Five Years and Counting: PWR and Its Impact on the Resurgence of Philippine Pro Wrestling
Five years ago, a group of Filipino wrestling fans came together with a dream.
They were fans who grew up with a passion for the business. And what started as a community eventually became a promotion. Riding on the buzz surrounding a small joshi puroresu event main evented by Syuri Kondou and Mia Yim, the collective known as Philippine Wrestling Revolution was born. On that very night, PWR banded together with a mission–to reignite professional wrestling in the Philippines. Despite the burning passion each person in PWR had (including myself), the journey to the top had its share of obstacles.
As with any upstart business venture, PWR has its share of growing pains. One of the biggest growing pains they had to endure was the different vision for the promotion, which led to frequent clash of egos that strained relationships among the talent. Ultimately, it was too much to bear for some, forcing them to walk away.
After a much needed change to right the course, PWR’s paradigm shifted and the roster grew closer and stronger than ever. Now with a clearer collective vision, stars such as Jake De Leon, Ken Warren, Chris Panzer, Crystal, and John Sebastian have gone on to reach greater heights. Their in-ring success has even caught the eye of neighboring promotions around Asia and even WWE, with Crystal coming close to being part of the Mae Young Classic. And on top of that, other promotions such as Manila Wrestling Federation and Art of War Wrestling came out of the woodwork, delivering their own brand of wrestling for fans.
Though I wasn’t able to stick around for the ride and keep tabs on them on a consistent basis, I could see how much the culture has grown in the last five years. I saw it first hand when I watched MWF Noche Buena last December and PWR Path of Gold last March. I can’t help but be proud of how the people who step into the squared circle entertain their fans every single time. And it’s also a nice feather in the cap to still be called a brother by some of the guys even though I’ve been off the grid for a while.
And now, five years after starting out at an old dusty boxing ring at the AFP Gym, Philippine wrestling is thriving and with no signs of slowing down, all because of PWR and a dream. All things considered, it’s almost tempting to get back into the mix.
Almost.
Philippine Wrestling Revolution presents the biggest annual spectacle in the local wrestling scene – Wrevolution X 2019!
All PWR Titles will be on the line, blood feuds will reach their boiling points, and heated rivalries approach their thrilling conclusions as competitors battle for glory, honor, prestige, and championship glory. Who will make history at Wrevolution X?
Catch PWR’s 5th anniversary show on May 26, 2019, 2PM, at the Power Mac Center Spotlight in Circuit Makati! Get your advance and discounted tickets now. To order, send PWR a Facebook message or e-mail them at pwr.tickets@gmail.com.