 | |
| Acronym | IPW |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Founder(s) | Cameron Bailey Chuck Warner Nick Fergusson |
| Owner(s) | Cameron Bailey (2003–2011) Chuck Warner (2003–2011) Nick Fergusson (2003–2011) Nathan Fenwick (2011–2013) Daniel Burnell (2011–2013) Dave Gerbault (2011–2013) |
| Formerly | Mania Pro Wrestling (2000–2003) |
| Website | impactprowrestling.co.nz |
Impact Pro Wrestling (IPW), also known as New Zealand Impact Pro Wrestling, is a New Zealand professional wrestling promotion. It has promoted regular events throughout the country and abroad in the last several years and is credited for being the first to bring live wrestling shows to cities, such as Hamilton and Whangārei, in over two decades.
A staple of Armageddon Expo since 2002, its annual "Armageddon Cup" supercard has been a major attraction at the event in subsequent years. IPW frequently visited Australia during the early 2000s, in conjunction with Peter Ball's Gold Coast-based Major Impact Wrestling, and the two companies merged to form a sister promotion, Impact Pro Wrestling Australia, in 2007.
That same year, the promotion signed a deal with Sky Network Television's ALT TV to broadcast a weekly television show, IPW Ignition, which aired throughout the country as the first wrestling programme seen in New Zealand since Steve Rickard's On the Mat during the 1980s. It was later picked up by Canterbury Television and Triangle TV in late 2008, shortly before ALT TV's demise, and remains the longest-running wrestling series in New Zealand.
In 2011 IPW began a new weekly show entitled Mana Mamau which aired on Maori Television to replace Ignition. Mana Mamau aired its final episode in 2012.
The promotion is home to several of New Zealand's top independent wrestlers including Jamie Tagataese, Candy Lee, Reuben de Jong, Kingi, and Vinny Dunn, all of whom having been featured in the New Zealand national media, as well as appearances from major American stars such as Christy Hemme, Rob Van Dam, Raven, Disco Inferno, The Sandman, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts.