PWA Ultimate Team (29/10/2022)

By Adam Pokrajac & Mick Robson

The Arena Media site is a place dedicated to promoting Aussie wrestling, first and foremost. So when anyone wants to contribute, who shares that same love and passion for it, I'm more than happy to let them jump in with articles and ideas. Adam came to me with this idea- based on FIFA Ultimate Team, (which I had no idea about, I'm not a football/soccer guy) we rate the wrestlers on the PWA roster based on their performance on the last Black Label show, with a lean towards the kayfabe side of things. I thought it was timely to start it now, seeing as PWA is coming off perhaps their biggest ever show- Let's F**king Go at the UNSW Roundhouse, and also, the PWI Women's 150 came out this week, which also ranks wrestlers in a similar fashion.

A big shout-out to Adam for this idea and creating all the cards and graphics! I was going to let him run this solo, but he suggested it'd be a good move for us both to bounce ideas off each other.

Here's the opening standings for PWA Ultimate Team

Who Moves Up?

Adam: Hey bud, here's who I think performed best- Ricky, the best, then Cherry 2nd, then Jimmy 3rd.

Mick: Cool, I'd go with Ricky, Bonza and Paris De Silva.

Why?

Adam: Ricky: From the old school entrance with a mini ring, Ricky was presented with lots and class and honour. But he did little of that- breaking the gentleman’s agreement he had made with Mick Moretti- with no man attempting to escape the cage- thus fully cementing him as one of the most untrustworthy competitors in PWA. In the end, when he got done with the nitty gritty he survived the cage and become the undisputed PWA heavyweight champion.

Jimmy & Cherry: The story going into the match was all about their friendship and who knew the most about each other. With several clever counters forcing Jimmy to unleash a slightly more aggressive side we haven’t seen before, nailing Cherry with some heavy strikes. Definitely, the moment of the night was Cherry kicking out of Jimmy's schoolboy- which hasn’t been escaped- which signalled the downfall for Jimmy leading to Cherry retaining her Soul of PWA.

Mick: Ricky: South is a student of the game, and even his ring entrance gave a little nod to that, with a historical reference to WrestleMania 3. He carried himself with a chip on his shoulder, but the crucial thing in his whole arc is that he has a justification for everything he's been doing, as twisted as it may be to some. He still fought with the Tuff Stuff intensity that's always been present, but amplified here by the big stage and stakes. He carried himself as a determined champion, and that's exactly how he left the Roundhouse.

Bonza: As stoic as Jack J Bonza is, you could still tell from looking at him what it meant to share the ring with someone like Shingo Takagi. Bonza brought his A game, giving as good as he got with the strikes and submissions. The match finish and post-match activities made Bonza a bigger story of the night, as he joined Bullet Club- which feels like a perfect fit.

Paris: Setting the tone for the night is an important job, and the Velocities did an admirable job in the opener at PWA LFG. Both Jude and Paris wrestled at a breakneck speed, managing to pull off every move with flair and precision. What sets Paris apart on this particular occasion is the Shooting Star DDT on Kai Drake- it's a move he's only busted out a couple of times on special occasions, and PWA at the UNSW Roundhouse was definitely one of those occasions. It's almost worth the cost on FITE TV to view that spectacular move alone!

Adam's New PWA UT Cards

Mick's New PWA UT Cards

This was something new for The Arena Media, so we hope you enjoyed it! We'll re-visit this following the next PWA Black Label show, Die Hard Is A Christmas Movie, on December 10 at the Factory Theatre. You can get tickets this Sunday, or alternatively if you can't make it in person, you can watch it LIVE on FITE TV! Hot tip though- if you're in any way able to make it to Sydney on December 10, I highly suggest getting a ticket. Nothing quite like the PWA experience live in person!

Let us know what you think of our picks for stand-out wrestlers on PWA-Let's F**king Go at The Roundhouse! Agree? Disagree? Think we're heavily intoxicated? Hate football/soccer? Wherever you see this article- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram- drop it in the comments!

Until next time, take care.