SEA Wrestling SETUP Thailand - Absolute Mayhem Preview

SEA Wrestling SETUP Thailand – Absolute Mayhem Preview

This weekend, SETUP Thailand returns for a hotly anticipated show, once again live from Circus Studio in Bangkok. The show continues on from some of the biggest events in Southeast Asia over the past few months. With four titles on the line and a major debut, it is sure to have a major impact on the Southeast Asian wrestling scene.

Manuel & Mc Nexo vs Dewdy & Admin Oak

SETUP first introduced pre-show matches at the previous Real Global Impact event, giving wrestlers more chances to perform in front of a live crowd while also offering fans extra value for their ticket.

In the last encounter, Admin Oak picked up a win over Manuel. Heading into SETUP EP.27, Manuel is looking to settle the score. He teams up with Mc Nexo, who will be making his in-ring debut. Across the ring, Admin Oak is aiming to keep his flawless record intact, alongside Dewdy, who steps in both as support and as part of developing the next wave of talent.

Expect a high-energy, competitive match designed to get the crowd engaged and set the pace ahead of the main show.

DEXCON World & SETUP 24/7 Championship Jake De Leon © vs Jonathon Johnson

One year ago, we witnessed the superkick that echoed across Southeast Asia. Jake De Leon, who had been a trusted ally of Johnson for some time due to the latter’s previous visits to the Philippines, drove his foot squarely into the young main eventer’s head and aligned himself with The Real Global Threat.

A year on, Johnson has continued his solo fight against RGT, biding his time until he could secure an opportunity against The Filipino Fighting Rooster. After defeating Isaiah Valencia at the last show, he has now been granted a double title match, thanks to DEXCON officials.

Things became even more personal a few weeks ago when Johnson travelled to Manila and sent a message to JDL by assaulting his Hy/Op compatriots, Isaiah Valencia and Nigel San Jose.

Both men are very different from the last time they shared a SETUP ring. Little remains of the mindset that led to the infamous six-man tag. Johnson is now more wily, more skilled, and battle-scarred after brutal matches against the likes of ELP and Carlo Cannon. Jake De Leon, meanwhile, has also grown through battles with competitors such as Kendrick and Suzuki, but has developed a jaded view of his home territory alongside an undeniable, power-driven arrogance.

The score will be settled at Absolute Mayhem.

Hustle and Educate vs Dr Gore and Kru Pol

The arrival of two Singaporean teachers, the hustler Ray and the dominant Ms. Selina, has quickly stirred things up. Declaring their intent to “educate” Thai students through their own intense, hard-hitting style of lessons, their presence has rapidly escalated tensions.

Their approach has caught the attention of Thailand’s leading defender of education, Kru Pol, who has stepped forward to protect the values of Thai learning. He is determined to prevent these outsiders from spreading ideas he believes could negatively influence the next generation.

Joining him is Dr. Gore, a Singaporean wrestler with a deep-rooted history in the Thai scene. Once regarded as the country’s most prominent foreign talent, he now takes a stand against his fellow countrymen, choosing instead to support Kru Pol in safeguarding the future.

While this will be Ray and Ms. Selina’s first match in Thailand, they are not strangers to the region. The pair previously left unfinished business with Jeney, the newest member of St. John Innocent College, during an appearance at SPW last year.

This contest goes beyond pride because it’s a fight that Kru Pol and Dr. Gore cannot afford to lose.

And with the charisma of these Singaporean teachers in play, there’s always the risk the crowd might be won over by their dangerous appeal.

SETUP All Asia Women's Championship: Matcha (c) vs Jeney

Matcha is a cornerstone of Thai professional wrestling and one of the region’s leading women’s talents. A day-one athlete, she has worked her way up to represent her country on the international stage. Now a two-time SETUP All Asia Women’s Champion—the pinnacle of Thai women’s wrestling and arguably one of the top women’s titles in Asia—she has built an impressive résumé. Her experience includes extensive tours in Japan, with appearances in legendary venues such as Korakuen Hall and Sumo Hall. Yet her ambitions extend beyond personal success; Matcha is driven by a desire to help build a deeper and more established women’s roster in Thailand.

However, her closest compatriot, Jeney, has begun to frustrate her. Matcha believes Jeney has lost focus and the hunger required for professional wrestling. Some observers might agree, as the “cutest vampire” has spent considerable time on idol work and media appearances rather than matching Matcha’s full-time dedication to the craft.

That said, the numbers tell a slightly different story. Over the past 12 months, Jeney has continued to compete internationally, including appearances at Singapore Pro Wrestling, and even secured an intergender victory against overwhelming odds.

At Absolute Mayhem, Jeney receives a major opportunity. Not only does she have the chance to capture the SETUP All Asia Women’s Championship, but she can also earn the respect of one of the scene’s most established figures.

Ultimately, much of this match hinges on Jeney. Will she rediscover the intensity she showed against BGJ, or will her idol ambitions begin to outweigh her wrestling career?

Bad Company vs Naga Nai & P. Suachart

After Naga Nai went public with his frustrations and directly called out Bad Company, pointing to their shared past as the very thing that stalled his growth, he was assaulted at the very next show by Bad Company themselves.

Now, the first tag champions in Thai history, P-Nutz and Golem Thai, make their SETUP debuts. However, in SETUP’s own words, this conflict didn’t appear overnight.

