Wrestle Ropes' Ready for the Weekend: November 2015 Week 4

We're fast approaching yet another weekend in the British Wrestling calendar and once again we are taking a look at just a small selection of the shows taking place. Let's get Ready For The Weekend!

Up first on Friday night, Scottish Wrestling Alliance are at The Lagoon Centre in Paisley, Glasgow. The event shall mark the Scottish debut of 'The Aerial Assassin' Will Ospreay. And what a début he is in for as he faces 'Scotland's Best Young Wrestler' Lewis Girvan. Will Ospreay has been tearing it up all over England as well as participating in this year's Pro Wrestling Guerilla's BOLA tournament. Lewis Girvan has not been having a quiet year himself as he has competed against some of the finest athletes in Scotland today including Drew Galloway. Ospreay will no doubt impress many new fans on Friday night as he makes his Scottish debut but he's facing the very best that Scotland has to offer in young talent. This match could be the match of the weekend. When speaking about the best that Scotland has to offer, a name that is often in any person's list is Mark Coffey. While often seen as part of Polo Promotions, Mark Coffey is not called 'The Real Deal' for nothing and is accomplished in singles action as he is in a team. On November 27th he will get a chance to prove that as he challenges Drew Galloway for the SWA Heavyweight Championship. Galloway won the championship in this very venue in Paisley. We could see another champion crowned on Friday as Mark Coffey will bring his A-game and give Galloway everything he has. The main event shall see Grado facing Mikey Whiplash. A must-see match for any wrestling fan. However, this match will have an added dimension as it has been announced that Gavin 'Boaby The Barman' Mitchell from hit BBC comedy show, Still Game shall be the special enforcer for this match. Grado will have the fans well behind him in Paisley but he faces one of the best technically sound wrestlers in Whiplash. Mikey Whiplash is as smart as he is dangerous and Grado will need to stay one step ahead of him to have a chance at picking up the win.

Full Card

*SWA Heavyweight Championship*

Drew Galloway (c) vs ‘The Real Deal’ Mark Coffey

*SWA Scottish Junior Heavyweight Championship*

Kenny Williams vs ‘Flyin’ Ryan Griffin (c)

*England Vs Scotland: Special Guest Enforcer – Gavin ‘Boaby The Barman’ Mitchell*

Mikey Whiplash vs Grado

‘Iron Man’ Joe Coffey vs ‘Hardcore Icon’ Jack Jester

Lewis Girvan vs ‘The Aerial Assassin’ Will Ospreay

Courtney vs Viper

‘Global Hero’ Joe Hendry vs DCT

Jack Gallagher vs Jackie Polo

Moving on to Saturday and Shropshire Wrestling Alliance are back at the Dawley Town Hall in Telford with 'GoldRush 2015'. The evening will feature two championship matches, one involving a ladder and a rumble to crown a new number contender. As we said their will be a championship match involving a ladder. The championship in question is the SWA British Lions Championship. Tyler Bate has been a fighting champion since winning the championship. This match will be his greatest challenges as he face not one but five other opponents in the shape of Mark Andrews, Nixon Newell, Drew Parker, Chris Brookes & Mike Bird. Any one of these challengers would be a worthy and challenging opponent. Add in the fact that ladders will play a vital part in the outcome of the match and really anyone could be working out of Telford as the SWA British Lions Champion this Saturday. The other championship on the line on November 28th will be the SWA Heavyweight Championship. Dan Moloney made his intentions clear at 'British Lions 2015' when he attacked reigning champion, Ryan Smile after the main event. With Moloney in possession of a guaranteed championship match, SWA had no choice but to grant the 'Super Beast' his demand. While Moloney will look to deliver another beating to The All Day Star and take the SWA Heavyweight Championship, Smile shall be out to gain retribution on the blind-sided attack that he received the last time that these two men were in the same ring. Saturday night will witness former tag team partners come face to face in a match. Chris Ridgeway and Damian Dunne are both on a quest to pick up a big win in SWA. These former partners did not part on good terms so there may be a little more spice in their offence against each other. There is a lot for both men to prove. Who is the better man and who will finally get the win they desperately want.

Full Card

*SWA Heavyweight Championship*

‘Super Beast’ Dan Moloney vs ‘All Day Star’ Ryan Smile (c)

*SWA British Lions Championship: Six-Way Ladder Match*

‘Calamari Catch’ Chris Brookes vs ‘Boy Next Door’ Drew Parker vs ‘White Lightning’ Mark Andrews vs ‘Ginger Jesus’ Mike Bird vs Nixon Newell vs Tyler Bate (c)

*15-Man Over The Top Rope Goldrush Rumble*

Winner Become Number One Contender To The SWA Heavyweight Championship

‘The Kid’ Ethan Silver vs ‘The Juice’ CJ Banks

‘The Priority’ Chris Ridgeway vs ‘Number One’ Damian Dunne

Finishing the weekend, Kamikaze Pro are at the The Cadbury Club in Birmingham with a stacked show where every championship will be up for grabs. One title on the line will be the Kamikaze Pro Championship as Robbie X will defend against Juventud Guerrera. Robbie X has been a fighting champion for over a year now. His opponent, Juventud Guerrera has held championship in almost every company he's wrestled in. Robbie has defeated some of the best in Kamikaze Pro as well as those from further afield during his reign. He faces as big a challenge as any now though in the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, who will look to add to his impressive list of accolades. November 29th will see one man who loves to cheat face a man who loves violence. This Sunday will see Marshall X faces Clint Margera in a no disqualification match. Marshall X is renowned for cheating during matches in any way he can. That won't be an issue for his when he face Clint Margera as he can do anything he wants. While that would normally be of benefit to Marshall X, his opponent Clint Margera is a man who will do anything. He is a lover of violence and the use of weapons. Marshall X may find that he's against a man who likes do anything it takes to win more than even he does. The main event for 'Frost Fight 3' will see 'The Man Beast' face 'The Super Beast' as Rhyno competes against Dan Moloney. Dan Moloney is the current Money In The Bank holder and has continued to get better as Kamikaze Pro has grown. He's now one of the promotion's top athletes. His opponent needs little introduction as a former ECW Champion and a current member of NXT. Rhyno is still as impressive as he ever was and will bring Dan Moloney a challenge that he has rarely faced before. However, Moloney will look to show Rhyno that there is room for only one beast in Kamikaze Pro and he's not planning on giving up that place any time soon.

