Impact Pro Wrestling
Encyclopedia
Impact Pro Wrestling is a New Zealand
professional wrestling
promotion
. It is the only promotion based in Auckland
and one of the country's three major organisations along with Kiwi Pro Wrestling
and New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
. It has promoted regular events throughout the country and abroad in the last several years and is credited for being the first to bring live wrestling shows to cities, such as Hamilton
and Whangarei
, in over two decades.
A staple of Armageddon Expo
since 2002, its annual "Armageddon Cup" supercard has been a major attraction at the event in subsequent years. IPW frequently visited Australia
during the early-2000s, in conjunction with Peter Ball's Gold Coast
-based Major Impact Wrestling, and the two companies merged to form a sister promotion, Impact Pro Wrestling Australia, in 2007.
That same year, the promotion signed a deal with Sky Network Television
's ALT TV
to broadcast a weekly television show, IPW Ignition
, which aired throughout the country as the first wrestling program seen in New Zealand since Steve Rickard
's On the Mat
during the 1980s. It was later picked up by Canterbury Television
and Triangle TV
in late-2008, shortly before ALT TV's demise, and remains the longest-running wrestling series in New Zealand.
In 2011 IPW began a new weekly show entitled "Mana Mamau
" which airs on Maori Television to replace Ignition.
The promotion is home to several of New Zealand's top independent wrestlers including Jordan Invincible, Alfred Valentine, Troy Rawhiti-Forbes, "Double D" Davey Deluxeo, Vinny Dunn
and female wrestler Alita Capri, all of whom having been featured in the New Zealand national media, as well as appearances from major American stars such as Christy Hemme
, Rob Van Dam
, Raven
, Disco Inferno and The Sandman.
-based gym which specialised in training female martial artists and stunt actor
s, and began promoting events locally under the banner of Mania Pro Wrestling. The following year, they held an exhibition show at the Aotea Centre
for the 2002 Armageddon Expo. Their performance proved popular with the crowd and were invited back by promoters for the 2003 expo. IPW would eventually become a regular feature attraction at the pop culture event holding its annual "Armageddon Cup" every year since then.
in Wellington
for 2003 Armageddon Expo. It was at this event that the promotion held its first-ever "Armageddon Cup" supercard with The Economist eliminating Joey Kinkade in an interpromotional battle royal
between wrestlers from IPW and New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
.
's Hadyn Jones conducted an interview with The Economist and The Machine at their Auckland gym.
Taking its show on the road, IPW hosted New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
at Capital Punishment in Wellington in March 2006. Five months later, they participated in the 2006 NZPWI Invitational, a major interpromotional event promoted by NZPWI.co.nz founder Dion McCracken, which included New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling, Kiwi Pro Wrestling
and Australia's Major Impact Wrestling. Held on 12 August 2006, at the Lynfield
YMCA
, McCracken served as IPW's colour commentator at the event. A legitimate black belt in tae kwon do, he knocked out IPW wrestler "Handsome" Danny Jacobs with a superkick during the "Eliminator" battle royal. This incident was voted by NZPWI.co.nz visitors (22.9%) as the "Best Moment" for the New Zealand wrestling category.
IPW enjoyed rousing success when it presented Coastal Assault in October 2006 at Stanmore Bay
on the Hibiscus Coast
, the North Auckland town which is home to "The One" Vinny Dunn
. At the end of the year, IPW stars Alexander and Ricky DeVinal appeared in a television commercial for Primo, a brand of flavoured milk
popular in New Zealand. In January 2007, "Double D" Davey Deluxeo appeared with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Dave Batista in Auckland's Central Leader newspaper ahead of the 2007 WWE Road to WrestleMania 23 tour
. This marked an IPW wrestler's first official interaction with an active WWE superstar since MPW hosted former WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield for a morning in 2002.
A month later, it was announced that IPW had achieved its first long term goal by securing a television deal with Auckland's ALT TV
. The first episode of "IPW Ignition
", which featured footage from its recent IPW New Year's Bash supercard, aired on 10 February 2007. Appearing nationwide on SKY Network Television
, it was the first weekly wrestling series to be broadcast in the country since Steve Rickard
's "On the Mat
" in the 1980s. It was later made available for a worldwide audience via the internet
thanks to Alt TV's shift to live online streaming
. A year later, it was also shown on Canterbury Television
and Triangle TV
; the first episode on CTV premiered on 5 October 2008. As of 2010, it remains the longest-running wrestling series in New Zealand.
On the same night "IPW Ignition" aired, IPW made its Whangarei
debut staging IPW Collision at the Forum North venue to a sold out crowd. Dion McCracken, who was instrumental in bringing IPW to Northland, made a guest appearance during the show as a referee, officiating in the match between "The Deal" Dal Knox and "Handsome" Danny Jacobs. It had been over 25 years since there had been a wrestling held there. Notable New Zealand wrestler of yesteryear Jock Ruddock was present in the live audience. Bruno Bekkar
, a one-time NWA New Zealand Heavyweight Champion
, also made a guest appearance at a sold out show in Auckland on 15 March. On 24 March, IPW made its first appearance in Hamilton in 25 years, at The Meteor, which hosted the event "IPW Breaking Point" in which featured a battle royal for the #1 Contendership match which was won by Roger Ventura. McCracken joined the promotion as a full-time colour commentator that year and assisted in arranging shows in various cities. Mema Maeli, the first women to become a ring announcer
for Samoa's boxing association, also joined the promotion as IPW's sole female announcer.
In October 2007, at the 2007 Armageddon Expo, Kid Liger won a 25-man battle royal to win the "Armageddon Cup". On the final day of the convention, at the Aotea Centre
in Auckland, Raven
made a surprise appearance by attacking Joseph Kinkade after his match against John Questions. Kinkade's manager Gary O. Davis had insulted him earlier in the show. Christy Hemme
and Rob Van Dam
also attended the show, Hemme being involved in a storyline with Danny Jacobs. Later that month, IPW wrestlers "Double D" Davey Deluxeo, Vinny Dunn and Alfred Valentine were profiled by the New Zealand Herald. Troy Rawhiti-Forbes, another New Zealand independent wrestler, was also interviewed and discussed both the early history of the promotion as well as professional wrestling in New Zealand
itself.
At the house show "Nightmare B4 Xmas" in December 2007, IPW also saw the rebirth of the women's division. Long Dormant since the Mania Pro Wrestling days in the early 2000s, the intergender tag match between Handsome Danny Jacobs and Britenay vs The Samoan Silverback Alexander and Evie saw the first two females competing within the revamped IPW.
The following year saw the return of two females that were involved with Mania, Just Plain Evil and Alita Capri.
IPW also began expanding oversees as well and frequently visited Australia during the early-2000s. Closely associated with Peter Ball's Major Impact Wrestling in the Gold Coast, the two companies were involved in interpromotional events and talent exchanges for five years before eventually merging to form a sister promotion, Impact Pro Wrestling Australia, in the summer of 2007. IPW would continue exchanging talent between New Zealand and Australia during the next few years.
convention a week later. He also wrestled a tag team match on 27 April 2008 at the same convention. His partner was IPW Champion "The Deal" Dal Knox.
