SWA in Cumbernauld - Saturday 7th March

Disclaimer: I haven't wrote here for a while. If you're wanting to read more of my writing see Read My Words, Please for short stories and more. But I had such a great time at Scottish Wrestling Alliance's show last Saturday I just had to write about it.

Scottish Wrestling Alliance
Live in Cumbernauld
Saturday 7th March, 2015

Hosted once again at the Link Community Facility, this is a venue I enjoyed both times SWA have been here. It's spacious, so even with a large crowd there is still plenty of room to move about. Tickets were the usual £10 each or £35 for a family of four, very reasonable. The toilets are right next to the main hall so you don't miss too much of the action travelling to and fro, a huge bonus if you're attending with kids like I do.

To top it all off, both this time and last we were allowed into the main building and given respite from the weather while awaiting the inner doors opening for the start of the show, a very appreciated gesture.

I don't know the official attendance, but a quick headcount seemed to indicate around 150 as people were still coming through the doors as the show was about to begin. It was a great atmosphere, everyone was buzzing, and from what I understand the show the night before in Govan was pretty similar - SWA are sure going from strength to strength lately.

Mikey Whiplash vs DCT
After a well-received introduction from Junior Vice-President of SWA Jam O'Malley, it was time for our opening bout which featured one half of the SWA tag team champions DCT facing off against Mikey Whiplash.

I loved this match. I think Whiplash is an extraordinary talent, an absolute genius in the ring in any promotion, but his work in SWA holds something special for me. The way he interacts with the crowd is the best bar none, nailing that sweet spot between being menacing but not terrifying. Our kids have started going through a phase of not wanting to go to certain shows due to the actions of certain heels on the card, so it is a credit to Whiplash that I have never heard any complaints about him.

A perfect example of the balance Mikey strikes came at one point during this match, as he began mounting the barrier to threaten some kids. On of the children's Dads stood up and told him to back off, and Whiplash managed to do so in such a way as to maintain his aura of credibility in a tricky situation that left everyone still in fear of him without him looking like an asshole.

Tom Hanks once said it is a lot harder to do comedic acting than it is to do dramatic. I'm not sure how well that translates into the wrestling ring, but Whiplash tripping himself on the ropes was perfectly timed and showed a willingness to not hold back from a man who is very capable in both technical and violent matches.

But it takes two to turn a good performance into a great match, and DCT more than held his own last Saturday. This was easily the best match I have seen from DCT. There were the comedy elements, and DCT certainly possesses incredible comic timing of his own. A few aside glances and references to the fact that he is aligned with Jackie Polo in another universe went over well with the adults, but what really struck me was how the wrestling flowed between both DCT and Whiplash.

It all combined to tell a great story, one which came to a satisfyingly natural conclusion with Whiplash getting victory following a spin-out powerbomb.

With some tension mouting within the ranks of Muay Tache, and DCT failing to get the singles victory here, I wonder if Adam Carrel will look at the results here and begin questioning the future of the SWA tag team champions?


Kieran McColm vs Matt Daly
Billed as a special Source school showcase, this was a great advert for the school. I've seen both guys wrestle before and they each have a bit of the "it factor" that makes you think they will go places in the future.

Matt Daly came out spouting his "MATT..... DALY!" routing, which got great heckles from the crowd. An instant connection was made. Kieran McColm then came out and, being a native of Cumbernauld, he had the support of the crowd from the get-go and that carried throughout the match whenever Kieran looked to be flagging.

Although Matt had the considerable size advantage, Kieran deftly utilised his speed and resilience to maintain the upper hand through most of the contest. If I can offer one piece of constructive criticism to the graduates, I would say that I felt there were too many moves used that would be considered "finishers" in other promotions. It wasn't necessarily overdone (at no point did I feel I was watching a Grado-esque homage routine, for example) but at one point Matt Daly executed his version of the Skull Crushing Finale on Kieran that I felt should have ended him, but I was left scratching my own skull when Kieran kicked out.

