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WWE is a global phenomenon, with the organisation making many wrestlers household names across the world. While many countries lack WWE representation, their fans remain passionate about the spectacle.
New Zealand, however, has been fortunate to produce some standout talent on the WWE stage. In the Land of the Long White Cloud, WWE remains as popular as other prominent pastime activities like rugby and gambling. In fact, Kiwis often bet on WWE events to add an extra layer of excitement to their WWE experience.
Online casinos in New Zealand offer special WWE-themed slots, sports bars across the country broadcast the matches live, and New Zealanders proudly wear WWE merchandise. Now, imagine the excitement when they see local wrestlers make it to the grand stage of WWE.
Let’s take a closer look at the Kiwi wrestlers who have stepped into the WWE ring and performed in front of millions of fans worldwide.
Tony Garea is widely regarded as one of the biggest names in New Zealand’s sporting history.
Often credited as a key figure in WWE’s rise to prominence in New Zealand, Garea won five tag team titles during the WWF era. His influence extended beyond his in-ring career, as he remained involved with WWE until 2014.
Garea found success as a sprinter and even dabbled in rugby before transitioning to wrestling. The New Zealander was one of the most prominent stars in the pre-WWE era.
The Bushwhackers, made up of Robert 'Butch' Miller and Brian 'Luke Williams' Wickens, became iconic in the 1980s thanks to their outrageous personas and comedic antics. In 2015, the New Zealand duo was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Miller and Wickens teamed up for an impressive 36 years. Before adopting the name 'Bushwhackers', the duo was known as 'The Sheepherders', a name they chose after abandoning their original moniker, 'The Kiwis'.
After a successful career on the independent circuit, New Zealand’s Travis Banks - real name Travis Bligh - joined WWE in 2017.
He spent three years in the organisation and was heavily involved in developing the NXT UK promo for WWE. Bookmakers labeled him as a strong contender for the NXT UK Championship, but he failed to live up to expectations.
After his WWE days, Banks has been active in the Mexican wrestling scene. He is the current Wrestling League Society world champion.
Toni Storm is a New Zealand-born WWE sensation, and has earned great success across several promotions.
Storm continued to be a top performer after making her WWE debut in 2017 and she eventually became the NXT UK Women’s champion. Storm left WWE in 2021 and has since become one of the biggest stars at its rival, AEW.
Outside of WWE, she has captured several world titles in promotions worldwide. These included the prestigious World of Stardom Championship and the SWA World Championship, where she kept hold of her championship for 612 days.
Dakota Kai - real name Cheree Crowley - is one of New Zealand's most exciting wrestling talents, and has been a WWE mainstay since 2015.
Crowley is a two-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion alongside Iyo Sky. She gained further recognition during her time in NXT, where she won the inaugural Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and became a two-time NXT Women's Tag Team Champion.
Before stepping into the WWE spotlight, Crowley honed her craft under the ring name Evie. Under this name, she wrestled for Impact Pro Wrestling (IPW) in New Zealand, Pro Wrestling Women’s Alliance (PWA) in Australia, and iconic American promotions like Shimmer Women Athletes and Shine Wrestling.
She also showcased her skills in Japan, competing for Pro Wrestling Zero1 and the renowned World Wonder Ring Stardom.
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