IWA: Thailand Whiplash Show Report
Saturday Night, June 28, 2025

IWA: Thailand, the offshoot Japanese infused brand of SETUP Thailand returned with their second show at Circus Studio this weekend. Whiplash, saw some shifts in atmosphere and format, with a noticeably quieter crowd, fewer lighting effects, and a smaller turnout than usual—roughly 150 attendees. While the smaller crowd may have been impacted by the very recent Fallen Kingdom event and the rainy season, there was an undeniable shift towards a more Japanese-inspired production, resembling the classic IWA style. Despite the quieter crowd, the show still had some top notch wrestling, story driving segments and hilarious moments that sent fans home with a smile on their face.

Note: We didn’t publish a full review of Fallen Kingdom on the website. Lookout for it in Issue 4 of SEA Wrestling Magazine next week!

Gunn vs. Pondhub

The match began with a traditional tie-up before Gunn showcased his agility with an arm drag followed by a dropkick. Pondhub quickly took control with a clothesline and a series of chops. After trading blows, Gunn hit a body slam and started to assert dominance with punches in the corner. However, Pondhub countered with strikes and a dropkick, shifting the momentum. Gunn hit a faceplant but Pondhub responded with a superkick.

Despite a few more near-falls, it was Gunn who gained the upper hand, landing a cutter and then a jackhammer for the victory.

Gunn wins, advancing to the Uprising Tournament Finals.

The match, though technically fine, never really picked up much pace. The lack of crowd engagement and energy may have dulled the match’s potential, leaving it somewhat flat.I think both competitors could have created something a little more special given more time.

IWA Tag Team Championship Gatekeeper & Flame Drake vs. Good Deal

Before the match Mr Suachart threw the belts he was caddying onto the apron. Tensions have reached a boiling point between this version of Suachart’s character and Anot Alonzo.

The match started with Mr. Suachart holding both titles, only to immediately slap Alonzo and force him into the match. What followed was essentially a handicap match with Suachart quickly removed from the scene, leaving the team at a disadvantage. Gatekeeper and Drake dominated with heavy chops and double-team offense, but Alonzo fought back, showcasing his resilience.

After multiple near falls, a big package suplex by Gatekeeper was broken up, leading to a tense moment where Alonzo fought out of a double submission hold. Eventually, after a choke slam onto Drake, Good Deal retained their titles.

Result: Good Deal retains the Tag Team Titles.

Thoughts: The match itself had some solid wrestling, but the booking left me a little confused. The abrupt loss for Gatekeeper and Drake was odd, considering their size/ experience, and the storytelling seemed a bit out of place as really Alonzo should have lost the belts or found a more heelish way out. The rich guy being the sympathetic babyface seems out of place. The imploding tag team storyline is intriguing, but the execution here felt a little irregular.

Shivam vs. Da Butcherman

Match Type: Singles Match

The energy shifted when Da Butcherman entered with his usual flair, while Shivam was sporting a new outfit and had RGT’s theme music. The crowd, previously silent, became more vocal in support of Butcherman.

The match quickly turned into a brawl, spilling outside the ring with chairs being used and a brutal series of exchanges. Shivam worked over Butcherman with a series of strikes and submissions, but Butcherman’s resilience shone through. The match was filled with wild moments, including Shivam using the ring ropes to his advantage and Butcherman landing a vicious Judas effect.

In a chaotic finish, Butcherman tried to use his cleaver, but the referee stopped him. A scuffle ensued, and both men were separated by the SETUP risers. Shivam took a beating but managed to survive until the match was called off by the referee and he was sent running after his second assault.

Result: Match ends in disqualification.

Thoughts: The match was filled with wild energy and chaos, it ultimately felt like a mid-story point in the build toward something bigger. The ending was designed to further elevate Butcherman as a dangerous and unpredictable force. It worked, but the lack of a clear winner left the story open-ended. This was definitely the best match on the card.

Kru Pol vs. Teacher Steve

Match Type: Hardcore Match

Kru Pol, the local favorite, faced off against Teacher Steve, the foreign heel. The match quickly devolved into a hardcore spectacle, with Pol using a variety of teaching tools as weapons, including rulers and books. The brawling was chaotic, with Steve hitting Pol with a book and Pol responding with his own cane attacks.

After some intense back-and-forth, Pol scored the win with a top-rope splash. Post-match, Steve, visibly defeated, bowed out of the company, marking the end of his time in Thailand. The fans show Steve respect as we say goodbye. I’m not sure Thailand can afford to lose another foreign teacher.

Result: Kru Pol wins.

Thoughts: A fun and wacky hardcore match, though Steve, at nearly 60, showed some signs of age. Pol looked impressive, with a good showing of athleticism under his teacher gimmick. This feud, while humorous, was a great example of the cultural clash dynamic.

Poppy vs. Matcha

Match Type: Women’s Singles Match

Despite a quieter crowd, Matcha remained incredibly over, with Poppy playing a solid underdog role. The match started with a series of fast-paced exchanges, with Matcha initially playing the more aggressive role. As the match progressed, Poppy gained more support from the fans as the crowd began chanting for her.

After several near-falls, Poppy hit a series of great moves, including a jumping codebreaker and an enziguri. Ultimately, Matcha hit a German suplex and a second back suplex to secure the win.

Result: Matcha wins.

Thoughts: A solid match with great pacing, though the storytelling surprised me at times, as Matcha seemed to switch roles between heel and face. Nevertheless, Poppy displayed incredible babyface charisma and could have a future as a fan favorite in SETUP.