Full Card

‘The Man Beast’ Rhyno vs ‘The Super Beast’ Dan Moloney

*Kamikaze Pro Championship*

Robbie X (c) vs Juventud Guerrera

*Relentless Division Championship*

‘Dynamite’ Pete Dunne (c) vs ‘Lights Out’ Tyler Bate

*Kamikaze Pro Tag Team Championship*

The Hunter Brothers (Lee & Jim Hunter) (c) vs The Bigger Picture (‘Number One’ Damian Dunne & ‘All Day Star’ Ryan Smile)

*No Disqualification*

‘The Badman’ Marshall X vs Clint Margera

‘The Wonderkid’ Jonny Storm vs ‘The Phoenix’ Jody Fleisch

Nixon Newell & Toni Storm vs Shanna & Chardonnay

*Fatal Four-Way*

‘The Big O’ Omari vs Mika ‘The Polish Punisher’ vs ‘The Wolf of Broad Street’ Elliott Jordan vs ‘The Pharaoh’ Malik

That wraps up this week's preview of the weekend's wrestling schedule. Of course, there are many more events taking place over the three days. To find out more about the shows we've highlighted here as well as all the others, check us out at www.wrestleropesuk.wordpress.com for the latest show and match announcements, British Wrestling event list and more

Wrestle Ropes Ready for the Weekend: October 2015 Week 5

This weekend sees promotions across the country celebrating anniversaries, holding new tournaments as well as the return of established ones. Add in the usual dash of rivalries and new encounters and we have another packed set of three days. Let's get Ready For The Weekend!

On Friday night, Fierce Females are back at Walkabout in Glasgow. This show will mark Fierce Females' third anniversary and it's looking to be one of their best events ever. At the last event which featured a championship rumble, there were a number of talking points. One was Leah Owens eliminating her own sister, Kasey Owens during the rumble. There is evidently some tension between the twins and the most obvious way to get rid of that is to let them go at each other on October 30th. It won't be the first time they've faced each other but it may be their first encounter were competition isn't the only thing that is driving them. From the bad blood between twins to the bad blood between baes. Sammii Jayne & Debbie Sharpe have been beside each other for months in Fierce Females. They have been inseparable. That was until 'Rumble In The Jungle' when Debbie eliminated Sammii from the rumble match. Understandably, Sammii Jayne is not best pleased with her bae, Debbie Sharpe. Debbie claims that Sammii would have done the same to her if the tables were turned but Sammii Jayne disputes that. While Sammii Jayne claims to have forgiven Debbie Sharpe for her actions, we'll find out if that is true this Friday when they meet in singles action. In Fierce Females there are twins, there are baes but nothing compared to the friendship between Bete Noire and Viper. That was until 'Rumble In The Jungle'. After Viper won the rumble match and become only the second Fierce Females Champion in it's history, Bete Noire came to the ring to celebrate with her long time friend. And that is when it changed. Without warning, Bete Noire laid out the new champion with the championship she had just won. Since then, Bete Noire has said little on the subject, Viper has said even less. That was until a few weeks ago when Bete Noire finally spoke. She told Viper that she was sick of living in her shadow and that this was the new Bete Noire, the real Bete Noire. Fierce Females have now announced that Viper will defend the Fierce Females Championship against Bete Noire in Glasgow in a Last Woman Standing match. Both of these women competed in the very first Fierce Females event. Now on October 30th, they will fight for the biggest prize in the promotion. But this is more than just about a championship. Viper has now reached the top in Fierce Females and will give her everything to stay there. However, the Bete Noire that now stands across from her, no longer cares how far she has to go. She refuses to be in anyone's shadow any more. These former friends meet this Friday and only can be left standing.

Moving on to Saturday and Shropshire Wrestling Alliance are back at the Dawley Town Hall with their British Lions tournament. In a change to this year's tournament, the winners of the qualifying matches will go on to a five-way elimination match with the British Lions Champion, Tyler Bate on November 28th. Speaking Tyler Bate, he joins forces with the SWA Champion, Ryan Smile in the main event to face The Dunne Brothers. While this match is not for any championships, it is all about pride. The champions will be looking to take the win to showcase their own championship reigns while The Dunne Brothers will be aware that a win over the champions will give them a legitimate claim to a future championship match. In a special attraction, non-tournament match, 'The Welsh Destroyer' Nixon Newell will face NXT's 'Blue Pants' Leva Bates. Nixon is one the of the gems in the Shropshire Wrestling Alliance crown, facing almost everyone in the promotion in some form or another. Leva Bates on the other hand has being tearing it up in WWE NXT as well as across the independent scene in North America. This will be a great first encounter between these two young wrestlers. The British Lions tournament itself features it's usual plethora skilled athlete such as Mike Bird, Wild Boar, Ethan Silver and Chris Brookes to just name a few. One match that does stand out from the crowd is 'The Priority' Chris Ridgeway vs 'White Lightning' Mark Andrews. While Mark Andrews has been tearing it up in Impact Wrestling as the winner of British Boot Camp 2, Chris Ridgeway has being making a name for himself in the UK. Ridgeway has gone against some of the best the UK has to offer. This Saturday he gets to go against another and a man he has openly admitted to admiring and respecting. Mark Andrews is already known for putting on stellar performances every time he enter the ring. Ridgeway is fast becoming know for doing the same. This match will be one not to be missed on October 31st!

