The Merch Table - Kayfabe Clothing, Mark Haskins, SPLX, Pro Wrestling Tees & One Fall Media

So, The Merch Table has been away for awhile and well it has returned as a three part special for this week, no really. Divided into three parts, Part one focuses on the wrestlers merchandise, Part Two aimed at the Promotions and concluding on Friday with a combination of anything I may of missed and even requests from yourselves of merchandise from your favourite wrestlers that I’ll hunt for.

With that said and done, let’s move on time is not our friend and we start off with the superb Clothing line of...

I featured this line from other wrestlers before namely The Filthy Generation (Stevie Boy and Kay Lee Ray) and Carmel Jacob in a previous Merch Table but let’s focus a bit more in what the clothing line aims for & who else they feature…

“Kayfabe Clothing aim to bring the highest quality in alternative pro wrestling T-Shirts inspired by the industry itself or parodies. We supply Men's T-Shirts, Ladies T-Shirts, Hoodies of both the pullover and zip variety and other apparel inspired by the pro wrestling industry.” - Kayfabe Clothing Website. 

You know what, they are absolutely right, I can vouch that what they say is true, 

BT Gunn

Who is BT Gunn? - In a nutshell, he is one of the UK’s most dynamic and resilient wrestlers in the world today. He is the PBW Heavyweight and BCW Heavyweight Champion as well as Co-Holder of the PWE Tag Team Championships with Chris Renfrew. He is responsible for being involved in some of ICW’s most brutal rivalries throughout it’s 10 year history and continually leads by example as a trainer in the GPWA Academy.

http://www.kayfabeclothing.com/bt-gunn

Hoody: £34.99.
Available in Sizes: S - 2XL.

Wolfgang

Who is Wolfgang? - He is the ICW World Heavyweight Champion and he is one of Scotland’s most prominent figures in wrestling. Some people say big men can’t fly, those people haven’t seen Wolfgang in the ring, wither he’s matching power with power against some of the strongest men across the UK, he also has the agility to surprise opponents and fans alike with his highflying ability.

http://www.kayfabeclothing.com/wolfgang

T-Shirt: £19.99.
Available in Sizes: S - 2XL.

Mark Coffey

Who is Mark Coffey? - The SWA Heavyweight Champion as well Co-Holder of the ICW and SWA Tag Team Championship alongside Jackie Polo. Straight up one of the most respected men in UK wrestling, equally responsible of some of the best and shocking moments on SWA, ICW and PWE. When he’s good he’s good but when he’s bad…Who’s Bad? He Bad.

http://www.kayfabeclothing.com/product-page/49ea99f3-173f-96df-2bc4-55e6bdce34db

T-shirt: £19.99.
Available in Sizes: XS - XL 

“I do this for my kids, my wife, for the never ending passion that burns within me, to where every moment of each day my brain can only think of that one thing. I hate it when people say that your dream can't be reality, like, come on, look at me. I’m a 5'6 180lbs country boy from England and yet I get to travel the globe, striving forward in the land of the big guys, living my dream in front of thousands of fans. That’s pretty fucking mental to me. Dream big.” - Mark Haskins.

More than I can ever say really, the PROGRESS World Champion

http://www.fighthaskins.com/product/haskins-never-stay-down-pre-order

T-shirt: £20
Available in Sizes: S-XL

“Suplex (SPLX) is a team formed of top athletes from the professional wrestling world. We fully embrace the athletic aspect of the industry and believe we have formed a stellar unit featuring Zack Sabre, Jr., Adam Cole, Dave Mastiff, Gail Kim, Prince Devitt, and Kyle O’Reilly.Thank you for supporting the SPLX brand and our sponsored athletes. We aim to always progress as a company and help assist in creating your legacy.” - SPLX

The mission statement of the illustrious SPLX team.

http://store.suplexapparel.com/product/team-suplex-ampersand-t-shirt-zack-sabre-jr-adam-cole-dave-mastiff-fergal-devitt

T-shirt: £16.99
Available in Sizes: M-XL

“Here at ProWrestlingTees.com we work directly with some of the greatest wrestlers in history. By allowing wrestlers to create their own stores it gives you, the fans, the opportunity to own t-shirts you have seen at shows, in pictures or may have never seen before. All stores, products and photos are owned by the wrestlers themselves. Profits go directly to the wrestlers to support what they do and what you love.” - ProWrestlingTees.com

I’ve personally ordered from PWT and found them to be excellent also I find it’s no surprise that many more wrestlers are becoming part of their ever growing circle.

Viper

One of the many stars to be featured in the recent ITV World of Sport Pilot and Alpha Omega Wrestling Wrestling Champion.

http://www.prowrestlingtees.com/catalog/category/view/id/847

We are focused on his T-shirt: Prices start at $19.99
Available in Sizes: S-5XL

Kimber Lee

World famous star who has already made of hell of an imp at in the UK and soon to be seen on ICW’s Road to The Hydro tour, she has been a multiple Champion in many different promotions across the world, need I say more.

http://www.prowrestlingtees.com/princess-kimber-lee.html

T-shirt: $19.99
Available in Sizes: S-5XL

Su Yung

This was a special request, so I’ve found images of several t-shirts by the lady in question on Pro Wrestling Tees. For fans who may not have seen Su Yung, she has excelled and terrified fans alike in any promotion she has been a part of, like Shine, Shimmer, FCW, MLW to name a few and many many more.

T-Shirt: $19.99
Available in Sizes: S-5XL

Concluding today’s Merch Stand is…

This team are hosting the debut of The One Fall Sessions LIVE from Glasgow on Thursday 17th November, as part of the Insane Championship Wrestling. Hosted by Simon Cassidy, bringing  exclusive interviews and Q&A hosted with Tag Champions Mark Coffey & Jackie Polo, Polo Promotions, DCT - Wrestler and Kenny Williams ahead ICW in The Hydro.
The event will also feature stand up from the one and only Billy Kirkwood!

