KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — It was a night of history-making moments, thrilling matches, and unforgettable energy at the APAC Wrestling event SlamFest 25, held yesterday at Stadium Juara — where many of APAC’s top Malaysian wrestlers went toe-to-toe with international stars, including talent from the WWE’s ID programme.
Hailed as the biggest Malaysian pro wrestling show to date, the event drew over 700 passionate fans to the venue, with many more tuning in worldwide via livestream through CloudJoi and TikTok.
The show was also attended by influencers, podcasters, comedians, and cast members from the upcoming Astro original series Generasi: Perfect 10 — including Arena Wan, Arabella Ellen, Aaliyah Natasha, and Dhabita Auji — all of whom were experiencing a live pro wrestling show for the very first time.
It was a first-time experience as well for Hazwanshah and Bryan Kong, better known as BK from the Let’s Get It podcast.
“I appreciate what Ayez Shaukat Fonseka Farid, the founder of APAC, did for the local scene that made me wanna finally attend,” said Hazwanshah.
Bryan added that after SlamFest, he is definitely returning for more.
“The matches were freaking awesome, and I can’t complain when there was so much action.
“I’m actually not a wrestling fan, but from what I watched, I can tell that it was pretty high level,” he added.
Some fans have become regular attendees — take Brock, 40, who’s now attending his third event, stating that what keeps him coming back is the high-quality matches from local talent.
Hafiz Azwany, 42, added, “Of course, we need to support the local scene, grow the community, and the business.
“If we as Malaysians don’t support them, who will?”
Thrilling match bouts
The event began approximately 4.30pm, with the first match being a tag team gauntlet for the SlamFest Tag Team Cup between four tag teams, where Australia’s Damian Slater and Marcius Pitt (TMDK) proudly took home the victory, outlasting the team of Mighty Eddie & NYC, Joe Louise (replacing Konrad Kai) & The Eurasian Dragon, and CBK & ‘The Philippine Dream’ Julio.
It was followed by a ring-shattering clash between the Global Nomad Jordan Oasis and ‘The Retis’ Double K, who secured the pinfall victory.
The Femme Fatale 4-Way match was another standout, as Australia’s Tarlee claimed the win over Crystal, the Queen of Philippine Wrestling, rising talent Kira Summer, and Joshi legend (veteran of the Japanese women’s wrestling scene) Mio Shirai — earning herself a future shot at the APAC Women’s Championship.
Other highlights included Aussie star Mikey Broderick defeating The Sigma Beast Serigala, while Alfa Nazri, despite a loss to Sean Legacy, impressed the crowd with his tremendous high-flying skills.
History-making moments
While the matches were no doubt thrilling, many were defined by the sheer number of history-making moments — such as ‘Dreamkiller’ Azroy putting his APAC Championship on the line against WWE ID Champion Cappuccino Jones in the first-ever Malaysian pro wrestling ladder match, which Azroy ultimately won.
Equally unmissable was the match where APAC Women’s Champion Nor Phoenix Diana defended her title against Zayda Steel, after WWE ID Women’s Champion Kylie Rae was sidelined by injury and instead served as the special guest referee.
Phoenix emerged victorious, not only retaining her championship but also earning a future opportunity to challenge Kylie for the WWE ID Women’s Championship — a historic moment, as she would become the first Malaysian to contend for this prestigious title.
“Just from this show alone, I feel so blessed — not just for myself, but for APAC as a whole.
“I’m truly grateful to have shared the ring with the WWE ID stars,” Phoenix added.
The event ended with a hard-hitting main event — a highly anticipated match between the man who started it all in Malaysian pro wrestling, Shaukat, and former WWE superstar and champion Raj Dhesi (formerly known as Jinder Mahal).
It marked the first time a wrestler from South-east Asia went toe-to-toe with a former WWE champion, a match which Shaukat claimed victory in.
He added that stepping into the ring with someone at that level in pro wrestling was truly an honour.
“Having this match with Raj boosted my confidence like 10 times more,” he added.
Raj added how “At this point in my career, it’s all about having fun and giving back to wrestling.”
“The fans over here are so passionate that I can see wrestling continue to grow in Malaysia.
“The Malaysian talent really did shine today, and the MVP for SlamFest is the Malaysian talent,” he added.
The road ahead for APAC Wrestling
Shaukat shared that there will definitely be more moments like this in the future — it’s just a matter of securing sponsors, as most of the time, the shows are funded out of their own pockets.
He also expressed hope that, following tonight’s event, his students will continue to grow and reach the international standard they truly deserve.
One of the biggest milestones, he noted, is that APAC Wrestling is now on the world’s radar.
Raj concluded by adding that APAC Wrestling is a show where you can bring your family and enjoy it together.
“I want to encourage all the fans here — next time when there is a show, bring a friend and introduce your friends to APAC Wrestling.
“The future is very bright for APAC — and it’s on a great path — with hard work, I’m excited to see where Malaysian pro wrestling is headed,” he said.
“I wanna come back again and again,” he added.
