The 2007 UKFF 50

[Big Benny HG]

The tag match (which was, bizarrely when you consider the length of time the rivalry had been going, the first time that these 2 line-ups had wrestled each other) was possibly my own personal favourite match of 2007 so far. Blending action, comedy, characterisation, drama, passion, emotion and in-ring story-telling, it was truly splendid.

And clapping, lots and lots of clapping...

Ah yes, the clapping. So much clapping....and Arie$ is coming back to face the clapping on the next IPW:UK show.*********************************************************************If you've been following this, you'll know that somewhere in the top 16, the following names are lurking:(alphabetical order)Robbie BrooksideBubblegumDarren BurridgeDragon AisuFalconDrew GallowayRicky KnightEl LigeroMajikPacANDY SIMMONZ!!SpudMartin StoneJonny StormDoug WilliamsWolfgangBut who is where? Who should be where?

[NBT]

Also, what's with the 'Swanley (boo)' references?

When IPW started running in Swanley, it quickly became commonplace for everyone at the Orpington shows to boo the name Swanley everytime it was mentioned. Swanley was a horrid venue, bad lighting, awful sound system, it seemingly sucked the life out of any match. The only positive about it is that it is big, which is also one of its problems as even with a big crowd in there it seems dead.Nice to see Jez finishing so high, her matches at CF9 were definetly the highlight of the show. Jez/Kong was so much better than the incredibly overrated Melissa/Wesna match.El Hijo Del Sanjay Bagga (>_>) finishing so high is good as well, I'm a fan of Jordan and his stuff in NBW has been a highlight of the shows I've been over to see.I think I've seen one Lionheart match (BHW teaming with... Someone) so I don't really have a solid opinion on him either way. That said, on that day he didn't look like a wrestler that would finish so high in this sort of thing.Keep up the good work, HG!I'd also like to point out I, in no way, was a part of getting G-Man drunk nor laughing at his actions at the aforementioned Syston show >_>

[freaky]

I'd also like to point out I, in no way, was a part of getting G-Man drunk nor laughing at his actions at the aforementioned Syston show >_>

Bollocks. You practically shoved him into the ring.As for the high finish for Jez, good on her. She's worked her tail off this year, and thoroughly deserves it.

[The Cum Doctor]

I think I've seen one Lionheart match (BHW teaming with... Someone) so I don't really have a solid opinion on him either way. That said, on that day he didn't look like a wrestler that would finish so high in this sort of thing.

I think he teamed with Kid Fite down there. I'm amazed at the high placing myself, as he wasn't someone who impressed as much in England as he could have. Especially after the James Wallace inspired abomination he had in 1PW.

Robbie BrooksideBubblegumDarren BurridgeDragon AisuFalconDrew GallowayRicky KnightEl LigeroMajikPacANDY SIMMONZ!!SpudMartin StoneJonny StormDoug WilliamsWolfgang

I've seen most of these guys. Ain't seen Ricky Knight, but that's the only one. I'm still very confused by the high placing of Wolfgang. The guy is good and deserves a high placing, but I really didn't expect him to be ranked in there.I really can't see him breaking the top ten, and I'm not sure that he should either. I'd definately rate him above Jonny Storm, Spud, Andy Simmonz and Bubblegum but that's it. My #1 is Majik and has been for a couple of years now. I'd probably place Pac right below him because he always entertains me to no end. Then I'd have Doug Williams, then Falcon and then Darren Burridge would round off my top 5 from that lot.

[The Fireball]

Well I've never seen Falcon or Wolfgang and have seen little of Majik and Simmonz this year, so I can't really comment on them.In my personal opinion, and I know most people disagree with me on this, Pac is the worst wrestler in the top 16. I agree that he has some cool moves but his excesivley flippy style dosn't appeal to me and I havn't enjoyed any match that I have ever seen of his. So obviously I think he should be fairly low in the list, but i know he has alot of fans so he'll probably wind up near the top.Good to see Ligero get such a high ranking. Always entertaining, one of the highlights of GPW across this year, and he seems to be popping up everywhere now.Tough to pick a no.1 but I think the top 4 should be made up of Williams, Brookside, Storm and Burridge.

