
Intermission.
Main Event: King of the Metro Rumble Match
Shay Kassidy kicks us off at #1, and she was worried about picking the perfect song... she took me right back to a formative point in my childhood with Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time”. We get Paris De Silva at #2, continuing his weird issue with Barnaby the Bear, enraging Shay. Billy Preston at #3, he seems out of it but David Streamer gives him a “premium grade” sugar hit, which brings him to life... only to be promptly eliminated.
#4 is Cherry Stephens, a return I’ve wanted for ages. She looks great and nails a big tornado DDT- with an assist from Barnaby- but is soon knocked to the floor courtesy of a Paris 619. Fun while it lasted. At #5, Nikki Van Blair, with a new “Real Housewife” character, complete with a sommelier. She throws a drink in Shay’s face, but is soon eliminated. Third Eye representing with #6, Ty Thayer. Xander is there with his wheelchair. #7 is Aaron Jake, with a mic, dropping some Dr. Of Thuganomics style bars as he beats people up. Brilliant. #8 is El Phoenician. Some corporate sponsorship synergy with the entrance of the Jagerbomber at #9, who skates his way through some quick sequences, eliminating Aaron Jake and Thayer. Shay eliminates Paris. At #10, TikTok sensation Lachy McIntyre, who kicks Jagerbomber in the nuts and throws him out. No DQs in a Rumble!
#11 is possibly the tallest person in PWA, Melissa Averillo. She boots Lachy’s head off, becoming my favourite person. Lachy ends up in Xander’s wheelchair at ringside- still legal! #12, Marley Peleti. Mana and Manoush work together to take out Averillo. We get a mid match dance break- with music- with Shay. Shades of the 2000 Rumble! Then Lachy throws Shay out. Scum of the earth. #13 is Carter Deams, saving Lachy’s ass. He hits an awesome End of Days/DDT combo on Mana and Manoush.
At #14, Kai Drake. That means plenty of hard strikes being thrown. MK Plus Ultra gets stronger as Michael Spencer enters at #15 with a leaping cutter. Hell of an entrance! #16 is the debuting second generation star, MJ Eagles. Daughter of Madison Eagles- and Michael Spencer. She nails a butterfly suplex and a Diamond Dust, looking good- but then gets betrayed by Spencer, who feigns saving her before sweeping her off the apron. Cosmo Cooper completes the MK Plus trio in the Rumble at
#17. #18 sees Jude London come in and immediately eliminate Spencer. Spencer then grabs a steel chair and... turns on MK Plus Ultra?! He destroys them with steel chair shots as security intervenes to get him out of there. Wild.
Tony Sin enters at #19 and picks the bones, throwing out both Kai and Cosmo. #20 is Benjamin. The former Ben Braxton is a wrecking ball here. #21 is the debuting phenom, Jimmy Zero, who enters with a springboard destroyer on Deams, then hits a backflip into a German suplex on Peleti. Unreal. He soon gets eliminated in equally spectacular fashion, as Jude hits him with a poison rana on the apron. That looked NASTY. Incredible first impression for Jimmy Zero though!
#22 sees the second appearance of the night for Mick Moretti! He directs Benjamin on offence and uses that to eliminate Tony Sin and Marley Peleti (who had a great run in this match). #23 is Benjamin’s old CBK teammate, Rita Stone! She brushes past him to attack Moretti. Benjamin pulls her away and cops a massive slap to the face! After a bit of hesitation, Benjamin boots her. Benjamin eliminates Rita- as Rose draws attention to, Moretti took the other eliminations, but made him do this one. A master of manipulation.
