Professional wrestling in Australia


Professional wrestling in Australia makes up a small part of Australian culture. Unlike the North American or Japanese products which have large, globally renowned organisations such as WWE, New Japan Pro Wrestling or Impact Wrestling with several hundred smaller promotions, Australia only has approximately 30 smaller independent circuit promotions which exist in all but one of the states and territories, that being the Northern Territory. Tours from the North American product are regularly sold out in capital cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.

History

Professional wrestling in Australia first gained distinction in the early 1900s, however there were very few shows promoted. Nonetheless, stars such as Clarence Weber, Jack Carkeek, Clarence Whistler and Georg Hackenschmidt toured the country. As time went on, the sport's popularity began to grow, particularly in the 1930s as people sought to find relief from The Great Depression.
Throughout the 1940s professional wrestling suffered due to World War II but in the 1950s it reached new highs as many stars from overseas were imported and created larger crowds and, in turn, a larger market. Established names such as Lou Thesz, Dr. Jerry Graham and Gorgeous George toured the country during the decade.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Australia established its only major promotion in WCW Australia. WCW had a television deal with the Nine Network, the first in Australia to do so and attracted crowds between 2,000 and 9,000 people on a weekly basis. International stars such as Killer Kowalski, Ray Stevens, Dominic Denucci, Mario Milano, Spiros Arion, Karl Gotch, Bruno Sammartino, Gorilla Monsoon and local stars Ron Miller and Larry O'Dea were all involved with the promotion which grew steadily through the 1960s and was a well known product in the 1970s. However, with the introduction of World Series Cricket, WCW was left with no television deal and was forced to close down in 1978. This sent the Australian market into a large decline. With no access to any product anywhere in the world, the Australian market was almost dead until the World Wrestling Federation became a prominent figure in professional wrestling in the mid-1980s.
Australia has depended on the North American product since 1985. Hosting tours in 1985 and 1986 kept a solid viewing in the sport through programmes such as Superstars of Wrestling and Saturday Night's Main Event. Small local promotions have tried to take advantage of the popularity of professional wrestling in more recent times, but there has been nothing of note since the demise of World Championship Wrestling in 1978.
However the local scene has been the subject of controversy.
In September 2002, a promotion called PCW presented a show called Carnage, in which two wrestlers faced off in the first-ever barbed-wire match in Australia. The event was billed as a "Great Family Night Out", however before the bout an announcer warned parents to take their children from the Rowville arena if they were upset by blood.
The match saw real blood, fake glass and one contestant setting fire to a chair. The ring ropes were replaced with barbed wire and a bucket of thumb tacks was dumped on the ring floor. Much of the controversy surrounded rumours about the event, suggesting that the outpour of blood was so intense that it 'splattered' onto members of the crowd. Much of this can be attributed to people who had heard about the match giving their take of it on the Internet.
Despite the fact that this event was publicised as having a gory match and the preceding warning, people complained that the match in question was 'too much'. A concerned mother called Melbourne Talkback radio station 3AW, and a wrestler heard this call and also rang in. This resulted in the main media outlets covering the story. For the record, neither of the wrestlers were seriously injured. It also resulted in a police investigation. and a furore within the local Knox City Council.