Edited August 5, 2007 by The Fireball

[LionHeartBCW]

I think I've seen one Lionheart match (BHW teaming with... Someone) so I don't really have a solid opinion on him either way. That said, on that day he didn't look like a wrestler that would finish so high in this sort of thing.

I think he teamed with Kid Fite down there. I'm amazed at the high placing myself, as he wasn't someone who impressed as much in England as he could have. Especially after the James Wallace inspired abomination he had in 1PW.

Robbie BrooksideBubblegumDarren BurridgeDragon AisuFalconDrew GallowayRicky KnightEl LigeroMajikPacANDY SIMMONZ!!SpudMartin StoneJonny StormDoug WilliamsWolfgang

I've seen most of these guys. Ain't seen Ricky Knight, but that's the only one. I'm still very confused by the high placing of Wolfgang. The guy is good and deserves a high placing, but I really didn't expect him to be ranked in there.I really can't see him breaking the top ten, and I'm not sure that he should either. I'd definately rate him above Jonny Storm, Spud, Andy Simmonz and Bubblegum but that's it. My #1 is Majik and has been for a couple of years now. I'd probably place Pac right below him because he always entertains me to no end. Then I'd have Doug Williams, then Falcon and then Darren Burridge would round off my top 5 from that lot.

I actually reckon Wolfgang will crack the top 10 this year. Based on what I have seen from the guys and also taking into account the reaction they get from fans I will say the top 5 will be, in no particular order; PacDrew GallowayDoug WilliamsFalconDarren Burridge

[NBT]

Well I've never seen Falcon or Wolfgang and have seen little of Majik and Simmonz this year, so I can't really comment on them.In my personal opinion, and I know most people disagree with me on this, Pac is the worst wrestler in the top 16. I agree that he has some cool moves but his excesivley flippy style dosn't appeal to me and I havn't enjoyed any match that I have ever seen of his. So obviously I think he should be fairly low in the list, but i know he has alot of fans so he'll probably wind up near the top.

I'm still surprised to see that people think PAC is just a flippy guy, I mean yeah, that is what got him noticed but he didn't suddenly become this huge breakout star on both sides of the Atlantic just because he can do a couple of flips, the guy can work, his detractors and people who haven't seen anything of him lately just seem to totally miss that point. PAC/Generico had a great series of matches, that were surely up there as some of the better matches put on anywhere in the UK last year and he's easily holding his own against other big indy names and not looking out of place. Unlike Storm and Moralez who looked woeful when they got their big shot.Also, while Falcon cracking the top five would be amazing, I think a more realistic top five would be his Pac, Williams, Burridge, Bubblegum and Martin Stone. Edited August 5, 2007 by Natural Born Thrilla

[Daniel Edler]

Realistically with the way the UKFF voting is likely to go, i can see a top 5 of:Darren BurridgeMajikPacMartin StoneDoug WilliamsPossibly with Simmonz or Drew in there instead.Not to say i'd suggest that as my top 5, i wouldn't. I can see why that would be the top 5 (and in that order, ranking 5 through 1, actually) though.

[ThumpSquids]

Very glad to see Eden Black so high up in this. I've seen few who have worked so hard to improve their game over the year. Well done Jez.

[Halitosis Romantic]

Very glad to see Eden Black so high up in this. I've seen few who have worked so hard to improve their game over the year. Well done Jez.

Totally agree... this time last year, I thought that she was rubbish - no offense, really unconvincing worker, really confused as to why she was given such a push wherever she went. I don't recall seeing anyone improve so quickly.

[Big Benny HG]

****************************************************

No. 16 - Dragon Aisu

2006 Ranking: 38

2005 Ranking: Not Listed

Moving Up

 

Photo (chopping Jon Ryan....giving The World the finger) - surf digby

 

Former Ice XVII jumps up the rankings after a year that has seen him work, well, everywhere. He has spent the entire last 12 months as a part of the Damned Nation faction, alongside Majik, Blake Norton and Gabriel Grey.

