May Mayhem: Why You Should Check Out A Local Pro Wrestling Show In Singapore
Do you love action, melodrama, and over-the-top characters? How about violence, bravado, and even a tinge of comedy (intentional or not)? No, we’re not talking about the latest Fast X movie. If you’re looking to enjoy some live entertainment this month, don’t settle for a run-of-the-mill concert, theatre, or sports event when you can combine all three elements and more. I’m talking about attending a local pro wrestling show.
Everyone knows WWE. Wrestlers such as The Rock, John Cena, and Batista have transcended the business and become Hollywood stars in their own right. But closer to home, did you know that Singapore has its very own wrestling promotions? They are Singapore Pro Wrestling, GrappleMAX and the new kids on the block, Ring of Rebirth.
This May, 2 of the 3 promotions are putting out banner shows, with a stacked match card that promises tons of fun for both wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike.
As a wrestling podcaster and long-time supporter of the local wrestling community, I’m well versed to give a breakdown of each show and why you should make them destination viewing over the next two weekends.
GrappleMAX
What’s happening: Lai lai, you not happy? Come Settle Outside! What a hilariously apt name for a wrestling show. Whoever came up with this is a marketing genius!
3 intense rivalries come to a head while 2 titles are put on the line as the wrestlers from wrestling fitness studio Grapplemax Pro Wrestling Singapore will layeth the smackdown. It’s all going down this Saturday, May 20th at a brand new arena in Kallang. Opening gong is at 4.30pm and limited tickets are still available.
Why you would support the promotion: GrappleMAX Pro Wrestling Singapore is Southeast Asia’s fastest growing pro wrestling school, community and promotion.
It’s the second oldest promotion in the country and takes a lot of influence from the Japanese wrestling philosophy of fighting spirit.
It has a close place to my heart as I have personally trained with them and even had a one-off debut match where I got to live out my wildest spandex dreams. For the record, I was fully clothed during my match.
They have a great sense of community and brand themselves as more of a fitness studio, which helps to make wrestling accessible to the average Singaporean like me.
Who to cheer/boo for: Longtime GrappleMAX stalwart and perennial good guy DJ Kal will be challenging for the promotion’s top title, the Openweight Championship against the reigning champion, Big Dave.
Also keep an eye out for rising star Jordan, the Oppa-turned-baddie who is trying to win his first Cruiserweight title.
Singapore Pro Wrestling
What’s happening: On May 26th next Friday, local wrestlers and international stars will descend on Foochow Building to present SPW MERCILESS.
Come bring your entire family for a night of high-octane local pro wrestling from Singapore’s OG promotion. As the crown jewel of South East Asian Pro Wrestling, the company not only promotes their own talents such as SPW SEA Champion Aiden Rex and Queen of Asia Champion Alexis Lee.
They will also bring in formidable talents from a variety of pro wrestling promotions across the region and around the world. The upcoming show will be no different.
Why you should support the promotion: If you haven’t experienced a Singapore Pro Wrestling (SPW) event in person before, it’s the closest thing we have to WWE, in terms of presentation and wrestling style.
In fact one of their biggest stars even made it all the way to WWE, with Dante Chen making waves since signing with the sports entertainment giants back in 2021.
For over a decade, SPW has been the lifeblood of pro wrestling in this country and won over local audiences with their uniquely Singaporean characters and match types. Every show feels like a local football match, with hilarious chants and interactions. Don’t be surprised to hear a random “referee kayu” chant directed at the ref.
SPW also regularly surprises fans by bring in world class household names such as WWE legend Tajiri, current Raw Superstar Johnny Gargano and former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega.
Who to cheer/boo for: Multi-talented martial arts champion Aiden Rex is amazing to watch live with his impressive athleticism and high-flying moves. He will be defending his SEA Championship against Yukio Sakaguchi, a merciless MMA fighter from Tokyo, Japan.
Multi-time bodybuilding champion, Destroyer Dharma will reignite a good old fashioned Causeway rivalry when he matches up against the Malaysian behemoth Serigala.
Finally, there is a highly anticipated women’s match between our local girl Queen of Asia Champion Alexis Lee and 10-year veteran Saki Akai, a prominent Japanese wrestler who has appeared in Japanese-themed video games and international TV programmes.
Bonus
Ring of Rebirth
Why you should support the promotion: Ring of Rebirth is the underdog promotion of Singapore, and the new kids on the block.
Led by former SPW wrestler, Eurasian Dragon, it’s a great homage to old school wrestling from the 1980s, focusing on characters, promos and in-ring storytelling. Check out their YouTube channel for all their taped shows.
Who to cheer/boo for: Dragon is a riot as the top villain in the company, abusing his status as the boss and bullying any wrestler or non-wrestler that comes his way, including local comedian Jacky Ng.
Also, keep a lookout for Erfie who is known as the Beautiful Badass. Unique and athletic, Erfie is a rising fan favourite for sure.
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