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On a weekend where the eyes of the world are locked on the San Fransisco Bay area ahead of possibly the most underwhelming WrestleMania of all time, there’s plenty of news and notes to report from across the pond. The best thing about this business is that there’s always something out there somewhere that engages people, and even if WWE aren’t exactly setting the world on fire this year, our own wrestling scene is burning hotter than an inferno match in a gasoline store. So without further ado...
NEWS, NOTES AND THINGS TO WATCH ONLINE THIS WEEK
The 2015 edition of the Davey Boy Smith Memorial Cup kicked off this past week on WrestleTalk TV as Zack Gibson and “The Showstealer” Nathan Cruz wrestled to a 20 minute time-limit draw. This was actually a really good match, lots of technical action with mat wrestling and submissions being on display prominently. Nathan almost got the win late on with a hurricanrana, in fact we got a few really nice near falls at the end. This match was taped in Cruz’s hometown of Hull at NGW Proving Grounds on March 1st. This week’s show also featured an interesting sit-down interview with former WWE head official Earl Hebner, the second part of this piece will air this Sunday at 11pm. That might be worth sticking on the DVR.
Speaking of television, RPW launched their own television show on their YouTube channel this week. The show will be uploaded every Monday night at 7pm, and this week’s debut edition featured Marty Scurll beating Doug Williams for the British Heavyweight Championship. I’ve only checked out bits of the show so far but I’m very impressed with the presentation and production, everything looks very crisp and professional in terms of the way the show is shot and edited. You can check out the first episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
There’s more wrestling goodness on YouTube as RCWA have decided to make their February show available in full online at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The feel good story of the week comes from PCW, who announced this week that Saraya Knight has asked to cancel her appearance on their show this Sunday because her daughter – WWE wrestler Paige – has arranged to have her flown to San Francisco. Imagine your plans changing from wrestling in a nightclub in Preston, to watching your daughter compete at her first WrestleMania in front of 70,000 people. That’s quite a story.
One for the wrestling historians this week as Scotland’s most famous wrestling venue of the past – Caird Hall in Dundee - secured a show from Scottish Wrestling Entertainment to bring wrestling back to the venue with Terry Funk and Ted DiBiase set to appear. The news brought SWE coverage in their local newspaper, The Courier, which you can read by clicking here: http://www.thecourier.co.uk/
If we had a nitwit of the week award, it would almost certainly go to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – who’s usual impeccable timing didn’t translate to social media this week. The great one tweeted his support for Liverpool FC just hours after their defeat to bitter rivals Manchester United. Whoops. Speaking of a social media faux pas,PCW owner Steven Fludder saw his Facebook Q&A session last night hijacked by one of his former stars – Danny Hope. Hope, ironically, was fired by PCW for allegedly making inappropriate comments about the promotion on social media.
Meanwhile, the Preston based promotion announced that another free show is in the works for Armed Forces Day in July. Last year’s “Tribute to the troops” special draw over 4,000 fans to an open-air event in the city centre and the plans for this year are to draw even more people, with an even bigger budget and the promise of even more international talent working the event. A similar event was announced by PROGRESS Wrestling this week – who have managed to gain a spot at Download Festival 2015 in Donnington Park. The festival’s mascot showed up to Progress this past Saturday night and was assaulted by Jimmy Havoc. You can read more about this madness here: http://downloadfestival.co.uk/
RESULTS
Progress held their “ProgressleMania” show at Electric Ballroom, Camden on Saturday night. Zack Gibson beat Big Damo in the opening match after stabbing him in the eye with a fork. Yes, a fork. You did read that correctly. Sha Samuels beat Kyle Ashmore with a piledriver in the second match, Ashmore serving as a replacement for the injured Ali Armstrong. Sumerian Death Squad beat Chuck Mambo and William Eaver to become #1 contenders to the tag titles. Rampage Brown defeated Mark Haskins at the twenty-four minute mark with a piledriver on a steel chair, that match sounds absolutely brutal. Flash Morgan beat Bubblegum with 450 splash after the interval. The Faceless retained the tag championships against Wild Boar and Eddie Dennis. The main event saw Jimmy Havoc retain the PROGRESS Championship at the twenty-eight minute mark finally defeating Will Ospreay in a six man elimination match. This sounded like an awesome show, and thanks to the news that Progress are launching an on demand service for just £4.99 a month, hopefully a show we can all check out online soon.
At ASW this past Friday night, the Superslam championship was on the line as Dean Allmark battled Thunder, but unfortunately the match ended in a double count out. Pro wrestling returned to Northwich on Saturday as Great Bear Promotions ran a show at Rudheath Social Club, and the main event saw German prodigy Axel Dieter Jr successfully defend his GBP Grand Championship against CJ Banks. The show also featured Tyler Bate getting the win over Kid Fite, and the talented youngster Josh Bodom securing victory over Chris Ridgeway. GBP is planning to return to Northwich around September or October, the company confirmed on Twitter.
SCHEDULED THIS WEEKEND
House of Pain Wrestling are running a weekender in Nottingham from tonight until Sunday, with three shows scheduled over the three days. Tickets are available on the door, subject to availability. Kamikaze Pro have a show in Birmingham on Saturday which sees former tag team champions collide as “Dangerous” Dan Moloney squares off with Tyler Bate. Robbie X will also defend the Kamikaze Championship against Eddie Dennis on the event, and The Hunter Brothers battle The Vulture Squad over the tag titles. Tickets are still available from Ringside World. ICW have a show at the Barrowlands in Glasgow where Lionheart faces Jackie Polo, and Joe Coffey challenges Drew Galloway for the ICW Championship. This show is now sold out.
The other big show of the weekend sees PCW return to action just two weeks after Road to Glory, with their annual 30-man rumble match at Who Dares Wins. Davey Richards and Will Ospreay will battle The UK Hooligans in a tag team match which promises great things – the Hooligans showed awesome intensity during their PCW debut spot with Team Single a few months back and Ospreay is one of the most talented young workers in England today. Tournament winner Bubblegum will fight Mr Anderson in singles action in another match which promises to deliver – I like what they’ve done here pairing two similarly cocky, loud-mouthed and obnoxious characters together. It should make for some great chemistry in the match and Bubblegum is on a roll in PCW right now as part of the reformed Team Single, with the tournament win under his belt and a shot at the world title coming up this Summer. I’d have to go with ‘Gum for the win on this one.
The “Who Dares Wins” match is a six man match that will probably open the show pitting Ashton Smith, El Ligero, Joey Hayes, Martin Kirby, Joseph Connors and Dean Allmark against each other. That will be the hard-hitting, bodies flying everywhere match I allude to at most PCW events. The winner gets #30 in the rumble and the loser gets #1. I like that gimmick, I believe WWE did it years back with Hunter and Duke Droese somewhere along the line and never resurrected it but it’s survived on the indy scene in various incarnations ever since. As far as who wins the rumble? I have no idea but I can’t wait to hear the results – as I wrote last week there’s so much to look forward to with the way the storylines are set up after Road to Glory.
That will do it for me this week, I’ll be back next weekend with more results, previews, news and much more.
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