This Friday, Iron Fist Pro runs its first show ever. Setting up shop in Adelaide, South Australia, they are the next step in the development of Aussie wrestling. Their first show, Genesis, features some of the top talent in Australia: Davis Storm, Adam Brooks, Indi Hartwell, and Jonah Rock, and are even bringing in Hideki Suzuki from Big Japan Pro Wrestling to headline.
Last Word on Pro Wrestling was able to interview Ayden Anagnou, the Owner and Promoter of Iron Fist Pro Wrestling for an interview:
Last Word on Pro Wrestling: What made you want to start a wrestling promotion?
Ayden Anagnou: I wanted to be a wrestler but a few injuries are currently prohibiting me from doing so at this current point in time. I didn’t want to not be involved in the growing wrestling scene so the next best thing was promoting. After speaking to a few close friends/talent I went all in on this.
Any special meaning behind the name “Iron Fist Pro”?
I’m an avid gamer and growing up I played the Tekken series more than anything, the whole concept of the ‘King of the Iron Fist’ tournament amazed me and I decided to take the name and pay homage to what I grew up with, hence the font styling and the name.
How often will Iron Fist Pro be running shows?
At this current point in time we’re looking at every 3 months, we don’t want to over saturate the current scene and it gives us plenty of time to pick dates to avoid scheduling conflicts. Plus if the fans enjoy show #1, the wait for #2 is going to be worth it.
Will most shows take place in Adelaide, or all over?
Right now, solely Adelaide. If the response is there for more down the line i’d love to expand interstate.
There’s a lot of talent on this first show that are big names on the Aussie wrestling scene. Can we expect a lot these performers on this first show to be regulars for Iron Fist Pro?
Yes and No. The idea is to expose the Adelaide scene to unseen talent in this state that deserve exposure. Locals will be the same but the interstate is always going to change, but some will be regulars.
Hideki Suzuki of Big Japan fame is headlining this first show; will you be looking to bring in international talent regularly?
It’s an honor to have a name like ‘Hideki Suzuki’ on our show, the guy is massively underrated and deserves worldwide exposure. You’re going to regret not seeing him this weekend if you’re not coming. Also yes, there’s already plans to bring in some more international talent, show #2 has some surprises so keep an eye out for announcements. We mostly want to tap into the Japanese scene but there’s a lot of names on the US/UK indies that have really caught our eye and want down here.
Will there be a way for fans outside of Australia to view your shows?
The main event on Friday night is being streamed on Facebook and by the end of the weekend the first show will be on either Vimeo or Pivotshare for everyone to see.
How many fans are you hoping attend this first show?
Honestly, it’s not about that for us. Even if 20 people or 200 come to the show, it’s still getting exposure out there for these new talent. It’s trial and error at this point and it’ll be worth it in the end.
In your opinion, how healthy is the current Australian independent wrestling scene?
The east coast is on fire right now! MCW (Melbourne City Wrestling) are kicking all the goals, especially recently with MCW 100 pulling over 1000 people, it’s incredible. PWA (Pro Wrestling Australia) is also another name that are building up a lot of momentum. I wish more people tuned into EPW (Explosive Pro Wrestling) in Perth, those guys and the talent over there are underrated. Ever since the Will Ospreay visits and MCW 100, the demand for more good quality wrestling is higher than ever and that makes me happy, the scene is alive and well.
How can Iron Fist Pro help grow Australian wrestling as a whole?
As said earlier, we’re all about exposing unseen talent to the state, giving everyone an equal chance to show us what they can do, and providing these interstate/international dream matches. Hopefully we can show everyone in Adelaide and around the world there’s a lot of untapped potential here and the opportunities are endless.
What’s your long term goal for Iron Fist Pro?
Alongside Wrestle Rampage and RCW (Riot City Wrestling) we want to be a name that people to come to for reliable quality pro wrestling. We’ve already got some partnerships in the works that have ticked off a lot of our goals and couldn’t be happier. The biggest goal is a touring brand but that’s a while away, being the bridge between here and the talent around the world (UK, Japan, USA, Mexico, anywhere) is more than enough.
