RNR Easter Monday Show Review (06/04/2026)

By Mick Robson

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Happy Easter everyone! It’s a little bit quiet on the Aussie wrestling front this week as we enter the school holidays. Some shows are on the horizon in the coming weeks, as well as a plan to look at some recent past shows via YouTube over the next week or so- Integrity, New Noise Underground and MCW, I’m looking at you.

But today- I stay very local to me. In fact, according to my phone, today’s venue is 9 minutes from my house. Gotta love it. It’s Rock N Roll Wrestling! RNR was my first proper exposure to Aussie pro wrestling some 11-12 years ago, and the promotion and people involved are very close to my heart. Genuinely great people as well as talented performers.

After a false start which saw dodgy weather put the axe to a planned show at the Scarborough Hotel a couple of weeks ago, we move to an Easter Monday Academy show, where the originally planned card stays mostly intact, ahead of a big month which will also see RNR hold shows in Goulburn and Campbelltown.

But without any further ado... live from the Rock N Roll Academy in Wollongong (Unanderra)... let’s do this!

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Match 1: RNR Tag Team Championship- Hunter Hayes & Killa Kye (c) vs. Eric Fisher & Big Beautiful Bill

Fisher grabs a microphone during his entrance. Although he nearly gets drowned out by boos in his quest to “Make Wrestling Great Again”, he laments his difficulty in trying to find a partner, stating that the likes of Jason Graves and Harry H-Bomb didn’t make the cut. But he found a kindred spirit in Big Beautiful Bill! Fisher’s partner makes his entrance, with long blonde hair that looks suspiciously like a wig, and a somewhat familiar face. His speech and mannerisms happen to resemble a certain world leader who is polarising to say the least... and no, I don’t mean Albo.

Anyway, Killa Kye starts, and the people love him. He trades holds with Bill, and following a headlock, Bill’s wig flies off. It’s Maxx Damage! Fisher was great in selling shock, going “what?!? Maxx Damage? I didn’t want you as my partner!” Anyway, they get on the same page and beat down Kye. Fisher with some impressive moves, including a Ushigoroshi and a leaping enziguri, but that doesn’t stop the crowd getting on his case.

Eventually, Killa Kye kips up and gets the hot tag to Hunter Hayes! PS goes on a rampage cleaning house, eventually placing both Fisher and Maxx/Bill in position for the 619. As much as I was hoping Hunter would hit it, it was Kye back in with the signature move. Hunter lands a big vertical suplex, holding Damage to the count of 20 before dropping him. Kye off the top with a Swanton Bomb, and that’s all she wrote!

Winners: Hunter Hayes & Killa Kye

Thoughts: A crowd-pleasing start. The antics of “Big Beautiful Bill” had me in stitches- you could tell Maxx Damage was relishing the opportunity to send up Trump, making little quips constantly reminiscent of the President, and even doing his infamous dance. Beyond that, tried and true formula for the tag match, fun stuff.

Match 2: Gold Rush Qualifier- Otis vs. Zesty Zane

Speaking of fun stuff... the promos these two guys did for this match, absolute gold. A couple of the better promos I’ve seen in recent memory. This match is for a spot in the Gold Rush ladder match in Campbelltown as well- Rock N Roll’s version of Money In The Bank.

Zane did his Zesty things during his entrance and... it’s his birthday! So he wore a party hat and we all sang Happy Birthday to him. Good times. The Grub, Otis, however, wasted little time in trying to spoil the party with a physical attack. Zane used his speed and “Zesty-ness” at different times to throw off and frustrate Otis. He threw some fancy moves in the mix, hitting a cartwheel elbow drop and corkscrew splash for near falls.

Ultimately, Zane just took one risk too many, going up top for a cross body, only to be caught in mid-air and put out with a GTS! Nasty finish, and Otis claims a big victory.

Winner: Otis

Thoughts: Extremely entertaining match. Otis, a mainstay at the top of RNR, always impresses with his physicality and heel work, but Zane has come so far so quickly with a crazy work ethic- he debuted less than a year ago on my birthday! Very impressive showing by the Zesty and charismatic birthday boy.

Match 3: Gold Rush Qualifier- Moses vs. Lachy The Tradie 

Speaks to the importance and prestige of the Gold Rush ladder match, that a qualifier is happening between a former Heavyweight Champion in Moses, and the reigning Middleweight Champion in The Tradie.

Moses does a great job antagonising the crowd from the moment he enters the building, while the people love the Working Class Man, the people’s champion, Tradie. This wastes little time getting physical as they let the chops fly, which sees both men get welted up. Tradie gets fancy with a standing moonsault that misses, and a Lionsault that connects, but not full force. Moses is the bigger man, and takes advantage of that by hitting an impactful End of Days for a close near fall.

The tenacity and resilience of Tradie seems to be getting to be too much for Moses, and before too long, his mate Otis appears back at ringside with a steel chair. Tradie is able to avoid tasting the steel and cuts through Moses with a Spear... and that does it!