That minor thought aside, I was fully gripped by the match and enjoying it thoroughly as it seemed Kieran was ready to put Matt away, but then in entered Jack Jester. Jester grabbed young Kieran by the throat and started attacking him. This lead to a disqualification victory for Kieran, but Matt Daly left looking like the cat that got the cream. He has since been seen declaring himself "undefeated" as he has not technically been pinned or submitted, despite his factual record showing 1-2 and Kieran McColm getting that solo pin for the team in a six-man tag match. But hey, details details.....


Jack Jester showdown
Flying Ryan Griffin ran out to the ring to try and save Kieran, and suggested that if Jack Jester was so eager for a fight maybe he should take on Griffin right there and then. The bell rung for a match, but Jester instead took exception to a ran in the audience and left to challenge him to a fight instead. The impromptu contest was called off, but Jam O'Malley declared that it would happen tonight, as the Main Event of the evening!


Scott McManus vs Deviation
The masked Deviation came to the ring with incredible presence, but McManus (another recent Source graduate) made his own entrance seemingly unfazed by the imposing masked man. Something happened between McManus reaching the ring and the start of the match, as straight away it became clear there was something wrong with Scott's right knee.

He valiantly tried to get into the bout, but the ref signaled for the match to be stopped and ruled it a No Contest due to McManus being unable to compete. This was clearly the right decision, but as Scott was being helped to the back, Deviation decided to take out some of his aggression and try to kick at his would-be opponent anyway. This devious behaviour got a ton of boos from the crowd, and I for one wish Scott a speedy and full recovery so he can get back in the ring and make Deviation pay for his heinous actions.


Solar vs Massimo Italiano
The first half main event featured an interesting mix of sizes and styles, as Solar (the newly crowned Scottish Junior Heavyweight Champion) came to the ring sporting his new belt. What a belt it is by the way! Hands down my favourite looking belt in wrestling today, its nearly the size of Solar himself!

Massimo is certainly no Junior so I believe this was a non-title match, but despite his considerable size and strength advantage, Solar put up the true fight of a champion.

I am a fan of Massimo Italiano, having seen him live twice now. A lot of guys his size go for the "strong, silent type" routine, but Massimo I find is always very expressive, even given his apparently restricted English.

While Solar sought to get the Scottish crowd on his side, Massimo seemed quite content in himself and his power, chanting Italiano while powering up for some strong strikes on Solar.

A great mash-up of styles I would gladly watch again, Solar eventually prevailed with a top-rope frogsplash getting him the victory.


Jackie Polo vs Lewis Girvan
The second half looked to start off with the same ethos as the first - entertaining matches! I thoroughly enjoyed this once again, but had to miss a lot of the action unfortunately. Still, these things happen at family shows and I am reliably informed that Lewis put Jackie away with the Futureshock DDT.

Considering the last time we were in this venue, it was Jackie Polo facing Grado in the main event, for Lewis to get the victory here surely strengthens the case that he might be the current Junior Heavyweight Champion if he was given the one-on-one shot for the title earlier in the year. With momentum on both Solar and Girvan's side, I for one am hoping we see a meeting between the two before too long.


Sammii Jayne vs Nikki Storm
An excellent encounter between the two, I was enthralled for the entirety. These are two of the best wrestlers around right now, you need to look no further than the fact that Nikki has been invited to wrestle for the "Stardom!" company in Japan this summer for proof of that.

Sammii was accompanied to the ring by Debbie Sharpe, and both women wore matching outfits while retaining their own styles. Debbie would interfere throughout the match as well as offering support to Sammii, With her friend by her side, Sammii managed to cinch the victory by holding a German suplex for the pin. Another match I would pay money to see again.


Celtic Arrow vs Glen Dunbar
The one mis-step on the show for me, Celtic Arrow looked shaky throughout the match. The kids love him because hey, who doesn't love a masked high-flier, but there were a couple of moments that made others cringe. Most of all there was a top-rope crossbody to Glen on the outside that seemed to clatter Dunbar's head off the unforgiving floor in a manner that gained him more sympathy than anything else.

