Origin Stories

Where people dress up, be excessively violent with each other, all to the rhythm of their narrative beats. This is Singapore Pro Wrestling. It is larger than life and more entertaining than a Channel 5 drama. We find out what it takes to create a gimmick and to keep the story going.

- Joy Ling and Wayne Cheong

“I love wrestling. It’s the best. People try to make you feel stupid for liking it. They are always saying, ‘hey, you know the thing you love. With the pageantry and the fireworks and the golden belts… it’s fake.’ “Of course it’s fake. What kind of psychopath would I have to be if I wanted it to be real?”

– Ron Funches
Comedian and pro-wrestling aficionado

It’s a packed room in the Pavilion. The Far East Square property now sees an unlikely item in its space—a wrestling ring and the wrestlers in it.

It’s a house show and it’s a Tag Team Championship. Sixteen minutes into a match, Alex Cuevas, aka Quicksilver, slides out of the ring. His opponent, CK Vin, lies splayed on the ground outside the ring. Mere seconds earlier, Cuevas’s tag team partner, ‘Blue Nova’ NYC, from the ring apron, had introduced CK Vin’s face to his shin, knocking him to the ground.

Cuevas tells the audience to clear out from their seats. They comply, scrambling away, not out of fear but anticipation. Blue Nova grabs CK Vin and places him on a red plastic chair. Cuevas takes his spot, about six metres from CK Vin, who is close to feigned unconsciousness. It’s evident what is about to happen. Smartphones are whipped out, ready with the record. Breaths are held.

Then Cuevas sprints towards CK Vin. He jumps and both feet make contact with CK Vin’s chest. The impact sends him hurtling back into the neighbouring chairs as both wrestlers are on the ground. The crowd bays and chant, ‘holy shit’. One of them gives a thumb’s down to CK Vin, another—a woman in a floral sundress— stands agog at the scene in front of her.