To celebrate this show or just simply support them…

http://www.mansruinstore.co.uk/onefall/

T-shirt: £14.99
Available in Sizes: S-3XL

Words and Images - Craig Hermit 
Editor - James Marston
        

Event Review: PROGRESS Chapter 36: We're Gonna Need a Bigger Room...Again (Tommy End v Mark Haskins v Marty Scurll)

It wasn't just the biggest show in company history, it was the biggest show England had seen since Big Daddy and his pals loomed large. It featured some of the best wrestlers in the country across the card and three of the very best in the entire world in the main event. Chapter 36 had a hell of a lot to live up as over 2000 PROGRESS Ultras descended upon the O2 Academy Brixton in the hope of being a part of something special. Now usually at this point, I'd tease that the show could end up being a disappointment, but this is PROGRESS and the real question here was, just how special would this show be? Let's find out, lads and lasses. 

Marty Scurll. Tommy End. Mark Haskins. Just looking at those names all in the same line should send a shiver down any die-hard wrestling fan's spine and if it doesn't...go away. These three men put on a real display, fitting of the main event slot and whilst most of the talk will be about the finish, it would be almost irresponsible not to begin by talking about the marvelous work that all three did to build towards it and the clever booking that steadily unfolded across over a half hour. After a tense start, displaying the lengthy history that all three share and an number of early pin attempts, each one of the trio was given ample time to shine. Haskins and End looked great when beating the shit out of The Villain, whilst equally upping their game when coming up against each other in a number of pacy and violent strike and grapple sequences. 

Whilst I've always preferred triple threats with two heels, despite some obvious examples on the other side of the coin, they just tend to produce the best opportunities for story-telling. However, I'm just gonna throw that line of thought out of the window, because this contest produced some of the richest narratives that one could hope for, whilst also being incredibly simple at the same time. Everyone wants the belt, everyone that isn't Marty really doesn't like Marty, Marty will do absolutely anything to walk out with the belt. This meant that every move hit on Scurll was extremely satisfying, because he's just so damn good at being a dick and with Haskins and End being some of the hardest hitting wrestlers in Europe you've got yourself a magic combination. The build of near falls for both challengers, the escalation of Scurll's chicanery, every agonising submission, the dramatic sequence on the apron that would lead to End and Scurll suplexing Haskins through a table and a lot more all came together to create a compelling, dynamic, convincing work of art, with an electric Brixton crowd adding a big scoop of whipped cream on the sweet, sweet pie that was this match. 

So, I should probably speak about the finish at some point, because if the crowd were electric to begin with things were about to become...ultra electric (yeah)! The narrative of Scurll being a man possessed trying to keep hold of his prize came to a thrilling climax as he took out every referee in the building after being unable to put End away with multiple Gotch-style piledriver attempts. As the crowd poured scorn on Scurll, The Villain ended up face to face with one third of PROGRESS' owners, Jim Smallman, when the familiar stab of former PROGRESS Champion Jimmy Havoc's music hit for the first time in over a year and Havoc nailed Scurll with a precise Acid Rain Maker, with a knowing nod to former arch rival Smallman. It was a marvelous moment that got the reaction it deserved, whilst setting up a now mouth-watering potential clash between The Villain and perhaps the only man in company history who could out Villain the Villain. This being PROGRESS, I'm sure we'll get to hear from Havoc in due course, to fully explain his involvement.

One of my favourite things about this match, was that the fall didn't come directly after Havoc's interference, because it easily could have felt like Havoc handing the belt to someone, which wouldn't have been the best way to start off a new technico champion. Luckily, after Havoc left, there was one last sprint of action with Scurll and Haskins grappling for just enough the right amount of time before Scurll found himself locked deep within the Sharpshooter. It was so very satisfying to see Haskins finally win the belt after coming supremely close on a number of occasions and do so in convincing form, finally getting a man who has terrorised him for months to submit. This match really did have a little bit of everything, transitioning from a strong wrestling three way into a more sports entertainment style with the angle in the final third, before finishing off with a wonderfully cathartic finish. If you like your wrestling to tell a story, then you'll love this match. 

I was almost tempted to do a similar opening for this match as I did for the last, as it really does have the same kind of feel. Two of the best, in a match type that when done well encourages great wrestling and story-telling, whilst also having a strong back-story and lead-in...there wasn't really a way this could go wrong. Honestly, having seen the previous two matches between the pair in May and December 2015, this was pretty much exactly what I wanted to see from ZSJ and Ciampa here. The duo have a tonne of chemistry in the ring, working holds as well as anyone, slick and crisp in every move and transition, that almost half an hour of wrestling seemed to pass by in a flash. Their previous matches have presented an interesting twist on the old cliche of technical wrestler vs physical brawler, because both men able to raise their game to meet the other in either category and the 2/3 falls gimmick allowed them to get into this even more than before. 

In the first two falls, ZSJ worked Ciampa's arm pretty extensively, with The Psycho Killer doing a stunning sell job, both when in the holds and when later on the offense. This worked nicely as a foundation, whilst also presenting a through thread to follow throughout the match, with the crowd popping anytime ZSJ went near Ciampa's hurt wing. There were also a plethora of pin falls, each made more convincing by the gimmick and the sheer smoothness of the pair's work. I lost track of the number of stunning sequences that the Cruiserweight Classic alumni put on here, but each would culminate with one of the other gaining a near fall, as the crowd got further sucked in. Slotted into this was ZSJ taking the opportunity to lock in a triangle choke with Ciampa fighting out and nailing a make-shift Project Ciampa, threading the two stories together well. This portion of the match would end with some more silky action, climaxing with both men managing to keep each others shoulders pinned to the mat, resulting in the match going to 1-1. I'm still undecided on this as a "finish" here, as part of me feels like it was trying to be a bit too clever, however the result did mean that the final fall would come out as the distinctive victory after both men had proved to be evenly matched. 

