Photos: David Fu

The final live event of the year brought the house down at Mt Eden War Memorial Hall as Impact Pro Wrestling delivered one of its biggest nights of the calendar, Nightmare Before Christmas. From technical showcases to grudge matches, the event closed out the year with unforgettable moments and seismic shifts across every division.

Things kicked off at full throttle when Nico Bell and Ringo Ryan collided in singles action. What unfolded quickly became a late contender for match of the year. Bell had the crowd behind him and pushed Ryan to the brink, but experience won out as Ryan sealed the match with a decisive Tombstone Piledriver.

Tag team contention heated up next as Wild Hunt faced the newly formed duo of Matty Short and Izzy Kinloch. Short and Kinloch’s infectious energy made them the crowd favourites, but Wild Hunt’s aggression and cohesion proved too much. The victory pushed them further up the rankings and closer to championship territory.

A chaotic six-person clash followed, with Xander Taylor battling Zac Kelly, Kid Nova, Tyler Ernst, Raven, and Candy Lee. The mix of styles created a whirlwind of momentum shifts, but Taylor rose above the chaos to secure the win – further cementing his breakout year.

Months of animosity finally erupted when Jake Shehaan and Sir Mr. Burns stepped into an I Quit Match. The feud reached its most unhinged point with Burns resorting to every dirty tactic imaginable, including waterboarding Shehaan. But when a thumbtack-covered table entered the picture, Burns threw in the towel. Shehaan, unwilling to let things end quietly, booted Burns through the table anyway, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

The Warner Cup was on the line as Horus and Pariah collided in a hard-hitting showdown. Pariah has been unstoppable since emerging in IPW, but Horus brought that streak to a sudden halt. With his eyes fixed firmly on bringing the Warner Cup to The Eliminator, Horus fought with laser focus. Doctor Addams will no doubt be rethinking his strategy for Pariah moving forward.

The IPW Women’s Championship took centre stage as Amber Saint attempted to reclaim the gold from Mighty Maia. Saint’s mind games were relentless, but Maia weathered every jab. The Matriarch locked in a sleeper hold to put The Glam Reaper down – at least for now – retaining her championship and reinforcing her dominance.

The IPW Aotearoa Tag Team Championships saw Generation Iron (formerly the Sigma Collective) challenge SAS in a match that had fans unsure on who to support. Savage and Stone leaned into their trademark underhanded tactics, but Generation Iron rallied with the backing of Joseph Kruz. Their momentum carried them through to claim their first taste of championship gold.

The main event delivered the highly anticipated rematch between Jayrilla and James Shaw for the IPW New Zealand Heavyweight Championship. Shaw has been obsessed with reclaiming the title since losing it at The Eliminator, and he threw everything he had at The Great Ape. There were moments where the crowd thought the belt was slipping away, but Jayrilla refused to fall. In the end, he pinned Shaw clean, closing the chapter with authority and standing tall as champion.

Impact Pro Wrestling returns Sunday 8 February with Rumble In The Square, a free outdoor event in collaboration with Auckland Live’s Summer in the Square series. More details can be found on our social channels, don’t miss it!