Brit Wrestling are we on the up

[cobystag]

Lower than 75. Saw posters only on the venue doors themselves in the local area.

 

But their "home" shows get a constant draw and they really are establishing their York Hall shows.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

That wasn't a dig at RevPro by the way. I've heard they are quite fantastic. The lineup with Bret Hart, Tanahashi and Devitt looked mind blowing.

[Froggivizal_Version1.0]

It's definitely on the up, and it's also the year I've realised theres a very definite difference in styles between UK and the US. Previously, with 1PW, I felt a lot of promotions were trying to copy the US Indy style.

 

British Wrestling has definitely surpassed US Indys with their storytelling this year, I've felt. Anyone who disagrees needs to watch Grado vs. Mikey Whiplash for the ICW Title that can be found on YouTube. It's a truly spectacular match that features the most wonderful crowd participation I've ever seen. Add that to the amazing Jimmy Havoc story in PROGRESS and the constant great work by GPW and RevPro and it's clear to see.

 

Now other companies needs to follow the idea of PROGRESS and have the ideas available for download. It's definitely the way forward.

[Southside crew]

Well people talk about our imports but the Ligero v kirby fued we done lasted 32 months and is the proudest thing I have ever done as a promoter.

[gadge]

Now other companies needs to follow the idea of PROGRESS and have the ideas available for download. It's definitely the way forward.

I love their limited DVD print run immediately followed by download model. Kept up to date, it's much better than iPPVs done WWNLive style with DVDs a year later.

 

EDIT: Just noticed that the 2014 UK Events thread is up. It's immense.

[diamond_dust]

EDIT: Just noticed that the 2014 UK Events thread is up. It's immense.

 

I was just going to post that after doing that list and still having around 10 promotions that haven't announced any shows yet it definitely looks like it's on the up.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

As a long time fan and supporter of British wrestling I have to say I have never been less interested in it. It seems to me that everyone keeps saying how great its going and how we have such great talent and isn't everything on the up, but its all Emperors New Clothes.

 

In the last couple of years I have seen wrestlers lauded to the high heavens on here who when I have seen them live have not been so much the second coming of Dyamite Kid as the second coming of the Milky Bar Kid. But as long as you get all your mates on the internet to say how great you are everything will be rosey. Then you find that these no good never going to be's are running training schools and doing seminars. It genuinely beggars belief.

 

There is a training school near me where one of the trainers believes wrestling is real and has done all his life (He is in his 50s) and the other one has ripped off another training school and has only wrestled about half a dozen matches. I am sure the talent they produce will be stellar.

 

For every El Ligero there is a Jonny Kickpadz lurking in the pleather clad shadows, its the same as 10 years ago and the 10 years before that, but now it plays out on Youtube instead of just being in the shitty working mens clubs before the bingo.

 

Anyone who thinks it has changed is deluding themselves, but as long as they get all of their Facebook friends to like their shit promotion I am sure everyone will be happy.

[truthofsin]

While i respect your views Lion, i have to disagree to some degree. Yes there are a lot of poor talents out there, just as there are over in the US. Dick Foley and the Overtaker being two of my favorites. But there are some great talents here in the UK right now such as Noam Dar, Kris Travis, Bubblegum, Dave Mastiff, Danny Hope, Lion Kid, Mark Haskins and Mad Man Manson. To name a few. There are also a lot of UK guys making waves in the US right now. The UK wrestling scene is definitely on the up right now.

[5pints]

Lower than 75. Saw posters only on the venue doors themselves in the local area.

 

But their "home" shows get a constant draw and they really are establishing their York Hall shows.

 

It was a cracking show, the only thing that let it down was the lack of atmosphere due to low numbers. Would definitely attend another Rev Pro show due their professionalism on the night.

 

On a side note, did Zebra Kid receive any negative press after the C4 documentary?

[IANdrewDiceClay]

The UK wrestling scene is definitely on the up right now.

Well that's the end of that discussion then I suppose. Close thread.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

And in return I don't respect yours truthofsin

 

 

You basically made my point for me

 

Yes there are a lot of poor talents out there, just as there are over in the US. Dick Foley and the Overtaker being two of my favorites. But there are some great talents here in the UK right now such as Noam Dar, Kris Travis, Bubblegum, Dave Mastiff, Danny Hope, Lion Kid, Mark Haskins and Mad Man Manson.

 

And then made it for me again

 

There are also a lot of UK guys making waves in the US right now. The UK wrestling scene is definitely on the up right now.

 

I refer the honourable gentlemen to the answer I gave some moments ago

 

It seems to me that everyone keeps saying how great its going and how we have such great talent and isn't everything on the up

 

Keep up the good work.

[diamond_dust]

And in return I don't respect yours truthofsin

 

 

You basically made my point for me

 

Yes there are a lot of poor talents out there, just as there are over in the US. Dick Foley and the Overtaker being two of my favorites. But there are some great talents here in the UK right now such as Noam Dar, Kris Travis, Bubblegum, Dave Mastiff, Danny Hope, Lion Kid, Mark Haskins and Mad Man Manson.

 

And then made it for me again

 

There are also a lot of UK guys making waves in the US right now. The UK wrestling scene is definitely on the up right now.