The final fall was an eight minute sprint that saw both men going all out to outdo his opponent, with a number of strong potential finishes and a riled up audience. The pair showed an impressive ability to switch gears in a match that could have easily have peaked too early, as ZSJ brought a renewed focus on Ciampa's arm following a wonderful back and forth submission sequence, whilst the former ROH World Television Champion dipped into his bag of tricks, including hitting a Pedigree for two and an Avalanche Project Ciampa. With both men becoming increasingly frustrated the match broke down in to a number of nasty slaps and strikes, somehow finding another place to take the contest, before ZSJ was able to get the win with Hurrah!... Octopus Hold. When all was said and done and Ciampa gave his last bow in an independent wrestling ring, Brixton had been treated to an incredibly technical, incredibly physical, strong-style epic!  

Topping the undercard was a sprawling encounter, that saw The Origin's Dave Mastiff, El Ligero, Nathan Cruz and Zack Gibson take on some of their biggest rivals in Damon Moser, Jack Gallagher and FSU's Eddie Dennis & Mark Andrews. However, the group's biggest rival of all has always been the fans and this was typified with the reaction that all the foursome and especially Gibson received as they attempted to cut their traditional pre-match promo. This included the crowd throwing so much toilet paper into the ring that I was expected a shit load of Andrex puppies to come flying down the aisle to reclaim it. It was an incredible sight, that made fun of the villainous group, with The Origin absolutely reveling in the reaction they were getting. The babyfaces did a great job of encouraging the crowd to keep going, controlling them well, adding to the brilliant work that Gibson was doing on the microphone, exaggerating ever syllable to get the best reaction, whilst Mastiff was making toilet roll angels. 

The match was a lorra lorra fun, as everyone brawled around the large room, featuring some great spots, including Andrews hitting a moonsault off a high barricade. As much as the issues between the teams felt serious, the tone of the match often verged towards the comedic with the performance skills of the likes of Ligero and Mastiff, helping to get the mood of the action spot on. The babyfaces would often get the better of their rivals, with a wonderful spot seeing Gallagher ties all of the opposite team (except Mastiff) in knots, whilst he, Dennis and Andrews basked in the glory. The contest also featured one of the best false finishes of the night, as after Ligero had pushed referee Joel too far, he took a Stunner from the ref, followed up by a beautiful Next Stop Driver from Dennis, assisted by a Shooting Star Press from Andrews, only for Gibson making the save just in time. The finish was a fitting end to Gallagher's time on the independents as he and the man he's faced more than anyone else in his career, Gibson, put together some lovely wrestling, for what was perhaps the final time. Of course, with this being The Origin the finish would have to include shenanigans as Mastiff nailed Gallagher with a car stereo, allowing Gibson to hit a spinning brainbuster for the win and keep The Origin together as a group. As much it would have been perfectly fitting to have broken up the Origin here, with various other feel good moments on the show, it makes sense to continue to build four of the promotions hottest heels, plus giving Gibson the pin on Gallagher on his way out the door gives Liverpool's Number One even more ammunition to fire at the crowd at future shows.

The biggest contest on the first half of the show was the Tag Team title bout, that saw British Strong Style (Pete Dunne & Trent Seven) go over The London Riots (James Davis & Rob Lynch) to pick up their first titles in PROGRESS. This was a very good, action packed tag bout, that rarely took time for a breath, featuring some quality spots and a perhaps surprising sprinkling of comedy. This was a style that suited all four men well, as they used spots like all four sitting on chairs outside the ring and trading brutal forearms and focused on Dunne's obsession with biting opponents, building to a bite-fest between all four. These sorts of sequences could have felt jarring with some of the more serious action, but in the context of the story, that didn't have a whole lot of prior build, made it feel more like both teams were trying to one up the other. 

I found it interesting that there was no notable face in peril and hot tag sequence, or at least a very short one, with both teams mostly just trading big moves and near falls. There was one section in particular, that featured biting, forearms, German suplexes and Powerbombs that really highlighted this as the four men rotated the momentum with no one holding it for long. This was arguably the best-booked match of the evening, as after proving they could go toe to toe with the Tag Team Champions, Dunne and Seven took the easy way out as following a ref bump, Seven drove the handle of London Riots' cricket bat straight into the already hurt eye of Lynch and finished things off with a piledriver combined with a running punt kick from Dunne. British Strong Style have risen quickly after only forming as a team at Chapter 33, but they are also one of the most interesting heel teams in recent memory, with plenty of depth to their act. As good a bout as this was, I feel the best is still to come from Pete Dunne and Trent Seven in PROGRESS! 

Joe Coffey and Rampage Brown could walk into pretty much any company in the country and end up in the main event, however their clash in the Final of the Atlas Championship tournament opened the show as the pair had a belting heavyweight tussle. I'll be honest and say that I haven't been overly enamoured by the "big lads" division heading into the show, with the tournament having a couple of issues, but this match was exactly what the division should be about. Coffey and Brown went right at it, keeping things fairly open throughout the bout, but giving both men ample time to look their best. The duo traded big blows throughout with the action spilling to the outside early on where Coffey hit a snap scoop powerslam, that really set the tone for how things would pan out. 

The match was full of impressive moments and well worked sequences, that got over the idea that Coffey and Brown were evenly matches, whilst also setting up the duos finishes, with a sequence where Coffey would struggle out of a piledriver attempt particularly standing out. After tonnes of tit for tat fighting that included chops and headbutts and a wonderful suplex sequence, it was Brown who weathered the storm, kicking out of a Discus Lariat, before nailing an avalanche samoan drop and a piledriver, which would be followed up by another following Coffey's resilient kick out to become the first Atlas Champion. Just like the tournament itself had been, putting these two at the start of the show was a brave choice by PROGRESS, but it paid off well, with the pace and make up of the contest getting the crowd even hotter for the rest of the show. A re-match is surely a must!