Australian wrestlers overseas

Individual wrestlers originating in Australia have struggled for the most part to obtain any international recognition. Perhaps the two biggest names when one mentions Australia are The Fabulous Kangaroos—Roy Heffernan and Al Costello. They are the only Australian wrestlers to make it big in the United States and held the Florida and Texas versions of the NWA World Tag Team titles as well as the north east version of the NWA United States tag team titles in the Capitol Wrestling Corporation on three occasions, as well as being inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
Australian wrestler Peter Stilsbury was brought into the WWF in the mid-1980s under the name Outback Jack in response to the mainstream popularity at the time of the Australian film Crocodile Dundee. He appeared in several vignettes hyping his debut by showing Jack in the wilds of the Australian Outback, drinking beer with cows, and came down to the ring to the theme song by Rolf Harris, "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport". Outback Jack started his career touring in Canada with Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling.
In more recent times Nathan Jones made two WWE appearances in 2003 at WrestleMania XIX and at Survivor Series later that same year even though he only actually wrestled at the latter event, making him the first Australian wrestler to ever perform on a WWE pay-per-view event. Jones also performed on two World Wrestling All-Stars pay-per-views, losing to Jeff Jarrett at WWA: The Inception and to Scott Steiner at WWA: The Eruption.
In late 2011, WWE signed an Australian female wrestler Tenille Dashwood to its development territory NXT. She was originally from Melbourne. Dashwood debuted as a clumsy dancer Emma, and in early 2014 was elevated to the main roster. On 6 April 2014 she became only the second Australian wrestler to perform on a WWE pay per view and the first ever woman to do so when she was a part of the Diva's Title match at WrestleMania XXX. She later appeared at the 2014 Survivor Series in November. In 2017 she became the first Australian to perform at three WWE pay per view events when she was part of the fatal five way for the Raw Women's Championship at No Mercy. She made it four at TLC in opposition to Asuka.
In early 2013, WWE signed another Australian wrestler Buddy Murphy, known in Australia as Matt Silva to NXT. Murphy made his televised debut on NXT 15 May 2014, teaming with Elias Samson in a losing effort against The Ascension. In August 2014, Murphy began teaming with American Wesley Blake and in January 2015, Murphy and Blake scored an upset victory over the Vaudevillains and the following week defeated the Lucha Dragons to win the NXT Tag Team Championship, making Murphy the first Australian to hold a championship within the WWE. In early 2018 Murphy joined the Cruiserweight division and participated in the Cruiserweight title tournament losing to Mustafa Ali in the quarter finals. He soon become a top contender to the new champion Cedric Alexander, and he managed to defeat Alexander at WWE Super Show-Down in his main roster pay-per-view debut in his home town Melbourne to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. He lost the title to Tony Nese on the WrestleMania 35 pre show.
In April 2015, WWE signed both Billie Kay and Peyton Royce to NXT. The pair later formed the team The IIconics under their original name of The Iconic Duo. They were elevated to the main roster on the SmackDown brand just after WrestleMania 34 and made their main roster pay per view debut at WWE Super Show-Down with a victory over the team of Asuka and Naomi. After appearances at WWE Evolution, the 2019 Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber, the IIconics won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 35.
In 2017, Rhea Ripley joined WWE and participated in the Mae Young Classic. The Adelaide-based wrestler known locally as Demi Bennett would go on to participate in the second Mae Young Classic in 2018, but at TV tapings in Birmingham, England Ripley became the first Australian woman to win a WWE controlled title when she defeated fellow Australian Toni Storm in a tournament final to be the inaugural winner of the WWE UK Women's Championship. Ripley consequently made her first pay per view appearance at the 2019 Royal Rumble as a participant of the Women's Royal Rumble match.
Only two other Australian wrestlers have appeared on a worldwide pay-per-view event to date at all. They are Chuck E. Chaos at WWA: The Eruption who lost to Jerry Lynn, and Mark Mercedes at WWA: The Reckoning who lost to Rick Steiner.

