While these aren’t the first Australian shows of 2019, these are the first two big shows of the year.
What’s noteworthy is both companies address different needs. In 2018, MCW shows were top heavy with a somewhat weak undercard. MCW has made a strong effort to improve their undercards with several debuts on this show. PWA, on the other hand, has a lot of great wrestlers on their undercards who just need to be pushed. This is also the first weekend of the Jimmy Havoc tour, possibly the final MCW and PWA matches for Jonah Rock, and the final show for PWA ring announcer Diego Retamales.
MCW: Vendetta
January 12, 2019
MCW Tag Team Championship: Sex Rock (Elliot Sexton/Jonah Rock) vs The Loose and the Wreckless (Adam Brooks/Dowie James) vs the Brat Pack( Nick Bury/Mitch Waterman)
There is a lot of MCW history in this match. Elliot Sexton is the longest reigning Heavyweight champion in company history. Rock and James are two of only four men to hold all three titles (Heavyweight, Intercommonwelth, and Tag). Adam Brooks holds the record for most Intercommonwelth Championship reigns with four. Brooks and Dowie hold the record for the longest Tag Team Championship reign in MCW history. This is the first time that TMDK stablemates Sexton and Rock have teamed since 2013, and the first time James and Brooks have teamed in MCW since Brooks turned on Dowie in November 2015. Dowie is a two-time MCW Heavyweight Champion, defeating Sexton for his first run, and Rock for his second. That leaves the Brat Pack. While they are they are on their second run as champs, the only real history they have with any of the other teams is against James with a variety of different partners. The Brat Pack are very hit or miss with me, when they actually get a chance to wrestle, they are a very good tag team, but most of the time the heel overbooking hurts their matches. With all the big names in this match, and it possibly being Jonah’s MCW farewell I expect everybody to go all out and deliver in a big way. I think The Brat Pack retain, but with Brooks out of the IC Title picture, and James out of the Heavyweight Title picture, I wouldn’t be shocked to see another LAW title run.
Jimmy Havoc vs “Smash Mouth” Ritchie Taylor
This is a match I wasn’t expecting at all. Taylor has a ton of talent, but he has only had one singles match in MCW so far. Both me and ScorpioCorp had Taylor as one of our most underrated talents in Australia in our year-end awards, and I guess MCW feels the same way. I’m confident Havoc takes the W in what is sure to be a hard-hitting contest. The result of this match doesn’t matter, but Taylor’s performance against the former Progress champion absolutely does. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say this is the most important match of Ritchie Taylor’s career, and he has to hit a home run.
Intercommonwelth Championship: Rat Daddy vs Slex
What the hell is a Rat Daddy? Well, according to his trainer Jonah Rock, his gimmick is based on James Franco’s character in the movie Spring Breakers. Also, he is REALLY into cheese, in his hype video for this match, he is snorting parmesan and popping folded American cheese slices like pills to get high. As insane as his gimmick is, he is becoming a much better worker, even challenging Jonah for the Wrestle Rampage Championship late last year. This is Rat’s MCW debut(first of a few that I’ll talk about), and he is going after Slex’s IC Title. Rat Daddy has no shot of taking the championship, but this could end up being one of the best matches of his young career.
Air Force Three: Robbie Eagles vs “First Class” Jett Rouka vs Tyson Baxter
As the name of this match stipulation indicates, it’s time for some flippy shit. Rouka and Baxter are two exciting young flyers from the Melbourne area making their debuts. Not much footage exists, but they wrestle a lot like a young Will Ospreay or Ricochet. Over the past few months Jett and Tyson have traveled all over Australia, wrestling in EPW in Perth, and teaming in 1Fall Entertainment as The Mile High Club, and recently have been training under Dowie James at the MCW Academy. Robbie Eagles hasn’t been in MCW since New Horizons in October where he unsuccessfully challenged Gino Gambino for the MCW Heavyweight Championship in one of the best matches in Australian wrestling of 20018. This should be a ton of fun, Jett and Tyson have the right opponent, as they are tested against arguably the best worker in Australian wrestling. I’m hoping they impress and win spots on the roster because MCW undercards desperately need some kind of spark.
Shazza McKenzie vs Avary
Indi Hartwell and Avary are two of the breakout stars of Australian wrestling in 2018. At New Horizons Indi defeated Shazza McKenzie. At the next show, End Game, Avary defeated Aria pretty decisively, only for Indy to call her out for only wrestling “scrubs”. Shazza isn’t a scrub, but unfortunately for her, she is a pawn in the Indy/Avary feud. This should be a great match and a win for Avary. I have a feeling the crowd gets behind Avary despite being a heel.
