Pro wrestling is set to take hold in Central Otago next month, when Queenstown WrestleFest returns to the Memorial Centre.
The September 30 event will be highlighted by a comeback to the ring of hometown hero Marc ‘Hooligan Marcus Kool’ Perry, after a career-threatening neck injury.
Perry had more than a year out of the wrestling scene, after sustaining two bulging discs in his neck in a mountain biking accident in Wanaka.
"Which is crazy because I’ve been landing on my head since I was 14 years old wrestling," said Perry.
He was cleared to get back into the ring four months ago, and has been building up to Queenstown WrestleFest with bouts in Auckland, Christchurch, Melbourne and Sydney.
"I’m really looking forward to getting back into it in Queenstown, in front of my hometown crowd. They are always really supportive and it’s a really fun show."
The event is run by Southern Pro Wrestling NZ (SPWNZ), which Perry co-founded with Southland accountant/ wrestler Tony Crosbie in 2015.
The first Queenstown show was staged later that year and it’s been held here every year since, except 2022 when Perry was injured.
Next month, he will up against Brisbane’s Jaxon Cross in a "grudge match".
"He thinks I’ve been dodging him for a long time and it was really convenient that I was injured last time he was here" said Perry.
In a first for Queenstown, a New Zealand women’s bout is on the card with champ Megan-Kate up against fellow-Aucklander Amber Saint.
The newly-crowned ‘Smoko Express’ tradie duo from Southland will defend their tag-team title against ‘Golden Lights’, while Invercargill’s Kane ‘K9’ Bates will put his title on the line against a yet-to-be confirmed opponent.
Perry doesn’t hide from the fact the results are pre-determined in the make-believe world of pro wrestling, widely labelled ‘sports entertainment’.
"The idea is to suspend belief … you’re there to enjoy, take yourself out of the real world for a couple of hours."
"It’s live action in front of your eyes, we don’t have stunt coordinators, we don’t have second takes."
