Ok. When we ask anyone in Malaysia what associates with pro wrestling, the most likely answer you get is WWE. But beneath the exposure of WWE in the country, Malaysia is currently establishing their pro wrestling scene. Yes. We have our very own pro wrestling organization called Malaysia Pro Wrestling (MyPW), founded by Ayez Shaukat Fonseca (Who himself is a wrestler simply known as ‘Shaukat’). And most Malaysians don’t even know it. Here are five things you didn’t know about the local wrestling scene.
1) MyPW’s top villain can make you want to punch him in the face
With every hero, there must be a villain. Shaukat is MyPW’s version of John Cena. He’s the top hero fans have been supporting. He was the MyPW World to Regional Champion, MyPW’s highest prize, for quite a long time before losing it in Singapore (More on that later). However, lurking in the shadows is someone who has tormented Shaukat. He calls himself… ‘The D’ (No inappropriate jokes, please).
The D has taunted Shaukat, even after the latter lost the title in order to rise to the top of MyPW. From costing him a match to even going as far as humiliate him in front of his own family by beating him up. The D speaks in a smug and sarcastic tone, mocks fans even on his own Facebook page along with being an internet troll. The way he looks down on everyone makes you want to get in the ring yourself and beat him up. The worst part of all this from a storyline perspective? The D is currently the MyPW World to Regional Champion (Again, more on that later). The D’s character is simple, and yet it’s effective on how much the fans hate him
Photo Credit: Calvin Alexi
2) Like WWE, MyPW has a lot of gimmicky characters
The MyPW roster is relatively large and perhaps also colorful. Let’s break down some of the members. First, there’s Gotham, the man known as ‘The Malaysian Mafia’, up to the point that fans chanted ‘Kabali’ at him in reference to the Rajinikanth movie. Then there’s the ‘Asian Warrior’ Daryl Wong who hails from ‘The Forbidden City’, the ‘Anarchy Soldier’ Razza, a mad scientist called ‘Mad Scholar’, The classy MyPW Extreme Champion ‘The PUNominal One’ Double K who uses puns a lot and Farish The Killer Clown, who is actually more of a clown than a killer in the ring.
Not to mention, MyPW’s women’s division that include Luna, Mad Scholar’s assistant and Phoenix, who as the name states, rises after a downfall.
So imagine if some of these characters actually got into the ring at the same time. It did happen before and it was a beautiful, comedic mess that has successfully kept the fans invested in the action.
Photo credit: Malaysia Pro Wrestling Facebook page
3) MyPW has a balance of storytelling and action
The storyline between Shaukat and The D is the major storyline MyPW has been running for quite sometime and everything will come to a head in MyPW’s next event, Reckoning. Other storylines MyPW is running include the Wrestlecon Champion (MyPW’s version of the WWE Intercontinental Title) Furious Faisal & his archenemy A-5th. But what does the rest of the roster do if they have no storyline?
Even though there is no storyline, they still deliver in the ring. Regardless if the action in the ring is serious or just plain funny, it got the fans in their seats. Heck, even some title matches doesn’t need a storyline and instead, MyPW go for a fan poll on who the fans want to see getting a title shot or name a No. 1 contender who had a strong record beforehand.
Photo Credit: Calvin Alexi
4) They have recently launched their new developmental centre
It was only last month that MyPW has reached a new milestone in their short history. On 3 December 2016, MyPW celebrated the launch of their new developmental centre in Kota Damansara, moving from Kuala Lumpur.
Special guests include actor Norman Hakim and even Mr. Universe himself, Sazali Samad, attended the launch as they endorse Malaysia’s only pro wrestling company. With the new location, MyPW hopes to have new students to enrol. But be mindful that they want students who are serious about being in pro wrestling as the MyPW Developmental Centre Facebook page shared a post from the MyPW Head of Creative, Dominic Ng below.
5) MyPW and other ASEAN wrestling organizations are helping one another
Other ASEAN countries also have their own pro wrestling companies. And they have progressed quite far. Some examples are Singapore Pro Wrestling (SPW), who have got wrestlers from Russia & Japan to come and perform in their shows and Thailand’s Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling who even held shows in Japan.
MyPW though have got wrestlers from SPW & Gatoh Move to perform at their events while they also send some of their performers to SPW’s events. It was at one of SPW’s events where Shaukat lost the MyPW World to Regional title to SPW’s The Eurasian Dragon, who then lost it to The D only about a week later at MyPW: Resistance on August last year.
MyPW also has few of their members to train at Singapore’s developmental centre, the Grapple MAX Dojo for some time. However, all these promotions are still growing and it will be interesting where they will go in the future.
Photo Credit: Malaysia Pro Wrestling Developmental Centre Facebook Page
MyPW’s next event, Reckoning, will be held on 28 January at D’Lavender, Damansara Heights Convention Centre. Follow their Facebook page for more details.
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