Tarlee vs “Impressive” Indi Hartwell
Last year the MCW woman’s division was pretty much just Kellyanne, Avary, and Indi Hartwell. Kellyanne is currently In Germany, not leaving a lot of competition for the other two. Tarlee’s only MCW appearance was at their GLOW show in November in a losing effort to Avary in a pretty fun match. In the main event of that show Indi was defeated by Tessa Blanchard in probably the best woman’s match in MCW last year. Like a lot of these matches, the result isn’t super important, but with a depleted woman’s roster, a strong showing could mean future bookings.
PWA Black Label: Diego’s Last Show
January 13, 2019
PWA Tag Team Championship
Juan Direction (Romantic Juan, Tough Juan, Funny Juan, Giant Juan) vs Four Nations (Mick Moretti/Jack J. Bonza)
Imagine if there were four El Generico’s and they were a One Direction cover band. That’s pretty much how I would describe Juan Direction. They have one of my favorite entrances in wrestling, with synchronized dance moves and a Spanish version of a One Direction song. Four Nations have been around for six years now, and tensions couldn’t be higher. Bonza is the top heel in PWA, and Moretti has become the most popular figure beside Robbie and Madison. At the last show, Friday’s Are For The BABES, both Mick and Bonza advanced to the finals of the Colosseum Tournament, which will conclude in February. After Bonza defeated Paris De Silva, Moretti came out and the tag partners nearly came to blows before Juan Direction came out and challenged for the belts. I have no clue which pair of Juans will be in this match, and honestly, I can’t tell them apart anyway. The result seems obvious, Four Nations drop the belts, and Moretti officially turns face.
Matty Wahlberg vs Jimmy Havoc
Unlike Havoc’s MCW match, this shouldn’t come to a shock if you’ve been paying attention to PWA booking. Matty Wahlberg is someone PWA is clearly high on, and have pushed hard over the past few months, even naming the last show (Friday’s are for the BABES) after his group. The asshole jock vs the goth kid is a classic story, and Matty is a fantastic asshole jock. Wahlberg is really coming into his own as both a worker and character. His promo ability is second to none in PWA. https://youtu.be/VMPCJpOJVzU He is quickly becoming the top heel in PWA, and a win over a former Progress champ will really do wonders for a push.
Jonah Rock vs Robbie Eagles vs Adam Brooks
Just like the main event of the MCW show, there is a ton of history In this match. The obvious connection is all three men have competed in PWG and were part of BOLA last year. They are probably three of the four biggest stars in Australia(Madison being the other), and a big reason why Australian wrestling has grown as much as it has over the past couple of years. All three are former MCW Intercommonwelth and PWA Heavyweight champions. All three have had recent singles matches against each other spanning across PWA, MCW, PWG, and RevPro. With the rumors of Rock heading to WWE, I expect this to be very emotional. I do think Eagles picks up the win in his home promotion, but Brooks is a former champion, and a win gets him back into the title hunt.
No rope breaks match: Madison Eagles vs Michael Spencer
Michael Spencer has been a thorn in Madison Eagles’s side for the past couple shows. Two shows ago they brawled to the back in a four-way, that also included Marcus Kool and Snapchad. At the last show, Spencer “accidentally” punched the ref in the face. With the official knocked loopy, he mistakenly thought Madison tapped out to a Boston Crab, despite her never tapping and her hand on the bottom rope. As much of a little shit that Spencer is gimmick wise, he is one hell of a wrestler, and another example of how loaded PWA undercards are. He may be the most athletically gifted wrestler in Australian wrestling, but Madison is one of the biggest stars in Australia, and one of the best workers. I predict that without rope breaks Madison takes this one by submission.
Gavin McGavin vs Paris De Silva vs Adam Hoffman vs Jax Jordan
McGavin is the current EPW Heavyweight Champion, and is touring Australia looking for the best talent to compete against. Paris is one of the top up and coming talents in the country, main eventing the last show against Jack Bonza in a losing effort. Hoffman is a member of the Four Nations, and a 2018 Chikara King of Trios finalist with Moretti and Bonza. Jax Jordan is currently feuding with the BABES. This should be an interesting clash of styles, as McGavin is a technical wrestler, and his three opponents are flyers. I’m thinking Paris takes this one since he is the most pushed of the three regulars
“Dragon Heart” Kai Drake vs “Full Force” Mat Rogers
In the 2018 year-end awards, I named Drake as the most underrated wrestler in Australian wrestling. Recently Drake has been getting destroyed in multi-man matches. Mat Rogers is a gigantic human who hits really hard. I expect Drake to take a beating here, but a strong showing could be the start of him being seen as a serious competitor in PWA. I want Drake to pick up a big win, but I think Rogers takes this one.