Winner: Lachy The Tradie

Post-match, Otis and Moses attack Tradie with a brutal beatdown, hitting him with the title belt and wrapping a chair around his ankle, Pillmanizing him. Is this a way of writing the Tradie off? Seemed to be more violent than a “just getting your heat back” bit.

Thoughts: Great match. Moses and Tradie have had similar journeys in that they’ve both locked in on fitness and weight loss in recent years, and the result was a banger between two of Rock N Roll’s homegrown stars. Love to see it. The high stakes of Gold Rush really elevated the investment too. The post-match shenanigans definitely adds a layer of intrigue as well.

Intermission. It’s spitting rain a bit but most of us still head outside because it’s hot inside the Academy!

Match 4: EC Brownie vs. Mat Gauge

We have some visitors from Newy Pro visiting us here. Mat Gauge has been a welcome addition to the Rock N Roll family over the last several months, full of stage presence and charisma, and EC Brownie is an asset to any show that he’s on.

Gauge does his “How sexy’s Mat Gauge?” bit, which beyond being funny and entertaining, just hit me as being a bit of a genius move today. Some of the crowd didn’t seem to know the wrestlers that well, but with Gauge hitting that several times during his match, he had large portions of the crowd chanting his name... because that bit is a great reminder to the crowd of what his name is! Brilliant. He also does stuff like swiveling his hips, looking to kiss and dance with the more serious Brownie.

Ultimately, while Gauge brings the fight to Brownie, he is a brick wall that’s hard to budge, although he definitely gives it a good crack. Brownie connects with the Black Hole Slam. 1, 2- awkward pause- oh no, that was meant to be the finish- quick 3 and the ref bails. Whoops.

Winner: EC Brownie

Thoughts: A good time with the contrast in characters. I can only assume Ben the Referee forgot that was the finish, as Gauge made no attempts to kick out and Gauge seemed fine in the immediate aftermath. Created a bit of awkwardness in the post-match but I don’t think that took away too much from everything the guys did before that. People were definitely enjoying it!

Main Event- RNR Championship- Morgan Rose (w/ The Dogs) vs. Lee Morrow (c)

Morgan plays the cat and mouse game in the early going, hiding behind his Dogs (his masked followers in black bodysuits). Rose is clearly outmatched in the power and size department, but that’s nothing new, he uses his cunning, a willingness to break the rules and his Dogs to get the advantage in most of his matches in RNR.

Lee deals with the Dogs by knocking them down at ringside before borrowing a child from the crowd to launch at Rose and the Dogs. Classic Lee with the Morrow Train. Back in the ring, Rose does manage to connect with a Blue Thunder Bomb and a couple of flying knees, but Lee kicks out again and again. The Dogs try again to get involved and Lee knocks them to the floor. They battle on the ropes and Lee lifts Rose, hitting a rough looking top rope Widowmaker... and that’ll do it!

Winner: Lee Morrow

Thoughts: Always fun to see a big muscly man beat the hell out of a bunch of random Dogs. There’s a couple of moments where it seems like Morgan might get it when the numbers became too much, but at the end of the day, Lee is consistently the top dog at RNR, looking and performing the part of a top champion. Outside of his fun-loving Australian Hero persona, his real-life story is that of a person who is impossible to not get behind. He’s been open and honest about his emotions and hardships, as well as his real life work with the Black Dog Institute, and I think that resonates with a lot of people. Plus, it’s pro wrestling- sometimes “Muscle Man Hulk Smash” is all it takes. Or for the ladies, perhaps a Wet Floor sign might be needed? Bottom line, for whatever reason you may support him, Lee Morrow is a man of the people.

Lee celebrates with the people before calling for a mic. He thanks everyone for spending their free time on a public holiday with Rock N Roll. He also acknowledges that it’s senior referee Jamie’s last show! He puts over Jamie for his contributions both as a referee and behind the scenes setting things up. Fun fact- Jamie and I were both at the same Rock N Roll tryout back in January 2023. Things worked out better for him than they did for me, but nonetheless, wishing Jamie all the best in his future endeavors! We end the show with Lee’s music playing.

Overall Thoughts

I always enjoy how RNR Academy shows overdeliver. I love Rock N Roll, and enjoy the product, love the people involved dearly. I will say- and it’s no secret- that the type of wrestling I enjoy most skews towards PWA and their more adult “Black Label” style of pro wrestling. That said- I feel like a RNR Academy show often outperforms a PWA Academy show.

I don’t know what it is, maybe the Rock N Roll guys are hungrier, being part of a smaller community than the Greater Sydney area that PWA frequent, maybe it’s the crowds- typically Academy shows will see groups of people come for one particular wrestler, maybe a friend or family member- but they’ll be good sports and make lots of noise for everyone. I thought we had a very lively crowd, which spurred the wrestlers on, and since a number of the matches were taken from the originally scheduled larger Scarborough Hotel show, we had some more meaningful, high stakes matches than your typical Academy show. A very enjoyable afternoon at the wrestling this Easter Monday!

Overall Score: 8/10

Until next time, take care,

Mick