KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — The Malaysian Pro Wrestling (MYPW) returned yesterday, with its first show of the year — New Breed 3 — the latest instalment of its annual wrestling showcase that began in 2023.
Held at KuAsh Theatre, TTDI, this year’s event featured seven action-packed matches, including a landmark bout between Malaysia’s first female wrestler, Poppy Shay, and Australia’s Lana XO, as well as a 10-person invitational rumble.
Fan favourites The Juicy Boyz (The Wonderboy and Miles Karu) successfully defended their SPW Southeast Asia Tag Team Championships against LOVE X FRDM (‘Love Warrior’ Syawal and ‘The Flamingo’ Fienic Rose), continuing the momentum they built after becoming the first Malaysians to win the titles at last year’s Champion Quest.
The night also saw the thrilling conclusion of the “Journey to GOLD” tournament, in which KAIZUL emerged victorious, which earned him the opportunity to challenge for the MYPW South-east Asia Championship, currently held by Shivam.
SEA Champion Shivam reasserts his dominance in the MYPW ring
Into his first New Breed event — though not his first appearance wrestling at an MYPW show — Shivam shared his thoughts on the Malaysian wrestling scene, praising the crowd as one of the most passionate he’s encountered.
“They’re not afraid to tell you how they feel about you, and as performers, we appreciate that.
“Also, everyone is super respectful after the show.
“I’d say Malaysian fans get it,” said Shivam.
He added how he loves wrestling new talent from around the world to test himself, and believes MYPW has one of the best rosters in SEA.
“That’s what keeps bringing me back here, and also the fact that no one can beat me for the MYPW SEA championship title yet, and as YOUR champion, I have a responsibility to show up.”
Fahmi rated the show an outstanding 7 out of 10 after the first four matches. — Photo by Yusof Mat Isa
Fan reception
Each edition of New Breed has introduced new fans to the MYPW experience, and this year was no exception.
Shahinda Saleh, 33, shared that it wasn’t just her first New Breed event, but her first MYPW show overall.
“The experience has been interesting — it reminds me a lot of WWE, so it brought back memories of watching that, and it was fun.”
Shahinda Saleh’s first MYPW show brought back memories of watching WWE as a kid. — Photo by Yusof Mat Isa
The women’s match stood out most for Shahinda, along with the invitational rumble won by Jack Alexander.
For Fahmi, 24, it was also his first time attending, and he named the women’s match as his favourite.
Just four matches in, he has already rated the show a solid 7 out of 10.
Some have been casual goers, such as Jojo, 21, who has attended several MYPW events over the years, not just New Breed.
“The shows are really captivating—you don’t usually see something like this in Malaysia, especially with a community that feels like WWE,” she says.
“It’s always entertaining and fun.”
She’s brought friends and family along in the past, many of whom ended up enjoying the experience as well.
Shan, 23, now attending her third MYPW event, stated that what keeps bringing her back is mainly the performances.
“It’s a great outlet to scream and also to enjoy watching the action.”
When asked about her favourite MYPW wrestler, Shan mentioned she likes most of the wrestlers, but if she had to choose one, it would be Fienic Rose.
“He just has a really energetic and fun energy, and overall, he’s very friendly and not afraid to be himself,” she said.
Casual MYPW goer Jojo stated how experiences like this are rare to see in Malaysia, especially with a community that feels like WWE. — Photo by Yusof Mat Isa
Return of a ‘golden boy’
This year’s New Breed also holds special significance with the return of ‘The Golden Boy’, Emman Azman, who spent six years wrestling and building his name in Australia before returning to compete for the first time as an MYPW wrestler.
Shan stated that the performers of MYPW keep bringing her back to watch these events. — Photo by Yusof Mat Isa
“Wrestling back in Malaysia always holds a special place in my heart.
“My last match in Malaysia was at MYPW FIGHTBACK, where I defended the Renegades of Wrestling Championship against Thommy Ardhi and Aiden Rex,” said Emman.
Now that he’s back in Malaysia, he is determined to remind everyone why he’s the best.
And for those who haven’t seen him wrestle, he wants them to walk away from the event awestruck by The Golden Boy.
“It’s time for me to take over Southeast Asian wrestling and put every wrestler there on notice — because I’m not here to play second fiddle.
“I’m here to elevate Southeast Asian wrestling to new heights, and I’m here to take it all,” Emman added.
Explosive main event caps off a strong night as MYPW eyes a big 2025
The main event of the evening saw Shivam retain his Southeast Asian Championship in a banger four-way match against Emman, Singapore’s ‘The Statement’ Andruew Tang, and Dubai’s Shaheen
First female wrestler of Malaysia, Poppy Shay successfully defeated Australia’s Lana XO. — Photo by Yusof Mat Isa
All in all, New Breed 3 reaffirmed MYPW’s strong presence in the local wrestling scene — a reputation it has built over the years.
The show delivered a night to remember, drawing a passionate, sold-out crowd of over 240 fans.
As MYPW kicks off its bold 2025 takeover, there’s no doubt this is just the beginning of an unforgettable year.
