NZPWI Invitational
Encyclopedia
The NZPWI Invitational was a professional wrestling
pay-per-view
(PPV) event hosted by the website New Zealand Pro Wrestling Informer (NZPWI). The event was the first interpromotional show ever held in New Zealand and featured wrestlers from the country's three major promotions Impact Pro Wrestling
, Kiwi Pro Wrestling
, New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
, and Peter Ball's Major Impact Wrestling from Australia
. Held annually in 2006 and 2007, it was primarily a single-elimination tournament
and included a 20-man battle royal
semi-main event. The battle royal would end via pin or submission between the last two entrants, the winner of which would receive an entry for next year's invitational.
The event was largely organised by Dion McCraken, NZPWI editor-in-chief, whose intention was to bring attention to professional wrestling in New Zealand
. Similar to the Super 8 Tournament
in the United States or the Super J Cup in Japan, it showcased the top talent of New Zealand's "big three" and provided the first major television exposure for many independent wrestlers in the Australasian region
since the days of Steve Rickard
's "On the Mat
" during the 1980s. The show also served as a reunion of sorts for older veterans of the era. John da Silva
, a champion amateur and pro wrestler during the 1960s and 70s, was in attendance at the 2006 invitational and presented the trophy to "Heartless" Alfred Valentine after winning the tournament.
It was one of the largest show's ever held in New Zealand and the event received some coverage by the national media. The 2006 NZPWI Invitational was promoted by Fight Times Magazine in March 2006. The Machine, an IPW wrestler and first entrant to battle royal, was featured in a cover story
for the Horowhenua-Kapiti Weekend Chronicle on 29 July. Two of its participants, IPW wrestlers Alfred Valentine and Jon E. King, were interviewed on TV One's morning talk show Breakfast by Kay Gregory
days prior to the event.
The first annual NZPWI Invitational was held at the Lynfield
YMCA
on 12 August 2006, and was attended by a sell out crowd of 450 fans. It was the largest attendance for a live wrestling event in 20 years. The 2006 NZPWI Invitational was later shown on Sky1 and proved so popular that the network aired on primetime the following year. The second show was broadcast following the 9 December 2007 edition of WWE Smackdown, and again on Christmas Eve
followed by the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
. The program was watched by over 100,000 people on SKY Television
and both invitationals later released on DVD. Dion McCracken served as the colour commentator for both shows, with co-host Vinny Dunn
in 2006 and manager Gary O. Davis in 2007, and his performance led to a full-time position as the head announcer of IPW Ignition
.
Although plans were made to hold a third NZPWI Invitational in November 2008, the event was unable to gain the necessary corporate sponsorship to cover costs. Previous shows had been held at a significant loss, costing at least $15,000 to run, and almost entirely supported financially by McCraken himself. Due to the financial burden, as well as familial commitments, McCraken officially announced on NZPWI.co.nz that he would no longer be able to host the event.
(Lynfield YMCA)
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) event hosted by the website New Zealand Pro Wrestling Informer (NZPWI). The event was the first interpromotional show ever held in New Zealand and featured wrestlers from the country's three major promotions Impact Pro Wrestling
Impact Pro Wrestling
Impact Pro Wrestling is a New Zealand professional wrestling promotion. It is the only promotion based in Auckland and one of the country's three major organisations along with Kiwi Pro Wrestling and New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling...
, Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-History:Started in May 2006 by veteran New Zealand wrestler Rip Morgan, KPW was formed with the express purpose of taking NZ wrestling from club level to professional level and groom local wrestling talent...
, New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-Formation:WPW started in October 2003 by martial arts trainer, Martin Stirling...
, and Peter Ball's Major Impact Wrestling from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Held annually in 2006 and 2007, it was primarily a single-elimination tournament
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
and included a 20-man battle royal
Battle royal
Battle royal traditionally refers to a fight involving three or more combatants that is fought until only one fighter remains standing. In recent times the term has been used in a more general sense to refer to any fight involving large numbers of people that are not organized into factions...
semi-main event. The battle royal would end via pin or submission between the last two entrants, the winner of which would receive an entry for next year's invitational.