At #24, it’s the returning Ricky South! He takes the fight to Benjamin and Moretti, powerbombing Moretti onto Benjamin. #25 is an interstate entry, Edward Dusk! He mows down Ricky with a Spear as Rose & Gale tout his many accolades. The one and only Robbie Eagles enters at #26, he’s gotta be a favourite. Benjamin sends him sky high with a flapjack. He looks to dump Robbie out, who reverses and Benjamin goes tumbling out. At #27, we go international with Allie Katch! She wastes little time, sending Dusk and South with a double Northern Lights suplex! Running hip attacks in the corner for everyone. She hits Moretti so hard, a noticeable amount of face paint is left on her. #28 sees the arrival of the EPW Heavyweight Champion, James Hartness! He hits Ricky with a GTS and almost eliminates him. #29 is an entrant from SLAM in Canberra, Luke Watts! He makes maybe the most spectacular entrance of anyone (and there’s been competition for it) by hitting Robbie Eagles with the 270 Degrees of Knees while he’s in the tree of woe! A bit like Jimmy Zero, his elimination is almost as spectacular as his entrance, as he takes a clothesline to the outside Paul London style... and sells it like D’Von Dudley. The man responsible for it? #30, EC Brownie.
Brownie also dumps out Allie Katch and James Hartness. He’s looking like a monster. Final four of Robbie, Dusk, Ricky and Brownie. Brownie drops Dusk with a huge Black Hole Slam, and out he goes. Double clothesline for both Ricky and Robbie. Eagles and South wisely work together, Robbie hitting a superkick as Ricky hits a piledriver, weakening Brownie enough for the elimination.
Down to Robbie Eagles vs. Ricky South. They get a bit of a mini-match, and it occurs to me- I don’t think we ever got Eagles vs. South while South was champion. I feel like that was a time where Robbie was focusing more on NJPW and not doing as many PWA shows. Robbie goes for a springboard and Ricky pushes him to the floor!
Winner: Ricky South (at 59:47)
Thoughts: That was amazing. I don’t know if that can be topped as far as Rumbles go. Debuts, returns, surprises, so many storylines advanced, so many wrestlers getting opportunities to shine. Even Billy Preston with a great little comedy spot. Just about nobody felt like a body for the sake of being a body in there- with the exception of EPW Champion James Hartness coming in and mostly just being cannon fodder for Brownie's rampage, that was disappointing. Extremely star studded ending with big name after big name entering.
Ricky winning was a massive surprise. I assumed he was just visiting and it would be a fun cameo, but it looks like he’s sticking around in Australia, at least for now. Had it between Robbie and Brownie, but looks like PWA is getting treated to more of The Example. Never a bad thing.
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One of the biggest news stories of the night happened when the YouTube stream went off the air. The Dropouts, The Tuckman and Scott Green, came back out to say that they were “leaving Australian wrestling”. They didn’t SAY “WWE/NXT”, but Scott gave a little smirk when some fans yelled it out. They tried out back in February, so were they successful after all? Wishing them the absolute best in whatever they do next.
Also, one of those times where I’m extremely happy to be wrong. I’ve been trying to guess where the Dropouts would land for months. I originally thought they had been signed, and the last Black Label show that was named after them would be their last. But when that came and went, and the boys were picking up more Aussie bookings, plus Nikki Blackheart- who tried out with them- signing to NXT... I thought that they didn’t get picked up. But whether it was VISA issues, simply letting them wrap up Aussie obligations, or whatever it was, it looks like the Dropouts are about to make massive waves overseas. Go take over the world, boys.
Overall Thoughts
An absolutely incredible show. MCW had essentially a perfect show last week with Ballroom Brawl, and PWA has an argument for topping it here. The opening tag was molten hot, the scramble was wild chaotic fun, the title match was insanely physical and emotional, the huge moment of Kiedis’ Esky cracking crowning a new PWA Champion, and Rumble for Rumble... yeah, King of the Metro clears Ballroom Brawl this year. PWA firing on all cylinders, and even in losing their most over act, likely to WWE... I’m confident that PWA will continue to go from strength to strength with outstanding outings like that. Cannot recommend this highly enough, it’s a must watch. If you want to turn someone into a fan of Australian professional wrestling... put this show on.
Overall Score: 10/10
Until next time, take care.
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