The lone women's match was a relatively low-key trios match, that still provided some strong action in an energetic ten minutes. With a tournament to crown the first Women's Champion supposedly just around the corner, Jinny, Dahlia Black and Alex Windsor went over Nixon Newell, Laura Di Matteo and Pollyanna in a match that was structured perfectly and got the most out of everyone involved. Pollyanna worked well as the face in peril as arguably the most over babyface, whilst TK Cooper's involvement at ringside and some wonderful rudo work by Jinny and Black got great reactions. Things would break down shortly after the hot tag, rolling along at break neck speed as everyone rotated in and out of the ring hitting big moves. The standout here would have to be Jinny's version of the Styles Clash which got a massive pop. The finish tied everything up neatly, as Cooper would end up hitting girlfriend Black in the face after Pollyanna ducked, then get kicked in the dick by Newell, before a busy busy finish saw Jinny able to put long-time rival LDM away with her Face Lift Finish. 

The second half would feature a bonus match, after Paul Robinson returned after a four month hiatus and his demand for a match was answered by Chuck Mambo, who was, perhaps surprisingly, having his first one on one match on a Chapter show. This was a simple bout done well, as Robinson had plenty of heat and Mambo is a popular persona. Structure wise this was plain, with a face shine, strong heat sequence, short comeback including a nice blockbuster, a decent near fall for Mambo, before Robinson collected the W with a nasty curb stomp. It was short, sweet, but effective, with both men working hard to maximise the time they were given, whilst also taking time to make sure the crowd were back up to their usual levels after the interval. Part of the enjoyment here was that both hadn't been seen all that often recently, and so their work seemed fresh and exciting, however they definitely both staked a claim to deserving more time on the product with their performances. 

Unfortunately, Pastor William Eaver and Sebastian's No Disqualification match ended within seconds after Sebastian was legitimately knocked out by a lariat and had to be taken out of the ring on a stretcher after being seen to by paramedics. This was handled well by everyone involved, including a respectful crowd. Hopefully, we get to see this match sometime soon, but more importantly I'd like to wish Sebastian a swift return to health following the accident. 

Finally... 

ATPW Scale Rating - 8.16/10 

Man, what a show. Seriously, this was the first event I've given above a "Superb" rating on the ATPW Scale. Top to bottom, each match outdid itself in it's position on the card and there was barely a moment where the crowd wasn't totally into the action and with 2400 in attendance the atmosphere made things extra special. The main event was my match of the night, because I love dramatic narrative wrestling, but you really could have picked any of the top half of the show. I could go on and on here, but if you've read the rest of the review and haven't seen this show yet, you'll know exactly what I'm going to tell you, go now, demandprogress.pivotshare.com.

Words and Images - James Marston 
Image Source - Facebook.com 

All images are the property of their respective owners

Opinion: The British Aren't Coming, They're Already Here

Source - aminoapps.com

It’s that time of month of again when ATPW grants me a column to write my thoughts down and present them to yourselves for you to read, to enjoy, to scorn at while you read on the couch, the train or sitting on the toilet hoping that you locked the door and no one knows what you're doing. So as I write this, the PWG Battle of Los Angeles has been won by Marty Scurll and already I look on social media there’s announcements of “The British is Coming”, ‘The UK is taking over” and “The UK rules wrestling!”. I have to ask really? 

I have no qualms about the success of UK wrestling across the world at the moment as well as the state of play of wrestling in the UK as a whole, it certainly seems to be hitting that golden era again. For years people have said I’m too positive about the UK and Ireland’s success in wrestling, but from my mind set regarding “The British is Coming”, this isn’t even the beginning of what the UK and Ireland has to offer, fans across the world are only just recognising tip of the talent from what the United Kingdom and Ireland presents. 

Earlier I mentioned PWG BOLA, Marty Scurll, the current PROGRESS Wrestling Champion was triumphant in his journey to the surprise and the delight of many. The tournament included the current Revolution Pro Wrestling British Cruiserweight Champion and New Japan Pro Wrestling Best of the Super Juniors Winner Will Ospreay as well. These two men who battled over the PROGRESS Championship last year have made 2016 theirs and the year isn’t even over yet. 

Over in World Wrestling Entertainment, the Cruiserweight Classic has included former BOLA Winner Zack Sabre Jr as well as Noam Dar, Jack Gallagher and in NXT Nikki Cross, it is easy to understand why fans are saying the British are coming when you look at the evidence in WWE this year alone. Some may say that the WWE doesn’t always equal success and while that is true in the past, fans can sense a difference in the treatment of the way the new arrivals have been given. Thanks to the CWC, they have been given almost free reign to play to their strengths and not repackaged in any way. The same goes for Cross in NXT, who many have dropped the Storm in the name, but in name only as personally I see the same attitude and excellence I witnessed in Fierce Females, Insane Championship Wrestling and Scottish Wrestling Alliance that she brought to the table.

Image Source - Snapmarenecks.com 

It doesn’t stop there, earlier this year Joe Coffey was in Evolve Wrestling and Full Impact Pro making his impact, while the team from Premier British Wrestling including Kid Fite and Saqib Ali was in Denmark at Dansk Pro Wrestling. While the latter may not be performing to the crowds of the size of WWE, to gain experience outside the UK is something incredible and on the subject of Fite, he has been continually wrestling all across Europe which is something you can tell not just in his wrestling but the experience he passes to the PBW Academy.

And when I say incredible I have not even written on the subject of the impact Kay Lee Ray, Viper have made in World Wonder Ring Stardom, Shine Wrestling and SHIMMER Women Athletes, while Courtney has made her name at Stardom in Japan. In Germany the incredible following that Pollyanna, Jamie Hayter and Saraya Knight have there is something that has to be witnessed to be believed also who can forget The Owen Twins in Spain at Revolution Championship Wrestling and the incredible matches Nixon Newell has been involved in this year alone across the world, she is her own one woman army. 