Sunday night in Huntingdon will see Southside Wrestling hold their inaugural Young Tigers Cup at the Commemoration Hall. The Young Tigers Cup will see some of the UK's best young wrestlers compete in a one-night tournament to win the eponymous Cup. One of the tournament quarter-final matches will see former Speed King Champion, 'The Aerial Assassin' Will Ospreay face The Pledge of The Righteous Army. Ospreay has face some amazing talent in Southside Wrestling on previous occasions. The Pledge is a young man who is so eager to prove himself that he has rejected his own name in pursuit of the approval of The Righteous Army. Ospreay has proven himself time after time. The Pledge is a man who is quickly catching the eye of the Southside Wrestling fans. However, The Righteous Army are known for using their number their advantage. Ospreay will be looking to add another accolade to his resume but The Pledge will be looking to prove himself further to his fellow Righteous members. Another tournament quarter-final that will take place on November 1st will have an international element to it when Trevor Lee compete against 'SuperBeast' Dan Moloney. Trevor Lee is well known to fans who have seen him in PWG & TNA, holding gold while with both companies. Dan Moloney is a hungry young man whose strength is only matched by his talent. In recent months, Dan Moloney has competed against a number of well-known names and has matched them every time. Trevor Lee will be looking to add more silverware to his collection. But he'll have a very tough challenge in the form of Dan Moloney to overcome first. As for Moloney, well he'll be looking to showcase further why he is the 'SuperBeast' on Southside Wrestling. The night will not only showcase the young tigers of Southside though as the leader of 'The Righteous Army', 'The Righteous' Joseph Conners will be in action as he defends the Southside Heavyweight Championship against the number one contender, Martin Kirby. Joseph Conners has defeated many during his reign as champion, a reign he will want to continue. His opponent however is one of the most decorated men in the UK today. Martin Kirby has held both the Southside Speed King & Tag Team Championship in the past. A win on Sunday would make him a Triple Crown Champion in Southside, an accomplishment that only few hold. Kirby became the number one contender due to his incredible drive to win. Joseph Conners desire to keep the Southside Heavyweight Championship may be the only thing to equal Kirby's drive.


That wraps up this week's preview of the weekend's wrestling schedule. Of course, there are many more events taking place over the three days. To find out more about the shows we've highlighted here as well as all the others, check us out at www.wrestleropesuk.wordpress.comfor the latest show and match announcements, British Wrestling event list and more

Live Review: SWA Summer Blowout 2015

It was my first trip back to the Shropshire Wrestling Alliance since last year's Summer Blowout event (29th September 2014 - Review here) and it seemed like a lot had changed in that ten month period. A few new faces and few changes in alignment, but the one thing that hadn't changed was the strength of the card. With Mark Haskins battling Chuck Cyrus in the main event, as well as Chris Brookes, Chris Ridgeway, Dan Maloney, Damien Dunne, Eric Ryan, Pete Dunne, Ryan Smile, Will Ospreay and more on the show, could this one live up to expectations? Let's have a look.

Lord Graham Thomas opened the show after he was revealed to be our ring announcer for the evening, and after some banter with referee Paul Winstanley that went straight over my head it was into the first match of the night. 

One Fall Match

"The All Day Star" Ryan Smile 

vs. 

"Young & Bitter" Pete Dunne

This was never going to be a bad match, was it? These two have wrestled each other and been tag team partners all over the United Kingdom and into Europe over the last four or so years, and that could be seen in the match that they had. With only one real slip up throughout that was recovered very well, as Dunne turned Smile's slip on a head scissors attempt into a side slam, it was clear to see why Dunne and Smile have risen in the ranks around the UK over the last year or so. Smile's ridiculous suicide dive near the corner post was a highlight of the bout for me, with Smile almost flying completely over Dunne before landing on his feet.

Whilst the wrestling was sleek throughout, this bout was made on the strength of the characters. Smile coming out in a Flash body paint design, which looked incredible, and Dunne working his Young and Bitter persona that has come on and on over the last year. With The All Day Star's red body paint rubbing off on Dunne, it almost looked as if Dunne was allergic to Smile. Dunne having to use various parts of the ring to take control of the match, with a good sequence seeing Dunne repeatedly throwing Smile into the metal part of the turnbuckle on the outside, worked well, suiting the characters and allowing the match to tell a strong story. After some decent near falls, Smile picking up the win with his Smile High Frog Splash set the show off to a good start, with the crowd warmed up nicely.

One Fall Match

Nixon Newell 

vs. 

Toni Storm

A decent showing from these two, there seemed to be a strong in-ring chemistry, that developed nicely as the match progressed. A strong technical start, developed into a mainly pin-fall based match, with multiple pin-fall variations, with the two seemingly evenly matched inside the ring, highlighted by a spot that saw both deliver suicide dives to each other. Whilst the match seemed to have stepped into another gear with Toni throwing Nixon into the ringpost shoulder first, referencing Nixon's breaking her collar bone in their previous encounter, it was a shame to Nixon win with her variation of Beth Phoenix's Glam Slam, a move that would make use of the injured area.

It was time for the TLC match, with Lord Graham Thomas chatting away, as multiple tables, ladder and chairs were placed at ringside.

Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match for the #1 Contendership to the SWA Championship.

Chris Brookes 

vs. 

Eric Ryan 

vs. 

"Number One" Damien Dunne 

vs. 

