The SETUP 24/7 Title Experience

From left to right, LegenDarius (FPW), Ken Warren (then with MWF) and yours truly.  This followed my first pro wrestling show in Southeast Asia.  Ken allowed us to hold the SETUP 24/7 belts.  It was my first experience holding a belt.  To my friends at SETUP: I took care of it and actually kept the face of the belt polished.  It was a great experience and one not to be forgotten!

 

Hello everyone.

 

SETUP Thailand Pro Wrestling, one of this blogger's favorite pro wrestling promotions, came up with a title during the COVID-19 pandemic.  It was something similar to what WWE did.  The promotion came up with a new title which they still have today, the SETUP 24/7 title.

 

The 24/7 title is a mid card type title which allows everyone in the promotion involved as long as there's a referee present.  The idea of this was started by WWE wrestling legend, Mick Foley.  By no means it was never to be a major title.  However, when you least expect something that happens at a pro wrestling show, someone can win a title anywhere in the building.

 

At my first Southeast Asia pro wrestling show, Manila Wrestling Federation's Noche Buena, one of Pinoy wrestling's best performers, Jomar Liwanag, was the champion.  He would defend the title later in the evening against the previous champion, Ken Warren at the Peta Center in Quezon City.

 

There were 10 matches that evening.  From around the third to the eighth match of the evening, there would be times when the SETUP 24/7 title changed hands during the show.  It was a very clever idea from the MWF writers how they did it.  Here were the title changes that happened that night....

 

Tarek El Tayech (employee) d. Jomar Liwanag.

Veronica Litton (employee) d. Tarek El Tayech.

Danny Zamora & Razael d. Veronica Litton.

Bahay ng Liwanag d. Razael.

Ken Warren d. Bahay ng Liwanag in a 3-1 handicap match to win the SETUP 24/7 title.

 

Ken Warren would keep the title until he returned to Thailand.  Prior to the match in Thailand, he would announce that he would be leaving the Philippines and relocate in Canada.  

 

Anyway, back in Thailand, Mr. Suchart of SETUP Thailand would get his rematch and would win back the title.  Basically, the title, for the most part, has stayed in Thailand. At last count, around 50 people have had the title at one time or another.

 

Currently, Kevin Weng has the title.  He is one of the bright future stars in the SETUP promotion.  It will be interesting how long he holds on to the belt.

Two Venues

This blogger has been asked often regarding a first wrestling show and a first Southeast Asia show due to the blog.  I'll divide this quickly into two portions and two venues.

 

My first wrestling show, after beginning to follow pro wrestling in 1968, was at the Cow Palace in Daly City (about 12 km. from downtown San Francisco).  I took in an event on 11 July 1970 before around 15,000 fans.

 

The five match wrestling card had some known names such as Pedro Morales (former WWWF Champion), Freddie Blassie, Haystacks Calhoun and Peter Maivia, the late godfather of WWE superstar, The Rock.

 

The main event was a between bitter rivals, Pat Patterson (c) vs. Ray Stevens.  Today, it would be called a match that would go on until a wrestler could not continue.  Stevens had forfeited the United States Regional Title about a year before because of injury.  Patterson, his scheduled opponent at the time of the mishap, defeated Pedro Morales and became champion.

 

The match went five falls and was one of the most grueling matches ever.  Stevens won when Patterson could not respond by the count of 10.

 

Stevens and Patterson carried pro wrestling in the Bay Area during the era.  They were great singles wrestlers and were also a tag team, perhaps the best in the Territory Era.

 

Over 50 years later, it was a new adventure for this fan.  In December 2022, this blogger went to his first pro wrestling show in Southeast Asia.

 

Pictured above is the Peta Theater Center in Quezon City, Philippines.  It was home for, at the time, the Manila Wrestling Federation.

 

That night with a great gathering of around 300 fans, MWF provided the fans with 10 matches including two title encounters.  The fans were knowledgeable, were really into the action, and were well behaved, something that is great to see.

 

Being from America, one didn't know what to expect that afternoon and evening.  However, it was every bit as enjoyable as the one at the Cow Palace.  To this day, I'm grateful for the support and everything that happened that night.  It was definitely a day not to forget and to appreciate!

 

Since then, I've been to several more shows in the Philippines at Circuit Makati and at the Brawl Pit Bulusan.  The venues have been electric and enjoyable.

 

This year, the plan is to expand traveling in the region.  Since Thailand is the furthest from where I live, will definitely make the journey.  The country has always been exciting with the views, culture and the food.  There are three wrestling promotions there and the hope is to see all of them (at least two!).

 

Since I have running and wrestling fans in the Philippines, yes, I will be back this year as well.  Please be patient though!

2022 MWF Noche Buena Memories

When looking back at last year's Manila Wrestling Federation's Noche Buena show, there were definitely a lot of memories that stand out.