Now as I write that paragraph I digress for a moment, the names I mentioned there are amazing athletes and the matches they are involved in with multiple talents across the world are a shining examples of the reason why there shouldn’t be a separation in the term of Women’s Wrestling and Wrestling. I mean we don’t say Men’s Wrestling do we? But we say Women’s Wrestling, maybe if we broke things down into Divisions, Heavyweight Division, Cruiserweight Division and Women’s Division it would make things more logical to some people. But if you are under any impression that Women in the wrestling profession can’t match talents with their male counterparts I implore you to check out Kay Lee Ray versus Mikey Whiplash at ICW, Nixon Newell in Fight Club Pro, or even confront Saraya Knight with that opinion and you may have to bend over and kiss your own ass goodbye for the outcome of that. I say these things at the moment because even now there is still those who have the backward opinions that women in wrestling are there just to look good and that’s all, this I will continually argue against because it’s point because it’s something I strongly disagree with.

With that being said, as I reel back my original point of the impact of UK wrestlers are making across the world, in the next few months Chris Ridgeway, another excellent talent will be heading to Limitless Wrestling in Maine, USA and how could I not mention Mark Andrews, while fans are critical of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling for not recognising the jewel in the sand that is that man, he continually finds a way to steal every match he is involved in. And while on the subject of TNA, you have to mention Drew Galloway, I have already stated in another wrestling outlet about how much of an impact (pun intended) he has made since leaving WWE, he remains proof that with dedication, heart and desire there is life across the Independent scene without WWE.

Image Source - alchetron.com

You have to wonder one thing though, that with the exporting of wrestling talent that has occurred this year, does the world recognise the incredible market there is with UK fans? Of course they do.

This year, wrestling fans have seen tours from Chris Hero, Ethan Carter III, Kurt Angle, Jay Lethal, many more and soon to be seen like Cody Rhodes The plus side not just for the fans is that those stars have often hosted seminars for wrestling students to learn something different and gain a fresh perspective in how they are trained. Also not to mention the excellent work from the Inside The Ropes team who have brought, Paul Heyman, Eric Bischcoff and Scott Steiner to the fans to share stories and answer questions that the fans would never have had before.

Recently the deal between Preston City Wrestling and Ring Of Honor collapsed, a deal that they jointly host ‘Supershow of Honor', an event that was due for it’s third year in November however with ROH’s UK tour dates clashing with PCW dates it was inevitable that an issue would occur, the good thing is that there appears to be no bitterness on either side. What this means though is that other promotions have stepped in to fill the void left by ROH, those promotions being Beyond Wrestling from Massachusetts, USA, Combat Zone Wrestling from Delaware, USA and Westside Xtreme Wrestling from Nordrhein-Westfalen , Germany. Why have I included this piece of information in my article? Well, do think fans in CZW have heard of El Ligero? The same said for Beyond about Bubblegum? My point being that Ligero and Bubblegum have almost thirty years wrestling experience combined all over the UK, two of the best wrestlers the UK has to offer but they haven’t been seen on a grander stage yet. No justice in that. But they aren’t the only two UK talent’s that can gain more publicity thanks to this combination of promotions, many more can be seen thanks to this which is a great thing in my mind. No doubt with this exposure wrestlers from all promotions will be able to maximise their popularity to gain notoriety in all four fronts.

One issue that may occur in the future, and we have seen one issue of it already, is that out of shape run down wrestlers who used to be incredible in the Eighties and Nineties exploit the fans and promoters to get one more pay day hoping to suck the fans into a nostalgia trip of one match. My advice only as a fan of over thirty years, don’t let this happen, the UK and Ireland (I apologise I’ve not included enough from Ireland in this column) have a sensational amount of talent targeting the wrestling promotions across the world and already have a magnitude of wrestlers ready to take their place thanks to the respectable training schools all over the countries. My idea alone on this, is that if you desperately feel the need to pay over the odds for an import, you probably should look inward at the talent you already have and why you have haven’t pushed them or created the stories for them to connect them with the fans, because what happens when you that import you rely on can’t make it? The answer? Bad times. 

Image Source - wrestlinginc.com

So in closing, my point, if there was one at all, the British aren’t coming, the UK and Ireland have already arrived, you just never realised it yet and now your starting to see the results.

Words - Craig Hermit

Editor & Images - James Marston

Image Credits - David Wilson

All other images are the property of their respective owners

TV Review: WWE Cruiserweight Classic #7 - Johnny Gargano v TJ Perkins 2

As the Second Round came to a close, Episode Seven of the Cruiserweight Classic included AIW's Johnny Gargano taking EWF's TJ Perkins. Could tournament head into the Quarter Final's with another Cruiserweight Classic classic? 

Johnny Gargano and TJ Perkin's main event clash was the first contest from the entire Cruiserweight Classic, so far, that I haven't predicted correctly. I felt certain that Gargano would advance to the Quarter Final, where another Battle of the NXT stars could have occurred opposite Rich Swann, but it was Perkins who came out victorious winning by submission with the Figure Death Lock. Despite being taped almost a month before NXT's Takeover: Brooklyn II, the commentary team of Daniel Bryan & Mauro Ranallo did a marvelous job of carrying on the story from that match, that saw Gargano tap out to a Inverted Figure Four leglock from Scott Dawson and tying into the match that Perkins and Gargano had already had. It helped, of course, that the leg was a big part of the match! The story began earlier in the match, but really came to the forefront when Gargano overshot on a somersault dive off the apron and ended up whacking his leg off the bell table. After that Johnny Wrestling's would give out a number of times, before the former TNA X-Division Champion escaped a Dragon Suplex and transitioned into the finishing submission. Gargano was marvelous whilst in the hold, reaching and reaching for the ropes, selling the pain on his face and eventually tapping out.

As compelling and dramatic as the end of the match became, a lot of the action was a back and forth indy-style bout that was exciting and pacy. Hard strikes, slick submissions, a handful of dives and more than a handful of near falls and close calls, this was a cross-section of the popular American Indy style, put on by two of it's biggest proponents. The alternating strikes sequence was done with a real purpose and was an improved version of an over-used wrestling trope, and ended with a great double big boot spot with both men refusing to go down. The two were superbly fluid from start to finish and managed to move easily from one part of the match to the next without it ever feeling forced or contrived. I have to say that when I went to check how often the pair had faced each other over years, I was very surprised to see they'd only had one previous one on one contest [PWG DDT4 2015] because the contest looked like they were much more familiar with each other. Perkins goes on to face Rich Swann in the Quarter Final.

