"True Mana" is about showcasing the passion and pride of Kiwi Pro Wrestling, and to that end, there are a number of rematches on the card that promise to deliver hard-hitting action as the competitors vie to establish their dominance or avenge a loss!
H-Flame and Lazarus Volt won the right to challenge the champions at the last show, in front of their hometown fans. At "True Mana", they'll be heading into an arena where the champs have the homefield advantage. The Renegades have won many victories at Wellington High School; it's where they won the KPW Tag Team Championship and where they have successfully defended the belts against the best in New Zealand tag team competition. Lazarus Volt and H-Flame - though individually impressive, with H-Flame being the longest-reigning KPW Champion in history - they've yet to develop themselves as a team to the same extent as the defending champions. Kade Morgan "3G" is the only third-generation wrestler in New Zealand and brings speed, power and pedigree to the ring, all wrapped up in a brutal package of bad attitude. The Technician is a double medal winner at the Oceania Wrestling Championships, an extremely accomplished amateur wrestler and the KPW Champion to boot. The Renegades stand at the top of the mountain and thus far have used their underhanded ways to knock down all challengers. At KPW "True Mana", will Lazarus Volt and H-Flame become the new kings of the hill, or have the Renegades learned from their narrow loss last time and mounted an insurmountable defense?
At first glance, this match might seem like a mis-match. It's easy to see who has the height, reach and weight advantage. However, only a fool would overlook Tank's greater experience, his deviousness, compact power and the presence of Terry the Golden Greek as "kingmaker" at ringside, with his masterplan and metal briefcase. Mister Samoa has the fans on his side, an undefeated streak and a real passion to wrestle. As we've seen, Tank can grapple, take to the air and unleash devastating power moves with the best of them. He'll need all the skill and expereince he gained wrestling extensively in Australia during the past decade to survive the ionslaught of the man from the islands; one wrong move, and Mister Samoa could hit a move that would end the match before Tank realises what's happened! For Tank to previal , he's going to have to use his experience to find a gap in Mister Samoa's defence and take any shortcut to victory. Will the "pocket
battleship" be able to chop the larger competitor down to size, or will Mister Samoa continue his winning ways?
They do say that politics makes for strange bedfellows and in the case of the unlikely "royal" duo, I'd have to say they're right. The only thing more odd than a self-proclaimed King and Queen joining forces in a tag team is how effective they've been against seasoned opponents. United in their Charlie Sheen-like love of winning, King Wilba has lept aboard the bandwagon of Queen Hollie's feud with everyone's favourite care-giver, Nurse Payne. Of course, messing with Nurse Payne means crossing the Brute. when not chewing the ring ropes, the Brute is taking the fight to his opponents with all the skill of a second-generation wrestler. Fiercely protective of his care-giver Nurse Payne - as KPW fans saw at the last show - the Brute has no problem going toe-to-toe with King Wilba. For her part, Nurse Payne has been learning from her favourite patient; despite her gentle nature, she has been putting her new-found skills to good use, earning a pinfall
victory over Queen Hollie. Sadly, at the last show, the cheating ways of the royal twosome proved too much for the Brute and Nurse Payne - but at "True Mana", the patient and his carer have a chance to redeem themselves in front of the KPW fans, and I'll predict they won't give King Wilba and Queen Hollie the opportunity to unleash any shenanigans!
The young man from the mean streets came up short last time against the man who brings the mana, but that's not to say that the newcomer to KPW didn't give a good account of himself. From a strong debut, Mako has continued to impress with his dexterity and bursts of power. He was riding high until brought down to the canvas by Whetu; I know that his loss has been festering within Mako for some time now, and it's spurred him on to train hard and hone his aggression to a fine point on which he intends to impale the Maori Warrior at "True Mana". Whetu's victory has made him a target, and Mako has nothing to lose. But Whetu never backs down from a fight, and will no doubt be ready for Mako's assault. All it takes is for Mako's anger and rookie enthusiasm to cause him to over-reach himself and Whetu will be able to use his own lightening agility to strike back, hitting Mako from any direction. The Maori Warrior has shown that he excels in both singles
and tag team competition and he has the edge in experience. A win over one's opponent is a powerful psychological advantage - can the vicious Mako stay focused in his attack, or will he and the KPW fans be blinded by Whetu's brilliance as the Maori Warrior brings the mana for his second straight win?
