Whetu the Maori Warrior robbed of KPW title

Rotorua professional wrestler Whetu "The Maori Warrior" rocked, rolled and rumbled in his bid to become the KPW heavy weight champion.

But eventually the popular wrestler was robbed by the champion - prepared to do anything to keep his title.

In front of a 400 strong Tauranga crowed, Whetu put on an aerial display the Red Checkers aerobatic flying team would of been proud of, when he took on Shane "The Technician" Whitehead for the Kiwi Pro Wrestling championship title at the Bays Wrestlefest in the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre at the weekend.

Whetu, known for his high flying, high energy wrestling skills wowed the crowd, as he looked to take advantage of a large contingent who had travelled from his home town to support the 25-year-old, in his bid to take the title off the New Plymouth born champion - who has held the title for the last two years.

Although several centimetres shorter than the champion, Whetu looked to use his speed and agility to wear his opponent down.



It looked to be working early on in the bout but the Technician didn't get his name from a Weetbix box. He earned it as a former tag team champion, a double Oceania amateur wrestling champ and a WWE trialist.

The Technician, using his signature move - a kimura arm lock looked to slow down the challenger, inflicting a world of hurt on Whetu's left arm.

The champion eventually had the Rotorua lad pinned in the middle of the ring with the referee counting down but the champion released Whetu as if taunting the crowd.

It only seemed to stirred the crowd on to chant out the Warriors name, which in turn lifted the wrestler.

He literally came flying back, often heading to the top rope to land devastating blows to the champion's body.

The Technician was lucky to narrowly avoid Whetu's signature finish - the top rope flying head butt. This caused the champion to rethink his tactics. While the referee was distracted by a corner turnbuckle, the champion had loosen, he threw the title belt at the challenger, faked he had been hit with the belt and crashed to the ground.

The referee turned around in time to see the champ hit the ground and had little choice but to eliminate the challenger.

Whetu told The Daily Post he was disappointed with the decision but there was little he could do.

"There were time there, when I thought I was miles ahead. The last couple of years [The Technician] has bent the rules a lot. He does anything he can to stay champion. That's just the way it goes."

He said he was keen for another title match against the champion but wouldn't resort to the same tactics of his opponent to claim the belt.

"I'll never compromises, never ever stretch the rules. That's how I play in my books. but if that's how he wants to play it. I'll just have to be a bit more safe and a bit more careful next time."

The Technician said he saw nothing wrong with the way the fight went and was happy with the outcome.

"Well at the end of the day, I'm a champion for a reason and that reason is, I win wrestling matches. A lot of people don't like my attitude, when it comes to wrestling, because I'm willing to do anything it takes to win the match."

Wrestling promoter Rip Morgan said the event had been a huge success and KPW were keen to return to Tauranga and were in plans to bring a show to Rotorua.

"We've always had it on the cards because Whetu has a great following down there and I remember when I wrestled in the 80s, Rotorua was a great spot to wrestle."

In the other title fight, the tag team champions Lazarus Volt and H-Flame were too strong for The Tank and Kade Morgan 3G.