After I'd been underwhelmed by wXw's Zack Sabre Jr's first round appearance, his Second Round bout with CZW's Drew Gulak was a much more satisfying contest. The pair bought the World of Sport style to the 'E and put on a belting eight minute contest. With Bryan & Ranallo bleeding the story of Gulak wanting to prove he was a better technical wrestler than ZSJ, the two had gripping fight, that had an intensity that has been missing from some of the previous CWC matches. Each strike had that little bit extra behind and Gulak, in particular, was a vicious little shit. He'd use the ropes to launch into a stomp and at one point bodyslam ZSJ into the ringropes, whilst also trying to get an early victory with a Northern Lights suplex. The exchanges between the pair were as beautiful as they were painful looking, but were made even better by the juxtaposition of the brutal strikes, especially the pair slapping the absolute shit out of each other heading into the finish. Every move had that little extra touch, whether it was ZSJ moving quicker than I've seen anyone get into an Octopus Stretch or Gulak's modified Boston crab, that made me wanting more when ZSJ was able to slip out of the Dragon Sleeper and bridge to get the pin. With five or ten minutes more this would have been a masterpiece. ZSJ goes on to face ICW's Noam Dar in the Quarter Finals.

Rounding out the 2nd Round, NXT's Rich Swann and BELIEVE's Lince Dorado were the highflying representatives putting on a very good opener. The commentary team put over how familiar the pair were and that was clear to see in how they wrestled with each other. Their six years of history with each other, one on one, in scramble matches, as a tag team or on opposite teams, for the likes of the NWA, DGUSA, AAW and FIP, was evident in every step they took here. After a comedic opening where the two engaged in an impromptu dance off, the action got serious quickly with a massive strike battle that was highlighted by a huge chop from Dorado. The theme would be bought back latter when the two went punch for punch in a lengthy exchange that the crowd adored. The closing section was an aerial assault with the duo going for a series of impressive moves and whilst Swann missed a standing 450 splash and there was no water in the pool for Dorado's shooting star press, Dorado was able to hit a tasty reverse rana and Swann pulled out a Phoenix Splash. It was the latter that got the win as Swann advanced to face TJ Perkins in the Quarter Finals.  

Finally...

ATPW Scale Rating - 7.69/10

Another cracking episode of the Cruiserweight Classic, which is once again the best show that WWE has aired this week. In fact it was miles ahead of RAW, Smackdown Live and NXT. It also get's a higher rating than both NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II and SummerSlam. Obviously that's helped by being an all in-ring based show and having only simple stories to follow, but that would mean nothing if the performers didn't go out and put on tremendous action. All three matches this week were impressive, with a number of different styles showcased throughout the hour. It would be difficult to pick a match of the evening, but if I was pushed I'd probably go for the main event between Johnny Gargano and TJ Perkins, for the sole reason that there was more of it! 

As the Quarter Finals begin next week with Kota Ibushi, Akira Tozawa and Gran Metalik [Mascara Dorada] through to the final eight, the action can only get better.

All content - James Marston
Banner Credit - Kai Stellar

TV Review: WWE Cruiserweight Classic #3 - Zack Sabre Jr. v Tyson Dux

The third week of the Cruiserweight Classic saw the First Round of the tournament continue, with Zack Sabre Jr, Anthony Nese and The Brian Kendrick and others join in on the fun. Would the tournament continue it's slow burn towards the 2nd round or would we finally see a breakout match? 

In my opinion, this week's main event opened the show, as PWG World Champion Zack Sabre Jr. jousted Canadian indy stalwart, Tyson Dux in a solid technical match. I'm extremely appreciative of ZSJ's technical, submission based style, and this match did a good job of getting over the kind of wrestler that he is, as he controlled large portions of the contest with various painful looking holds. He'd use a variety of different hold on various parts of the body, but always came back to Dux's arm in preparation for the Jim Breaks Special. Dux looked more than comfortable in their with someone who is considered one of, it not the, best technical wrestlers in the world, knowing his main role was to make ZSJ look as damn good as possible, whilst also having a near fall off a brainbuster, that was well worked indeed. The crowd seemed to struggle with the slower pace of the contest at times, however I'm not too concerned for ZSJ as I know when given a longer match later in the contest he'll have the fans eating out of the palm of his hand in no time at all. 

In the strongest bout on the show, The Brian Kendrick defeated Raul Mendoza [Jinzo] in a gritty and exciting effort, that had the Full Sail crowd on their feet at various points. Mendoza may have become the break out start of the tournament, as in only his third appearance in the USA as he impressed with a series of aerial manoeuvres, including a stunning corkscrew plancha and an unconventional cross-legged swing that dropped down in a submission of some sort. The crowd took to him swiftly, helped by veteran Kendrick being especially vicious, including placing Mendoza's mouth over the rope before kicking the rope hard, causing the Mexican to bleed from his lower lip. The reaction to Mendoza going for a Coast to Coast, with Kendrick in a tree of woe position was incredible as the whole building seemed to get to it's feet in unison! The finish was satisfying stuff, as Kendrick played possum before getting a submission with a reverse headlock takedown transitioned into a choke. It was a shame not to see Mendoza advance as he'd been taken to by the crowd, but I'm expecting at just 24 years old that this won't be the last we see of him on the world stage. 

In the weakest match of the tournament so far, as New York regular Tony Nese went over some lad called Anthony Bennett. I know very little about Bennett, and my usual source cagematch.net doesn't have a profile for him, which isn't a great start. From watching this match, it was clear that Bennett was completely out of his depth in this tournament, looking sloppy when executing moves and struggling to keep up with Nese's pace leading to a horribly messy section in the final third. The crowd's reaction to some of the botches were hilarious though. Nese is top draw talent however and managed to salvage his own credibility with a series of well-performed moves, including the 450 splash that would win him the match and 2nd Round tie against The Brian Kendrick. 

Rounding off the show, Drew Gulak would book his 2nd round place with a victory over one half of the Bollywood Boyz, Harv Sihra. This was an enjoyable, but short-lived contest, that told a rewarding story and told it well. Gulak bought a powerful and rather rough style to the match, whilst Sihra used his speed to attempt to get flash victories at numerous points. One particular moment that stands out was Gulak hitting a scoop slam, where Sihra's leg came crashing down the middle of the top rope. The finish was a clever piece of booking that raised a little smile, as it called back to a previous part in the fight beautifully. After Shira had escaped a body scissors by wrapping his own legs across Gulak's to create a kind of ankle lock, the finish would see Gulak locking in a brutal variations of the dragon sleeper, which included a body scissors, however when Shira tried to reverse again, Gulak was quickly able to recover and crank the sleeper on harder for the victory. It's the kind of wrestling that just wouldn't be possible on Monday Night RAW, because of the size of the crowd, so it's great to see it find a home on CWC. 

It was announced that next week's show will see the last four first round matches, including the likes of Johnny Gargano, Fabian Aicher [Adrian Severe] and Rich Swann.

Results 

Cruiserweight Classic First Round Match: Zack Sabre Jr def. Tyson Dux in 8 minutes, 26 seconds 

Cruiserweight Classic First Round Match: Drew Gulak def. Harv Sihra in 5 minutes, 17 seconds 

Cruiserweight Classic First Round Match: Tony Nese def. Anthony Bennett in 6 minutes, 34 seconds 

Cruiserweight Classic First Round Match: The Brian Kendrick def. Raul Mendoza in 7 minutes, 47 seconds.

Finally...

ATPW Scale Rating - 4.69/10

The weakest episode of the series so far, which has more than a lot to do with the show including a piss-poor performance from Anthony Bennett. The rest of the show was of the same quality as had been seen in the first two weeks, with The Brian Kendrick and Raul Mendoza putting on a particularly strong bout, that had the crowd at the hottest they've been so far. Daniel Bryan and Mauro Ranallo continue their strong form on commentary, helping to tell the stories, including the complex submission based narrative of Drew Gulak v Harv Sihra, whilst Bryan cheerleading for his pal Kendrick on commentary also added an extra depth to that already enjoyable contest. Having two second round matches confirmed throughout the show with Gulak facing Zack Sabre Jr and Tony Nese clashing with The Brian Kendrick was also a neat idea, with each winner being presented well in their match and making the potentially clashes even more appetising. 

All content - James Marston

Live Event Review: RevPro Live at the Cockpit 10 - The LDRS vs. British Youngbloods (James Marston)

I've been meaning to make it down to a Revolution Pro Wrestling show for quite sometime now and despite having earmarked a couple of shows to travel to over the last few years, the combined effects of timing and location have usually stood in the way. However the stars aligned on 3rd July 2016 and I made my first trek down south for a RevPro show, Live at the Cockpit 10. With familiar names from previously attended shows, like "The Villain" Marty Scurll, Zack Sabre Jr. and Jonny Storm, as well as guys I've been wanting to see more of like Josh Bodom and Jake McCluskey, could RevPro live up to their stellar reputation?

In an intriguingly chosen main event, RevPro British Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. and "The Villain" Marty Scurll, collectively known as The Leaders of the New School, scored a victory over The British Youngbloods, "The Moonsault King" Jake McCluskey and "The Bruce" Kieran Bruce. I say "intriguingly chosen" because British Youngbloods had lost all three of their previous matches in RevPro, none of which have main evented the shows they were placed on. On the other side of the match, you've got a current and a former RevPro British Heavyweight Champion and two guys who have graced RevPro's main event on numerous occasions. Any match ZSJ and Scurll are both in these days is probably going to main event, but McCluskey and Bruce's previous outings for the company meant that pushing them into a main event slot, opposite two world traveled opponents, gave the bout a bit of a lop-sided feel. That isn't to knock either McCluskey or Bruce's abilities, but just that they haven't been booked like a team deserving a main event slot, let alone a slot against the current champion of the promotion. 

Once you'd got past the rather strange atmosphere of the entire room (except for one guy) just wanting to see Scurll and ZSJ batter the shit out of two people, without it really not mattering who those two people were, this was a fun, entertaining main event. There was a complex story that weaved it's way throughout the contest, that may have not been for the more casual of fans, but for someone like me it was captivating stuff, as ZSJ became frustrated with Scurll's villainous ways at many points within the bout, allowing for Bruce and McCluskey to capitalise. The crowd didn't seem to want to have anything to do with The British Youngbloods, which may have something to do with them coming across as fodder for the LDRS's on-going storyline, although both men looked more than competent in the ring. 

The closing stages of the bout saw some brilliant back and forth between the two teams, with all four men getting involved in the action that seemed like it would never stop with both sides gaining strong near falls and a ridiculous amounts of superkicks being hit. The finish was timed perfectly and played right into hot crowd who had been demanding "Arm Bars & Chicken Wings" all match long, so when both holds where locked on at the same time the roof almost came off the Cock Pit. A great way to end the show giving the fans exactly what they wanted. ZSJ would end the show with a short promo, staking a claim to a British Tag Team title shot down the line, as he heads into a big title defense against Katsuyori Shibata on 10th July. I've a feeling there's more than one twist left in the tale of the LDRS over the next few months with the slow build meaning that any potential pay-off will be even sweeter. 

The match of the night would be a superb contest that saw Trent Seven defeat Mark Haskins after hitting a one-armed piledriver. The match was announced as a British Strong-Style Challenge and boy did it live up to that moniker as the pair beat seven shades of shit into each other. As fun as it is to see two guys batter each other, the story of the match was the thing that drew me in and kept satisfied throughout. After hitting his arm against the ring post early on, the limb would become a constant problem for Seven throughout the match, as he winced with every move he hit. It was played perfectly by "The Super Don" at every turn, as he attempted to swap arms when hitting uppercuts and struggled to hit a piledriver because of the arm. The fact that Haskins uses a Bridging Fujiwara Armbar as a finish bought even more drama to the contest. 