It traces back to the Gatoh Move Thailand days, when Naga Nai and P’Suchart were just fans in the crowd. Back then, Bad Company were their heroes—the inspiration and the reason these two chose wrestling in the first place.

The new generation is pushing forward, trying to carve out its own identity. There was respect, a shared history, even a brief sense that both sides might coexist and move on. But Bad Company shut that idea down completely. They’re not interested in evolution. They want control. They want the scene rewound to an era where they dictated everything—where Thai wrestling revolved around them.

The unthinkable goes down at Absolute Mayhem.

Jack N’ Cheese vs St John’s Innocent College (Pond Hub and Kevin Weng)

St. John Innocent College are back together after a year of difficulties. Now time is running short on their chance to become tag champions. The top boy Kevin Weng and the bad boy Pond Hub combine to reach the next and final hurdle in their path. No longer filled with conflict, they are united in their goal.

Across from them is one of the top teams in the region, Jack N’ Cheese. Yet this is not a BGJ and CBK you want to meet. Just a few weeks ago, Real Global Threat took their prized SPW Tag Team Championships from them. Since then, the duo have been angry, frustrated, and looking for somewhere to take it out. The first opportunity: Absolute Mayhem.

SETUP Openweight Championship Monomoth (c) vs Anont Alonzo

At the last show, Monomoth hit a major career high, claiming the Tag Team Championship to become a double champion. It was a defining moment ahead of his planned trip to the United States for WrestleMania Weekend. But before he leaves, former two-time Tag Team Champion Anont Alonzo stepped in to challenge him, throwing out a direct provocation—questioning whether Monomoth has the guts to accept.

The image might be soft, but the reality is very different. Monomoth has built a reputation as one of the most dominant and decorated wrestlers in Thai history, and he answered the challenge immediately. On the other side, this is a turning point for Anont Alonzo, who now has to prove he can stand on his own and succeed outside the tag division.

It’s rare to see two Thai wrestlers collide for the Thai Wrestling Championship, and this one carries real weight. Expect a bruising, high-impact fight that will deliver far beyond expectations.

IWA World Championship - Shivam © vs Ares

A match that, as ludicrous as it sounds, goes beyond the world championship. Things started in March at Vietnam Pro Wrestling’s Spring Bash, when a frustrated Shivam took it upon himself to get on a flight and storm VAIB Studios to assault The Classic Night.

Calling out Vietnam Pro Wrestling on behalf of Real Global Threat, he accused the matchmakers of ignoring him out of cowardice and ignorance. He questioned how any promotion in Southeast Asia could claim to be the best and have the most dominant champion when Shivam has never wrestled for Vietnam Pro Wrestling.

Rumours have circulated that Malaysia’s favourite son was in discussions for an appearance at the Pro Wrestling Summit in Da Nang in July, but he felt brushed off after not being part of Vietnamania, VPW’s biggest show to date. This is what led to him putting Billy and Bobby into Nhi Dong Hospital.

To placate the situation, two matches were made: a six-man featuring Real Global Threat at Saigon Slam Jam (we’ll cover that later), and one where a clearly irate Xavier Patricks set the SEA Monster on Shivam. It will be Ares flying in on the next stop of his Southeast Asian tour to face Shivam. In fact, rumour has it these two had to be kept on separate sides of the building backstage at MYPW New Breed 4 for their own safety.

Now we have to add the extra factor—Shivam, like in almost every show he wrestles on, is not alone. Backstage (condition depending after his own match) will be The Filipino Fighting Rooster, Jake De Leon. The DEXCON World Champion has not forgotten that he was the first victim of Ares’ current title reign on his first visit to Vietnam Pro Wrestling last August. It wouldn’t be past the group to create a two-on-one situation.

So, just announced, Ares has brought backup in the form of Billy from The Classic Night. Part of Vietnam’s greatest tag team, he has shown no fear in recent matches with wrestlers from all over the world and serves as a strong equaliser. Of course, we also can’t forget his desire for vengeance after being assaulted by Shivam in March.

Nobody lives and breathes Vietnamese wrestling more than Ares—an absolute powerhouse and a huge threat to Shivam’s title reign. But the champion is unlike anything Ares has faced before. As strong as previous opponents like Carlo Cannon and Mighty Mighty, the leaner Shivam has the speed of a smaller competitor and the aggression of a maniacal madman. This might be a tough challenge for Ares. Whether he wins or loses, this will not be the final time these two meet.

If Ares wins, he will of course offer Shivam a rematch on Vietnamese soil. Should he lose, that positions Shivam as the next contender for Ares (should he walk out as champion at Saigon Slam Jam).

It’s quite possibly the greatest main event in Thai wrestling history.

Absolute Mayhem isn’t just another stop on the SETUP calendar—it feels like a genuine turning point. Across the card, you’ve got clashes built on history, grudges that have crossed borders, and opportunities that could redefine careers. Titles are on the line, but just as importantly, so is pride, identity, and the direction of the Southeast Asian scene itself.

From rising names trying to prove they belong, to established figures defending their place at the top, every match carries real stakes. And with international influence continuing to shape the landscape, the outcomes here won’t stay contained to one night—they’ll ripple across multiple promotions and countries.

If everything plays out the way it’s been building, Absolute Mayhem won’t just deliver in the moment. It will leave lasting consequences for what comes next.