Two times these competitors have met, and they each hold a victory over the other. Each encounter was an amazing display of wrestling, determination and desperation as each escalated their attempts to beat the other thrilling the KPW fans along the way. The most recent victory goes to Charlie Roberts, under the most dubious of circumstances - the "Ayatollah of High Rollas" knocked Wild Willz out with a chain supplied by Roberts' new partner in crime, Alex "Danger" Donahue. The fact that such an already accomplished wrestler as Roberts resorted to such desperate measures and cheated the KPW fans out of a clean finish speaks as much to Wild Willz's resilience as it does Roberts' amorality. I feel the final, desperate result was less about getting a win and more about sending a message to the wrestlers and officials of KPW that a new force had arrived. Part of this intensive rivalry is no doubt due to the fact that these two men are so diametrically
different. The island hunter's wild hair, wild ways and wild risk-taking all signal that Wild Willz is an unconventional rookie. Wild Willz thrills the crowd with his high-flying, high risk maneouvres and any opponent who faces him risks not only a battered body, but a bitten one! On the other side of the ring and from the other side of the tracks is Charlie Roberts, a young man who has taken full advantage of his upbringing to ensure he has the finest trainers, supplements and high-flying lifestyle. His unparalleled overconfidence translates into an infuriating arrogance, but the fact of the matter remains he can back up everything he says in the ring, no matter how much the KPW fans can't stand him. Look out for Roberts' new alliance with KPW colour commentator Alex "Danger" Donahue - as the so-called super-exclusive "Rodeo Drive". I gather that they are determined to start a dynasty, and are seeking to use Wild Willz as a stepping stone to
greatness. Wild Willz has been smarting for another chance to take a bite out of Charlie Roberts since the last show and at "True Mana", these two forces collide! Who will win in the decider: the island hunter or the A-list crew?
One of the most colourful, outspoken and confident competitors in KPW, Jimmy Fox never met a mirror or tanning bed he didn't love. I've seen him take on a man near twice his size, the best that England has to offer and I've even seen him wrestle a mummy! He seems to have done it all, and isn't shy about sharing his so-called greatness with anyone in earshot. However, at the last show, he bit off more than even he could chew, leaving his ego and body badly battered. It's said that the most dangerous foe is a cornered one. Well, Jimmy Fox has nothing to lose, the Young Lion is also coming off a loss, neither can stand the other and so at "True Mana" they collide in the ring in a strap match! In this match, the first wrestler to touch all four top turnbuckles in succession without interruption will be the winner. One thing's for sure: in a strap match, there's nowhere to hide! Jimmy Fox's efforts to slow the match to his pace and regroup outside the
ring will be for naught in this match. Trapped in the Young Lion's domain of the squared circle, the Fixation may be dragged along like a lion's prey! The one factor in his favour is that the strap will be in play and Jimmy Fox has just been itching to take out his frustrations on someone. However, the Fixation may find that whipping the Young Lion may reap the whirlwind - Dane King is all fired up, hungry for a victory, and determined to show the KPW fans what happens when you grab a Young Lion by the tail!
Stix was victorious in his debut match at the last show against a fellow newcomer. This match will be a true test of his ability, as he takes on a wrestler who has a slight edge in experience, but a big advantage in strength and aggression. In order to stay in the match long enough to take the fight to Bull Addamz, the rock 'n' roll wrestler will have to use his agility, the support of the KPW fans and the fact that he and Addamz have never met in the ring before to fake out the bigger man and cause him to make mistakes. Only then will Stix have the chance to put away "the Bull". The longer the match goes, the angrier Bull Addamz will become, the more damage he'll absorb and the harder he'll hit. As fans saw at the last show, the big Bull Addamz had no trouble handling a KPW veteran. He's used to dominating his opponents and exploiting his power advantage. No mercy, all efficiency and a touch of sadism are all trademarks of the big Bull. At
"True Mana", will Stix be just another victim? Will the Bull make short work of the rock'n'roll wrestler, or will Stix emulate the Minoan bull-leapers of antiquity and confound Bull Addamz?
Shock will be looking to live up to his name and "shock" the KPW fans with a win over a more-established wrestler at "True Mana". Having to fight back from a loss in his debut at the last show, Shock will hit the ring more determined than ever to win, whatever the cost. Will his largely untested wrestling skill be enough to combat the colourful Purple Haze? KPW fans saw Shock give as good as he got in his debut, and even saw a cunning, vicious streak shine through. If developed, it could well make him stand out from the pack, though it would alienate the fans. I get the feeling Shock only cares about winning, though. His opponent Purple Haze is the ultimate in "x-factors": his deep lavender guise making him inscrutable and his antics making his opponents underestimate him. If Shock gets frustrated in the early going, Purple Haze might well be able to build on that to run rings around his opponent. Quick, slick, calm, collected and fun-loving, Purple Haze might well have the correct formula to discombobulate Shock's attack: at "True Mana", who will be the victor?
As always, the card subject to change. One thing that won't change is KPW's determination to showcase the best in New Zealand professional wrestling for all the family! This is Blair "the Flair" saying, "See you at ringside!"