A big part of this contest for me was the crowd. There was a clear divide between those rooting for Haskins and those rooting for Seven and this create a superb atmosphere within the Cockpit and seemed to bring the best out of each competitor. Both seemed to hit a little harder and to move a step faster. I think by the end of the match the duo had earned the respect of the others supporters, with Seven especially seemingly having won over a lot of fans during the match for his gutsy, character-driven performance. It may have been almost three years since these two have faced off, here's hoping we don't have to wait that long for the next one!

Tasked with opening the second half, Pete Dunne would pick up a victory over Noam Dar, after nailing the WWE Cruiserweight Classic competitor with his British Cruiserweight Championship belt. This wasn't your typical cruiserweight type bout though with the action remaining very grounded and technical as both men looked to employ signature holds. Dunne would focus on Dar's arm, whilst Dar would mainly go after Dunne's knee, however unlike the previous Haskins v Seven bout it didn't feel like either of these injuries every fully became the entire story or the driving force of the contest, which was mainly the fast paced exchange of holds and submissions. 

The bout really picked up in the closing stages with a number of quality transitions from hold to hold. A brilliant false finish came when Dar slipped out of a Tombstone Piledriver attempt by Dunne and managed to lock in the Champagne Super Knee Bar with Dunne scrambling to make it to the ropes. Obviously the previous work on the knee from Dar made the moment even more dramatic, with the crowd clearly behind Dar, with their support growing the longer Dunne was in the hold. This lead nicely into the finish as the villainous Dunne once again cheated his way to victory, managing to keep Dar out of the title picture for now. It will be interesting to see if the attack goes anywhere over the next few months and if Dar is granted a title shot. A rematch between the two would definitely be welcomed.

The only title match of the night would see Charlie Garrett & Joel Redman manage to retain their belts against The Legion of Lord's Gideon Grey & Rishi Ghosh, after some shenanigans. This was an entertaining tag bout, that pretty much stuck to the regular format, with just enough to hold the attention and warm the crowd up, whilst still being a paint by numbers affair. This being my first trip to RevPro, I'm not sure how much the dusty finish was needed, as we initially saw The L.o.L. get the victory after Grey had used his cane, only for the referee to see the cane, re-start the match before Garrett & Redman picked up a quick victory with a roll-up. The fact that we'd see Pete Dunne use a similar tactic later in the show muddies the water further. The situation wasn't helped by a bit of awkwardness following the re-start. It was weird that Garrett & Redman seemed to leave their most exciting offence for their post-match attack on Grey's ring jacket. 

Josh Bodom would pick up his third RevPro victory in a row, defeating Jody Fleisch in a decent match, following interference from The Revolutionists stable match, James Castle. This was another straight-forward bout, that although enjoyable throughout, never seemed to kick into the next gear. The crowd was interestingly split between the two men, despite Bodom's attempt to heel it up with a couple of vocal insults towards Fleisch and I think this effected a lot of the work that was on display. It's telling that despite writing my notes directly after the match had finished I couldn't think of much to note down. Not a bad match, but nothing memorable.

Linked with the Bodom v Fliesch match was Jonny Storm's victory over James Castle, as he gained a pinfall win following The WonderWhirl. This match was following directly on from the Bodom/Fliesch encounter with both men ending up ejected from ringside after trying to get involved in the early stages. Similar to the match before, at times it felt like both men were going through the motions as they waited for the next part of the angle to happen. However, Castle's act seems much more over as a heel and therefore I think this match was the more satisfying watch. Both Bodom and Fleisch would be back before the matches end, with Fleisch nailing Bodom with a lovely moonsault off the apron that would lead into the finish.

In Pro Wrestling: EVE action, Jinny would pin the debuting Zoe Lucas after nailing a Face Lift (Middle Rope X-Factor) in a solid women's match. This was the first time I'd seen Lucas in action since I worked on a Southcoast Wrestling show last year and I have to say that she's come on leaps and bounds, both in terms of interacting with the crowd and in developing an exciting and different moveset. Her ability to draw sympathy from the audience was aided by the fact that Jinny is a heat magnet literally everywhere she goes and manages to rile up a crowd simply by looking at them. Despite one nasty slip on a Japanese Arm Drag, both women managed to fit a lot into their allotted time, showcasing themselves and their opponents well. The double strike sequence was particular highlight. 

Josh Walls and Kurtis Chapman had a bit of an exhibition match, as they were working as part of the ring crew. Unfortunately this bout was wrapping up just as we finally entered the building, but both guys looked to progressing nicely in their development. 

Finally...

ATPW Scale Rating - 6.30/10

This was a strong show of British wrestling with a lot of different styles on show throughout the card. The top end of the card really shone though, with Mark Haskins and Trent Seven throwing out the Match of the Night with a brilliant example of British Strong-Style that would hold up against pretty much anything anyone else is doing around the world right now. Pete Dunne and Noam Dar put on a great technical bout, whilst the main event tried to do something different with it's storytelling that just about paid off with a good match, despite the choice of opponent being questionable for a main event (again, not a dig at McCluskey or Bruce, just that their previous booking for the company didn't make them look main event calibre)

The undercard suffered a little because of it's screwy booking and having the Bodom v Fleisch followed straight away by Castle v Storm meant that the card ended up dragging just a little at this point in the evening. The stand-out bout from the lower half of the card for me was actually Jinny and Zoe Lucas' bout as the crowd was into the action and characters, whilst one performer continued to develop into a true star of the Brit-Wres scene, whilst another showed promise for the future.

I'm looking forward to catching more RevPro in the future, as I feel like I've only just scratched the surface of what the company has to offer with this Cockpit show. I traveled down to London from the Midlands, so if you're in London and aren't attending these shows then you really are missing out on a great evening of entertainment. Sort yourselves out. You can even check out their shows on demand, RPW on Demand including Kurt Angle vs. Zack Sabre Jr.!