"Super Beast" Dan Maloney

Fun. Fun. Fun. And a bit more fun. This match was exactly what you'd want it to be, spots and spots and bloody silly spots. All four guys made good use of the gimmick, keeping the match flowing very quickly indeed, moving from one ridiculous move to the next. If the TLC gimmick wasn't enough, Eric Ryan decide to bring some more toys into the match, literally toys. With Lego strewn around the ring, there was a number of painful looking moves onto the miniature building blocks. Anyone who has even trod on Lego could surely imagine that pain that would come following a missed leg drop onto them or even worse, a tiger bomb!

CZW regular Eric Ryan stood out here, with a series of exciting moves that complemented the gimmick.. Putting a hell of a shift in throughout the match, his sequence with Damien Dunne, after the former had introduced the lego, was a hell of an exchange, with the idea of a one on one match between the two now being a mouth watering prospect. The move that won the match was just as impressive as Maloney the match was straight-up ridiculous as he was able to hit a Blue Thunderbomb off the top rope to Chris Brookes, sending him crashing through a table, before being able to retrieve the contract from the ceiling in a terrific climax to the contest. Maloney seems poised for big things in SWA (and around the country) and this victory cements his shift towards the top of the card.

After a quick jaunt to Costcutter it was time for the second half of the show! Or so it would seem, a cheeky raffle shocked us all, when ATPW was able to claim two tickets to SWA British Lions on October 31st.

One Fall Match

"The Aerial Assassin" Will Ospreay 

vs. 

"The Priority" Chris Ridgeway

This was the match that convinced me to buy a ticket, being a big fan of both Will Ospreay and Chris Ridgeway, I was looking forward to being able to see what the pair could do in the ring together. Often when I pick out a match in such a way, I leave disapointed, not because the match wasn't good, but because my expectations were too high. Luckily for me, that wasn't the case here, with Ospreay and Ridgeway gelling well in the ring to created a fast-paced offering, that had the fans in the palm of their hands throughout. 

If you've been checking ATPW's Facebook page recently you would have seen us share an exchange from this match. That exchanging ending in Ridgeway countering Ospreay's ace crusher attempt into a handstand, before delivering a kick to the chest for a near fall. The whole sequence was a blistering back and forth affair that raised the match into the next gear and would surely make even the most jaded of fans sit up and take notice. The ability to change the pace of the match and to know when to do so is an important one that both Ospreay and Ridgeway seemed to have a good grip on, with this sequence coming just at the right time.

Whilst it was a shame that a spot on the outside that saw Ospreay crack Ridgeway's fingers (a move that got a great reaction), seemed to be forgotton after a minute or so, the majority of the crowd couldn't have cared less, popping hard for the rest of the action and especially the near falls. Ospreay kicking out at one following a superkick and sunset flip from Ridgeway, was a nice moment that, and the crowd going nuts for Ospreay's subsequent kicks was even better, even if the Essex Destroyer attempt went a little awry. The Aerial Assassin picked up the win with a Spinal Tap to close a very good match, and pick up his first victory in the promotion.

One Fall Match

"The Star Attraction" Mark Haskins 

vs. 

"Mr. Massive" Chuck Cyrus

This match was way too long for what it was and seemed oddly placed in the main event slot on the card. The first ten minutes or so was rather slow, with the pair exchanging holds, which might have been okay had this not been Mark Haskin's debut for the promotion and the pair both seemingly working babyface. There was very little that held my attention in the first part of the bout, and those around where we were sitting seemed content to come up with various puns about how this supposedly "Massive Party" we were promised by Cyrus, wasn't much of a party at all. I mean, what kind of party doesn't even have balloons...or a cheese and pineapple hedgehog? 

That opening paragraph probably sounds a little harsh and I'm sure many who were in attendance will be shaking their heads in disagreement, because the second half of the match was rather good. Cyrus is genuinely impressive in the ring for a man of his size (although Massive may be an overstatement), with his Standing Moonsault and Standing Shooting Star Press especially showing some good agility. His multiple attempts at a Jackhammer also worked as a nice bit of story, leading a lovely deadlift version of the move that worked as a smashing false finish. 

With a strong pace towards the end, it was the more experienced Haskins who was able to pull out the victory, via submission with a Stretch Muffler. This came about after The Star Attraction had focused on Cyrus' knee for a short portion of the bout, including a dragon screw leg whip in the ropes. Cyrus sold the knee well for this time, but I'd have liked to have seen the injury inflicted a little earlier on, to give the finish a little less of an out of nowhere kind of feel. It seem as if Haskins would be working more a heel role for the promotion going forward thanks to the viciousness shown in the closing stages, against a clear fan favourite in SWA, making the after match handshake even more curious.

We had been promised an appearance from SWA Champion Joey Sanchez and his current manager Joanna Rose, and this came rather strangely after the match that appeared to be the main event. Joanna's promo cut straight through me, as she shouted her words at the microphone. Maybe the intention was to be annoying, but because of the shouting some of the words were lost for me. Essentially, Joanna called out SWA Owner Simon Brown, with a strange promo about Brown leaving the promotion, before Brown placed Sanchez in a title match with Big Mike Wild, who is apparently an SWA trainee.

One Fall Match for the SWA Championship

Big Mike Wild 

vs. 

Joey Sanchez (C)
with Joanna Rose

This was a weird match. I had never heard of Big Mike Wild before this match, he looks like Big Al Snow, which was picked up on quickly by some of the fans around us, with many wondering "Where oh where is Head?". Wild is clearly someone who is limited in the ring, and the match played to those limitations, consisting mainly of Wild hitting Sanchez with various forms of chop, including one to the back that sound like it had legitimately killed the champion. Even other SWA Academy members got involved on the chopping action, with the referee letting it go for reasons, and some of the members taking their involvement a little too seriously. Sanchez was able to retain his title, with a Codebreaker that almost certainly broke Wild's code, as he was unable to kick out. Not a great match by any stretch of the imagination but a match that did the best with what it had, and was thoroughly entertaining.