The ending came with Dunbar hitting almost like a running-Sister Abigail type DDT maneuver. I don't know the name of it to be honest, but it looked good and the match was over. Glen then took to the microphone to call out his brother Grado and declared that "this is what will happen every show until I get what I want - a match with Grado". Dunbar then picked Arrow up on his shoulder and slammed him forcefully into the mat, taking whatever wind he had left right out of him. Grado v Glen, the brothers colliding - that is once again a match I am incredibly excited to see.


Flying Ryan Griffin vs Jack Jester
Main event time and a stellar match from two guys who truly know what they are doing in the ring. Ryan had the crowd fully behind him and left us all on a high when he managed to put Jester away with a cracking superkick for the pinfall victory.

I've seen Griffin live a few times and he is truly a main event talent. He deserved the victory here, and you deserve to go see him live at the earliest opportunity.

Jack Jester then proceeded to resume his issues with the fan in the crowd, goading him to push past security and take a swing or step into the ring to prove his worth. I honestly am at a loss for words as to these events and wonder what will become of it as Jack Jester increasingly seems more unhinged with every appearance.


Overall this was an incredibly enjoyable night out. A few mis-steps aside, there were plenty of stellar matches that more than made the £10 worth spending. Plenty of great potential for future feuds, you can join in the action tonight and tomorrow as SWA head to Ardrossan and Beith respectively. Tickets as always are £10 and the big highlights for me tonight will be Joe Hendry & Sammii Jayne taking on Scott Renwick & Courtney, while tomorrow in Beith keep an eye out for Mikey Whiplash vs Kenny Williams.  You owe it to yourself to get to one of these shows.

SWA - Aftermath preview

Disclaimer: It's tomorrow. It's gonna be awesome. Dae it.

Scottish Wrestling Alliance / Zero 1 Scotland presents
"Aftermath"

Friday 24th October 2014, 7pm
Paisley Lagoon Leisure Centre, 11 Christie Street, PA1 1NB

Facebook Event Page | SWA on Twitter | Tickets via skiddle
Now you know where it is, how to buy your tickets (which are still available via skiddle and are priced at only £12 for General Admission), I guess we should get on with why you should be going tomorrow night.

Jack Gallagher vs Rampage Brown
This event is the aftermath of last week's Battlezone event, where Jack Gallagher outlasted 39 other wrestlers to earn the right to be number one contender to the SWA title. Not only did Gallagher complete that feat, he also outlasted Mikey Whiplash in a 2 Out Of 3 Falls match, forcing Whiplash to submit in the final fall.

All of that goes to show why Jack is the most exciting, versatile and talented wrestler in Scotland right now. I've been highly impressed by him since I first saw him evade a headlock by performing a handstand and "walking" away upside down at an SWA event earlier in the year. Since then, I've seen him perform almost a half dozen times and have raved highly about each one.

From a guy who epitomises wrestling skill, to a man that epitomises wrestling style. Not to take away from Rampage Brown's in-ring ability, which is incredible, but what really draws my awe is the moment Rampage steps out from behind the curtain. The second you lay eyes on the man, you are drawn to his physique. He is what I think of when I think "wrestler" but unlike most with his look, he can actually go in the ring too.

Jack Gallagher may have proven himself as the future of SWA at Battlezone, but he won't be able to rest on those laurels for any length of time. This is as tough a challenge as they come, and is worth the price of admission alone.

Dickie Divers vs Kenny Williams
If Gallagher v Brown is worth the price of admission alone, then everything else is simply cherries on top of that cake isn't it? Everyone else can take a night off, coast it, phone it in surely? Nope. Not the case.

Coasting simply isn't in the vocabulary of these two guys. I'm not overly familiar with the flavour of their individual SWA personas, but I've seen both wrestler live enough times now to know what their deal is. With Kenny you're going to get high-flying attacks, you're going to get him leaping (often backwards) from the ropes and continually chipping away at his opponent's momentum and fortitude until he can finally knock them down for the 1, 2, 3.

But Divers doesn't get chipped down. Divers is the less flashy version of Kenny Williams. He can fly, sure, but he can also get flown around and that can often be the difference maker. Dickie Divers will take your shots, your attacks, your Canadian Destroyers, and Dickie Divers will keep on coming back for more.