In May, Davey Deluxeo and Jordan Invincible were interviewed by the New Zealand Herald. The two wrestlers, referred by the publication as the "best tag team partnership since Kiwi tag team The Bushwhackers
", talked about impressing WWE road agents when World Wrestling Entertainment
when the organisation came to New Zealand for shows in Auckland and Christchurch the next month. At IPW's Redemption, Jordan Invincible defeated Dal Knox to win the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship for the first time. His victory was partially due to outside interference from Davey Deluxeo who used his Armageddon Cup as a weapon or foreign object against Knox.
On 5 October 2008, the promotion took part in "Connecting Families Day" at the Ellerslie
YMCA
. Attended by an estimated 1,500 people, the four-hour event included demonstrations from IPW wrestlers as well as an appearance from New Zealand children's entertainer Linda Adamson as part of her upcoming DVD "Love to Sing". Several IPW wrestlers were also featured on the 10 October edition Television New Zealand
's IAM TV where the host took part in training sessions at their IPW facility in Auckland.
The Sandman appeared at the 2008 Armageddon convention in Auckland
, New Zealand, wrestling for Impact Pro Wrestling NZ between 25–27 October 2008. He defeated Joseph Kinkade in his first match and The Machine in his second match, both with the White Russian Legsweep. He then teamed up with IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship holder "The Deal" Dal Knox in a tag match against Kinkade and The Machine, which saw Knox take the win with a Knox Out on Kinkade.
However at "Nightmare B4 Xmas" in December Team IPW (Link Van Haggard, Kid Liger, Pirate Jason Burns and Ninja Liam Fury) defeated Team PWE (Jon E. King, The Machine, Brian Saint James and Curt Chaos) in an 8-man match to cost King his IPW Commissionership, at "Breaking Point" in March 2009 King lost the South Pacific Championship to Lil T (with help from guest referee "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn) and at IPW Genesis 2009 each member of PWE wrestled an IPW wrestler. Jordan Invincible defeated Curt Chaos, Brian Saint James defeated Les West (with help from Curt Chaos), Daddy Kool defeated Justin Lane (despite interference from the rest of PWE), Jon E. King defeated Vinny Dunn and "The Deal" Dal Knox defeated The Machine in a Lights Out Death Match. Due to IPW winning the series 3-2 the PWE faction was forced to disband immediately. All PWE paraphernalia were banned from IPW shows and the members were banned from teaming together as a fivesome for six months.
on professional wrestling in New Zealand, as well as conducted interviews with colour commentator Dion McKracken and then IPW New Zealand Champion Dal Knox. On 1 May, in celebration of Free Comic Book Day
, IPW took part in a special fundraiser for the Onehunga Primary School library organized by Gotham Comics in Onehunga
which raised nearly $500. The event was attended by over 800 people and an estimated 3,000 comic books were given away.
On 20 July, 20/20 aired a special report on professional wrestling in New Zealand featuring IPW and its Wellington rivals Kiwi Pro Wrestling
and New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
. Dal Knox, then IPW Heavyweight Champion, was specifically profiled during the program. Also that summer, the promotion was similarly profiled on the Māori Television
sports show Hyundai Code.
In September 2009, local Auckland band 'These Four Walls' released their music video Sweet December, starring IPW's very own Evie, Britenay, Liam Fury and Brian St James.
In August 2009, Whangaparaoa wrestler "The One" Vinny Dunn
was interviewed by Stuff.co.nz
prior to his match at IPW's "Nightmare B4 Xmas" supercard at Westlake Boys High School where he would wrestle Joseph Kinkade, O Davis and Ivanoff for a chance at the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship. He also discussed his claiming the Impact Pro Wrestling South Pacific Championship in Australia and recent victory over Jon E. King in a "brutal" best of five series to become top contender for the national title. Alita Capri, one of IPW's five female wrestlers, was also interviewed for her upcoming match at the event and encouraged fans to bring items to the show that could be used as foreign objects. She expressed an interest in helping establish a serious women's division in the near future and hoped that more young women would become interested in following the sport.
The annual NZPWI peoples choice awards for the years 2008 and 2009 saw IPW clean up all catergories. The most recent peoples choice awards saw "The One" Vinny Dunn
pick up 'Best Wrestler', Pirates and Ninjas are Totally Awesome (Pirate Burns, Ninja Fury) pick up 'Best Tag Team' and Evie for 'Best Female'. IPW also picked up the award for 'Best Promotion', with a majority vote of 61.2%.
to battle IPW Australia's South Pacific Champion "The future" Nick Burns. The match ended in a no-contest, after rampant interference from Gary O. Davis, and both men therefore retained each of their respective titles.
The following month at "Coastal Assault", Vinny took on "The Professional" Joseph Kinkade. Under the guidance from his manager Gary O. Davis, Kinkade dominated for the most of the match with the help of tag team partner Mischa Ivanoff. Peter Lane managed to somewhat even the score by taking Ivanoff out of action to the outside, and Dunn hit his finisher to retain.
Also during this show, The women's match between JPE and Evie saw the first pinfall over the dominant JPE by Evie since her debut the year prior.
"The One" Vinny Dunn
and Jon E. King featured on Maori TV's
Sports show, Hyundai Code. Here, Dunn and King wrestled in New Zealands first ever live match, and Dunn mananged to retain over former IPW champion, Jon E. King.
Dunn and King also featured on the after-school programme, 'The Erin Simpson Show'.
"Extreme Measures" in April saw the crowning of the first ever IPW tag team champions, via elimination match that all tag teams in IPW would compete. "The Professional" Joseph Kinkade and Mischa Ivanoff were the last in the ring, squaring off against Pirate Burns and Ninja Fury. While Burns and Kinkade brawled to the outside, Fury hit a huge Shooting Star Press on Ivanoff. Pirates and Ninjas are Totally Awesome were then crowned the first ever tag team champions in IPW history.
IPW's Fallout saw Ninja Liam Fury team up with 'Wrestlings Most Wanted' in the absence of Pirate Burns, in order to defend the IPW Tag Team belts against Saint Chaos. Brian Saint James and Curt Chaos were crowned the new IPW Tag champs that night.
2010's major storyline began in May at IPW Genesis, The main event at IPW's "Genesis" saw "The One" Vinny Dunn
and The Samoan Silverback Alexander go head to head, but The Silverback failed to get the win. The end of the match was interrupted by Justin Lane, who stated that when Dunn put out an open challenge for the championship, Alexander wasn’t the only man to sign a contract for a title shot. He introduced that his 'monster' of a wrestler, Reuben De Jong
, had responded to the challenge that would happen that night. The champion tried to retain, but the odds were against him and former heavyweight kickboxer and MMA fighter De Jong delivered a powerful double-handed chokeslam to take the win, and to be crowned new IPW champion
. This being the most shocking moment of 2010 so far, would start one of the most heated feuds in IPW history.