One Fall Match for the SWA Championship

"The All Day Star" Ryan Smile 

vs. 

Joey Sanchez (C)
with Joanna Rose

Of course, the show wasn't going to end with the Champion facing a Big Al Snow. It was all a rather clever set up for Ryan Smile to make his entrance to the ring (sans Flash paint) and cash-in a title shot that he won in the Gold Rush rumble in November. After a short exchange, Smile captured the title with a Smile High, getting a fantastic reaction as the fans stormed the ring. The moment felt truly special for the company, with every fan in attendance seemingly jumping to their feet for both Smile's entrance and subsequent victory. Smile's speech following the bout closed the show off with a real sense of purpose for the promotion going forward. 

Finally...

ATPW Scale Rating - 6.14

Another strong showing from the Shropshire Wrestling Alliance. Ryan Smile capturing the title and the fans reaction for that title match stand out as the best moment of the show, for the sheer emotion that those fans emanated. It's clear that those who attend SWA on a regular basis, truly appreciate the work that wrestlers and everyone involved with SWA put into the show and this came shining through when Smile won the title. It's a close  call for the Match of the Night however between the Four Way TLC bout and Ridgeway vs. Ospreay with both matches offering something different and both having different reasons for being worthy of taking the MOTN.

There wasn't a bad match on the show, even the Wild vs. Sanchez match that could have been a mess, worked well for what it was, with the pair clearly aware of what was needed and what they could do together in the ring. I very much look forward to return trip to Dawley (which is great) in October and I hope to see you there.

You find out more about SWA on Facebook and Twitter by clicking on the links.

Wrestle Ropes' Ready For The Weekend (24th-26th July 2015)

Another weekend, another pack schedule of events. So let's get started on just a few shows coming up this weekend.

To kick off the weekend, on Friday night, Grand Pro Wrestling are in action at their regular haunt of The Rose Club in Hindley, Wigan with Cruel Summer. Right at the top of the card is Bubblegum defending the GPW Championship against Craig Kollins. 'The One Man Riot' has had a hell of a debut year in GPW, arguably the best of any in the history of the promotion. He has defeated everyone put in his path in 2015. That being said he's now facing one of the best in GPW and in Europe right now in the shape of Bubblegum. Kollins has the opportunity to become a GPW champion in less than a year but to do so he'll have to be at the top of his game to beat the man at the top of GPW. Another man who is at the top of his game is 'The Grappler' Jack Gallagher. Without question Gallagher is one of the finest if not thee finest technical, pure wrestler in Europe at present. His opponent is a young man by the name of 'The Priority' Chris Ridgeway, who has had some great matches with some of the best in Europe this year and beaten quite a few of them. Ridgeway is a star on the rise, Gallagher is a star that is burning bright. On Friday, these two stars are going to collide and it'll be explosive. The Bad Lads and the Midnight Bin Collection have had a storied rivalry over the past few months in Grand Pro Wrestling, with wins going back and for the between the two teams. It has now come to a point that their issues need to be settled and they may very well be on July 24th when The Bad Lads defend the GPW Tag Team Championship against former champions, Midnight Bin Collection in a Dumpster match. Whether their issues will be settled or not is unknown. What is known is that one team is walking out of Cruel Summer with the gold, while the other will be wheeled out with the trash. All of this plus a GPW British Championship defence, the continuation of the North West Rookie League and a lot more takes place this Friday night in Hindley, Wigan.

Moving on to Saturday and we're faced the familiar dilemma of too many shows to just pick one... so we picked two! Up first on Saturday we have Empress Pro Wrestling hosting their inaugural Empress Pro Invitational Tournament in High Wycombe at the Art4Every1 Centre. The tournament consists of four qualifying matches with the the winners moving forward to a four-way final match. One of the qualifying matches scheduled to take place will see fellow Irish competitors, Katey Harvey and Rhia O'Reilly face one-on-one. Both of these wrestlers are exceptionally talented. While Rhia O'Reilly has appeared all over the UK and US and is rightly one of Ireland's best wrestling exports. Katey Harvey is probably lesser known to those in the UK. However, this match will be no walk in the park for O'Reilly. Katey Harvey is a highly-talented individual who will push Rhia O'Reilly to the maximum. Anyone unfamiliar with Harvey before the show, will be very aware of the talent and skills she possesses by the end of it, regardless of the match result. Another qualifying match taking place on Saturday will feature Kay Lee Ray and Sammi Baynz. For as gifted as both these women are, they have never face each other despite them collectively winning eight championships during their careers so far. There is a very high chance that one of these two competitors will add the EPI2015 trophy to their list of accomplishments on July 25th. Taking a step away from tournament matches, on Saturday there shall be a tag team match that will determine which pair of 'besties' are better when Nadia Sapphire & Faith Lehaine of Team Superficial take on The Bae Club's Sammii Jayne & Debbie Sharpe. Both these teams say they are the best, on Saturday in High Wycombe, one of them is going to prove it. Add in two other qualifying matches featuring Chardonnay and Courtney plus Violet Vendetta and Addy Starr and then the four-way final, Empress Pro look set to deliver a great inaugural tournament.