 

I refer the honourable gentlemen to the answer I gave some moments ago

 

It seems to me that everyone keeps saying how great its going and how we have such great talent and isn't everything on the up

 

Keep up the good work.

 

So basically you criticise what this thread is about because the only thing anyone can rate BRitish wrestling on is the talent of the wrestlers, but by adding "everyone keeps saying" you prevent anyone from expressiong an opposite oppinion and having an open discussion on a forum, instead anyone that does just adds to your own view. Might as well close the thread now then.

[Southside crew]

I think the idea of this thread was to be positive - look at all the great things going on.

 

Yes of course there are shit arse's about - that isn't ever going to stop and is getting worse.

 

However the good stuff seems to be better that it has in my time of watching British Wrestling.

 

Southside

PCW

Rev Pro

WAW

4FW

GPW

NGW

Futershock

Infinate

PBW

Elite

ICW

IPW

All Star

FCP

Progress

FPW

 

all above are putting on constant good-great shows , sorry if I have missed any out but 5 years ago how long was that list ?

 

The UK talent is at an all time high for quality - I agree with Lion about the negative things but the positive things are fantastic. Very shortly I will be able to tell people about something really positive that has happened to us and proves again what an impact the UK is making around the world.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

Sorry Diamond Dust, you are correct. There was a touch of finality about my post. I don't mean to stifle discussion, I would prefer to encourage it, so here goes:

 

Let me explain why I think the way I do. I think that this can be traced back, as many things in the recent history of British wrestling can be to Alex Shane. When the original incarnation of the FWA was in its prime Alex had a way of encouraging the FWA fans to defend any attack on anyone who wrestled for the FWA and to vigorously promote those people. Remember when Jack Xavier and James Tighe were going to take the wrestling world by storm, and anyone who didn't agree was against british wrestling?

The same thing is happening now, I recognise it because I drank the FWA Kool Aid the first time round, I was one of the attack dog fans, probably up to British Uprising 2. After that I think I realised what I was being sold, and I have never looked at British Wrestling in the same way since.

I feel that if you suggest that british wrestling is not going that well then there are a core of people who will immediately spring to its defence no matter who it is that you are criticising. I have spoken to a number of people who feel that the current prevailing attitude is that if we keep saying everything is great then it is. That is from both fans and quite a few wrestlers as well. And that is not just people you will never of heard of that is several names who people would recognise from the UKFF 50 and other british wrestling "Names".

 

There are some very talented wrestlers in the UK but we are not in the midst of a "Golden Generation", we are in the midst of the same as it ever was. For every success story like PCW and the Original FWA there is a Pro Wrestling Republic and a WrestleXpress" Its the same as it ever was.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Yep. The 2001-2004 was super hyped when it comes to British Wrestling. We had a wrestling channel, we had a radio show on TalkSport dedicated to wrestling, Bill Apter was giving it coverage in Total Wrestling, this place and other forums were packed with wrestling fans talking about it. The golden generation of Indy wrestling is gone really. US indy wrestling has zero hype. The wrestlers might, but the promotions dont (maybe PWG is the exception). ROH is just another promotion with pockets of TV and bad productions, Zandig sold CZW to a less interesting owner, WWE snaps up every indy wrestler who gets a bit of hype, TNA cant afford to sign anyone who gets a bit of buzz. Dragon Gate USA/Evolve is just a bunch of wrestlers wrestling. Gabe offers nothing you cant get elsewhere if you still like a bit of trading and torrenting.

 

I read Greg Lamberts book and I dont know if this was the intention, but it shined a massive light on just how much belief there was at one stage compared to now. Alex Shane pretty much was this countries Paul Heyman in the sense that he flogged the FWA to its fan base, even if it was never going to actually deliver what it was promising. The FWA went under losing a shit load of money and losing its whole audience. But what a ride it was for the supporters. The Revival supershow was so well promoted by Tommy Boyd, Talk Sport and the FWA that it inspired so many people who were in attendance. Most of the future promoters or star UK wrestlers showed up that night. There was this movement in the mid-2000s which I havent seen since. People can spin it, but I dont see how 2014's BritWres scene compares to back then.

 

You need a face to go with the UK scene, which nobody has. Whether its a promoter or wrestler. There's nobody in the UK outside of Dan Mastiff that I look at and cant see elsewhere. For all his faults (and he had a load) Alex Shane and the FWA was that face. They may not have been Dixon or All Star, but Paul Heyman and ECW wasn't the WWF. But at that level they were a player and so was the FWA. I just dont see any of the promoters or workers in this country who has a motormouth like Alex Shane. Who would get a review in Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer to the level Doug Williams got when he said he was the best wrestler you wont have seen. Who were touted as the next big flyers Stateside like when Jody and Jonny went to the US and the fans voted them their match of the year. Seriously, its not hard to suck me into to something, but I've just not got most of what is going on currently. I've seen it all before really.

 

In short, there's just no buzz about it outside of those that already watch it. But again that can be said about most non-WWE wrestling. Ring of Honor has never been less interesting to people. TNA is just shite and probably going to die in the next year. The whole business needs an injection of interest. Maybe its hard for people to learn to love in wrestling, because the FWA died, ROH cant afford a lighting rig and all their big names left, ECW went under, 1PW ruined everything when everyone got excited because they were seeing big names every week. They all die eventually. Everyone does. Shame really.