Immediately after the show, Vinny Dunn's manager, Peter Lane advised the IPW Community that Vinny Dunn would cash in his rematch clause at IPW Breakdown, however Justin Lane revealed that his client, the new IPW NZ Heavyweight Champion, Reuben De Jong, did not sign any contract for a rematch and was threating legal action against IPW. Three days later after the initial threat was made, IPW Commissioner Dion McCraken posted a video stating that he would postpone the show and that the rematch would take place at Manurewa Recreation Centre the following month.
During NZWPW's Power Play show, "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn and Jon E King invaded the show after threats made by the Wellington promotion of turning up to IPW Genesis. It was at this show that Dunn suffered an injury and at IPW Breakdown, the IPW Commissioner Dion McCracken revealed that Vinny Dunn had failed his fitness test and rescheduled the match for Reuben De Jong vs "The Samoan Silverback" Alexander in which De Jong retained. After the match
At IPW Rival Turf, the anticipated re-match between "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn and IPW Champion, Reuben De Jong took place with Vinny Dunn being crowned the new IPW Champion, after making the 6'3 giant tap out to the Ankle Lock after Reuben De Jong was accidentally hit in the head with a briefcase by his own manager, Justin Lane. However the new reign was short lived after a shock turn of events in the main event of that evening, involving IPW's Pro Wrestling Excellence and NZWPW
saw the returning "The Deal" Dal Knox turn against his best friend and take the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship from him with assistance from the IPW Commissioner, Dion McCracken much to the disgust and shock of the IPW fans and even the IPW roster and staff which has now been labelled "The Westlake Screwjob".
At IPW Fallout, the IPW Commissioner, Dion McCracken revealed his master plan alongside his "perfect champion" "The Deal" Dal Knox, stating that he was responsible for instigating the match at IPW Genesis between Reuben De Jong
and Vinny Dunn and that he did not fail his fitness test at IPW Breakdown and actually withdrew the rematch on purpose, he later on revealed that Dunn was in his eyes a "transitional champion" and was just waiting till Dal Knox was able to return which was at Rival Turf where he organised the alliance between NZWPW
, Pure Wrestling Excellence, Knox and himself. McCracken also stated that Vinny Dunn would not receive a rematch that night and that if Vinny Dunn was to strike either himself or the Champion, he would be suspended indefinitely to which Dunn ignored and struck the Commissioner with a right hand.
At IPW Unleashed, Vinny Dunn was suspended indefinitely due to the attack he made at the previous show and for not "apologizing" to the Commissioner and the Champion stating that "he would never toe the line", McCracken responded by removing his rematch clause and suspended the former champion indefinitely from all competition in Impact Pro Wrestling.
During IPW's annual show at the Armageddon Expo in Auckland "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn was fired despite following Dion McCracken's orders to gather 500 people for the next session. In the last session the IPW Armageddon Cup was on the line, with the winner being able to wrestle for the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight title at any stage. Halo won the 20-person Gauntlet match and the chance to face the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Champion. However as the IPW Commissioner, Dion McCracken, presented the Cup to Halo, it was revealed that "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn was under the mask and now with the Armageddon Cup in his possession he reclaimed his job and had the chance to face Dal Knox for the title which Dion McCracken wasn't happy about. Vinny Dunn presented Dion McCracken with a right hand much to the crowds delight.
At IPW Ground Zero, "The Deal" Dal Knox faced "The Samoan Siverback" in the main event with the IPW Commissioner, Dion McCracken as special guest referee. During the match, it was announced that an enforcer would make sure that McCracken would be fair in calling the match, in which was revealed to be Reuben De Jong
. At the end of the match, which saw Dal Knox retain, "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn interrupted the post-match celebrations to reveal that he would be cashing in his opportunity to face Knox at Nightmare B4 Xmas 2010, stating that he would want Knox fresh and ready and would not "stoop to his level" to take the title off Knox much to the horror of the champion.
At IPW Nightmare B4 Xmas "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn won the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship of "The Deal" Dal Knox in a Fans Bring The Weapons Match, despite the interference of Tykade and The Five Star Revolution of NZWPW.
.
Defunct
, a twice annual science fiction and comics convention, that runs alternately in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand. The first Armageddon Cup winner was determined by way of an interpromotional battle royal
between wrestlers from IPW and the then-fledgling New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
promotion. On 22 September 2003, The Economist became the first Armageddon Cup champion by eliminating Joey Kinkade from the match.
At subsequent Armageddon events, the Armageddon Cup has been challenged for in a variety of ways, most often by way of a single elimination tournament which is held over the course of one or two days. On the first day of the Wellington 2006 Armageddon event, "The One" Vinny Dunn won a tournament to win his first Armageddon Cup championship. He was defeated in a singles match the very next day, losing the trophy to the luchador Halo.
The original Armageddon Cup trophy was destroyed by Jordan Invincible after he won it on 22 October 2006. It has since been replaced with a sturdier cup design. In recent years, a number of American Professional Wrestlers have attended the event including Christy Hemme
, Rob Van Dam
, with Raven
, Disco Inferno and The Sandman also competing at the event. At the 2008 Armageddon Expo, Disco Inferno became the first non-IPW Wrestler to win the Armaggedon Cup winning it in a battle royal and before losing it to Davey Deluxeo a week later in Christchurch, New Zealand
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
. It is the only promotion based in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and one of the country's three major organisations along with Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-History:Started in May 2006 by veteran New Zealand wrestler Rip Morgan, KPW was formed with the express purpose of taking NZ wrestling from club level to professional level and groom local wrestling talent...
and New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-Formation:WPW started in October 2003 by martial arts trainer, Martin Stirling...
. It has promoted regular events throughout the country and abroad in the last several years and is credited for being the first to bring live wrestling shows to cities, such as Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
and Whangarei
Whangarei
Whangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the...
, in over two decades.
A staple of Armageddon Expo
Armageddon (convention)
Armageddon is a commercial science fiction and comics convention held in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Melbourne Adelaide and Sydney. In recent years it has also showcased computer and video gaming, animation, and consumer electronics...
since 2002, its annual "Armageddon Cup" supercard has been a major attraction at the event in subsequent years. IPW frequently visited Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
during the early-2000s, in conjunction with Peter Ball's Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
-based Major Impact Wrestling, and the two companies merged to form a sister promotion, Impact Pro Wrestling Australia, in 2007.
That same year, the promotion signed a deal with Sky Network Television
SKY Network Television
Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
's ALT TV
Alt TV
ALT TV was a New Zealand broadcast, privately owned and operated 24 hour live-to-air music TV, which aired from 2006 to 2009 and was seen on SKY Digital channel 065...
to broadcast a weekly television show, IPW Ignition
IPW Ignition
IPW Ignition is a professional wrestling television program for Impact Pro Wrestling . The show debuted on Sky Television's Alt TV in New Zealand on 10 February 2007, and later became available worldwide via internet broadcasting...