Also taking place on Saturday we have Shropshire Wrestling Alliance's Summer BlowOut 2015 at the Dawley Town Hall in Telford. If you're a fan of young rising talent then you'll not want to miss Chris Ridgeway vs Will Opreay. Now we've already spoke about Ridgeway earlier and how his star is on the rise right now. His opponent, Will Osrpeay is another who has limitless possibilities in their future. Both men are going further afield, picking up wins and having matches that leave people talking. On Saturday we'll see which one can pick up the win against the other. July 25th will also see former best friends become opponents when Pete Dunne competes against Ryan Smile in Dawley, Telford. This match came about when the current SWA Heavyweight champion, Joey Sanchez announced that Smile would be facing his former friend, undoubtedly as a way to stop Ryan Smile cashing-in his championship opportunity. If Smile wants to get the championship then he shall have to put his old rivalry with the 'Bitter & Twisted' Pete Dunne to rest. Speaking of championship opportunities, Chris Brookes, Damian Dunne, Eric Ryan & Dan Moloney will compete in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match with the winner earning a championship match of their choosing. Moloney, Brookes & Dunne could all argue their right to a championship match based on previous performances. However with the added unknown of CZW regular Eric Ryan plus legalised weapons, it could well come down to who is the most resilient to decide who wins the opportunity. Add in matches featuring Mark Haskins, Nixon Newell, Chuck Cyrus & Toni Storm and SWA are on track to deliver once again.

On Sunday night, Insane Championship Wrestling make their return to the O2 ABC in Glasgow for Shug's Hoose Party II, as part of their Waynestock weekend that will see them hit the Community Central Halls (also in Glasgow) the night before for Long Before Wesley Snipes. The 55 are a group of men who have run roughshot in ICW for months, attacking who they choose, when they choose. One of the men then have particularly focused on however, is Grado. The 55 have seen Grado as everything they are against and have never passed up the opportunity to show that. On Sunday night, Grado will face possibly the most dangerous man of The 55, Bram. Grado has never been one to back down from a fight and the fight will be taken to him on July 26th. It's unlikely that this will end this feud but maybe Grado can send a message and overcome The 55. Back in January, Dickie Divers won the Square Go and a guaranteed Heavyweight Championship match. The only issue with his win is that he eliminated his New Age Kliq brother, Chris Renfrew to do it. Renfrew didn't like that. From that point on, Chris Renfrew has descended into a deeper, darker place till his only focus was Dickie Divers and his destruction. Dickie Divers now stands alone in ICW and Chris Renfrew is more dangerous than he has ever been. Renfrew wants the Square Go contract but he wants to destroy Dickie Divers just as much. If Divers is to keep the contract, he'll need to not only win the ladder match this Sunday but survive Chris Renfrew. In the main event we shall see Big Damo challenge Drew Galloway for the ICW World Heavyweight Championship. Big Damo has been on a roll in ICW for months, demolishing opponent after opponent. While Drew Galloway has been defending the ICW World Championship all over the world. Big Damo feels that his isn't respect by Galloway or those in control of ICW. Galloway is undoubtly once of the most in-demand and talented wrestlers in the world. On Sunday, Big Damo is guaranteeing to prove to everyone what he already knows. That he can be the ICW World Heavyweight champion and not Drew Galloway or ICW can stop that from happening. All of this plus matches involving Joe Coffey, Sha Samuels, Mark Coffey, Jackie Polo, Kenny Williams and not forgetting the wedding of DCT & Viper takes place in Glasgow at the old out O2 ABC.


That wraps up this week's preview of the weekend's wrestling schedule. Of course, there are many more events taking place over the three days. To find out more about the shows we've highlighted here as well as all the others, check us out at www.wrestleropesuk.wordpress.com for the latest show and match announcements, British Wrestling event list, interviews, exclusive columns, reviews, reports and results!

WrestleRopes' Ready for the Weekend (26th June - 28th June 2015)

The very good folks at Across The Pond asked us if we would like to do a weekly preview of some of the shows scheduled for the weekend and we were happy to oblige such a great site as this. So without further a do, let's get underway!

Credit: HOPE Wrestling/Ringside World/Smile Designs

On Friday night, HOPE Wrestling are back at the Forest Town Arena in Mansfield, a venue they've really defined as their home in the past year or so. Evolution XXIV: We'll Start a Fire...And Burn Some Bridges is going to see four qualifying matches take place with the winner from each contest earning a place in the six-way HOPE Championship match on July 17^th. With qualifying matches such as Martin Kirby vs. Ryan Smile and Joseph Conners vs. T-Bone, the outcomes of each match really are anyone's guess. Elsewhere on the card we have The Hooligans against The London Riots. If you have ever wanted to see a hard-hitting tag team match between two of the finest teams not just in the UK but in Europe then this is the match for you! 

Credit: Pro Wrestling Chaos

Saturday is jammed-packed when it comes to shows and we could have a whole article just dedicated to it with events from the top of Scotland to the South of England. However there can only be room for one, well two actually, and the first is ProWrestling Chaos' Heir to the Throne in Bristol. The main event will see Mike Bird defending the King Of Chaos Championship against Eddie Dennis. If you've never seen either Bird or Dennis then you're really missing out on two really talented guys on these shores and the match I almost guarantee to be a cracker. Whoever comes out on top in that match better keep their eye open however as there will also be a six-man Heir To The Throne ladder match with the winner earning a championship match at any time of their choosing. Those two matches plus Morgan Webster in action for the first time since retiring Dave Mercy and earning his roster spot back, Pro Wrestling Chaos are looking primed to deliver another great event.

Credit: Shropshire Wrestling Alliance/Smile Designs

Also on Saturday night, ShropshireWrestling Alliance have their first show for almost 3 months with The Return at the Dawley Town Hall in Telford. Now if you are unfamiliar with SWA then the best way we could describe them is to say they are the future. Their shows are packed with some of the hottest young wrestlers in the UK and their show this weekend is no different. Firstly we have Tyler Bate defending the British Lions Championship against Dan Moloney. Now if you wanted a match that showcased young talent in the UK then this is that match. Both of these men have been tearing it up in the last year or so in the UK and neither man is even in their 20s yet. There's also an SWA Heavyweight Championship ladder match between Joey Sanchez & Edwards in SWA's ongoing war with The Chase Coalition. With the added stipulation that if Edwards loses he's gone from SWA, there is a lot more on the line than the championship. In another intriguing match, Damian Dunne & Chris Ridgeway will be in a tag team action against Chris Brookes and.... well we don't know! The only person who does know Brookes' partner is Chris Brookes himself! Add in matches involving Ryan Smile, Chuck Cyrus, Marc Morgan plus big announcements for SWA's July 25^th show and you have a stacked night in Telford.