 

In his home 3CW, he began the summer by facing Pro Wrestling NOAH's junior heavyweight star Takashi Sugiura in a really good match at "Midsummer Showdown" in Billingham. Though he was defeated, Aisu was already in contention for Pac's 3CW Heavyweight Title. Forced to team with the champion in a 6-man tag team 3CW vs. The World main event at "International Wrestling Classic" in Northallerton in August, the tensions between the two were plain for all to see. The big one-on-one title match came on the poor "Darkest Deeds III" show in September. Though it was a very good bout, it was lost in the undercard of a disappointing show. Thanks to his manager Gabriel Grey throwing a fireball in Pac's face, Aisu became the 3CW Heavyweight Champion for something like the 57th time....

 

October found him seeing away challenges from "Mr 50-50" Dan Evans, before November's "Night of the Damned" saw a terrific 3-way title contest: Aisu defending against former champ Pac and new challenger Darkside. After more Jeff Jarrett-like shenanigans, Aisu retained, but the show ended with him being run off by an old rival in the returning Stevie Lynn...who took great pleasure in dropping Grey headfirst through a steel chair. Lynn returned to the ring, supposedly for one night only, to team with another of Aisu's enemies, Darkside, and pinned Aisu (who was teaming with his DN ally Blake Norton) in an absolutely thrilling main event tag match at "Fight Before Christmas - Night One". Aisu then accepted Lynn's challenge for a 1-on-1 title match the next evening on "Night Two", this time beating his old nemesis to round off 2006.

 

Aisu had also established himself as a regular in 2006 for Doncaster's 1PW promotion, taking part in a varuet of multi-mans and gauntlets, usually alongside his tag partner Majik. When 1PW began 2007 by announcing its apparent liquidation, Aisu was one of the driving forces behind the 3CW "1PW Will Not Die" project, a tribute show to the company that was supposedly closing its doors. On the afternoon "Fight Club" card, he defeated Evans, before he and Majik teamed up on the main evening show to challenge for the 1PW World Tag Team titles, defeating former champions Jonny Storm/Jody Fleisch and interim champions Darren Burridge/Mad Man Manson in a 3-way to lift the gold as 1PW said goodbye forever.....until it annoucned that it's apparent crippling financial difficulties were over, just days after the tribute show had been classed as a success. The "resurrection" of 1PW was something Aisu seemingly wanted no part of...

 

Facing Evans again in a dull tag match at 3CW's "Free IV All" in January and then wrapping up their series by beating him in a fabulous Vegas Streetfight in Northallerton in March (with the assistance of the Damned Nation's buddy, Vincent White), Aisu defended his gold at 3CW's big 3rd anniversary show ("History in the Maiming III", in Billingham) a couple of weeks later against recurring challenger Darkside. A very enjoyable, heavily-gimmicked match ended with everyone believing that Darkside had won the title, only for the preceding antics lead to it being restarted, and Aisu winning via FOUL means. The Drag-man then drew a line under his feuds with Darkside and Evans when he and Majik beat them in another spuerb 30+ tag team main event of a Northallerton show in April. Since then, he was pinned by Chris Whitton in the great tag main event of "Festival Fury" in Thirsk (Aisu/Majik vs. Whitton/Kid Richie) and then beat Whitton in a fine 1-on-1 title match in Billingham, but will see his next big challenge in the form of rising superstar Cameron Kraze at 3CW's biggest show of the year, Darkest Deeds IV, in September. His recent matches have also seen him once again being stalked by a Stevie Lynn-sized guy in full Dragon Aisu regalia, echoing how Lynn made his original return to the promotion in autumn 2006.

 

Of course, Dragon Aisu's adverntures have not been limited to 3CW and 1PW. Down in IPW:UK, he clashed with people's champion Martin Stone in intense warware at "Ware Is IPW?!" in August 2006, then Leeeeeeeeeee Roooooooooooooyy KINCAIDE in similar fashion in Swanley (boo) in October. He lost both matches. He made his return alongside Majik down in Portsmouth at the same time that he also debuted for RQW in London. Interupting a 3CW guest match between Dan Evans and Cameron Kraze at York Hall in March, Damned Nation then went on to face and beat the latest incarnation of the LDT team in a convincing way. The next month, Damned Nation weren't in the mood for fun and games from JP Monroe and Mad Man Manson, as they demolished Madder Than You. Returning to IPW:UK at April's "Battle Royale", Aisu again fought Martin Stone, this time as a part of the 30 man rumble. Stone got the better of him. Dragon would appear for IPW:UK a week later at the "King of Europe Cup" weekend, smashing GPW/FSW's C-Juice in brutal fashion on the "Another Taste of IPW" bonus show in Liverpool.