, which aired throughout the country as the first wrestling program seen in New Zealand since Steve Rickard
Steve Rickard
Sydney Mervin "Merv" Batt , best known by his ring name Steve Rickard, is a retired New Zealand professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
's On the Mat
On the Mat
On the Mat was a professional wrestling television program for the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated All Star Pro-Wrestling , or simply NWA New Zealand, that aired on Television New Zealand's TV2 from 1975 to 1984...
during the 1980s. It was later picked up by Canterbury Television
Canterbury Television
Canterbury Television is an independent television station broadcasting in Canterbury, New Zealand.The name is synonymous with regional television in New Zealand as it was the name of the first regional broadcaster to operate in New Zealand. CTV produces and screens more than twenty hours of...
and Triangle TV
Triangle TV
Triangle Television and Stratos Television are public service television stations based in Auckland, New Zealand. Triangle broadcasts across Auckland on analogue UHF, while Stratos broadcasts around New Zealand on the Freeview, Sky TV and TelstraClear cable digital platforms...
in late-2008, shortly before ALT TV's demise, and remains the longest-running wrestling series in New Zealand.
In 2011 IPW began a new weekly show entitled "Mana Mamau
Mana Mamau
Mana Mamau is a professional wrestling television program for Impact Pro Wrestling . The show debuted on Maori Television in New Zealand on 7 July 2011...
" which airs on Maori Television to replace Ignition.
The promotion is home to several of New Zealand's top independent wrestlers including Jordan Invincible, Alfred Valentine, Troy Rawhiti-Forbes, "Double D" Davey Deluxeo, Vinny Dunn
Vinny Dunn
Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact...
and female wrestler Alita Capri, all of whom having been featured in the New Zealand national media, as well as appearances from major American stars such as Christy Hemme
Christy Hemme
Christina Lee "Christy" Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, professional wrestling valet and former professional wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, as a backstage interviewer and ring announcer.-Early life:Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she...
, Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
, Disco Inferno and The Sandman.
Mania Pro Wrestling and the Armageddon Expo (2001–2003)
IPW was first formed in 2001 by a group of aspiring independent wrestlers then training under the Steve Hodgson at Mania, an AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
-based gym which specialised in training female martial artists and stunt actor
Stunt actor
A Stunt actor or Stunt actress is a person who both plays an essential acting role and actively perform his or her own physical demanding stunts without a stunt double for scenes in a film or television, commonly in the action genre...
s, and began promoting events locally under the banner of Mania Pro Wrestling. The following year, they held an exhibition show at the Aotea Centre
Aotea Centre
The Aotea Centre is a performing arts and events centre / theatre in the Auckland CBD, Auckland City, New Zealand. Located at the western edge of Aotea Square, off Queen Street, the centre provides cultural venue space in the heart of the city and is managed by 'The Edge'...
for the 2002 Armageddon Expo. Their performance proved popular with the crowd and were invited back by promoters for the 2003 expo. IPW would eventually become a regular feature attraction at the pop culture event holding its annual "Armageddon Cup" every year since then.
Early years of Impact Pro Wrestling (2003–2004)
In 2003, a new promotion was formed by a core group of MPW wrestlers under Cameron "The Economist" Bailey and Chuck "The Machine" Warner who pooled their money to start Impact Pro Wrestling. After a year's worth of fundraising, they were able to purchase a custom-built wrestling ring and a training facility where they began running monthly shows soon after. That year, they held their first event outside Auckland appearing at the Michael Fowler CentreMichael Fowler Centre
The Michael Fowler Centre is a concert hall and convention centre in Wellington, New Zealand. It was constructed on reclaimed land next to Civic Square, and is the pre-eminent concert site in central Wellington....
in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
for 2003 Armageddon Expo. It was at this event that the promotion held its first-ever "Armageddon Cup" supercard with The Economist eliminating Joey Kinkade in an interpromotional battle royal
Battle royal
Battle royal traditionally refers to a fight involving three or more combatants that is fought until only one fighter remains standing. In recent times the term has been used in a more general sense to refer to any fight involving large numbers of people that are not organized into factions...
between wrestlers from IPW and New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-Formation:WPW started in October 2003 by martial arts trainer, Martin Stirling...
.
National expansion and IPW Ignition (2004–2007)
With the acquisition of a new ring and training facilities, IPW was prepared to achieve its first goal of running regular house shows in the Auckland area. Beginning with Genesis at Pt. Chevalier in May 2004, IPW began staging monthly shows in central Auckland. Within two years, IPW was holding regular shows not only in Auckland but throughout the country. They also had one of the largest rosters with approximately 25 wrestlers in Auckland and 35 in Wellington. In May 2005, TVNZTelevision New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
's Hadyn Jones conducted an interview with The Economist and The Machine at their Auckland gym.
Taking its show on the road, IPW hosted New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-Formation:WPW started in October 2003 by martial arts trainer, Martin Stirling...
at Capital Punishment in Wellington in March 2006. Five months later, they participated in the 2006 NZPWI Invitational, a major interpromotional event promoted by NZPWI.co.nz founder Dion McCracken, which included New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling, Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-History:Started in May 2006 by veteran New Zealand wrestler Rip Morgan, KPW was formed with the express purpose of taking NZ wrestling from club level to professional level and groom local wrestling talent...
and Australia's Major Impact Wrestling. Held on 12 August 2006, at the Lynfield
Lynfield, New Zealand
Lynfield is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is under the local governance of the Auckland City Council. According to the 2001 census, the population numbers 8934....
YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, McCracken served as IPW's colour commentator at the event. A legitimate black belt in tae kwon do, he knocked out IPW wrestler "Handsome" Danny Jacobs with a superkick during the "Eliminator" battle royal. This incident was voted by NZPWI.co.nz visitors (22.9%) as the "Best Moment" for the New Zealand wrestling category.
IPW enjoyed rousing success when it presented Coastal Assault in October 2006 at Stanmore Bay
Stanmore Bay
Stanmore Bay is a suburb and beach on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. The beach is on the northern side of the peninsula.The population was 5,007 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 405 from 2001.-Education:...
on the Hibiscus Coast
Hibiscus Coast
The Hibiscus Coast is a stretch of the Hauraki Gulf coast located in New Zealand's Rodney District, 10 minutes north of the former North Shore City by car. It contains the northernmost part of the Auckland metropolitan area....
, the North Auckland town which is home to "The One" Vinny Dunn
Vinny Dunn
Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact...
. At the end of the year, IPW stars Alexander and Ricky DeVinal appeared in a television commercial for Primo, a brand of flavoured milk
Flavoured milk
Flavored milk is a sweetened dairy drink made with milk, sugar, colorings and artificial or natural flavorings. Flavored milk is often pasteurized using ultra-high-temperature treatment, which gives it a longer shelf-life than plain milk. Pre-mixed flavored milk is sold in the refrigerated dairy...
popular in New Zealand. In January 2007, "Double D" Davey Deluxeo appeared with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Dave Batista in Auckland's Central Leader newspaper ahead of the 2007 WWE Road to WrestleMania 23 tour
WrestleMania 23
WrestleMania 23 was the twenty-third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 1, 2007 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan...