I expect there to be a lot of action here, of course, but I also kind of expect this to turn into a war of attrition, of willpower, of seeing who can take the most knocks and keep on coming. And in that area, I expect to see Divers prevail.

Lewis Girvan vs Noam Dar
Right, we're getting ridiculous now. Two of the top young talents in the world right here, with Girvan really coming into his own and hitting a stride that is seeing everyone sit up and take notice. I've got to admit, a few years back I wasn't the hugest fan of Lewis. I didn't see what the fuss was about. But my eyes have been opened a lot in the past three or four months. Lewis Girvan has "it" and he is going to be a star, there is no doubt about that. I'm just glad I'm finally along for the ride.

And what of his opponent? The man hailed "the future" for so long he has now become "the present". The guy who can push Joe Coffey to his limits. He who I hailed only yesterday as being a genius of every genre of wrestling match. The wrestler who, in my opinion, is the shining star of TNA's British Bootcamp right now. Noam Dar could headline this show. Noam Dar could be SWA Champion. Noam Dar could simply say "I'm gonna be there" and I would gladly throw money at the promoters just to watch Noam Dar standing in the ring saying "Aye, I'm here" and nothing more.

Both of these guys are talented. Both of these guys are going to be major money in this business. The fact I'm talking about this match third says a lot about the quality of this card tomorrow. I don't know if there is history between them and frankly I don't care. These guys will tell a story for the ages in the ring and you won't want to miss that, I guarantee it.

Shame & Canyon v Grado & Solar
Is it weird that this is the match I'm least excited for? It features four great guys. Solar is well on his way to finding the momentum that will take him high up cards in the future. Shame and Canyon are unknown enough to me to be incredibly interesting. Then there is Grado.

Grado, the absolute force. It is unfair to call him a wrestler at this point. He exists in his own bubble of awesome. Grado, no matter the situation, no matter the place or the time or the opponent or the partner, simply lights up a room. Again, it is testament to how incredibly packed this show is that the Grado match is seen to me to be the weakest announced. I am enthused to see all four of these guys tie up and trade very differing styles, so credit to SWA for packing so much talent into one show.

Joe Coffey vs Dave Mastiff
A bit of a downer here. Dave Mastiff I have only recently started getting into. His name is well held in Scottish wrestling, but I'm not familiar enough to be entirely gripped on that alone.

But Joe Coffey. What a phenomenal talent. An absolute force of nature and charisma. But he is something else as well right now. He is an EX-Champion, having been dethroned by Doug Williams last week. Last seen chasing the brother betrayer Mark Coffey around Motherwell, and having a major score to settle with Mark and Doug's cohort, Joe will have plenty on his mind leading into this fight.

He will have to clear that mind. Meditate, lift a pick-up truck of his head, whatever it takes. Joe Coffey must focus. For as little as I know of Dave Mastiff, I know enough to know that if Joe isn't fully focused on this event, it could result in not only another loss, but a potential trip to the hospital to fix some majorly broken bones.

Nikki Storm vs Leah Von Dutch

Do you think I like female wrestlers? Well, aye, of course I do. You only need to chat to me for two minutes to be aware of that. So forgive me if you think I'm biased when I say this - Nikki Storm is hands-down one of the best wrestlers, of any gender, of any nation, at this point in time, and I want her to have all the belts and all the contracts in all the promotions.

She has the look, the skills and the supreme confidence to succeed, but she also has something else. Like Noam Dar, Nikki is versatile. She will threaten to tear your head off, and you will believe it, but at the flick of a switch she will turn self-deprecating and you will feel safe to laugh at her.

But you are never safe. No matter how much she can draw a crowd in, no matter how much she can make you feel safe to laugh, Nikki Storm will always be that woman who can decapitate you in a second.

So what of Leah? Surely she should just turn tail and not show up, right? Not quite.