Beer Deathmatch

Wonderboy vs. Blick Drewz vs. Jeney vs. P’Suachart
Match Type: Beer Deathmatch

Leave it to IWA to close out the undercard with pure, glorious chaos. The Beer Deathmatch was exactly what it promised—an unhinged blend of brawling, booze, and bizarre spectacle. With adult film icon Ai Uehara serving as guest referee (in a zebra-striped outfit that got as many cheers as the actual wrestlers), the tone was set before the bell even rang.

Jeney, the straight-edge firebrand of the match, immediately clashed with Wonderboy. After some jaw-jacking, he floored her with a shoulder block and hit a pristine Best Moonsault Ever. Three seconds later, Jeney was gone—eliminated before even touching a beer. P’Sauchart, ever the gentleman (or madman), stepped in to drink her beer for her anyway, setting the stage for round two.

With three wrestlers left, the match devolved into a drunken melee. Drewz and Sauchart brawled ringside, Wonderboy posed in the ring, and the crowd roared with laughter as the alcohol began to kick in. After the first mandatory round of beer, timing fell apart hilariously. Sauchart attempted a dive and collapsed mid-run. Drewz began chopping indiscriminately. Wonderboy tried a suplex sequence while stumbling sideways.

P’Sauchart then tried to commandeer a bicycle from ringside and drive it into the ring, only to be stopped by security—or perhaps just a concerned friend. Wonderboy took a break to cross arms with Ai Uehara and down another beer together, earning one of the biggest pops of the night.

Despite the slapstick, the wrestling was still surprisingly crisp. Wonderboy hit a beautiful double rolling vertical suplex on Drewz and Sauchart, and Drewz responded with a clean scissor kick. But ultimately, the booze got the better of them all. Drewz went for a dive, missed completely thanks to his buzzed state, and Wonderboy capitalized with a Sister Abigail for the three-count.

Winner: Wonderboy

Thoughts:

This was IWA at its weirdest and most entertaining. The match blurred the line between comedy and wrestling, but never lost its pacing or charm. Wonderboy continues to be one of the region’s most eccentric talents, and Sauchart’s chaotic energy is unmatched. Jeney played her role perfectly, preserving her cutesy non drinking persona while still getting the crowd talking. With Uehara’s celebrity cameo and enough physical comedy to fill a sketch show, this match was the perfect bridge between IWA’s offbeat identity and real in-ring talent. Fun, frantic, and unforgettable.

Jonathan Johnson vs. Great Kappa

Match Type: Singles Match for the IWA/SETUP World Championship

Jonathan Johnson vs. The Great Kappa

The night closed with a title bout that felt both surreal and symbolic—SETUP’s hero Jonathan Johnson facing off against a mythical monster, The Great Kappa, in a clash that tested not just strength, but storytelling. While earlier matches leaned into chaos or comedy, this was presented with a different tone: a serious main event with high stakes… even if it featured a humanoid turtle demon.

Johnson, came in focused, eyes locked on the title. The Kappa emerged slowly, deliberately, with his massive frame and eerie aura casting a strange tension over the room. It wasn’t a traditional babyface vs heel setup—this was more myth vs man.

The match began with Johnson trying to wrestle smart, locking in a headlock and trying to wear the big man down. But Kappa barely budged. A few forearms were shrugged off. A dropkick had no effect. When Johnson ran the ropes and leapt, he was met with a brick wall of a shoulder block. Kappa tossed him into the corner, then crushed him with a running elbow.

The challenger struggled early. Kappa methodically stomped and choked, using his size advantage to grind Johnson down. At one point, he introduced a kendo stick, slamming it into Johnson’s ribs and spine, then placed it across his shoulders during a body slam for extra pain. It was slow, deliberate brutality.

Johnson tried to rally with clotheslines, but again, nothing moved Kappa. On a final attempt, he was tripped from the outside by the other Kappas—yes, plural—and driven spine-first onto a steel chair. The referee, seemingly baffled by how to officiate supernatural interference, let the match continue.

The turning point came when Kappa attempted a Pedigree. Johnson reversed, tossing the beast over with pure adrenaline and hitting a superkick followed by a clean vertical suplex that brought the crowd to life. Johnson, finally finding an opening, laid in stomps, screamed for the Kappas at ringside to back off, then ascended the ropes.

He went for a flying forearm—but was caught mid-air and slammed. Another Pedigree attempt from Kappa nearly sealed it, but Johnson kicked out at two, and the crowd rallied hard behind him.

Just as Kappa looked to finish it again, Shivam appeared at ringside. The lone RGT member of the night, he climbed the apron and distracted both competitors, allowing Johnson to recover. A kick knocked Shivam off, followed by Johnson diving onto him outside in a fury.

Back in the ring, Kappa caught Johnson for what looked like a Tiger Driver, but Johnson rolled through the momentum into a deep pin and managed to keep the Kappa down for the shocking three-count.

Winner: New IWA/SETUP World Champion - Jonathan Johnson

Thoughts: The man vs monster concept worked but The Great Kappa was too limited in my opinion for the main event. The match was saved by interference from Shivam, but otherwise, Kappa’s limited mobility and Johnson’s struggle to get meaningful offense made for a slow pace. Despite this, the ending solidified Johnson as a strong contender for the top spot in the promotion, setting up future feuds. His promo at the end created a lot of questions. He has issues with SETUP and Pumy but also RGT creating a whose side is he on? dynamic?

Final Thoughts

Whiplash was a mixed bag. While not as strong as the last 3 events from Circus Studio, it delivered in terms of fun and chaos. The quieter crowd impacted the energy in some matches, but the overall tone was lighthearted with several silly moments to offset the more serious matches. Moving forward, IWA could benefit from more clear-cut heel and babyface roles to help energize the crowd. However, the show overall was enjoyable for what it was—another quirky, entertaining addition to the Thai wrestling scene.