. This marked an IPW wrestler's first official interaction with an active WWE superstar since MPW hosted former WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield for a morning in 2002.
A month later, it was announced that IPW had achieved its first long term goal by securing a television deal with Auckland's ALT TV
Alt TV
ALT TV was a New Zealand broadcast, privately owned and operated 24 hour live-to-air music TV, which aired from 2006 to 2009 and was seen on SKY Digital channel 065...
. The first episode of "IPW Ignition
IPW Ignition
IPW Ignition is a professional wrestling television program for Impact Pro Wrestling . The show debuted on Sky Television's Alt TV in New Zealand on 10 February 2007, and later became available worldwide via internet broadcasting...
", which featured footage from its recent IPW New Year's Bash supercard, aired on 10 February 2007. Appearing nationwide on SKY Network Television
SKY Network Television
Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
, it was the first weekly wrestling series to be broadcast in the country since Steve Rickard
Steve Rickard
Sydney Mervin "Merv" Batt , best known by his ring name Steve Rickard, is a retired New Zealand professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
's "On the Mat
On the Mat
On the Mat was a professional wrestling television program for the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated All Star Pro-Wrestling , or simply NWA New Zealand, that aired on Television New Zealand's TV2 from 1975 to 1984...
" in the 1980s. It was later made available for a worldwide audience via the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
thanks to Alt TV's shift to live online streaming
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
. A year later, it was also shown on Canterbury Television
Canterbury Television
Canterbury Television is an independent television station broadcasting in Canterbury, New Zealand.The name is synonymous with regional television in New Zealand as it was the name of the first regional broadcaster to operate in New Zealand. CTV produces and screens more than twenty hours of...
and Triangle TV
Triangle TV
Triangle Television and Stratos Television are public service television stations based in Auckland, New Zealand. Triangle broadcasts across Auckland on analogue UHF, while Stratos broadcasts around New Zealand on the Freeview, Sky TV and TelstraClear cable digital platforms...
; the first episode on CTV premiered on 5 October 2008. As of 2010, it remains the longest-running wrestling series in New Zealand.
On the same night "IPW Ignition" aired, IPW made its Whangarei
Whangarei
Whangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the...
debut staging IPW Collision at the Forum North venue to a sold out crowd. Dion McCracken, who was instrumental in bringing IPW to Northland, made a guest appearance during the show as a referee, officiating in the match between "The Deal" Dal Knox and "Handsome" Danny Jacobs. It had been over 25 years since there had been a wrestling held there. Notable New Zealand wrestler of yesteryear Jock Ruddock was present in the live audience. Bruno Bekkar
Bruno Bekkar
Brian Ashby is a retired New Zealand professional wrestler and trainer, known by his ring name Bruno Bekkar, who competed for Steve Rickard's All Star-Pro Wrestling and for other promoters in New Zealand and Australia from the early 1960s until his retirement in 1992...
, a one-time NWA New Zealand Heavyweight Champion
NWA New Zealand Heavyweight Championship
The NWA New Zealand Heavyweight Championship is the primary singles title in the NWA-affiliated wrestling promotion NWA New Zealand. It is the first heavyweight championship in New Zealand and one of the oldest in the world. It was first won by Gisborne Katene who defeated Frank Findlay in 1919...
, also made a guest appearance at a sold out show in Auckland on 15 March. On 24 March, IPW made its first appearance in Hamilton in 25 years, at The Meteor, which hosted the event "IPW Breaking Point" in which featured a battle royal for the #1 Contendership match which was won by Roger Ventura. McCracken joined the promotion as a full-time colour commentator that year and assisted in arranging shows in various cities. Mema Maeli, the first women to become a ring announcer
Ring announcer
A ring announcer is a paid in-ring employee for a boxing, professional wrestling, or mixed martial arts event or promotion...
for Samoa's boxing association, also joined the promotion as IPW's sole female announcer.
In October 2007, at the 2007 Armageddon Expo, Kid Liger won a 25-man battle royal to win the "Armageddon Cup". On the final day of the convention, at the Aotea Centre
Aotea Centre
The Aotea Centre is a performing arts and events centre / theatre in the Auckland CBD, Auckland City, New Zealand. Located at the western edge of Aotea Square, off Queen Street, the centre provides cultural venue space in the heart of the city and is managed by 'The Edge'...
in Auckland, Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
made a surprise appearance by attacking Joseph Kinkade after his match against John Questions. Kinkade's manager Gary O. Davis had insulted him earlier in the show. Christy Hemme
Christy Hemme
Christina Lee "Christy" Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, professional wrestling valet and former professional wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, as a backstage interviewer and ring announcer.-Early life:Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she...
and Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
also attended the show, Hemme being involved in a storyline with Danny Jacobs. Later that month, IPW wrestlers "Double D" Davey Deluxeo, Vinny Dunn and Alfred Valentine were profiled by the New Zealand Herald. Troy Rawhiti-Forbes, another New Zealand independent wrestler, was also interviewed and discussed both the early history of the promotion as well as professional wrestling in New Zealand
Professional wrestling in New Zealand
Professional wrestling in New Zealand has been promoted in the country from the early 1900s. In 1919, Gisborne Katene became the first national heavyweight champion, though the title was not recognized by the National Wrestling Association until 1925, and promoter Walter Miller began running events...
itself.
At the house show "Nightmare B4 Xmas" in December 2007, IPW also saw the rebirth of the women's division. Long Dormant since the Mania Pro Wrestling days in the early 2000s, the intergender tag match between Handsome Danny Jacobs and Britenay vs The Samoan Silverback Alexander and Evie saw the first two females competing within the revamped IPW.
The following year saw the return of two females that were involved with Mania, Just Plain Evil and Alita Capri.
IPW also began expanding oversees as well and frequently visited Australia during the early-2000s. Closely associated with Peter Ball's Major Impact Wrestling in the Gold Coast, the two companies were involved in interpromotional events and talent exchanges for five years before eventually merging to form a sister promotion, Impact Pro Wrestling Australia, in the summer of 2007. IPW would continue exchanging talent between New Zealand and Australia during the next few years.
2008
On 19 April 2008, Raven and Disco Inferno attended the 2008 Armageddon Convention in Wellington. Disco Inferno won the Armageddon Cup in a battle royal but lost the cup to Davey Deluxeo at the ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
convention a week later. He also wrestled a tag team match on 27 April 2008 at the same convention. His partner was IPW Champion "The Deal" Dal Knox.
In May, Davey Deluxeo and Jordan Invincible were interviewed by the New Zealand Herald. The two wrestlers, referred by the publication as the "best tag team partnership since Kiwi tag team The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers were a professional wrestling tag team that also competed as The Sheepherders during their long career. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation and Jim Crockett Promotions as well as a nearly 40 year run on the independent wrestling circuit...
", talked about impressing WWE road agents when World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
when the organisation came to New Zealand for shows in Auckland and Christchurch the next month. At IPW's Redemption, Jordan Invincible defeated Dal Knox to win the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship for the first time. His victory was partially due to outside interference from Davey Deluxeo who used his Armageddon Cup as a weapon or foreign object against Knox.