The event was largely organised by Dion McCraken, NZPWI editor-in-chief, whose intention was to bring attention to professional wrestling in New Zealand
Professional wrestling in New Zealand
Professional wrestling in New Zealand has been promoted in the country from the early 1900s. In 1919, Gisborne Katene became the first national heavyweight champion, though the title was not recognized by the National Wrestling Association until 1925, and promoter Walter Miller began running events...
. Similar to the Super 8 Tournament
ECWA Super 8 Tournament
The Super 8 Tournament is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by the East Coast Wrestling Association. The tournament is contested by eight wrestlers in a one-night single-elimination format.-History:...
in the United States or the Super J Cup in Japan, it showcased the top talent of New Zealand's "big three" and provided the first major television exposure for many independent wrestlers in the Australasian region
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
since the days of Steve Rickard
Steve Rickard
Sydney Mervin "Merv" Batt , best known by his ring name Steve Rickard, is a retired New Zealand professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
's "On the Mat
On the Mat
On the Mat was a professional wrestling television program for the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated All Star Pro-Wrestling , or simply NWA New Zealand, that aired on Television New Zealand's TV2 from 1975 to 1984...
" during the 1980s. The show also served as a reunion of sorts for older veterans of the era. John da Silva
John da Silva
John da Silva or John Silva is a former New Zealand wrestler and boxer. He represented New Zealand in wrestling at the 1956 Olympics and at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games...
, a champion amateur and pro wrestler during the 1960s and 70s, was in attendance at the 2006 invitational and presented the trophy to "Heartless" Alfred Valentine after winning the tournament.
It was one of the largest show's ever held in New Zealand and the event received some coverage by the national media. The 2006 NZPWI Invitational was promoted by Fight Times Magazine in March 2006. The Machine, an IPW wrestler and first entrant to battle royal, was featured in a cover story
Cover story
Cover story may refer to:* a story in a magazine whose subject matter appears on its front cover* a fictitious account that is intended to hide one's real motive, e.g. when a terrorist pretends to be farmer to buy fertilizer or to provide an explanation in case it is found; the story in the case of...
for the Horowhenua-Kapiti Weekend Chronicle on 29 July. Two of its participants, IPW wrestlers Alfred Valentine and Jon E. King, were interviewed on TV One's morning talk show Breakfast by Kay Gregory
Kay Gregory
Kay Gregory is a journalist and former presenter at Television New Zealand. She previously hosted the Breakfast show with Paul Henry. On an episode of Breakfast, Kay revealed she is an "Ox" , despite Paul's guess that she is a "Warthog"....
days prior to the event.
The first annual NZPWI Invitational was held at the Lynfield
Lynfield, New Zealand
Lynfield is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is under the local governance of the Auckland City Council. According to the 2001 census, the population numbers 8934....
YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
on 12 August 2006, and was attended by a sell out crowd of 450 fans. It was the largest attendance for a live wrestling event in 20 years. The 2006 NZPWI Invitational was later shown on Sky1 and proved so popular that the network aired on primetime the following year. The second show was broadcast following the 9 December 2007 edition of WWE Smackdown, and again on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
followed by the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
WWE Hall of Fame
The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
. The program was watched by over 100,000 people on SKY Television
SKY Network Television
Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
and both invitationals later released on DVD. Dion McCracken served as the colour commentator for both shows, with co-host Vinny Dunn
Vinny Dunn
Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact...
in 2006 and manager Gary O. Davis in 2007, and his performance led to a full-time position as the head announcer of IPW Ignition
IPW Ignition
IPW Ignition is a professional wrestling television program for Impact Pro Wrestling . The show debuted on Sky Television's Alt TV in New Zealand on 10 February 2007, and later became available worldwide via internet broadcasting...
.
Although plans were made to hold a third NZPWI Invitational in November 2008, the event was unable to gain the necessary corporate sponsorship to cover costs. Previous shows had been held at a significant loss, costing at least $15,000 to run, and almost entirely supported financially by McCraken himself. Due to the financial burden, as well as familial commitments, McCraken officially announced on NZPWI.co.nz that he would no longer be able to host the event.