Leah Von Dutch is no stranger to tough bouts. The multi-promotion champion from Canada has wrestled all over the world at this point. Fierce Females in Scotland. ROH in Illinois. SHINE in Florida. wXw. CCW. PWA. Europe. America. She is on a run of three victories so far this month, over such impressive names as Saraya Knight and Crazy Mary Dobson, so Leah can certainly bring it.

An absolute pleasure to see LVD live having just missed her the last time she visited these shores, you won't want to miss this opportunity either. Female wrestling is the bee's knees and tomorrow night we get to see one of the best taking on one of the most well-travelled visitors to Scotland.

SWA Tag Team Championship
Muay Tache vs The Forgotten
The only title match announced, it is going to be an absolute corker. Four great guys, intense focus and great crowd-interaction skills too, I expect this to be a classic Good versus Evil match-up. There's really not a lot I need say here as these four on the night will tell you all you need to know within minutes of entering the ring. Another one, like Girvan vs Dar, for the story-tellers and my personal pick for the one the kids will be most into.

Mikey Whiplash vs Tommy End
No offence to anyone above, and I mean it, but I feel I've saved the best 'til last here. I have no doubt that out of the entire card listed above, there will be at least 3 or 4 classics. There are always matches that look good on paper but don't quite click live, there are always unavoidable mis-steps. Maybe things won't go perfectly and we simply get a handful of excellent, 8/10, go home and tell your friends "man, you should have seen that" and dream about them for a few months before slowly forgetting about them matches. That's alright. Although I personally think at least 3 or 4 of these matches will stand the test of time and will be incredibly gripping viewing, nobody knows until the night.

But this one we do know. Mikey Whiplash versus Tommy End will stand the test of time. This will be the match that, when you see it live, you are going to spend years recounting every step and every wristlock. You are going to find yourself telling strangers about this match. People will buy the DVD, find the video on Youtube, huddle around their cousin's mobile phone as it plays grainy fan-cam footage, and wish they were there.

Don't wish. Come along tomorrow and witness live two absolute marvels of the ring. I don't know what these two will cook up on the night. I don't know how the match will unfold. I can't decide which one I'm more scared of. But I know in my bones that this will be a surefire hit and it is already my selection for Match Of The Year and it hasn't even took place yet.

Don't be left out. Click the link above, get your butt down to Paisley (or up, or sideways) and come see this card.

AWBA: Fiona Fraser

Disclaimer: Welcome to another Wee Bit About, this time focusing on Scottish wrestler Fiona Fraser. Have a read of this article, check out the AWBA Interview with Fiona, and come see her on Saturday 20th September 2014 at Pride Wrestling.

Fiona Fraser - Facebook | Twitter | Contraband Photography

Fiona Fraser's journey into wrestling is unlike many others. Fiona is not a woman chasing a childhood dream, following in the footsteps of idols like so many before her. Fiona is not a lifetime scholar of the ring, having devoted her entire life to studying the moves and mannerisms of others in the hope of imitation.

No, Fiona is a woman who, barely three years ago, was channel-surfing one day and found Smackdown on TV and three weeks later googled "Scottish wrestling schools" and went from there. Her initial search took her to the Source Wrestling School (http://www.facebook.com/SourceWrestlingSchool) where it turns out she was a bit of a natural. Putting in the hard work necessary to form her craft, Fiona debuted in 2012.

For those of us who have seen Fiona live, you would never be able to tell she has only been a wrestling fan for such a short length of time, as she carries herself with the poise and talents of a wrestler far beyond her two professional years. That, in my eyes, is a much scarier prospect than someone who spent decades getting to this level.


The Beginning
As mentioned above, Fiona started off her wrestling career as a graduate of the Source school. Her journey has seen her wrestle for a variety of promotions including Fierce Females (which we will get to later), Pride Wrestling, the Wrestling Factory, and Pro-Wrestling: Eve, featuring on an iPPV event for that company.

But the place she will always call home is the Scottish Wrestling Alliance. Appearing on a variety of SWA shows, Fiona has notably appeared on every show in her native Motherwell since making her debut with SWA. Wrestling everyone from Nikki Storm to Bete Noire, fans who are only familiar with Fiona from her Fierce Females career should check out the following video. Skip to 21:00 to see a perhaps unusually positive reception for Fiona from her local fans, as she faces up against Bete and showcases the technical submission skills that she would go on to be known for.