On 5 October 2008, the promotion took part in "Connecting Families Day" at the Ellerslie
Ellerslie, New Zealand
Ellerslie is a suburb of the city of Auckland, New Zealand. It is seven kilometres to the southeast of the city centre, close to State Highway 1...
YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. Attended by an estimated 1,500 people, the four-hour event included demonstrations from IPW wrestlers as well as an appearance from New Zealand children's entertainer Linda Adamson as part of her upcoming DVD "Love to Sing". Several IPW wrestlers were also featured on the 10 October edition Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
's IAM TV where the host took part in training sessions at their IPW facility in Auckland.
The Sandman appeared at the 2008 Armageddon convention in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand, wrestling for Impact Pro Wrestling NZ between 25–27 October 2008. He defeated Joseph Kinkade in his first match and The Machine in his second match, both with the White Russian Legsweep. He then teamed up with IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship holder "The Deal" Dal Knox in a tag match against Kinkade and The Machine, which saw Knox take the win with a Knox Out on Kinkade.
Pro Wrestling Entertainment invasion (2008-09)
At "Breakdown" in May 2008 Justin Lane, founder of failed promotion Pro Wrestling Entertainment (PWE) turned up and cost Kommissioner Kool his match against Jon E. King. Afterwards Lane gave King a PWE t-shirt, which King gratefully accepted. At "Redemption" in June King and Lane announced that they were taking over IPW, and on an "Ignition" taping they made threats that they would win their match against Kool and his chosen partner at "Unbreakable" in July, with the winning team getting the IPW Commissionership. For the match at "Unbreakable" Kool chose The Machine as his partner, however The Machine turned on Kool and joined PWE as an enforcer, giving King the IPW Commissionership in the process. The trio recruited the tag team Saint Chaos (Brian Saint James and Curt Chaos) at "Unleashed" in September after helping them defeat Pirates And Ninjas Are Totally Awesome (Pirate Jason Burns and Ninja Liam Fury). The Machine executed the Machine Head on Ninja Liam Fury, Jon E. King grabbed the bell when the referee attempted to disqualify Saint Chaos and ordered the referee to count the pinfall. Finally at "Rival Turf" in October King won the IPW South Pacific Championship.However at "Nightmare B4 Xmas" in December Team IPW (Link Van Haggard, Kid Liger, Pirate Jason Burns and Ninja Liam Fury) defeated Team PWE (Jon E. King, The Machine, Brian Saint James and Curt Chaos) in an 8-man match to cost King his IPW Commissionership, at "Breaking Point" in March 2009 King lost the South Pacific Championship to Lil T (with help from guest referee "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn) and at IPW Genesis 2009 each member of PWE wrestled an IPW wrestler. Jordan Invincible defeated Curt Chaos, Brian Saint James defeated Les West (with help from Curt Chaos), Daddy Kool defeated Justin Lane (despite interference from the rest of PWE), Jon E. King defeated Vinny Dunn and "The Deal" Dal Knox defeated The Machine in a Lights Out Death Match. Due to IPW winning the series 3-2 the PWE faction was forced to disband immediately. All PWE paraphernalia were banned from IPW shows and the members were banned from teaming together as a fivesome for six months.
2009
On 4 April 2009, IPW returned to 2009 Armageddon Expo where the "Armageddon Cup" was decided in a 17-person battle royal which included female wrestler Just Plain Evil. She was the first women to ever compete in a battle royal in New Zealand. The winner, Les West, was to face the then IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Champion Dal Knox for the title. Parts of the event were filmed for A Kiwi Century On The Mat, an upcoming historical documentaryDocumentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
on professional wrestling in New Zealand, as well as conducted interviews with colour commentator Dion McKracken and then IPW New Zealand Champion Dal Knox. On 1 May, in celebration of Free Comic Book Day
Free Comic Book Day
Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores. Retailer Joe Field of in Concord, CA brainstormed the event in his "Big Picture" column in the August 2001 issue of Comics & Games Retailer...
, IPW took part in a special fundraiser for the Onehunga Primary School library organized by Gotham Comics in Onehunga
Onehunga
Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is eight kilometres south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of One Tree Hill, Maungakiekie....
which raised nearly $500. The event was attended by over 800 people and an estimated 3,000 comic books were given away.
On 20 July, 20/20 aired a special report on professional wrestling in New Zealand featuring IPW and its Wellington rivals Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-History:Started in May 2006 by veteran New Zealand wrestler Rip Morgan, KPW was formed with the express purpose of taking NZ wrestling from club level to professional level and groom local wrestling talent...
and New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-Formation:WPW started in October 2003 by martial arts trainer, Martin Stirling...
. Dal Knox, then IPW Heavyweight Champion, was specifically profiled during the program. Also that summer, the promotion was similarly profiled on the Māori Television
Maori Television
Māori Television is a New Zealand TV station broadcasting programmes that make a significant contribution to the revitalisation of the Māori language and culture . Funded by the New Zealand Government, the station started broadcasting on 28 March 2004 from a base in Newmarket.Te Reo is the...
sports show Hyundai Code.
In September 2009, local Auckland band 'These Four Walls' released their music video Sweet December, starring IPW's very own Evie, Britenay, Liam Fury and Brian St James.
In August 2009, Whangaparaoa wrestler "The One" Vinny Dunn
Vinny Dunn
Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact...
was interviewed by Stuff.co.nz
Stuff.co.nz
Stuff.co.nz is a New Zealand news website owned and operated by Fairfax New Zealand, a subsidiary of the Australian company Fairfax Media. Stuff hosts the websites for Fairfax's New Zealand newspapers, including the country's second and third highest circulation daily newspapers The Dominion Post...
prior to his match at IPW's "Nightmare B4 Xmas" supercard at Westlake Boys High School where he would wrestle Joseph Kinkade, O Davis and Ivanoff for a chance at the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship. He also discussed his claiming the Impact Pro Wrestling South Pacific Championship in Australia and recent victory over Jon E. King in a "brutal" best of five series to become top contender for the national title. Alita Capri, one of IPW's five female wrestlers, was also interviewed for her upcoming match at the event and encouraged fans to bring items to the show that could be used as foreign objects. She expressed an interest in helping establish a serious women's division in the near future and hoped that more young women would become interested in following the sport.
The annual NZPWI peoples choice awards for the years 2008 and 2009 saw IPW clean up all catergories. The most recent peoples choice awards saw "The One" Vinny Dunn
Vinny Dunn
Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact...
pick up 'Best Wrestler', Pirates and Ninjas are Totally Awesome (Pirate Burns, Ninja Fury) pick up 'Best Tag Team' and Evie for 'Best Female'. IPW also picked up the award for 'Best Promotion', with a majority vote of 61.2%.
2010
"New Years Bash" started off the year, with freshly crowned IPW champion "The One" Vinny DunnVinny Dunn
Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact...
to battle IPW Australia's South Pacific Champion "The future" Nick Burns. The match ended in a no-contest, after rampant interference from Gary O. Davis, and both men therefore retained each of their respective titles.
