IPW Ignition

IPW Ignition
Created by IPW
Starring IPW wrestlers and staff
Country of origin New Zealand
Production
Location(s) Auckland
Running time Approx. 60 mins per episode (plus commercials)
Broadcast
Original channel Alt TV
Original run February 20, 2007 – July 2, 2011
External links
Website

IPW Ignition is a professional wrestling television program for Impact Pro Wrestling (IPW). The show debuted on Sky Television's Alt TV in New Zealand on 10 February 2007, and later became available worldwide via internet broadcasting. It is one of two nationally broadcast pro wrestling shows and is first wrestling program, along with rival Kiwi Pro Wrestling's Off the Ropes, to be broadcast in the country since Steve Rickard's On the Mat during the 1980s.

In 2011 IPW signed a deal with Maori Television and began a new weekly show, Mana Mamau and finished Ignition in the process. IPW stated that Ignition will, however, make a return at some point in the future.

Show history

In early-2006, IPW announced it had signed a deal with Sky Television's Alt TV to broadcast a weekly wrestling series called “IPW Ignition”;[1] the first episode aired on 10 February 2007. It was the first wrestling program to air in New Zealand since the cancellation of Steve Rickard's On the Mat in 1984. The show originally aired on Friday nights at midnight[2][3] and moved to primetime within three months.[2] At summer's end, it returned to its late night time slot.[2] It was later made available for a worldwide audience via the internet when Alt TV shifted to live online streaming.

Attaining a regular television series was one of IWF's major long-term goals as part of its efforts of national expansion. On the same night "IPW Ignition" aired, IPW made its Whangarei debut staging IPW Collision at the Forum North venue to a sold out crowd.[4] Dion McCracken, who was instrumental in bringing IPW to the Northland Region, made a guest appearance during the show as a referee, officiating in the match between "The Deal" Dal Knox and "Handsome" Danny Jacobs. It had been over 25 years since there had been a wrestling event held there.[2][5] and Collision aired as the fifth episode of IPW Ignition in March. The series was also intended to provide the first television exposure for many independent wrestlers working in New Zealand [2] but also featured a small women's division as well.[6]

Prior to the close of Alt TV, IPW Ignition was picked up by Canterbury Television[7] and Triangle TV;[8] the first CTV episode premiered on October 5, 2008. It currently remains the longest-running wrestling series in New Zealand.

The show went on Hiatus in July 2011 due to a new program Mana Mamau replacing it.

Show format

Currently, the show airs every Saturday Afternoon on Triangle Stratos, Fridays at 11:00pm on Canterbury Television and Sundays at 10:00pm on Triangle TV. Each episode is approximately 48 minutes in length (produced for a 60-minute time-slot) and features usually two or three matches (one of which usually being from a past supercard), wrestler interviews in segments hosted by IPW on-screen personalities such as "Handsome Reflections" by "Handsome" Danny Jacobs, and various backstage promos and vignettes.

On-air performers

Champions

Championship Current champion(s) Date Won Event Previous champion(s)
IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship "The Deal" Dal Knox 12 March 2011 IPW Genesis 2011 "The One" Vinny Dunn
IPW New Zealand Tag Team Championship Smack Industries (Alexander & Jon. E. King) 12 March 2011 IPW Genesis 2011 Saint Chaos (Brian St. James & Curt Chaos)

Authority figures

Referees

Commentators

Recurring segments

Appearances in other media

Print and other media

The series was discussed during an interview with IPW Heavyweight Champion Jon E. King Ngati Hine FM disc jockey Darcy Edwards on February 2, 2006.[1] In February 2007, IPW Ignition was promoted by Fight Times Magazine shortly before the debut of its first episode.[2] The promotion was also featured on the October 10th 2008 edition Television New Zealand's IAM TV where the host took part in training sessions at their IPW facility in Auckland.[9]

Wrestlers' interviews

IPW wrestlers "Double D" Davey Deluxeo, Vinny Dunn, Alfred Valentine[10] and Troy Rawhiti-Forbes[3] were profiled by the New Zealand Herald in October 2007.

IPW wrestlers Davey Deluxeo and Jordan Invincible were interviewed by the New Zealand Herald in May 2008.[11]

IPW colour commentator Dion McKraken and then IPW New Zealand Champion Dal Knox were interviewed as part of an upcoming documentary on professional wrestling in New Zealand, A Kiwi Century On The Mat, in April 2009.[12]

IPW wrestlers Vinny "The One" Dunn[13] and Alita Capri[14] were interviewed by Stuff.co.nz in August 2009.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Edwards, Darcy (Interviewer) (February 2, 2006). Ngati Hine FM interviews Jon E. King (Radio interview). Whangarei: Ngati Hine FM.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 McCracken, Dion (February 2007). "IPW brings New Zealand pro-wrestling back to television!". FightTimes.com. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rawhiti-Forbes, Troy (October 26, 2007). "Meet the pro-wrestlers of Auckland (+photos)". New Zealand Herald.
  4. ↑ Ogilvie, Steve (2007). "2007". Foreign Results. OnlineWorldofWrestling.com. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  5. ↑ Eves, Tim (February 5, 2007). "WRESTLING — Wrestling returns to Whangarei". The Northern Advocate.
  6. ↑ Wall, Dayna (April 14, 2010). "April 2010". G.L.O.R.Y. Wrestling Link Of The Day Archive. GloryWrestling.com. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  7. ↑ Wall, Dayna (April 23, 2009). "New timeslot for IPW Ignition". Stories. NZPWI.co.nz. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  8. ↑ Impact Pro Wrestling (July 9, 2010). "Ignition: IPW Ignition moves to Thursday nights on Stratos!". 2010 News. ImpactProWrestling.co.nz. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  9. ↑ "IPW New Zealand Stars on TVNZ's IAM TV". October 10, 2008. Television New Zealand. TV2. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ↑ Rawhiti-Forbes, Troy (October 26, 2007). "Auckland pro wrestlers battle it out for hero status". New Zealand Herald.
  11. ↑ Tapaleao, Vaimoana (May 31, 2008). "Grappling to join wrestling's elite". New Zealand Herald.
  12. ↑ Hutchings, Mark (April 4, 2009). "Shooting this weekend at Armageddon". KiwiWrestling.com. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  13. ↑ "Vinny is The One to wrestle with". Rodney Times. Stuff.co.nz. August 12, 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  14. ↑ Plumb, Simon (August 12, 2009). "Calling women wrestlers". North Shore Times. Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 July 2010.

External links