WWE WrestleMania 39: Why Australia’s rise to the top of pro wrestling is no surprise
Australia’s history in the sporting world cannot be denied.
Cricket, rugby league, rugby union, swimming, tennis, boxing and MMA have all been conquered by teams or individuals over the years.
But could the land Down Under be ready to reach the top of another massive mountain in 2023?
Pro wrestling has always been something that existed and catered only to North American audiences and to a lesser extent those in Japan or Europe.
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Anyone who grew up as a wrestling fan in Australia or New Zealand in the 1980s, 1990s or 2000s would probably never have seen one of their own succeed on the big stage, leaving many talented performers here with no chance of a career in the industry, who love them.
But once a small number of performers were able to get their foot in the door at WWE or Japan, that door only opened wider and now you can’t watch a single major promotion without finding an Aussie or Kiwi, who not only compete but thrive.
Emma [Tenille Dashwood) was the first major signee to WWE a decade ago, before the likes of Buddy Matthews, Cassie Lee and Jessica McKay found themselves signed by the company.
Nowadays, the likes of Rhea Ripley, Grayson Waller and Dakota Kai are all in prominent positions on WrestleMania weekend, further opening the door for Aussies and Kiwis to make the massive jump to stardom.
Heading into the busiest time of the year, The Sporting News caught up with some of Australia’s biggest names in the wrestling industry to discuss the rise, the setbacks and the future.
Rhea Ripley set to headline WrestleMania 39 against Charlotte Flair
It’s no secret that Rhea Ripley has been destined for big things for a very long time.
The 26-year-old has already reached the pinnacle of the wrestling world, winning both the NXT Women’s Championship, Raw Women’s Championship and WWE Tag Team Championships during her run with the company.
But a career rejuvenation over the past 12 months has turned Ripley from a good wrestler to a bona fide superstar, with a Royal Rumble victory and her upcoming WrestleMania main event match with Charlotte Flair set to launch her into the next level.
Ripley’s real-life partner and fellow pro wrestler Buddy Matthews has seen first-hand the hard work and dedication that has gone into the Adelaide-born powerhouse’s rise within WWE.
“I would love to put her over, but if she sees this she will rub it in my face that I said something nice about her,” he told The Sporting News.
“Nah, she is awesome – she is, in my opinion, the best Australian export that there is. She has done more than any of us and she is still so young and she is still so fresh in the business. It is only going to go up and up from here.
“She is killing it and I will do absolutely anything I can to support her – she doesn’t need my help, she is absolutely perfect in every way anyway.
“She doesn’t need me, she is doing well – but I’m very proud of her.”
Ripley outlasted 29 other women in January to become the first Aussie to win a Royal Rumble match in history, while her upcoming bout with Flair is rumoured to headline the first night at Sofi Stadium in front of 70,000 fans.
Her growth as a performer as part of The Judgement Day faction has been a highlight of Monday Night Raw in recent months and Ripley clearly stands out from the rest of the women’s roster given her intimidating size and look.
Grayson Waller’s star continues to shine bright in WWE NXT
There is perhaps no more polarising wrestler in WWE right now than Australia’s own Grayson Waller.
With a smash-mouth, arrogant and braggadocious personality both on-screen and off-screen, Waller has become one of NXT’s hottest stars over the past 18 months.
The 33-year-old has shared the ring with the likes of former main roster champions AJ Styles, Apollo Crews and R-Truth during his run in the developmental brand and is clearly destined for big things once he reaches the bright lights of Raw or SmackDown.
Heading into WrestleMania weekend, Waller will take on NXT’s golden goose Johnny Gargano as part of a long-standing feud with both the former champion and Hall Of Famer, Shawn Michaels.
“I think I have been ready to go [to the main roster] months and it’s a situation where I’m just holding my nose down and working my ass off,” he said The sports news.
“If the opportunity presents itself, I am ready to go. There was no discussion about it and often they won’t tell you these things and they will show up at the last minute.
“I’m ready to do things on a big scale and I think people have seen my interactions with Cody [Rhodes] – There is a lot of potential in this main squad which I will look into when I get there.
“Last year I put my body on the line to show people what I was willing to do to get it and how much I love it – but this year I’m not in favor of it.
“I’m not going to put my body on the line like I am – instead, I’m going to go in there and fight Johnny Gargano and create that moment by doing what nobody thinks is possible, stomp.” The NXT type.
“I’ll do it in front of his fans, his wife, his son – I want to do it in front of everyone he loves and show the world I’m different… I think I’m above his level and I’m going to do it at my biggest weekend of the year.”
Waller could be in for a main call-up after WrestleMania weekend in Los Angeles, which promises to be one of the biggest events in WWE history.
Bronson Reed conquers Japan’s biggest name ahead of WWE return
Unfortunately, not all pro wrestling stories are 100 percent smooth and one man who has seen this first hand is Bronson Reed.