Now traditionally Sunday is a day of rest.... except in British Wrestling. This Sunday will see Tidal Championship Wrestling's latest show, High Tide, takes place in Leeds. There is only one way to describe this show. Violent. Firstly there will be possibly the biggest, heaviest Falls Count Anywhere match ever when Big Damo & Wolfgang face T-Bone & Dave Mastiff in a rematch from earlier this year. If that wasn't enough, we also have JD Boom facing Addy Starr. Now you might not think that sounds all that violent but this match will be a barefoot Lego match! Oh and the fans can bring their own Lego creations as well! However, Tidal Wrestling didn't think that was enough violence as we shall witness Rampage Brown vs. Liam Lazarus for the Tidal Championship in a Last Man Standing match. Now these two men don't dislike each other, they straight out hate each other! Then you add in matches like The Proven vs The London Riots, Pastor William Eaver, Joseph Conners, Joe Hendry & Sean Only in a four-way match and Ruby Summers facing Bete Noire who is affectionately referred to as 'Hard As F*ck' you know it's all going down in Leeds on Sunday.

That wraps up this week's preview of the weekend's wrestling schedule. Of course, there are many more events taking place over the three days. To find out more about the shows we've highlighted here as well as all the others coming up soon, check us out at www.wrestleropesuk.wordpress.com for the latest show and match announcements, British Wrestling event list, interviews, exclusive columns, reviews, reports and results!

SWA Summer Blowout Review

It's been a while since I've reviewed any British wrestling, so I thought I'd returned with a double header of excitement. Kicking of said double header, will be a look at Shropshire Wrestling Alliance's Summer Blowout show, presented on 29th September 2014 at Dawley Town Hall in Dawley (which is great).

The venue itself was superb, with the shape of the room and height of the ceiling, providing some great acoustics for the loud crowd. Although, calling this crowd simply loud feels like I'm doing them a disservice. This was perhaps the loudest wrestling crowd from start to finish I have ever had the pleasure to be a part of. There was no lull in this crowds enthusiasm and it certainly gave the performers in the ring a great soundscape to work with.

Let's take a look at the matches then...

Match 1 - 

Damian Dunne (C) vs. Mark Andrews 

for the British Lions Championship

The show kicked off with Damian Dunne defending the British Lions Championship against Mark Andrews. This match worked very well as an opening contest, with the two guys giving just enough of a taste of what they can do in the ring to get the crowd warmed up for the rest of the evening.
The wrestling throughout the match was clean and crisp, with Dunne spending a lot of the earlier stages of the match working over Andrews arm. Andrews was effective whilst working from underneath, as always he is an instantly likeable babyface so seeing him cut off everytime he attempt to make a comeback, meant that when he finally get in some sustained offence the crowd was red hot. It certainly helps that Andrews has one of the most exciting movesets in British wrestling, when you can pull out Super Hurracanranas and Standing Shooting Star Presses with ease, you're always going to get a great reaction. 

The finish saw the dastardly Dunne distract the referee with the championship belt, allowing him to hit a low blow on Andrews, rolling him up to get the three count and retain the title. A solid finish to the match, unfortunately I felt the referee took a little too long to turn around and make the three count, meaning Andrews was down for a very long time. It was a little disappointing to see the earlier work on the arm not come back into play, but I'd certainly like to see what these two could do in a main event, compared to this opener.

Simon Brown suspends Damage, Joey Sanchez Open Challenge

I spent the entire of this segment, completely and utterly confused. That's partly my own fault for not being familiar with storyline and the wrestlers involved, but the poor PA system and talent speaking to closely to the mic. From what I deciphered General Manager Simon Brown suspended wrestler Damage for attacking an official on a previous show, whilst Joey Sanchez issued an "Open Challenge" to G John Chase. Less of an open challenge, more of a.....erm.....challenge. G John Chase then came out an made it a Gauntlet match, with Sanchez' first opponent being Chase' new client. It's difficult to really say if this was a good segment or not, or even if the promos were any good, because I just couldn't hear what was being said! 

Match 2 

Sebastian Radclaw vs. Marshall X vs. Robert Rochester Rose

Before this match started, Sebastian Radclaw got on the mic to explain the history of his valet, a cuddly toy by the name of Skat Monkey. I really like Radclaw's character, but after the previous lengthy talking segment I found myself switching off from what was happening as Marshall X turned to attempt to steal Skat Monkey. Again the segment was hurt by the PA, I was relieved when Robert Rochester Rose came out to put an end to it. 

This match never really clicked for me, for a number of reasons. Firstly, Marshall using Skat Monkey directly in front of the referee made absolutely no sense, especially when there was an extra man in the ring to create a distraction for the referee. Secondly, Rose added very little to the match, his moves were a little sloppy and he only hit a few of them anyway. Personally, I think this match would have been far better off as a singles match between Radclaw and Marshall X.

Radclaw went on to pick up the victory with a roll up on Rose, hopefully this will lead to a bout between Radclaw and Marshall X later on down the line, as I think the two characters could work very well together if given the opportunity. 

Match 3

The Vulture Squad vs Second City Collective 

The first half main event began with...more talking. I understood why Ryan Smile was explaining the importance and background of this contest, I just could have done without it following on from one long talking segment, and the previous match that included a lot of talking. Credit to Smile who managed to come through quite clearly however, as he held the mic a little further from his face. 