2006 NZPWI Invitational
12 August 2006 in Lynfield, New ZealandLynfield, New Zealand
Lynfield is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is under the local governance of the Auckland City Council. According to the 2001 census, the population numbers 8934....
(Lynfield YMCA)
| # | Results | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lil T (with Paul Starr) defeated "Lyte Playa" Roger Ventura | Singles match | ||
| 1 | Sweet Ass (with Gary O. Davis) defeated "Double D" Davey Deluxeo (with Jordan Invincible) | NZPWI Invitational Quarter-Final match | 10:26 |
| 2 | KPW Heavyweight Champion H-Flame defeated Joey Kinkade | NZPWI Invitational Quarter-Final match | 08:23 |
| 3 | Alfred Valentine defeated Jonnie Juice | NZPWI Invitational Quarter-Final match | 06:30 |
| 4 | IPW Heavyweight Champion IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling championship title in the New Zealand promotion Impact Pro Wrestling. It was the original heavyweight title of the Mania Pro Wrestling promotion, later used in IPW as its primary singles title. It was introduced as the MPW... Jon E. King (with Alexander) defeated Cruz |
NZPWI Invitational Quarter-Final match | 8:33 |
| 5 | Sweet Ass (with Gary O. Davis) defeated KPW Heavyweight Champion H-Flame | NZPWI Invitational Semi-Final match | 12:04 |
| 6 | Alfred Valentine defeated IPW Heavyweight Champion Jon E. King (with Alexander) | NZPWI Invitational Semi-Final match | 11:46 |
| 7 | Jean Miracle won a 20-man battle royal Battle royal Battle royal traditionally refers to a fight involving three or more combatants that is fought until only one fighter remains standing. In recent times the term has been used in a more general sense to refer to any fight involving large numbers of people that are not organized into factions... by defeating Del Knox |
First Invite Eliminator Battle Royal | 47:56 |
| 8 | Alfred Valentine defeated Sweet Ass (with Gary O. Davis) | NZPWI Invitational Final match | 8:17 |
Tournament brackets
The tournament took place on 12 August 2006. The tournament brackets were:2007 NZPWI Invitational
10 November 2007 in Whangarei, New Zealand (Forum North Exhibition Hall)| # | Results | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dal Knox defeated “Lyte Playa” Roger Ventura | NZPWI Quarter-Final match | |
| 2 | IPW Heavyweight Champion IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling championship title in the New Zealand promotion Impact Pro Wrestling. It was the original heavyweight title of the Mania Pro Wrestling promotion, later used in IPW as its primary singles title. It was introduced as the MPW... Jon E. King defeated KPW Heavyweight Champion H-Flame |
NZPWI Quarter-Final match | |
| 3 | NZWPW Heavyweight Champion NZWPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship NZWPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling championship title in the New Zealand promotion New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling . It was the original super heavyweight title of Wellington Pro Wrestling and introduced as the WPW Super Heavyweight Championship on 3... D-Hoya defeated Alfred Valentine (with Flag Boy) |
NZPWI Quarter-Final match | |
| 4 | Cruz defeated IPWA Heavyweight Champion Dallas Mead Dallas Mead Dallas Mead is a New Zealand former professional wrestler and rugby league player who played professionally for Warrington.-Playing career:In 1995 Mead was signed by the new Auckland Warriors franchise and played for the Warriors Colts in the Lion Red Cup... (with Super Coach) |
NZPWI Quarter-Final match | |
| 5 | IPW Heavyweight Champion Jon E. King defeated Dal Knox | NZPWI Semi-Final match | |
| 6 | Cruz defeated NZWPW Champion D-Hoya | NZPWI Semi-Final match | |
| 7 | H-Flame won a 20-man battle royal by eliminating Jordan Invincible | First Invite Eliminator Battle Royal | |
| 8 | IPW Heavyweight Champion Jon E. King defeated Cruz | NZPWI Final match | |