Foreign tours

Shows from North American promotions have been held in Australia as early as 1985 when the WWF toured three cities, they did a second tour in 1986 across five cities. That was the last Australia saw of a live North American product until WCW did a Nitro and Thunder taping in Melbourne, a Nitro taping in Brisbane and a Thunder taping and a house show in Sydney in 2000.
In 2000, I-Generation Superstars of Wrestling held a pay-per-view in Sydney headlined "Rodman Down Under" where Dennis Rodman would lose to Curt Hennig with the i-Generation Championship being contested. Australia also hosted shows presented by World Wrestling All-Stars, including two pay per views events, The Inception in 2001 from Sydney and The Eruption in 2002 from Melbourne.
After a 16-year hiatus, WWE returned to Australia for the 2002 WWE Global Warning Tour taped event from Colonial Stadium in Melbourne. Since then, WWE has returned to tour Australia at least once a year with House shows events. In 2016 WWE's developmental brand WWE NXT toured Australia for the first time including a taping a NXT TV episode which aired on WWE Network about one month later. In 2018 WWE held their first Australian live pay-per-view WWE Super Show-Down from the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
2009 saw the first international tour other then WWE since 2002 when Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff held the tour throughout Australia in Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney. Wrestlers included Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Spartan-3000, Heidenreich, Eugene, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake and Orlando Jordan. Despite having ONE HD television cameras present, this event has never been released on DVD.
In 2016, House of Hardcore presented House of Hardcore 15 in Melbourne, before returning in 2017 for a tour of Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, and Brisbane. They returned in 2018 for a tour of Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, and Sunshine Coast, the 2018 tour also saw the NWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis made four championship defences against Mark Cometti, Jonah Rock, Robbie Eagles and Jack Bonza.
On 9 January 2018, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced their first Tour of Australia, "New Japan Fallout Down Under" tour in which they would visit Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth. The events took place between "The New Beginning in Osaka" and "Honor Rising: Japan 2018" on the NJPW calendar. Announced for the tour was Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, Cody, Matt and Nick Jackson, Yuji Nagata, Tomohiro Ishii, Kushida, Evil, Bad Luck Fale, Sanada, Will Ospreay^, Tanga Loa, Juice Robinson, Tama Tonga, Lance Archer, Chase Owens, Rocky Romero, and Toa Henare. Will Ospreay only appeared on the Sydney and Perth legs, while Hiroshi Tanahashi missed the tour due to an injury. All the events were taped and were uploaded to NJPW World on delay without any commentary.
On 26 January 2018 Progress Wrestling announced an Australian tour for April 2018, which would see them partner up with local promotion.
While various other Australian shows have featured overseas talent, however there is nothing else of note.

Events list

WWE Raw-branded eventWWE SmackDown-branded eventWWE NXT-branded event

YearPromotionTourLocationEvent type
1985WWFWWF Australian TourMelbourne, Newcastle, PerthHouse shows
1986WWFWWF Australian TourMelbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, AdelaideHouse shows
2000WCWWCW Australian Tour Brisbane, Sydney, MelbourneTaped events
2000i-Gen.Superstars of Wrestling: Rodman Down UnderSydneyTaped event
2001WWAWWA The InceptionSydneyPay-Per-View event
2002WWAWWA The EruptionMelbournePay-Per-View event
2002WWEMelbourneTaped event
2003WWEWWE Raw Ruthless AggressionSydney, MelbourneHouse shows
2003WWEWWE Passport to SmackDownPerthHouse show
2004WWEWWE SmackDown Superstars Return of the Deadman TourSydney, Brisbane, MelbourneHouse shows
2005WWEWWE Raw WrestleMania Revenge TourBrisbane, Newcastle, SydneyHouse shows
2005WWEWWE SmackDown WrestleMania Revenge TourMelbourne, Perth, AdelaideHouse shows
2005WWEWWE Raw Survivor Series TourSydney, Adelaide, MelbourneHouse shows
2006WWEWWE Smackdown Road to Wrestlemania 22 TourSydney, BrisbaneHouse shows
2006WWEWWE Raw SummerSlam TourMelbourne, Newcastle, Sydney, BrisbaneHouse shows
2007WWEWWE Raw Survivor Series TourMelbourne, Sydney, BrisbaneHouse shows
2008WWEWWE Smackdown ECW TourMelbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, Adelaide, BrisbaneHouse shows
2009WWEWWE Raw Live TourMelbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, BrisbaneHouse shows
2009-Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, BrisbaneTaped events
2010WWEWWE Smackdown Live 2010Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, BrisbaneHouse shows
2011WWEWWE World TourMelbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, BrisbaneHouse shows
2012WWEWWE Raw World TourMelbourne, Sydney, BrisbaneHouse shows
2013WWEWWE Raw World TourMelbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, BrisbaneHouse shows
2014WWEWWE LiveMelbourne, Sydney, PerthHouse shows
2015WWEWWE LiveBrisbane, Melbourne, SydneyHouse shows
2016HOHHouse of Hardcore 15MelbourneTaped event
2016WWEWWE Live: AustraliaMelbourne, Adelaide, SydneyHouse shows
2016WWEWWE NXT Live MelbourneTaped event
2016WWEWWE NXT LivePerth, Canberra, Newcastle, Gold Coast, SydneyHouse shows
2017HOHHouse of Hardcore Australia Tour 2017Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, BrisbaneTaped events
2017WWEWWE Live: AustraliaMelbourne, Sydney, BrisbaneHouse shows
2018NJPWFallout Down Under TourAdelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, PerthTaped events
2018PWProgress x Australia Tour
Perth, Melbourne, SydneyTaped events
2018HOHHouse of Hardcore Australian Tour 2018Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Sunshine CoastTaped events
2018WWEWWE Super Show-DownMelbournePay-Per-View event
2019NJPWSouthern ShowdownMelbourne, SydneyPay-Per-View event
2019WWEWWE Live: AustraliaMelbourne, Sydney & BrisbaneHouse shows

