SETUP Thailand: A New Dawn – Show Review

SETUP returned with A New Dawn, opening with a Japan-style video package running through the card. I’ve always loved this approach—Zero1 used to do it perfectly—and it’s something I genuinely think SETUP should make a permanent feature.

The building was legitimately packed with 237 fans, a full sellout. That number might seem modest for anyone who only watches American wrestling, but this was reportedly the first time Tokyo Square has ever sold out. For a rising Thai company earning international attention, this felt like a real milestone.

Karuga vs Anot Alonso

Karuga is visually unsettling—his mask is something out of a nightmare—while Anot Alonso might have the coolest entrance music in the company right now.

The dynamic here was heel vs heel, but with very different flavours: Alonso the cocky pretty boy, Karuga the aggressive demon. Alonso started by taunting, sidestepping, and picking his shots, even earning some sympathy from a surprisingly loud crowd whenever Karuga turned the tables.

Karuga’s offence was heavy: slams, a choke, and a clean spinebuster into a head stomp. Alonso broke through with a knee drop and elbow drop, reminding everyone he’s still leaning into that arrogant swagger.

A corkscrew moonsault from Karuga popped the room, but a missed senton and a lariat to the back of the head gave Alonso a close two. He followed with a peculiar slam-into-spiral manoeuvre that’s difficult to describe but landed nicely.

This was a lovely opener—the right adjective—and easily one of Alonso’s most character-rich performances since the Good Deal split. He’s far more interesting than the brooding rich guy persona he carried for a year. And Karuga? I’d happily see him back for a longer, more punishing sequel.

Bangkok Death Match SETUP All Asia Women’s Championship - Matcha © Vs Pom Harajuku Vs Ram Kaichow

Huge reactions for all three, especially Matcha. It genuinely felt like these fans had done their homework.

Before the bell, Pom had to be ushered back into the ring because she was too busy eating Thai food, which irritated Matcha and Ram immediately. The early three-way tie-up broke into a series of comedic exchanges—Ram shushing everyone, surprise roll-ups, pillows, and Raku-style “sleep” spots.

Matcha introduced a long elastic band, Chris Brookes–style. Ram let go mid-stretch for an almighty snap, and when the referee stepped in to help, Matcha turned it into a literal jump-rope contest. Ram’s involvement earned her boos and laughs in equal measure, ending with scissors, a cut band, and Matcha whipping her with the remains. At one point Thanomsak Toba laid some punches in on the girls after being barged into which I will admit was somewhat uncomfortable for my tastes.

Pom then re-emerged in Muay Thai shorts and gloves, but her strikes didn’t faze Matcha, who responded with actual Thai techniques. A referee knockdown spot followed as Pom held Ram for a punch that backfired.

A 619 from Ram, trays being smashed, powder, and an increasingly wild blend of weapons and wrestling led to Matcha hitting a suplex on Pom to retain.

This was very funny and occasionally ridiculous, exactly in the TJPW/DDT lineage. And while entertaining, it doesn’t feel like Matcha and Ram are done—not even close.

Monomoth vs Daz Black vs Shinno Hagane

It’s been a while since we’ve seen world-traveller Daz Black, and the crowd clearly missed him.

Monomoth decided to relax and let the challengers tie up first, which gave Black and Hagane room to showcase crisp, fast exchanges before Moth blasted them with a pull-through and double dropkick.

Moth’s usual fun—including a mid-match photo-op—opened the door for Black and Hagane to double-team him, with Black landing a sharp standing corkscrew moonsault. But the alliance ended quickly when Hagane rolled up Black and got caught trying it again.

This devolved into an entertaining cycle of betrayals, roll-ups, and Moth’s wounded emotions. A hug between Daz and Moth didn’t last long, as Hagane had reached his limit and launched into both men. A standing moonsault from Black broke up a later pin.

Creative roll-ups and heavy strikes filled the closing stretch until Monomoth snuck in an over-the-back roll-up for the win.

This was a really, really good match. I was concerned the humour would overshadow the wrestling, but the in-ring work was excellent and the chemistry between all three was spot-on. Best match of the night so far. Hagane kicking Moth afterwards added a nice edge, while Black showed sportsmanship by raising Moth’s hand.

