Photos by Tabitha Woods.
Coverage of this momentous annual event can be found on this site (www.nzwpw.co.nz) and on www.nzwpi.co.nz However, here’s the view I had from ringside.
Mark Tanu steamrolls through the opposition at the NZ Open Sumo Championships 2006
The Lower Hutt Town Hall was the venue for NZWPW’s massive event “Powerplay III”. It was held on Good Friday (14/04/06), on the same card as the NZ Open Sumo Championships, thereby combining the finest in NZ pro wrestling with (literally) the biggest in world class sumo. Full credit must go to young St Bernard’s Silverstream sensation Mark Tanu (all 6′ 4″/193cms 419lbs/190kg of him), who went up against the best that the world had to offer from the USA and Australia, including American sumo giant Carl “Big Daddy” Pappalardo (profiled in the “Dominion Post”). The event had coverage from no less than four separate TV channels on the day, making for much-deserved national exposure.
The best in international sumo collided at the NZ Open Sumo Championships 2006
As far as the wrestling went (and it did), Jimmy Sparx was obviously still smarting from his loss to mastodon Adam Avalanche at “St Patrick’s Day Bash” in Otaki on 17/03/06. The self-styled “Mister Right” was understandably wary of facing the monster that last time put him away with a sideslam so powerful it drove the ring through the Otaki Memorial Hall’s floor. Consequently, he joined forces with another hot young prospect who likewise made his debut in Otaki, namely young CD. It was great to see CD follow up his strong showing against Jean Miracle by capitalising on the oppertunity to showcase his skills. Unfortunately, despite co-ordinated attacks on the big man, an unsuccessful CD sneak attack (showing cunning on the youngster’s part and good defensive instincts from Avalanche) would see another challenge halted beneath the power of the Avalanche.
TNT (in the blue) hauls the Angel of Destruction aloft in their match at at NZWPW’s PowerPlay III
The show also saw the welcome return of TNT to the ring (complete with bodybuilding trophies). During an interview to recount her recent successes, the anger a fellow competitor harboured towards her boiled over. The Angel of Destruction hit the ring to try to belittle TNT’s achievements both inside and outside the ring, even managing to land a suckerpunch on TNT’s nose! After that altercation, there was no way that the match that had been signed earlier as a result of backstage altercations wasn’t going to take place, and take place it did! The two female stars of NZWPW went back and forth, matching technique and power in a dazzling display. In the end, it was TNT who got the victory with a punchishing vertical sufboard. However, a post-match handshake from TNT was violently rebuffed from the Angel of Destruction, who unsportingly attacked the victor. With such energy from both combatants, this rivalry looks to be far from over!
“Powerplay III” also saw the NZWPW debut of Anarchy. The firebrand from the mean streets of Melbourne belied his common appearance with some uncommon highflying skills, against the stalwart Chrome, including a standing moonsault(!). In the end, it would be Chrome’s ring savvy and power that prevailed, but I’ll think we’ll see Anarchy reign another day.
Speaking of fighting another day, Nick Silver will be gunning for another match with kickboxing impressario Dan Stirling (which included Silver taking an early advantage by smashing a chocolate Easter egg over the kickboxer’s head, certainly putting the surprise in “surprise attack”)! Silver seems to feel that NZWPW Promotor Martin Stirling intervened on his son’s behalf by calling a time limit draw just when he claims he was about to put the kickboxer away. Look for these modern-day wariors to lay it all on the line soon to prove who’s the best.
Nick Silver (black trunks) attempts to free himself from a hold by Dan Stirling in their match at NZWPW’s PowerPlay III.
Speaking of laying it all on the line, “Powerplay III” will also be remembered as the end of Juice’s dynasty as Undisputed NZ Heavyweight champ. In the end, the (former Youngblood and) current Death Sentance member lost the championship in the same venue in which he won it back in November 2005, to the man who was the first NZWPW catchweight champion in 2004. Juice had won the belt with the Ram’s help, but even that couldn’t help him in the end (chairshots and interference or not) against the will of a former champion who would not be denied the richest prize in NZ pro wrestling. Some might say, live by the sword, die by the sword. Congratulations to D-Hoya, but I know he won’t become complacent at the top of the mountain. The simple truth is he won’t have time, as there are those on the NZWPW roster already hungry to take a bite out of the new champ.
Speaking of challengers, chief amongst them would be the Ram, the newly-crowned number one contender. The villianous one secured this spot in a No Disqualification bout against the fiery veteran Inferno. Ram was right in his element in a match all but that ignored the rules, weathering Inferno’s onslaught and exposing a turnbuckle for his nefarious purposes. After Inferno went into said steel turnbuckle, Ram capitalised on the injured ribs to wear down his opponent. The end came when Ram choked out Inferno with a belt he brought to ringside, ending a hellacious encounter.
Speaking of very hungry competitors (bear with me), the onslaught of the man they call Avalanche only seems to be gaining momentum. After again fending off a two-on-one attack, the big brash one called for a better calibre of opponent, claiming he’d been undervalued.
Later in the card at “Powerplay III”, he seemed reluctant to accept the offer of an alliance from the T-Phullas, seemingly his mind set on other business. Given his confrontation with newly-crowned champ D-Hoya at the end of the show, that business must now be clear: Adam Avalanche has the championship in his sights, and woe betide anyone who gets in his way. I’ve faced the Avalanche in the ring myself, and luckily survived to tell the tale of just how powerful, cunning and merciless he is. Definitely a challenger to watch closely.
Speaking people to watch closely, what about the new Twin Towers/Power and Glory-like combination of T-Phullas Jean Miracle and the massive Max Damage? I remember the devastation wrought in much of 2004 as the Taranaki triumvirate of Del Knox, Gold and Jean Miracle ran roughshod through NZWPW: could this team herald the next wave of Taranaki supremacy? Everyone remembers the devastation Damage caused tagging with the firey veteran Inferno; hooking up with a fellow T-Phulla might cause “the Yellow and Black attack” to really unleash the beast and run rampant over the entire NZWPW roster.
The “Taranaki twosome” were certainly were strong at “Powerplay III”, avenging their loss at “St Patrick’s Day Bash” against the highflying/power dynamic duo of NOS and H-Flame, taking advantage of a tactical error on the part of NOS to double-team H-Flame and score the win. Time will tell how far they can go. However, if anyone can take them to the limit, it’ll be NOS and H-Flame.
That’s quite enough of me “speaking”! Stay tuned to www.nzwpw.co.nz for when we’re next in your town. On behalf on NZWPW, this is Blair Rhodes saying, “See you at ringside”!.
