There's a default checklist for travelers arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Mail a letter from the historic Saigon Central Post Office. Tour the War Remnants Museum and crawl through the Cu Chi Tunnels outside of town. Follow in the footsteps of Anthony Bourdain at the late Nguyễn Thị Thanh's food stall. Watch a water puppet show.

For years, these have been the tried-and-true backpacker staples of a trip to Ho Chi Minh City. Often, they are among the first experiences first-time visitors have Vietnam. But there's a new experience gaining momentum in the country's largest city, one that's almost completely new to this corner of Southeast Asia—professional wrestling.

Every few weeks, a warehouse in the boulevard-lined District 7 transforms into Vietnam's first and only home for professional wrestling. Inside, the stars of Vietnam Pro Wrestling lace up their boots, squeeze into wrestling tights and burst into a squared circle lined by cheering spectators.

Stars like "The Prince of Wrestling" Sid Nguyen, "The Unstoppable Force" Ares, and VPW Vietnam Champion Da Bucherman cast larger-than-life auras in an arena populated by both locals and visitors.

"The crowds are about 60% foreigners, including tourists and expats, and 40% local," says VPW promotor Carey Wass, a Canadian entertainer known in-ring as The X-Pat. "That being said, our online audience is predominantly Vietnamese. We had something like 13 million views in the last several months. Online, our sole focus is on the Vietnamese audience with Vietnamese commentary and Vietnamese captions."

Professional wrestling is barely more than a decade old in Vietnam. Less than ten years ago, Vietnam's first wrestling shows were run in a dance studio without a ring. Performers imitated moves learned on YouTube, and initial crowds numbered in the dozens.

But after years of performing over a concrete floor and gymnastics mats, real training and a real ring followed. Now, Wass says most VPW shows—where tickets start at around $20USD—are sold out. On a typical night, 500 or so fans fill the venue.

"If you want to meet and gate with a true, modern-day Vietnam, this is a great option," says Wass. "You're mixing with people who have lived here for many years in the form of the expat community. But you're also meeting locals who enjoy going out and engaging and being social. Our crowd is super supportive. They welcome everybody there. You will leave feeling like you had an experience where you've made friends and been entertained."

AEW Star Chris Jericho Brings "Vietslam" Documentary to Life

Word of Vietnam's emerging professional wrestling scene reached AEW star Chris Jericho in 2023. Jericho is a household name to wrestling fans, a globally recognizable star that debuted in 1990 that is still headlining major events today. Jericho's peers include a who's who of the very pinnacle of wrestling history. His accolades include holding championships in the U.S., Mexico and Japan.

"I'd been to Japan like 60 times," says Jericho. "I had been to Korea multiples times. We'd gone to Singapore and toured Malaysia with WWE. We'd even been to China a couple of times, but Vietnam was never on the list because Vietnam had no wrestling."

"When I say there was no wrestling in Vietnam, it wasn't like there was just no scene. It wasn't like there were a few garage shows. Wrestling did not exist there. The only way they saw it was from watching YouTube, DVDs or television from Thailand."

After hosting Wass and VPW co-founder Rocky Huynh on a Talk is Jericho podcast in 2023, the famously versatile Jericho decided to produce a documentary about the emerging wrestling promotion. The film, titled Vietslam: Squashing the Cultural Gap, debuted this year on Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube and other streaming platforms worldwide. "I really wanted to be a part of VPW history, because they are doing it for the right reasons," adds Jericho. "These guys and girls wanted to start wrestling because they just love the sport."

Jericho says Vietslam was inspired by the desire to show how professional wrestling is bringing distant cultures together in ways that other sports and entertainment options might not. "When I went to Vietnam, I didn't know what to expect. When our generation thinks of Vietnam, sometimes we still think of Full Metal Jacket and Platoon. We think about the Vietnam conflict and 'Run Through the Jungle' and 'Paint it Black,' but the war was 60 years ago."

Older impressions of the country begin to disappear at a VPW show. A 60-year-old soundtrack framed by war movies, fades to black when confronted with a thriving, modern Ho Chi Minh City, high-flying acrobatics, stage lights and entrance music.

Modern day Vietnam boasts the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, its GDP ranking ahead of Hong Kong, Denmark and South Africa. Ho Chi Minh City itself is teaming with skyscrapers, capped by the 1,513-foot Landmark 81 and its 75th-story sky lounge.

Wass says VPW is another reflection of that cultural change. "The Cu Chi tunnels are a good example," says Wass. "I think it's really important when coming to Ho Chi Minh City to engage in those type of historical areas, right? It's a good educational piece. But what I love about what our guys and girls are doing is that they represent a new take on Vietnam."

Respect from Japan's King of Sports

Since VietSlam wrapped filming in 2023, VPW has experienced what Wass describes as exponential growth. The company has added more production value to live shows and a women's division championship. VPW began participating in charity events and working with other wrestling promotions in areas like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia.

They have also garnered recognition from one of the most respected wrestling organizations on the planet, New Japan Pro Wrestling, whose champion, Yota Tsuji, recently visited Ho Chi Minh City for a show.

Tsuji arrived in Vietnam bearing the IWGP world championship—a storied belt that bears the names of past champions like WWE stars AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar as well as AEW stars Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada. Then, Tsuji stepped into the ring to invite one of VPW's top stars, Ares, to train in Japan.

It was an invitation to the major leagues, a first for a homegrown Vietnamese wrestler.

In September, Ares found himself working alongside Tsuji as his tag team partner—a former motorbike taxi driver now billed as a peer of the current top wrestler in Japan. Inside of Tokyo's 2,000-seat Korakuen Hall, an iconic wrestling revue, Ares strutted to the ring waving a VPW flag.

"They put him in the third match from the top with three of the top stars of the company with his own music and his own entrance," Wass explains. "They did not make him wear generic tights or use generic music. He looked like a star."

Back in Ho Chi Minh City, VPW's roster is gearing up for Brawl Hallows Eve. The annual Halloween-themed event looks like another budding sellout headlined by a returning Ares and New Japan star Zack Sabre. In time, Wass believes the company may outgrow its 500-seat venue thanks to events like this. But for now, professional wrestling in Vietnam continues to ride a wave of momentum built by squashing a cultural gap.

"These guys who grew up watching pro wresting come into their country on Thailand TV had a crazy dream," says Wass. "They followed that dream and created what I would say is the most community feeling, exciting, over-the-top live entertainment the country has ever seen."