Hawaii’s independent pro wrestling organization will break new ground next month when four of its best grapplers head to California for a showdown with one of that state’s top indie wrestling promotions.

The Pacific Challenge between California’s All Pro Wrestling and Hawaii’s Action Zone Wrestling marks the first time AZW will be represented in an inter-promotion contest. While local wrestlers have previously traveled as far as Canada to compete, none had formally done so under the AZW banner.

The Challenge, which takes place Saturday at the APW Garage in Hayward, Calif., as part of APW’s regular Gym Wars show, is a best-of-three event with two singles matches and a tag-team match.

The main event will pit AZW’s current heavyweight champion, "Mr. Athletic" Jeff Cobb, against APW’s universal heavyweight champion, "The British Messiah" Timothy Thatcher.

Hawaii’s four competitors — Cobb, Mark Anarchy, Edwin "Kaimana" Flores and Darnell "Bobby ‘The Lightning’ Bolt" Gamiao — said they are eager to represent the state and AZW and to experience a different wrestling atmosphere.

Anarchy said he is ready for the "huge culture shock in a promotion we’ve never wrestled for and talent we’ve never faced, unlike down here, where we are familiar with each other."

Gamiao also is looking forward to competing in front of a new crowd.

"It will be interesting … to see if my skills can impress a crowd that has never seen me before," he said.

Flores and Cobb both see an opportunity to gain more exposure for Hawaii pro wrestling.

The trip will "let the mainland folks know that there is wrestling in Hawaii and we are good at what we do," Flores said.

Cobb, a 2004 Olympian who represented Guam in freestyle wrestling, will use the Pacific Challenge to demonstrate "that Hawaii does have a superior professional wrestling company and that we, AZW, do rank up there when people talk about pro wrestling."

The Pacific Challenge was spawned when AZW founder and promoter Daryl Bonilla and his girlfriend planned a California vacation and he figured he would "see if there were any promotions running shows that weekend and if they would be interested in AZW appearing."

All Pro Wrestling not only agreed, promoter/booker John LaRocca suggested a "friendly competition" between each company’s best wrestlers. Both promoters expressed hope the Pacific Challenge would become an annual event, perhaps with APW wrestlers flying to Hawaii.

Bonilla said he is "very excited for this event, as it’s a chance for AZW to expand our brand and reputation.

"I always talk about AZW being one of the top promotions on the planet; now, here’s a chance to prove it."