Cowra’s annual pro wrestling event for 2025 has come and gone and yet again has been a smash hit with audience members and participants all while raising money for Emma’s Tongue Cancer Charity and awareness of oral cancer.
An enthusiastic audience - that had sold out Cowra’s Uniting Church Hall a full two months prior to the event - were treated to an amazing show featuring wrestlers from all over the country, including many returning faces like Birdman Phil Picasso, Rex, Arama, Barry Blake, Adrian Axton and Super Crimson Mask as well as new additions such as Apex Anderson, Taras Jones and Wolfman.
The event has so far raised $840.45 for Emma’s Tongue Cancer Charity, which is enough to purchase an additional 16 Holland early detection scopes, through ICW Central West for the cause started by the family of Emma Butler, late girlfriend of James “High Octane” Lanham.
Cowra’s wrestling promoter James “High Octane” Lanham, who’s recently taken the handle of “The Promoter” on as part of his moniker, is over the moon with the event, and incredibly thankful to the Cowra community, travelling fan base as well as talent and crew.
“The support my hometown gives not just me but this whole cause, both in terms of helping oral cancer patients and raising community spirit, is overwhelming in the best possible way, and the same can be said for those working on the shows, as well as an increasing number of fans from away travelling to attend these events," James said.
“I shake my head in disbelief at the support and positivity my ICW Central West events are getting, especially since they’ve become memorial shows for Emma and to help her namesake charity.”
Thanks to this support, as of 2026 Cowra’s annual pro wrestling event returns to the refurbished and larger capacity Cowra Civic Centre on Saturday 31 October 2026, with Cowra’s Fight 4 Emma, a slight rebranding of The Emma Butler Memorial Wrestling Shows, which prior to 2022 and being held in memory of Emma were known as Western Warfare.
“Club Cowra has really stepped up with two community grants thus far, which along with in kind assistance from them and the generosity of Cowra Community Enterprise as well as Civic Centre manager Jarrad Sheils, his assistant Racheal Walker and Cowra Council, have allowed us to return to the understandably more expensive to run at but more suitable production wise and larger venue,” James said.
“In one of my many talks with Marc McLeish at Club Cowra, he suggested perhaps having a slightly different branding of the shows to make them more obviously a Cowra event, while still paying respect to Emma, so after much thought I decided to change the annual event name to “Cowra’s Fight 4 Emma” giving the due respect to both Emma and my hometown while also showing we are fighting oral cancer and any low community morale by bringing these shows to Cowra.
“This annual event is, as well as being all about helping oral cancer patients through purchasing early detection scopes for doctors and dentists etc while remembering someone who deserves to be remembered, about bringing a unique annual event to Cowra to give people yet another wonderful event to look forward to each year, almost as much as us wrestlers look forward to wrestling in Cowra."
James works to make each show as uniquely Cowra as he can - with little local references and themes like the “Billy Goat Hill Brawl” match type, which often incorporates weapons sourced from sponsors like pizza trays from a supporting pizza shop last year, manoeuvres like the “Droughtbreaker” , the “Club Nectar Twist” and the “Sweet Cowra-Line” clothesline, as well as nods to and mentions of sponsors and other local businesses, services and places over the live commentary.
“We’ve even had interest from two audience members this year is pursuing a career in pro wrestling through us and getting involved with the shows going forward," said an excited James, who, especially factoring in the high level of patronage from the local special needs community and the fact a local fan in attendance this year is also fighting oral cancer, strives to help everyone involved, especially those in attendance, leave each year feeling entertained, inspired and empowered.
This year’s event was especially significant, as it was held soon after the unexpected passing of Emma’s father William, who had previously been in attendance for these events and was a huge pro wrestling fan himself, and it was announced by Emma’s mother Alexandra and brother Michael at the end of the show that they’ve be informed that at least three lives have been saved as a direct result of the early detection scopes purchased by funds raised from these events.
Seven matches were held throughout a near three-hour event, which will very soon be uploaded in its entirety to YouTube for those wanting to relive it or those who missed out on seeing it live.
Tickets are already selling now for next year’s show, with the being available on ICW Central West social media, on the Cowra Civic Centre website and on the Cowra’s Fight 4 Emma 2026 posters and flyers around town.
Tickets are also available from the Cowra Civic Centre box office. You can donate to Emma’s Tongue Cancer Charity at
https://emmascancercharity.org.au/
Ticket link for 2026:
https://cowra.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/153863
James would like to thank everyone involved, with a special shout out to Deputy Mayor Nikki Kiss for her support and involvement, heartfelt and touching words to the crowd at the event, and for presenting the ICW Central West championship at the end of the night.
James also would like to extend his sincerest gratitude to Cowra Uniting Church, who’s warm welcome and fair pricing allowed ICW Central West to get a head start financially and secure their future presence in Cowra!
If your business or organisation would like to sponsor these events financially or in kind, or donate to Emma’s charity, please contact James Lanham and/or ICW Central West on Facebook!