The following month at "Coastal Assault", Vinny took on "The Professional" Joseph Kinkade. Under the guidance from his manager Gary O. Davis, Kinkade dominated for the most of the match with the help of tag team partner Mischa Ivanoff. Peter Lane managed to somewhat even the score by taking Ivanoff out of action to the outside, and Dunn hit his finisher to retain.
Also during this show, The women's match between JPE and Evie saw the first pinfall over the dominant JPE by Evie since her debut the year prior.
"The One" Vinny Dunn
Vinny Dunn
Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact...
and Jon E. King featured on Maori TV's
Maori Television
Māori Television is a New Zealand TV station broadcasting programmes that make a significant contribution to the revitalisation of the Māori language and culture . Funded by the New Zealand Government, the station started broadcasting on 28 March 2004 from a base in Newmarket.Te Reo is the...
Sports show, Hyundai Code. Here, Dunn and King wrestled in New Zealands first ever live match, and Dunn mananged to retain over former IPW champion, Jon E. King.
Dunn and King also featured on the after-school programme, 'The Erin Simpson Show'.
"Extreme Measures" in April saw the crowning of the first ever IPW tag team champions, via elimination match that all tag teams in IPW would compete. "The Professional" Joseph Kinkade and Mischa Ivanoff were the last in the ring, squaring off against Pirate Burns and Ninja Fury. While Burns and Kinkade brawled to the outside, Fury hit a huge Shooting Star Press on Ivanoff. Pirates and Ninjas are Totally Awesome were then crowned the first ever tag team champions in IPW history.
IPW's Fallout saw Ninja Liam Fury team up with 'Wrestlings Most Wanted' in the absence of Pirate Burns, in order to defend the IPW Tag Team belts against Saint Chaos. Brian Saint James and Curt Chaos were crowned the new IPW Tag champs that night.
The Era of The Deal & the Devil
2010's major storyline began in May at IPW Genesis, The main event at IPW's "Genesis" saw "The One" Vinny Dunn
Vinny Dunn
Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact...
and The Samoan Silverback Alexander go head to head, but The Silverback failed to get the win. The end of the match was interrupted by Justin Lane, who stated that when Dunn put out an open challenge for the championship, Alexander wasn’t the only man to sign a contract for a title shot. He introduced that his 'monster' of a wrestler, Reuben De Jong
Reuben de Jong
Reuben de Jong is a New Zealand heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, strongman and professional wrestler of Dutch descent. He is a 2-time professional strongman champion of New Zealand and competed in the K-1 Kings of Oceania in 2006 and 2007...
, had responded to the challenge that would happen that night. The champion tried to retain, but the odds were against him and former heavyweight kickboxer and MMA fighter De Jong delivered a powerful double-handed chokeslam to take the win, and to be crowned new IPW champion
IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship
IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling championship title in the New Zealand promotion Impact Pro Wrestling. It was the original heavyweight title of the Mania Pro Wrestling promotion, later used in IPW as its primary singles title. It was introduced as the MPW...
. This being the most shocking moment of 2010 so far, would start one of the most heated feuds in IPW history.
Immediately after the show, Vinny Dunn's manager, Peter Lane advised the IPW Community that Vinny Dunn would cash in his rematch clause at IPW Breakdown, however Justin Lane revealed that his client, the new IPW NZ Heavyweight Champion, Reuben De Jong, did not sign any contract for a rematch and was threating legal action against IPW. Three days later after the initial threat was made, IPW Commissioner Dion McCraken posted a video stating that he would postpone the show and that the rematch would take place at Manurewa Recreation Centre the following month.
During NZWPW's Power Play show, "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn and Jon E King invaded the show after threats made by the Wellington promotion of turning up to IPW Genesis. It was at this show that Dunn suffered an injury and at IPW Breakdown, the IPW Commissioner Dion McCracken revealed that Vinny Dunn had failed his fitness test and rescheduled the match for Reuben De Jong vs "The Samoan Silverback" Alexander in which De Jong retained. After the match
At IPW Rival Turf, the anticipated re-match between "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn and IPW Champion, Reuben De Jong took place with Vinny Dunn being crowned the new IPW Champion, after making the 6'3 giant tap out to the Ankle Lock after Reuben De Jong was accidentally hit in the head with a briefcase by his own manager, Justin Lane. However the new reign was short lived after a shock turn of events in the main event of that evening, involving IPW's Pro Wrestling Excellence and NZWPW
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-Formation:WPW started in October 2003 by martial arts trainer, Martin Stirling...
saw the returning "The Deal" Dal Knox turn against his best friend and take the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship from him with assistance from the IPW Commissioner, Dion McCracken much to the disgust and shock of the IPW fans and even the IPW roster and staff which has now been labelled "The Westlake Screwjob".
At IPW Fallout, the IPW Commissioner, Dion McCracken revealed his master plan alongside his "perfect champion" "The Deal" Dal Knox, stating that he was responsible for instigating the match at IPW Genesis between Reuben De Jong
Reuben de Jong
Reuben de Jong is a New Zealand heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, strongman and professional wrestler of Dutch descent. He is a 2-time professional strongman champion of New Zealand and competed in the K-1 Kings of Oceania in 2006 and 2007...
and Vinny Dunn and that he did not fail his fitness test at IPW Breakdown and actually withdrew the rematch on purpose, he later on revealed that Dunn was in his eyes a "transitional champion" and was just waiting till Dal Knox was able to return which was at Rival Turf where he organised the alliance between NZWPW
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-Formation:WPW started in October 2003 by martial arts trainer, Martin Stirling...
, Pure Wrestling Excellence, Knox and himself. McCracken also stated that Vinny Dunn would not receive a rematch that night and that if Vinny Dunn was to strike either himself or the Champion, he would be suspended indefinitely to which Dunn ignored and struck the Commissioner with a right hand.
At IPW Unleashed, Vinny Dunn was suspended indefinitely due to the attack he made at the previous show and for not "apologizing" to the Commissioner and the Champion stating that "he would never toe the line", McCracken responded by removing his rematch clause and suspended the former champion indefinitely from all competition in Impact Pro Wrestling.
During IPW's annual show at the Armageddon Expo in Auckland "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn was fired despite following Dion McCracken's orders to gather 500 people for the next session. In the last session the IPW Armageddon Cup was on the line, with the winner being able to wrestle for the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight title at any stage. Halo won the 20-person Gauntlet match and the chance to face the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Champion. However as the IPW Commissioner, Dion McCracken, presented the Cup to Halo, it was revealed that "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn was under the mask and now with the Armageddon Cup in his possession he reclaimed his job and had the chance to face Dal Knox for the title which Dion McCracken wasn't happy about. Vinny Dunn presented Dion McCracken with a right hand much to the crowds delight.
