Ben Mana hopes to have everyone behind him tonight at Wairoa Warzone when he challenges “Dream Catcher” Phil Woodgate for the NZWPW Championship.
Mana is originally from Nuhaka, a small town roughly 30 kilometres east of Wairoa, and expects to see dozens of family and friends turn out for tonight’s event.
“This will be the first time I’m wrestling with home-field advantage,” he told Turanga FM.
“We’re gonna utilise that advantage and decimate, devastate and destroy the NZWPW Champion, Dream Catcher.”
Mana, a two-time NZWPW Champion himself, expected to wrestle Woodgate in a non-title match at NZWPW Belmont Invasion last week. Win, and he would receive a title match in Wairoa.
Woodgate refused to compete, citing an arm injury, and Mana instead found himself part of a number one contender’s battle royal which he ultimately won to set up tonight’s clash for the NZWPW Championship.
No other matches have been announced for Wairoa Warzone, but IPW Champion James Shaw has confirmed he will be in attendance for tonight’s event.
“We’ve got wrestlers from Impact Pro Wrestling, Kiwi Pro Wrestling, Hughes Academy, and looks like we’ve got some from Maniacs too,” Ben Mana told Turanaga FM.
“A lot of representatives from a different bunch of clubs all around Aotearoa will be making an appearance at the show, so it should be an awesome one.”
NZWPW Wairoa Warzone takes place tonight, May 30, at the Wairoa War Memorial Hall.