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We’ve all heard of WWE, but prepare yourself for the new kid on the block that’s taking the wrestling industry by storm and making wrestling one of 2022’s biggest comeback sports in South Africa.
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TNT Africa hosted a watch party of All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) pay-per-view special at the scenic Tiger’s Milk in Melrose Arch in Johannesburg on November 22. AEW fans were in for an exhilarating ride, with drinks flowing, a decadent three-course meal and a big TV to watch from, which made for a sporting experience that anyone could enjoy.
Hosted by YouTuber and wrestling commentator Sonny Phiri, more affectionately known as Sonny the Jobber, the evening was filled with interesting plot twists, bloody matches and an immersive experience that engaged audiences. Chatting to City Press about the recent surge in the sport's popularity and his partnership with TNT Africa, Phiri mentioned how proud he was that people came together to find joy in the sport.
“I think there might be a lot of new wrestling fans after this viewing. What I really found interesting is how TNT is trying to make wrestling an immersive experience, you don’t often find bars or places that will play wrestling so it’s nice for this community to actually come together and break bread,” Phiri said.
When wrestling is done right, you can definitely change people’s minds on the sport and I think that was seen in the turnout, close to 100 people packed the room,” he added.
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As far as wrestling goes, AEW is pushing the boundaries of wrestling as we know it. Their approach to wrestling is the bloodier the better. It’s more real and less theatrical, so it gives its fans many characters to attach themselves to in a way that feels more real. The events headliners included a bout for the AEW World Champion between Jon Moxley and MJF, while transgender wrestler Nyla Rose sparred with Jade Cargill for the TBS Championship and Toni Storm and Jamie Hayter even battled it out for the AEW Interim Women’s World Championship, and boy, were the wrestling belts magnificent.
Warner Bros sales director for Africa Marco Velosa added:
“This has been quite an interesting partnership. Warner saw this opportunity to partner with TNT Africa. The channel is usually for your blockbuster movies, but there was this massive following with South African audiences who actually loved wrestling.”
Social media has played a big role in wrestling’s comeback, as more commentators, content creators and social media personalities continue to build a thriving platform and community for them to exist. Phiri finally saw the fruits of his labour in a full room of wrestlers, wrestling fans and curious minds.
“This was a lot of work to put together, and I think it worked out well. My partnership with TNT has borne so many fruits and it’s a partnership I'm extremely proud to be a part of.”
Added Phiri:
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“For us, having Sonny was a no-brainer. Social media has become an integral part of the viewing experience, and Sonny has a big platform and a very intuitive understanding of wrestling. Everything has just worked out so harmoniously and I think that’s really the future of television, and events such as these are proof of that.
“Having a wrestling event without having that social media element and Sonny would have been robbing our audience since he is one of the most popular wrestling commentators in the country,” Velosa said.
While the event was fun, it pointed out a more important fact, wrestling is making a major comeback among older audiences in South Africa, and AEW is leading the way. Where there’s action, it seems that AEW leads the pack with punchy storylines, lovable characters and even better villains.