However, once Pete Dunne hit Nixon Newell with a strong forearm to the face to open the match, things really got going as the four competitors put on an exciting tag team bout. The in-ring action was technically sound, with a real intensity and depth to it, especially when Nixon and Dunne were in the ring together. The action was well paced, building nicely to each moment, with a good array of tag team moves like The Vulture Squad's Camel Clutch/Front Kick combination, and solo efforts like Smile's early Tope Conhilo.

Dunne spent a long time working Nixon's knee, which seemed to simply be a way of building for a hot tag to start with, so I was very happy to see it factor into the finish of the match, which saw Dunne kick Nixon in the knee and slap on a Texas Cloverleaf. Nixon did manage to make it to the ropes, but with the referee down he unable to stop Dunne dragging Nixon back into the centre of the ring for the submission victory, just after the ref came to. Big thumbs up from me on this finish, and with the teams now level on one a piece I certainly wouldn't say no to a rematch.

The dynamic of Dunne and Ryan Smile as a tag team was an interesting one, with Dunne working as an out and out heel, whilst Smile worked more of a tweener role. This idea could have fallen flat on it's face, but the Birmingham two pulled it off very well. As with another rematch, I'm intrigued to see where this partnership leads, it's certainly grabbed my attention.

Match 4

Joey Sanchez vs. Marc Morgan with G John Chase

Following the interval, G John Chase brought out his newest client, Marc Morgan to be Joey Sanchez's opponent. It was my first time seeing both Sanchez and Morgan and I have to say I was impressed. 

After some work on the outside before the bell rang, including a nasty looking baking tray shot to Morgan's head, the match settled into a strong storytelling bout. The psychology was spot on, as Morgan spent the entire match focused on Sanchez's arm. Things were kept interesting with some really nice offence from Morgan including an Old School transitioned into a Leg Lariat focused on the arm! A number of times Sanchez would attempt to fight back, only for Morgan to land another move on the arm. This would lead Sanchez getting caught in a Crossface, who managed to hold on despite Chase holding the ropes away from him. 

With Sanchez seemingly gaining an upperhand with Morgan in a Sharpshooter, Chase distracted the referee, allowing a mystery man to run in and attack Sanchez and allow Morgan to pick up the victory. Another strong finish that advanced the storyline, as the mystery man was revealed to have joined Chase's stable alongside Morgan and Damage. I couldn't make out the name of the attacker on the night, but it would turn out to be Darvien Vayne, another name new to me. 

Sanchez gets extra points for continue to sell the arm injury for the rest of the night, including when coming out sing "Happy Birthday" to young fan at ringside. It was something he didn't particularly have to do, but to those fans sitting directly opposite him as we were, the slight winch when clapping his hands was the icing on the cake. 

Any review of this match would be incomplete without a mention to perhaps the greatest piece of heckling there has ever been at a wrestling show. With Sanchez gaining an advantage, some fine chap, belted out the words "Thunderfuck him" in reference to Morgan. I have no idea what "Thunderfuck" means, but whoever it was that shouted it out, I will find you and I will shake your hand for reducing grown men to giggling like girls for the majority of the car ride home.

Match 5 - 

Dan Maloney vs. Edwards

Before this show, I had never heard of Edwards, let alone seen him wrestle. But that wasn't the case for the crowd in Dawley Town Hall, who gave him a terrific pop upon his entrance. He's certainly doing something right here. 

The match was a lot of fun and a nice change of pace from the previous contest, mostly made up of a brawl on the outside, before the bell, including the use of a mop, an ice bucket and at one point a small child, in what became known as "child slam gate". 

Bell to bell, the bout was relatively short, as Edwards hit a Rock Bottom and Swantom Bomb, which Maloney no sold, before hitting a Lariat to pick up the pin fall victory. Whilst I understand the reasons behind having Maloney no sell the Swanton Bomb, a move like this from a man the size of Edwards shouldn't have been brushed off in such a fashion, it makes it very hard to suspend disbelief in such situations. 

Match 6

Tyler Bate vs. Jay LethalFor The ROH World Television Championship

What a terrific match this was. It's not often that single match is worth the admission price alone, but this certainly was. 

Face vs Face matches have the potential to be very flat, but the crowd split nicely between the two, including some electric duelling chants. The wrestlers returned the favour keeping a good pace throughout the bout, which went back and forth with a number of impressive reversals and sequences. 

Lethal certainly wasn't turning up expecting an easy payday either, delivering some loud chops to Bate early on in the match, with Bate giving as good as he got. The match built nicely towards it's finish, with Lethal attempting to hit his Lethal Injection finisher a number of times, with Bate coming up with some inventive reversals, including a Reverse Aeroplane spin which got a nice pop out of the crowd. 

When it's clear that one wrestler is going to win, it can be very difficult to get a crowd invested in the false finishes. Therefore, it's a credit to both involved that the false finishes were so good, that the crowd, including myself, were completely and utterly invested with everything they did in the ring. The false finishes came thick and fast towards the end, and at times I was convinced Bate was walking out with the title, especially following a Yakuza Kick into Sitout Powerbomb combination. 

When Lethal did pick up the win, via Lethal Injection, the crowd was on their feet, applauding the sublime performance the two men put in. The crowd getting in the ring to lift Bate into the air is one of the strongest visuals I've seen at a show. Bate might have lost here, but it's a loss that has elevated with the SWA ranks, and in the eyes of the fans. 

 For a 17 year old, to be able to step into the ring with a man of Lethal's calibre and not look out of place is a testament just how far Bate has come in the last year. Has there been a more complete wrestler at such a young age?

Finally...

The most important question following a wrestling show is "Would I go to this promotion again?" and the answer here would be a resounding yes. From the incredible crowd and venue to the top notch main event, I was entertained for the majority of the show. Whilst there was a few problem with the PA and maybe a bit too much talking in the first half, for £6 it was more than value for money. 

Thanks for reading, if you'd like to know more about ATPW, check out our Facebook and Twitter pages.