Television programming

History

Throughout the 1990s, both WCW Monday Nitro and Raw were broadcast pay television networks with WCW Monday Nitro on TNT and WWE Raw on Fox Sports.
In September 2002 negotiations between FOX8 and WWE fell through and SmackDown! was cancelled. This situation continued until August 2003 when SmackDown! returned on Saturday nights. RAW was moved from Fox Sports to FOX8 and was shown on Friday nights. In order to prevent spoiler hunting on the internet, FOX8 moved WWE programming to timeslots closer to their United States air date. Finally it start airing RAW live on 4 February 2014
In February 2005, WWE Heat, WWE Velocity and The WWE Experience were added to Fox8 and set up a large wrestling program on Saturdays and Sundays. Despite Heat, Velocity and Experience all being cancelled in the United States the shows continued to be shown in Australia to fulfill contractual obligations. When SmackDown! was moved to Friday nights in the United States, in Australia it remained on Friday afternoons. ECW on Sci Fi began broadcasting in Australia from 2 September 2006 in the place of WWE Velocity on Saturdays.
TNA Impact! began airing on 5 April 2008 on Fox8. It had been airing on Saturday nights on Fuel TV at 8.30pm AEST from June 2011, but this ceased in November 2014 when Fuel was absorbed by Fox Sports. For the remainder of 2014 and into 2015 it was shown on Main Event free of the usual charges, until 27 June 2015.
Free to air wrestling programming has been scarce on Australian television in recent times. However, with the conversion to Digital Television, several wrestling programs were purchased. In June 2008, WWE After Burn aired on Channel 9 on Sunday afternoon. However, it later aired at 1am on Tuesday mornings. TNA Xplosion began airing on One HD in prime time at 8:30pm on Thursday but by late 2010 it had been replaced in effect by the WWE Experience.
A cut down, one hour version of WWE Raw and SmackDown Live now airs on Nine Network's 9Go!.

Pay-per-view

s in Australia are shown on Main Event, the only provider in Australia. WWE's major pay-per-views Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, King of the Ring, SummerSlam and Survivor Series began to be shown on pay-per-view by the late 1990s. Main Event has been broadcasting pay-per-views for both WWE starting from the late 1990s until the present time and WCW pay-per-views from around the same time until they were bought out in March 2001.
At the beginning of 2003 WWE pay-per-views were also lost to Main Event in the same deal that cost Australian fans SmackDown. Village Cinemas showed them for a few months until August 2003 when they returned to Main Event, starting with SummerSlam. A special NWA-TNA package replaced it in early 2003 but only lasted a year. NWA-TNA pay-per-views were shown once a month throughout 2003 during a time when they were being presented weekly in the United States.
After just over 3 years, NWA-TNA made its return—now just TNA. Beginning with TNA Sacrifice 2006 on 27 May 2006 on tape delay, this continued for 12 months before events started being broadcast live in May 2007. This ceased after the transmission of Slammiversary on 29 June 2015.
Three World Wrestling All-Stars pay per views also aired live in Australia—WWA The Inception, WWA The Eruption and WWA The Reckoning.