Through this Pandemic Era of pro wrestling, we’ve seen quite a resurgence in popularity of Deathmatch Wrestling. This art form has attracted eyes from both fans and wrestlers alike. Amid this growing spotlight is where one scene in particular began blooming: the Australian Deathmatch scene. As Callen Butcher said, Deathmatch Wrestling was treated as “…a dirty word…” in the country. But over the course of a year, Deathmatch Down Under has put its full back into further legitimizing the style. One of the people at the forefront of this movement and company alike, is “The Smash Hit” Joel Bateman.
There barely was a deathmatch scene here for the longest time. Fans that were passionate about it, sure – and talent that really wanted to show what they could do in the subgenre – but largely didn’t have the platform to be able to show it off. So in the first 12 months, not only have we seen a new crop of DM talent who want to work that style, but there’s other promotions starting to realise it’s a viable subgenre too. 6 Below FC, Suplex Wrestling, and other companies dabbling in it as well. It’s great to see!
…And Out Came The Wolves marked the beginning for DMDU in January of 2021. Since their debut, DMDU has only grown exponentially. They’ve hosted the likes of New Japan’s Robbie Eagles and Aussie Open; well as talents like Charli Evans and Shazza McKenzie. A large part of this growth also comes from their reach outside of Australia. As a part of IWTV, DMDU has been able to reach beyond Australia with their library of content.
When we started DMDU we genuinely thought it was going to be a vanity project, draw very little, and just be a cathartic outlet for all our frustrations with the current scene here. But the fact that whatever we are putting out there, seems to be working boggles my mind. I’m so incredibly humbled that leading into this tour that not just friends, but fans & other talent are keen to see me live, when I have a proper case of imposter syndrome heading in, just humbles me so much.
After such a year of success, it was only a matter of time before we would see Joel stateside. And with restrictions slowly being lifted, the timing would be perfect. Through the month of March, Joel Bateman will be taking on the best of the US indies. And one has to wonder if he’ll be looking for any additions to the DMDU roster while he’s here.
DMDU has our first fly in international with Alex Colon on April 16th…the fact we have caught overseas…means that we obviously would love any and all talents to be able to come here to Australia…we are all super keen to compete with everyone on the world stage.
His first stop in the United States is one unlike he’s ever faced before in ICW No Holds Barred. Joel will be in fighting form for both nights of NHB’s Chattanooga stop. He’ll have the opportunity to add a title to his carryon in facing American Deathmatch Champion, Reed Bentley. Joel will then step between The Chains for the first time the following night. Bateman will face off against one of the franchise players of NHB: “The Death Samurai” AKIRA.
AKIRA is an amazing talent, and even though there’s a VAST experience gap, I have picked up a thing or two from him. He is in the position he’s in from taking every single opportunity he’s given, and knocking it out of the park. A match against Reed Bentley, where he went sailing off a rooftop set him alight, and he’s just crushed every single thing since. I’d consider us friends (we actually play in the same Minecraft server, the most deathmatch thing to do) and I’d consider us friends, but everyone knows you always beat the shit out of your friends the hardest, and there’s just that bit of buzz in the air that I think we are gonna be able to put on something very very special.
Just two days later, Bateman will be in New Jersey making his H2O Wrestling debut. He’ll be stepping into the H2O Wrestling Center and standing across the ring against the owner: Matt Tremont. This match will be a hellacious 200 Light Tube Deathmatch and one of the biggest matches in Joel’s career.
Matt & I have known each other since he really broke onto the US deathmatch scene. We’ve been friends since, and I even travelled to the US in 2013 for a tournament we were going to face each other in – the tournament got cancelled, and ever since it’s been like ships passing in the night – for one reason or another, it just hasn’t been possible to have this match. So now, after everything we’ve all been through for the stars to align and this can take place largely after we’ve both put our money where our mouths are (with DMDU & H2O respectively) and come in representing ourselves, our companies & our countries – the stakes in my eyes couldn’t be higher.
In the Deathmatch World, to be able to face off against Matt Tremont is a big deal. As one of the most decorated Wrestlers in the genre, he’s won the CZW, GCW and H2O Championships. Tremont has also won multiple Deathmatch tournaments across the US. These include Tournament of Survival and Nick Gage Invitational, Tournament of Death, and King of the Deathmatch.
[Winning would be] Affirmation that I’m just as good as everyone else is telling me. Knocking off the most decorated American Deathmatch wrestler of all time is something I can hang my hat on for the rest of my career.
Just these three dates alone would be a big stop for any international talent coming to the United States. However, Joel is looking to make the most of his trip here in the country.
[I’ll be] off to Detroit for Horror Slam, and their Murder City Deathmatch Cup on the 17th & 18th. 16 amazing wrestlers that I’m honestly humbled to be apart of – Pondo, Knuckles, Lloyd, Murdoch, West, Crist, MM3, Stein, Vendetta and HEAPS more…then I fly to New York City for New Fear City, and take on Casanova Valentine in a No Ring Deathmatch, culminating a two year story of just before the pandemic when Cass came to Melbourne and left me with a 6 inch scar on the back of my head as a daily reminder of how bad that man really is. So now, 2 years on I come to his city, and plan on leaving him with a daily reminder of how bad I am.
While Joel embarks on his journey in the United States, you can follow him on Twitter and Instagram for updates. You can also pick up any of Joel’s shirts from Deathmatch Worldwide. And of course, you can watch all of DMDU’s catalog on IWTV.