WrestleWatch- PWA Fite Nite 2

By Mick Robson

PWA. Pro Wrestling Australia. The best wrestling promotion in Australia as far as I'm concerned, and much of their popularity and success can be attributed to their 18+ Black Label events. But this trip to Campbelltown RSL would be a little different. It's the school holidays, and it's an all ages event. It's Fite Nite 2! Fite Nite 1 was meant to happen at this venue, but instead went down at the PWA Academy in Ingleburn (review of that show here).

Like the original Fite Nite, and the PWA Beer Shed shows, this was a house show (non-televised event). So it was just for the people in attendance, and if you happened to miss all the great action, hopefully this review helps fill in the gaps!

Let's do this!

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Ring announcer Nick Wray kicks things off with an acknowledgement of country and a little hyping up of the crowd. Almost unfair how handsome that chap is, all suited up and such.

Match 1: Jack Bonza vs. Jimmy Townsend

Thoughts: This was a lot of fun, and we see that fresh confidence in Jimmy as he plays to the crowd, the first good guy of the show. Meanwhile, Bonza relishes in his heel role, making a little girl in the audience cry after calling her a loser. After, Townsend hands him his ass, and Bonza makes an ass of him with some tomfoolery where he tries to lift Jimmy's backpack. Apparently it's like Thor's Hammer, and Bonza just wasn't worthy. Picture perfect moonsault from the Wandering Soul ends things on a positive note.

Winner: Jimmy Townsend

Match 2: "Full Force" Mat Rogers vs. "Big Brother" Billy Preston

Thoughts: This involves a lot of silliness from Billy's collection of weirdo friends, including a guy dressed in a banana suit, a pickle, and a dinosaur! Billy gets the kids involved by counting to 10 with punches in the corner- a little different to any maths lesson I've ever given, but I can't argue with results! Billy also ties Rogers in the ropes and tickles him. Ultimately, Rogers has his fill of this crap, and destroys everyone in sight before nailing the pumphandle slam for the win. Very silly and child-friendly, and it's a hit with the younger audience for sure!

Winner: "Full Force" Mat Rogers

Match 3: The Green Dingoes (Tommy Dee and Josh Ryan) vs. SMS (Belinda Pierce & Aaron Jake)

Thoughts: Good opportunity to get the rookies of PWA some reps. I feel that Tommy Dee is just about ready to step up, great intensity and presence. Of course, this was only ever going to go the way of the established PWA talent, and after some double team moves, Belinda and Aaron end it with a version of a double flapjack. Decent stuff, and I saw the Dingoes up close as they exited stage left- they had some nasty welts after that battle!

Winners: SMS

Match 4: Lena Kross vs. Big Fudge

Thoughts: A battle of giants. The unstoppable force meets the immovable object. Kross vs. Fudge. In seriousness, this was a great match with the contrast between the two characters, the more serious Lena and the comedic Fudge. He goes for an early Butt Punch, to which Lena responds "Did you just try to punch my butt?" to which Fudge says he was just tying his shoe. Entertaining spot where Fudge repeatedly tries to body slam Kross, but can't pull it off. In fact, he pulls out his back- which is promptly fixed by a Kross backbreaker! In the end, Fudge does hit the Butt Punch, followed by the slam, and a seatbelt pin for the quick 3 count! One of my favourite matches of the night.

Winner: BIg Fudge

Match 5: Cherry Stephens vs. Robbie Eagles

Thoughts: Babyface vs. babyface here, but the crowd is definitely more behind Robbie. I started a "Robbie Robbie Robbie, Oi Oi Oi" chant, which I'm quite proud of because I'm rarely starting chants. They do a lot of technical chain wrestling in the early going, but the PWA head coach incorporates some of his patented kicks to make it more gritty. Cherry has her moments, hitting a couple of spike DDTs and even seeming to lock Robbie in his own finishing hold, the Ron Miller Special. Ultimately, Eagles strings together his best offense- Turbo Backpack, 450 Splash, and the Ron Miller for the tap! Big show of respect between the two in the post-match. High quality wrestling.

Winner: Robbie Eagles

Intermission. I go to buy a Jack Daniels and some tickets in the meat raffle. Didn't win, but I was literally one number off! Guess I'll just have to use my own meat...

Match 6: Fatal 4 Way- Frankie B vs. Ben Braxton vs. Kingsley vs. Skater Boi Pidgey

Thoughts: They start this match before everyone is back in their seats after intermission, so we get one of the show highlights- Frankie and Kingsley lounging in the empty front row, singing along to Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi" as Pidgey makes his entrance. The action here is fast and furious, with Kingsley and Frankie having a temporary alliance, Braxton exhibiting next level athleticism in an infuriatingly casual manner, and Pidgey getting a couple of moments to soar. One of the bigger moments of the match sees Braxton miss his patented Lionsault, only to fall victim to a Frankie moonsault, but the count is broken up at the very last second. Determined to shine, Frankie hits a super RKO off the ropes on Pidgey for the win! My other favourite match on this show.

Winner: Frankie B

Match 7: Unsocial Jordan vs. Xander Sullivan

Thoughts: Jordan is a man that wants to censor PWA and have everything in the company under his image, and Xander is a conspiracy theorist. Odd dynamic here, but Xander plays to the crowd and gets some cheers by default. Rumour has it that Jordan's own mother boos him. Even on his birthday. Xander goes for the big spinning UFO slam, but Jordan escapes and hits the Shining Wizard for the 3. It was a match.

Winner: Unsocial Jordan

Match 8: PWA Tag Team Championship- Backpain (Backman & Jack Pain) vs. MK Plus Ultra (Michael Spencer & Kai Drake)

Thoughts: This had a big fight feel befitting the main event status, and shows how well PWA has built their tag division. No Nations, no Velocities, no Aussie Open, and this still feels like a big deal. Backpain enjoy the benefit of being the far bigger and stronger team, forcing MK Plus to use every trick in the book to get ahead. Spencer does get a very impressive spot in where he lifts the 140kg Backman on his shoulders and hits a gutbuster. In the end, referee Nick gets bumped down and groggy, but in the chaos, Backpain hit a double chokeslam and get a 3 count! But hang on- the referee sees Spencer's leg on the ropes! Kai Drake put it there AFTER the 3 count, but nonetheless, the match gets restarted, and MK get a roll up, using the ropes for leverage, which a still groggy Referee Nick misses. The champs retain, but the challengers got screwed. A real emotional rollercoaster, that one!

Winner: MK Plus Ultra

Post-match, Backpain get on the mic and vow to become PWA Tag Team Champions to end the show.

Overall Thoughts

Maybe absence makes the heart grow fonder, as it had been a good 6 weeks or so since PWA had put on a show, but I honestly enjoyed this smaller scale RSL event more than the last Black Label show. And on it being smaller scale, that's really only in the sense that it was a house show and perhaps not strictly canon. The crowd turnout was actually quite impressive, not sure on exact numbers, but it was definitely a good sized crowd that was invested in what was happening. Plus, the mark of a truly good family-friendly show- both adults and kids alike left with a big smile on their faces. And that's really what it's all about.

Overall Score: 8.5/10

Until next time, take care.