Southern Pro Wrestling (SPW) returns this weekend with their annual stadium-sized event Southern Rumble.
Whilst last year’s event relied heavily on the presence of Will Ospreay, Bea Priestly and Tenille Dashwood as the major draws for the event this year the event has a much more homegrown feel. The 2019 Southern Rumble will see SPW welcoming home current NXT UK superstar Travis Banks along with his tag team partner PROGRESS star TK Cooper.
SPW has also joined forces with Melbourne City Wrestling (MCW) in order to create an absolutely star-studded lineup of Southern Hemisphere talent.
Southern Rumble 2019 is set to be the ultimate showcase event for both New Zealand and Australian wrestling.
https://twitter.com/SPWrestlingNZ/status/1148507945451175936
Shane Sinclair vs Lochy Hendricks
On a card filled with inter-promotional matches, these two men would be the first to loudly proclaim their match as the most significant of the evening. Both men are coming into this match with impressive winning streaks in their respective countries and will be looking to keep their momentum rolling.
For Sinclair, a victory here would further his argument that he should be at the top of the heap in regards to the next contender for the SPW New Zealand Championship.
Conversely, for Hendricks he is entering into this match just one week shy of his MCW Intercommonwealth Championship Tournament Final match. A victory here would only add to Hendricks’ already bloated ego and potentially make him unstoppable next week in Melbourne.
Kellyanne vs Indi Hartwell
One of the most heated rivalries in all of Australian wrestling crosses the Tasman and arrives in New Zealand this weekend.
For months these two ladies did everything within their power to not only defeat the other but destroy them. So when these two ladies step inside the ILT Stadium and are placed on the huge platform of the Southern Rumble you can expect them to leave no stone unturned.
In recent months Hartwell hasn’t been traveling alone. So will she be bringing her powerhouse friend Steph De Lander as added insurance for this match? Or will she have to go it along this time around?
The clash between Hartwell and Kellyanne could very well prove to be one of the most brutal encounters on the card.
Southland Street Fight: Dowie James vs T-Rex
Perhaps the one match on the card which could top the ladies for unbridled violence is the clash between MCW’s Dowie James and SPW mainstay T-Rex.
When these two clashed in April at MCW Fallout there was some unresolved tension between them. As such SPW management have cleared the two unstoppable forces for a Southland Street Fight.
Look for James and T-Rex to use anything that isn’t bolted down to punish each other. Given neither man knows how to back down this could quickly become a bloodbath.
SPW Tag Team Championship: Deadly Sins (Kane Khan & JK Moody) (c) vs South Pacific Power Trip (Travis Banks & TK Cooper)
In a veritable dream match two of New Zealand’s greatest tag teams are set to face off for SPW Tag Team gold.
Whilst making their names abroad the South Pacific Power Trip are now looking to return home and prove they the countries top team. Although they never captured any championships during their time together in England Banks and Cooper were perennial contenders, facing the likes of Aussie Open (Kyle Fletch & Mark Davis) and British Strong Style (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate) for the PROGRESS Tag Team Championship.
Looking to stop them from capturing their first gold though is the formidable duo known as the Deadly Sins. Having only just claimed the SPW Tag Team Championships at Battle Lines in May Deadly Sins won’t want to go down without a fight.
This match will come with added significance for Deadly Sins as they have already announced they will be moving to the UK following Southern Rumble. So this very well could be the last time they set foot inside an SPW ring, and they will want to go out with their arms raised in victory.
Will Power vs Gino Gambino
SPW’s perpetual underdog will once again be facing an uphill battle this weekend when he faces former MCW World Champion and Bullet Club’s own Gino Gambino.
Whilst Power is never the biggest man in the fight this weekend the six discrepancy will be at its most exaggerate extent ever. The six foot tall, 130 kilogram Gambino dominated MCW as the World Heavyweight Champion for an impressive 329-day reign which spanned 2018 and early 2019. During this devastating reign, Gambino became a much more vicious competitor, defeating the likes of Robbie Eagles and Jonah Rock along the way before ultimately succumbing to Slex.
Will Power is going to have to muster up every last ounce of gut and grit inside him to overcome the monstrous Gambino. But, if history is anything to go by if anybody is going to be able to overcome the odds its Power.
Falcon Kid vs Kingi
Much like the match between Lochy Hendricks and Shane Sinclair this match sees two men entering with momentum on their side.
These two men, however, have vastly differing styles, which they will look to employ in order to gain the victory.
Can the bruising Kingi ground the high-flying Falcon Kid? Or will the blistering pace of the youngster be too much for the veteran?
Southern Rumble
The traditional 20 man over the top rope Southern Rumble match return once again this year. However, in 2019 the stakes could be any greater. The winner of this year’s Southern Rumble will earn an opportunity to face off against the joint SPW New Zealand and MCW World Heavyweight Champion at the upcoming MCW Ballroom Brawl.
WINNER TAKES ALL – SPW New Zealand Championship & MCW World Heavyweight Championship: Marcus Kool (c) vs Slex (c)
In a first time ever occurrence both the SPW New Zealand Champion and MCW World Heavyweight Champion will go one on one with both championships hanging in the balance.
Two of the best professional wrestlers in their respective countries will clash in a match for the ages. Whilst both men are at the top of their game inside the squared circle outside of it they couldn’t be any more different.
‘The Hooligan’ Marcus Kool is not afraid of a good scrap and downing an ice cold pint of beer afterward. Whereas for ‘The Business’ Slex he approaches everything with a cool, calm, collected and focused business like mindset, thus living up to his moniker.
According to Kool though ‘The Business’ persona is a facade, which he can see right through. This weekend Kool will be looking to finally make Slex’s machine-like approach crack in order to get Slex off his game and thus capture the MCW World Heavyweight Championship.
Obviously with both championships on the line neither man will be wanting to give an inch. Especially with the victors’ first defense set to occur just one week later at the MCW Ballroom Brawl.
One big question remains leading into this match though. Given that one man will be walking out of ILT Stadium carrying all of the gold, what does this mean for the future of the SPW and MCW Championships?
At the #SouthernRumble 2019 it's WINNER TAKES ALL.
Do you have the balls mate? Let’s av it @slexthebusiness @mcitywrestling @SPWrestlingNZ pic.twitter.com/DQxxZ6e27L
— Hooligan. (@MarcusKool) July 8, 2019
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