The 34-year-old giant was released from WWE in 2021, which led to an incredible in-ring run in both the United States and Japan before eventually returning to the company in December.
Reed was able to take on some of the brightest stars outside of WWE during his “outing” – but no victory was greater than defeating multi-time World Champion Kazuchika Okada in NJPW.
“For me, it’s different anywhere you wrestle … I got into the Australian indies and it was very different from when I first went to Japan when I was younger,” he said The sports news.
“When I was signed to NXT, there’s a certain style of wrestling there and I was primed to be ready for a Monday or Friday night and then things changed.
“I had to change my style – Japan is very different from what we do on TV. That was the biggest difference for me and if anything it makes you a more versatile performer.
“Even though I’m probably one of the biggest guys you’ll step into the ring with, sometimes I’m still seen as an underdog and I always have to prove that I’m definitely not.
“When I stepped into the ring with Okada during G1, I knew there were a lot of eyes watching and I really needed to crank it up.
“Beating Okada was something that was heard around the world, it wasn’t just something that happened in Japan and all it did was solidify my career even more and prepare me to come back [to WWE].”
Reed will not currently be competing at WrestleMania, but his presence has certainly been felt since his return to the WWE program a few months ago.
The 150kg wrecking ball has yet to be pinned or submitted in individual competition and could more than plausibly have championship gold around his waist later in the year.
Aussies and Kiwis who are successful outside of WWE
| WWE Main Roster |
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| WWE NXT |
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| AEW/ROW |
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| New Japan Pro Wrestling |
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| Unsigned |
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What’s next for Australian wrestling?
The likes of Ripley, Waller and Reed are all flying the WWE flag right now, while a host of other talented pro wrestlers are plying their trade at other big companies like AEW or NJPW.
And according to Waller, the current stars around the world will only open your eyes to how good the Australian scene really is.
“I’m not surprised – I think everyone involved in the Australian scene has known for years that we have the best talent,” he said The sports news.
“We knew we had the best and we just needed the opportunity. You can see they are thriving and people are waiting in the wings – we could take over this country [US] and that’s kind of the plan.
“I represent Australian wrestling every time I wrestle. Every gear I either have the boxing kangaroo or I have the flag… I was told early on ‘you don’t want to do that because if someone isn’t from Australia they might not want to support you’ but that’s me don’t care.
“Australian wrestling means a lot to me and when I left I didn’t leave that there like some people do – I put it on my back and me, Rhea, Bronson – we’re doing everything we can to make sure people do it I think of Australian wrestling as the best in the world and I think that time will come.
“I have such a love for the Australian scene and all that it has presented to me. I know without the PWA, Robbie Eagles, Mick Moretti, Madison Eagles – I wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in.
“They set me up so that when I got here I felt comfortable and felt like I was one of the best. I want to give that back and make sure I speak to as many Australian wrestlers as possible.
“Whenever anyone gets in touch I’ll give feedback and watch the shows, I follow them on Instagram – if there are opportunities I’ll pass on their names. I just know how good the people are there and I have so much love and respect for Australian wrestling.
“I know how it feels to sit there and feel like there are no options or there is no way to get their names out there. I won’t forget where I come from and I’ll make sure I open as many doors as possible.
“I was taught to keep the door open for the next generation, and that door will stay open.”
WrestleMania 39 will stream live on BINGE to Australia on Sunday 2nd and Monday 3rd April.
When is WrestleMania 39, Night One?
- Date: Saturday April 1, 2023 | Sunday April 2nd
- Pre show: 7 p.m. ET | 12pm GMT | 11 a.m. AEDT
- Main card: 8 p.m. ET | 1 am GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT
Night one of WrestleMania takes place on April 1st. The pre-show begins at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET | 12pm GMT | 11 a.m. AEDT. The main card starts at 8 p.m. ET | 1 am GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT.
When is WrestleMania 39, Night Two?
- Date: Sunday April 2, 2023 | Monday, April 3rd
- Pre show: 7 p.m. ET | 12pm GMT | 11 a.m. AEDT
- Main card: 8 p.m. ET | 1 am GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT
The second night of WrestleMania takes place on April 2nd. The pre-show begins at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET | 12pm GMT | 11 a.m. AEDT. The main card starts at 8 p.m. ET | 1 am GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT.
How to watch WWE WrestleMania 2023
| country | Date | Channel + live stream (main card) |
| United States | 1st-2nd April | peacock |
| Great Britain | 2nd-3rd April | WWE Network |
| Australia | 2nd-3rd April | Foxtel/Kayo & Binge |
Both nights of WrestleMania 39 will be available to fans in the United States via pay-per-view or via Peacock. Outside the United States, WrestleMania is available on the WWE Network.
In Australia, WrestleMania is also available via Foxtel/Binge KAYO SPORT.