This past Friday, March 22 in Helsinki, my SLAM! Wrestling Finland organisation promoted its Mega Launch event, streamed live across all the land on ISTV before a rambunctious live, capacity audience!
I can honestly say that this was the biggest pro wrestling supercard on an international level to date here in the Nordics, with 10 countries represented in a bevy of different, dynamic matches.
We had Miss BumBum 2018, Tanja Sundell, in the role of the official interviewer for the wrestlers. We had the D Diamonds dance duo as our official SLAM! ring girls, and we had the added beef of former European welterweight boxing champion, Juho Haapoja, on hand to officiate my match.
In the opener, the Finnish team of Jami Aalto and Polar Pekko bested the Estonian Boyz, Kert Kukka and Big Mikk Vainula. A very highspot-oriented match that worked perfectly to light up the audience and get them ready for the rest of the night. In the end, Pekko hit his Shooting Star Press on Kukk, after which Aalto nailed a huge Frog Splash to spell the coup de gras for the Estonian contingent.
In the second match, “The Stockholm Playboy” Ken Malmsteen fell to Finland’s “Metal Warrior” Stark Adder in a hard-fought match when the Swede’s cocky arrogance cost him the match. Malmsteen accosted one of the SLAM! Girls dancers, Alicia, after trying to make a move on her during his ring entrance. Malmsteen dragged Alicia into the ring, but she fought her way free by booting him between the uprights, leading to Stark Adder capitalizing for the pin. Malmsteen really should focus more on his opponent and less on the ladies outside the ring during his matches.
In the third match, Russia’s Ivan Markov got the duke over Finland’s “Wildman” Heimo Ukonselkä in a Hardcore match. Granted, Ivan seemed to throw some kind of powder into Heimo’s eyes en route to a tainted victory, but this was a No-DQ environment. Anything goes, and thereby Markov’s win is a win. Tons of weapons were used during this melee and I’m sure the guys will be feeling the effects of this encounter over the ensuing week!
Hungary’s big man, “Renegade” David Turger, defeated “The Karelian Ghost” Shemeikka in powerful fashion with a sky-high powerbomb. This was a classic bigger man vs. smaller man match-up, and the dynamic was certainly to be felt. Turger’s power and veteran experience just proved to be too much in the end, although Shemeikka put up a valiant fight.
In the fifth match, Yours Truly, “The Rebel” StarBuck, was able to defeat Italy’s Fabio Ferrari after he made the cardinal mistake of attempting to instigate the special guest referee for our match, former pro boxing champion, Juho Haapoja. Haapoja had warned both of us prior to the match, that if we put our hands on him at any point, he would respond physically. Well, it seems the hot-head that Ferrari is, he forgot the warning and lashed out at Haapoja in frustration, after which Juho whallopped him good with a right cross. I saw the opening and took the pinfall opportunity that was handed to me. Better luck next time, Fabio!
In the sixth encounter, the UK Queen of Southside women’s championship was up on the line as champion Shanna of Portugal successfully defended her title against Natalia Markova of Russia and Betty Rose of Sweden. After a feisty and furious all against all match, Shanna hit a devastating top rope double foot stomp on Betty, who was tied up in the ropes by her feet. A picture says more than a thousand words and here’s the proof…
In the seventh match of the night, the main event say England’s Tiny Iron challenge Germany’s Demolition Davies for the WAW European Heavyweight Championship out of the UK. This was a colossal King Kong vs. Godzilla match-up, with both brutes laying in the heavy lumber as the ring shook. In the end, Davies was saved from what appeared to be certain doom by the interference of Ivan Markov and David Turger, who assaulted Tiny Iron, causing the referee to disqualify Davies. Heimo Ukonselkä and StarBuck made the save, helping Tiny Iron clear the ring of his assailants.
Without doubt, this was the biggest independent, international-scale pro wrestling card to be held to date in the Nordics of Europe. With national TV exposure and a ton of mainstream press, SLAM! Wrestling Finland hit a home run with Mega Launch!
All this week, we’ll be celebrating the event that was SLAM! Wrestling Finland Mega Launch on our Facebook and Instagram pages, posting one match photo gallery per day for your viewing pleasure. Follow us and help support the hottest pro wrestling organisation in northern Europe today!
(All photos by Timo Muilu)
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