 

Up in Scotland, Aisu teamed with Johnny Milla in SWA to form the team known as MillaIce. Geddit?!? Aisu earned his team the No. 1 contendership to the straps by beating Shamrocker Damien O'Conor in July 2006, but lost their title match against MEAT (Raging Bull and Scott Renwick) a month later. He lost a Canadian Strap Match to Aidan Corrigan and then to A-List's Micken, but then brought in his Damned Nation support in the shape of Majik to counter the A-List's numerical advantage, allowing him to beat Falcon in February 2007. Aisu clashed with the A-List again the following month as a part of Team SWA for the "Clan Wars", and then in a 4-way match for Conscience's NWA British Heavyweight Championship (Darkside and Johnny Darko representing the heel faction on this occasion).

 

Of course, with 3CW and SWA having close links with Triple-X Wrestling, Dragon Aisu has very much been a part of that promotion. He fought NWA-UK's Jon Ryan in the violent main event of "Chop Him in the Face!!" in July 2006, which ended in a draw (and mass roster-wide brawl), but not before Aisu had set his own hand on fire and used it to chop his opponent (!). After a nothing tag match at "~" in September, Aisu got a taste of his own medicine when he battled Conscience at the Hallowe'en show - losing by countout when Conscience hit him with a flaming superkick. It's on YouTube somewhere.....With Aisu down and out, a strangely familiar wrestler known as Ice XVII took part in that evening's rumble match. The Damned Nation then began their attempted takeover at February 2007's show, first beating Andy Shoes and CK light, then getting into a fight with the returning Devilman. They attacked Devilman later on in the night, but were chased off by eXodus and JekkeL, setting up TXW's next big must-see tag feud. Aisu missed competition at the next show through illness, but still got involved in the action, supporting his pal Majik at ringside in his Lumberfuckingjack Match with Devilman, again getting into agro with JeXoduS. A LEGIT~ shoot on wrestling fans from "Dan" (not Dragon Aisu...) opened up the last TXW show at the Tam O'Shanter Burns Club in June, before Aisu and Jon Ryan once again beat the crap out of each other and went to a no-contest. At one point, Aisu chopped a handful of drawing pins into Ryan's chest. Can you say "ouch!"?

 

Other promotions that have seen Aisu compete for them over the last 12 months include Kent's NWA-UK (where he battled Ryan again) and Lancashire's 21CW, but perhaps one of the most interesting scenarios he is involved in at present has seen him return to 1PW at the "Know Your Enemy" weekend in June/July 2007. Presented as a LEGIT~ shoot, he and his Damned Nation colleagues returned unannounced and stole "their" tag team title belts (Aisu and Majik had been stripped when they left the company after all the pratting around in January), before getting involved in a standoff and internet-dispute with 1PW. They've been invited to compete against Spud and (possibly) ragon Phoenix at "Invincible" in August...

 

12 months have seen Aisu improve in almost every aspect of his work. A strong character performer can no longer be written off as a Kenta Kobashi or Low-Ki rip off, and has been using his strikes+suplexes+violence+personality approach to impress audiences across the nation.

[Euanconway]

A good improvement for Dragon Aisu, he has been very impressive anytime I have seen him in the past year.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

You missed out a fine triple threat match with Hade Vansen and Takeshi Morishima for RDW at Skegness HG. I forget the date but I am sure Mrs RDW would know.

[steve rayson]

Yeah, I can see Ice as a good pick for the Top 20 of the UK scene.

[Big Benny HG]

You missed out a fine triple threat match with Hade Vansen and Takeshi Morishima for RDW at Skegness HG. I forget the date but I am sure Mrs RDW would know.

Takeshi Morishima was over here in May with Mohammed Yone. He had gone home again before July 2006, which is the start of the UKFF 50 year