 

Being this blogger's first pro wrestling show outside America, did not know what would be expected.  It all began about two hours before the doors to the Peta Theater Center in Quezon City opened.  

 

This fan met up with Darius, one of the most knowledgeable wrestling fans I know.  Along with his friend, we went to a nearby restaurant, and eventually made it back before the doors opened.

 

Once inside, the Peta Theater Center is a great setting for a pro wrestling show.  It would be something like the independent shows this fan sees locally and the early day ECW shows in a ballroom.

 

The event itself?  Top notch!  Fans in the ringside areas received a poster and top notch wrestling!  There were 10 matches that evening and a near sellout crowd was ready for what was about to happen!

 

The opening match between Aaron Liwanag against Yellow Shirt was a mismatch only in size.  I thought Yellow Shirt held her own against a male opponent.  It was the first time seeing an intergender match and quickly got used to the physicality.  Yellow Shirt became Joya and part of the MWF roster a few months later.

 

Pinoy Bulldog, a veteran wrestler from back in the late 1980s appeared at the show and was in great shape.  He took on White Shirt.  White Shirt won and now known as Isaiah Valencia, he would now be part of the MWF roster.

 

There were several title changes for the SETUP Thailand 24/7 title.  It seemed that evening that the title itself was as hot as a firecracker!  Brother Jomar Liwanag was the champion going into the show.  However, a pinfall by an unexpected source, Tarek El Tayech during a conversation with Bahay Ng Liwanag in the ring would change title ownership.

 

There would be three more title changes in the course of the evening.  Veronica Litton, the head of MWF would defeat Tarek out in the hallway during an interiew with Patricia Ligaya, the interviewer.  Eventually, she would lose out to a tag team of Danny Zamora and Razael not by pinfall, but by wanting to be the head of MWF at the end of the show.  The tag team would lose out to Aaron Liwanag who would eventually lose out to Ken Warren in the stairway.

 

Ken Warren would then go into a three on one handicap match against Bahay Ng Liwanag as the champion instead of the challenger.  It turned out that Bahay Ng Liwanag would be the handicapped one as Warren would retain the 24/7 title.

 

El Kapitunero defeated Saint John Martin when Martin's knee buckled when coming down on the mat.

 

There was Crystal defeating Chelsea Marie in a very good women's match for both competitors.

 

Danny Zamora and Razael defeated Migs Valdez and Kanto Terror in a BGC Street Fight.  It reminded me a lot of the old ECW matches.

 

Dabid Ravena defeated Main Maxx was one of the hardest hitting and banging matches I've seen.  Today, both wrestlers are a part of the stable, Oro Plata Mata.

 

CJ Serafin defeated Robin Sane was a good match as well.  It definitely elevated CJ Serafin as he was beginning to rise around this time.

 

Ken Cifer defeted Khayl Sison in Sison's return to the ring.  Cifer would go on to win the Chilly Willy Cup early in 2023!  This blogger has been a fan of both wrestlers for awhile.  It was great seeing Khayl back in action and hopefully one day, we'll see him again.

 

Finally, Fabio Makisig defeated Jake De Leon for the MWF Pinoy Wrestling Championship is still a match that is in my mind from time to time.  The ending of the match was totally unexpected but it was clean, no question.

 

Following the show, there were the many fans and wrestlers this blogger had a chance to talk with.  Everyone I met was gracious.  Being able to hold a wrestling belt is a dream.  My thanks to Ken Warren, as always, for the great conversation we had.  There was as well, the moment of a photo-op with Jake De Leon, definitely Mr. Philippine Wrestling in this fan's opinion.  There was also my first experience with being on a you tube podcast and with Darius.  Other than being nervous, it was a great experience.

 

People will tell you that your first show will always be the best one and that nothing will come close after that.  This blogger is not so sure about that.  He's seen three more shows in the Philippines since last December and they were right there with the first one.

 

This fan believes when all is said and done after the December 3rd show, it will top the other four watched.  I'm definitely looking forward to Noche Buena!  

 

The results from last year's show:

 

Fabio Makisig d. Jake De Leon (c) for the MWF Pinoy Wrestling Championship.

Ken Cifer d. Khayl Sison.

Ken Warren (c) d. Bahag Ng Liwanag for the SETUP Thailand 24/7 Championship.

Danny Zamora and Razael d. Migs Valdez and Kanto Terror in a BGC Street Fight.

Crystal d. Chelsea Marie.

Dabid Ravena d. Main Maxx.

CJ Serafin d. Robin Sane.

El Kapitunero d. Saint John Martin.

White Shirt d. Pinoy Bulldog.  White Shirt is now Isaiah Valencia.

Aaron Liwanag d. Yellow Shirt (Joya).