**SETUP Tag Team Championship

Real Global Threat (JDL & The Statement) vs Kappa World Order vs Team TJPW (Toribam & Yamashita)**

The format appeared to allow one member of each team in the ring at all times. Early exchanges ranged from comedy to surprisingly sharp striking, with the Kappas wrestling more aggressively than usual. “Wheeee” chants somehow gave them more gravitas than they normally get in Thailand.

JDL cycled through his familiar run of moves but missed the Rooster Peck. Yamashita and The Statement took over with heavy hits, including Tang absorbing a huge clothesline and returning fire with a running body slam.

The match broke into complete multi-team escalation. RGT cleared house long enough to dismantle Team TJPW with tandem offence, including a back-body-drop spot on the joshi duo. The Kappas re-entered and hit a plancha, but Toribam and Yamashita closed strong—a kick from Yamashita and a rope moonsault from Toribam gave Team TJPW the win and the titles.

Fast, lively, and surprisingly physical across all sizes and styles. The crowd was electric for this.

Shivam vs HARASHIMA

A quick tie-up grounded the pace immediately. HARASHIMA stayed low, trying to lure Shivam into his grappling. Shivam countered by dragging the match upright, throwing strikes in the corner, and taking it outside.

HARASHIMA, unsurprisingly, handled the brawling just fine, returning with stomps and knee drops before transitioning into an armlock—later modified into a pin trap and crossface.

A frog splash nearly finished it, but Shivam answered with a single-leg Boston Crab. Power moves followed from both sides, including a sharp sit-out powerbomb from Shivam and a dead-on kick from HARASHIMA. Forearms from Shivam swung momentum again until the preying mantis hold failed, allowing HARASHIMA to land a running sliding dropkick for the three.

This was outstanding. Easily Shivam’s best match of the year, and he clearly knew it—the respect he showed HARASHIMA afterwards says everything. When the biggest heel in the company acknowledges someone like that, you know the match delivered.

Jonathan Johnson vs El Phantasmo (Non-title)

Both men laid their belts down and shook hands before locking up. The new IWA World Title belt looks great, though I did have a soft spot for the oddness of the old one. But wrestling always drifts back to the status quo, especially once online criticism piles up.

A loud reaction greeted the opening bell. ELP schooled JJ early with basics that caught him off guard. The match moved from technical groundwork—including a surfboard—into sequences of running exchanges where both men dodged as many attacks as they connected.

One moment stood out: JJ attempted a run-in strike and essentially face-planted into the ropes, which looked unusual in a good way.

A chop battle tilted heavily in ELP’s favour, and the fight spilled outside with ELP launching JJ into the posts. Back in the ring, JJ fought back with chops of his own but ate another beating in the corner.

A tornado DDT brought JJ back to life, followed by suplexes, dropkicks to the floor, and a plancha. From there the match escalated fast: missed top-rope attacks, a reverse cutter, ELP getting the knees up on a senton, moonsaults, blocked superkicks, roll-ups, a tiger driver, an AA from JJ, and a destroyer that set up a top-rope attempt.

But ELP kicked the referee into JJ, hitting a huge superplex, a reverse AA, and a top-rope splash for the win.

ELP then picked up the IWA belt, studied it, and handed it back before lifting JJ to his feet.

Halfway through, I was ready to say the Shivam match was better. Then this kicked into a higher gear. Match of the night, and JJ didn’t look out of place at all against the more seasoned veteran. The crowd is firmly behind him.

Overall Thoughts

A New Dawn was a fantastic show. For some tastes, the mid-card silliness in the TJPW/DDT-influenced matches might feel like a lot, but the top matches more than compensated. I guess it depends how much you enjoy that kind of style as to how much you would enjoy the first half of the show.

The crowd deserves its own praise—rabid, informed, and genuinely invested. They turned this into something special and created an atmosphere I honestly wish the Bangkok faithful had more often.

SETUP’s storytelling has been consistent all year, and between the Sooo shows and the regular events, I feel more connected to this roster than ever. I’m genuinely looking forward to A Hard Day’s Night and the December run.

A genuinely excellent night for SETUP. I would actually love to see them return and try a bigger venue….Korakuen Hall?