At IPW Ground Zero, "The Deal" Dal Knox faced "The Samoan Siverback" in the main event with the IPW Commissioner, Dion McCracken as special guest referee. During the match, it was announced that an enforcer would make sure that McCracken would be fair in calling the match, in which was revealed to be Reuben De Jong
Reuben de Jong
Reuben de Jong is a New Zealand heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, strongman and professional wrestler of Dutch descent. He is a 2-time professional strongman champion of New Zealand and competed in the K-1 Kings of Oceania in 2006 and 2007...
. At the end of the match, which saw Dal Knox retain, "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn interrupted the post-match celebrations to reveal that he would be cashing in his opportunity to face Knox at Nightmare B4 Xmas 2010, stating that he would want Knox fresh and ready and would not "stoop to his level" to take the title off Knox much to the horror of the champion.
At IPW Nightmare B4 Xmas "Te Tahi" Vinny Dunn won the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship of "The Deal" Dal Knox in a Fans Bring The Weapons Match, despite the interference of Tykade and The Five Star Revolution of NZWPW.
2011
At IPW New Year's Bash, Dion McCracken went on a firing spree, (kayfabe) firing Jesse Astro, The Kiwi Express, Joseph Kinkade, Lil T, Miles, The New Zealand Dream, The Waipukurau Warrior, Les West, ring announcer Troy Rawhiti-Forbes and referee Matt Wolfe, disbanding Pirates And Ninjas Are Totally Awesome and making the Alita Capri versus Just Plain Evil match a Loser Gets Fired Match. McCracken also put the remaining roster on notice. Just Plain Evil defeated Capri resulting in Capri getting (kayfabe) fired. In the main event, Vinny Dunn defeated Dal Knox by submission to retain the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship. Knox demanded another match against Dunn at IPW Coastal Assault. In response Dunn announced that the match would be a 30 minute Iron Man MatchIron Man match
An Iron Man match is a professional wrestling match type that is set to go a specific amount of time, usually 30 or 60 minutes, with the competitor with the most falls at the end of that time named the victor...
.
Wrestlers
|
Reuben de Jong Reuben de Jong is a New Zealand heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, strongman and professional wrestler of Dutch descent. He is a 2-time professional strongman champion of New Zealand and competed in the K-1 Kings of Oceania in 2006 and 2007... Vinny Dunn Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact... |
|
|
|
Tag teams and Stables
Current
|
|
Defunct
|
Others
- Managers
- Justin Lane
- Peter Lane ( to Vinny Dunn)
- Dion McCracken ( to Dal Knox)
- Referees
- Sam Towns
- Lloyd Morgan
- Cameron Lazenby
- Matt Wolf
- Announcers and commentators
- James Cardno (Part time)
- Nathan Fenwick (Regular)
- Lance Knight (Announcer)
- Dion McCracken (Part Time)
- Troy Rawhiti-Forbes (Guest Announcer)
Current champions
| Championship | Current champion(s) | Date Won | Event | Previous champion(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling championship title in the New Zealand promotion Impact Pro Wrestling. It was the original heavyweight title of the Mania Pro Wrestling promotion, later used in IPW as its primary singles title. It was introduced as the MPW... |
"The Deal" Dal Knox | 12 March 2011 | IPW Genesis 2011 | "The One" Vinny Dunn |
| IPW New Zealand Tag Team Championship | Smack Industries (Alexander & Jon. E. King) | 12 March 2011 | IPW Genesis 2011 | Saint Chaos (Brian St. James & Curt Chaos) |
Armageddon Cup
The Armageddon Cup is a trophy awarded at the Armageddon ConventionsArmageddon (convention)
Armageddon is a commercial science fiction and comics convention held in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Melbourne Adelaide and Sydney. In recent years it has also showcased computer and video gaming, animation, and consumer electronics...
, a twice annual science fiction and comics convention, that runs alternately in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand. The first Armageddon Cup winner was determined by way of an interpromotional battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
between wrestlers from IPW and the then-fledgling New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-Formation:WPW started in October 2003 by martial arts trainer, Martin Stirling...
promotion. On 22 September 2003, The Economist became the first Armageddon Cup champion by eliminating Joey Kinkade from the match.
At subsequent Armageddon events, the Armageddon Cup has been challenged for in a variety of ways, most often by way of a single elimination tournament which is held over the course of one or two days. On the first day of the Wellington 2006 Armageddon event, "The One" Vinny Dunn won a tournament to win his first Armageddon Cup championship. He was defeated in a singles match the very next day, losing the trophy to the luchador Halo.
The original Armageddon Cup trophy was destroyed by Jordan Invincible after he won it on 22 October 2006. It has since been replaced with a sturdier cup design. In recent years, a number of American Professional Wrestlers have attended the event including Christy Hemme
Christy Hemme
Christina Lee "Christy" Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, professional wrestling valet and former professional wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, as a backstage interviewer and ring announcer.-Early life:Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she...
, Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, with Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
, Disco Inferno and The Sandman also competing at the event. At the 2008 Armageddon Expo, Disco Inferno became the first non-IPW Wrestler to win the Armaggedon Cup winning it in a battle royal and before losing it to Davey Deluxeo a week later in Christchurch, New Zealand
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
.
| Year | Name | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Economist | 22 September 2003 | Wellington | Won "IPW vs. NZWPW" battle royal by eliminating Joey Kinkade. |
| 2004 | Joey Kinkade | 25 September 2004 | Auckland | Defeated Jordan Invincible in tournament final. |
| 2005 | Ricky DeVinal | 17 April 2005 | Wellington | Defeated Joey Kinkade in a singles match. |
| 2005 | Dal Knox | 24 October 2005 | Auckland | Defeated Link van Haggard in tournament final. |
| 2006 | Vinny Dunn Vinny Dunn Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact... |
29 April 2006 | Wellington | Defeated Dal Knox in tournament final. |
| 2006 | Halo | 30 April 2006 | Wellington | Defeated Vinny Dunn in a singles match. |
| 2006 | Jordan Invincible | 22 October 2006 | Auckland | Defeated Kyote in tournament final. |
| 2007 | Kid Liger | 21 October 2007 | Auckland | Won a 25-man battle royal for the right to face Jordan Invincible. |
| 2008 | Disco Inferno | 19 April 2008 | Wellington | Won 18-man battle royal by eliminating Kid Liger. |
| 2008 | Davey Deluxeo | 26 April 2008 | Christchurch | Defeated Disco Inferno in a singles match. Danny Jacobs was the special guest referee and his manager Paul Starr was the official time-keeper. |
| 2009 | Alexander | 26 October 2008 | Auckland | Defeated Davey Deluxeo in singles match. |
| 2009 | Joseph Kinkade | 29 March 2009 | Christchurch | Defeated Alexander in singles match. |
| 2009 | Brian St. James | 26 October 2009 | Auckland | Defeated A-Class in a tournament final. |
| 2010 | A-Class | 3 April 2010 | Wellington | Defeated Brian St. James in tournament final. |
| 2010 | Vinny Dunn | 24 October 2010 | Auckland | Won the Armageddon Cup in a tournament final disguised as Halo |
| 2011 | Liam Fury | 2 April 2011 | Wellington | Defeated Brian St. James in tournament final. |