Fierce Females

Within her debut year, a promotion that would become synonymous with Fiona was also making its debut. On September 2012, Fierce Females held their first ever show, and the very first match on that show was Fiona Fraser vs Nikki Storm.

Despite coming up short in that match, Fiona had made an impact on the Fierce Females crowd. Appearing in some capacity in every event to date, Fiona quickly made enemies in April Davids and Viper, but it was with the relaunch show Coming Of Age that a new saga would begin.

Facing up against the debuting Courtney, Fiona aimed to put on a wrestling clinic, taking her time to toy with her opponent. But Courtney never gave up, dug deep and persevered, clinching a victory that seemed to shock even her. That wasn't all she earned however - the anger of Fiona Fraser had truly awoken.

That rage spilled over into the next event, Return Of The Queen Of Hardcore, where Fiona took it all out on Viper during and after their match, getting some revenge for an attack made by Viper the previous year. That full match can be viewed here. Also noticeable was a growing respect between Fiona and the duo of Carmel & Sara.

But it was with Fierce Females return to Glasgow City Center that the Fiona and Courtney rivalry truly took flame. Utilising everything from her vast library of legit wrestling techniques, to plain bashing her opponent's arm against the wall, Fiona set out to dismantle Courtney's body and spirit. But as you can see from the footage (skip to the 14th minute of the second video), while successfully destroying her rival's arm, Fiona found that Courtney's spirit remained strong where her body failed her.

With a third match between the two recently ending in a double-countout, the ongoing battle between Courtney and Fiona Fraser is arguably the hottest feud in female wrestling at this moment. 

Mind Games
One aspect of Fiona Fraser's work that sets her aside from her peers is her threatening promos. Never afraid to speak her mind, Fiona can often be found musing upon her opponents and what makes them both tick, ultimately coming to the conclusion that she will prove herself a force to be reckoned with no matter what it takes. Check out her latest promo ahead of the eventual third matchup between Fraser and Courtney, then follow her YouTube channel for more.

Outwith Wrestling

As well as being a fantastic wrestler, Fiona is also an accomplished photographer. Check out Contraband Photography for some of her work, including incredible photoshoots with many of the top female wrestlers in Scotland right now.

The Future

Fiona Fraser can be seen live at Pride Wrestling on Saturday 20th September 2014. Also keep an eye on Scottish Wrestling Alliance events for appearances from Fiona, and Fierce Females will return to Glasgow's Walkabout on October 26th and November 23rd.

While waiting on those shows to take place, why not check out this Interview that Fiona kindly agreed to take part in with AWBA.

Source - Showcase 4

Disclaimer: I took no notes last night solike if any of this is factually inaccurate, feel free to correct me and/or whine about it :) was far too engrossed in the action and making sure the weans didn't jump into the ring.

Source - Showcase 4
Source Wrestling School
22 Cogan Street
Glasgow
G43 1AP
Sunday 7th September, 6.30pm
Source - Website | Facebook | Twitter
SWA - Website | Facebook | Twitter


So what was this all about then? Essentially, there were three different things going on last night. On one hand, the trainees and graduates of the Source Wrestling School got a chance to showcase their talents in a ring in front of a sizeable live audience. On the other hand, there was an opportunity to see who could be the bright stars of the future in the Scottish Wrestling Alliance and across the UK wrestling landscape in the years to come.

But ultimately what you had was great family-friendly wrestling action for only £5, with plenty to keep adult wrestling fans engrossed as well.

AWBA: Upcoming Shows Update

Disclaimer: This is just a short update to this article on upcoming Scottish shows for 2014. I intend to do more in-depth looks and previews nearer the times, but I wanted to give you something right now to keep up to date with the news.

AWBA: Bete Noire

Disclaimer: This is the first of hopefully many articles on individual wrestlers. My idea for AWBA was never to be a review site, it was to give new fans to UK wrestling a step in the door, explaining a wee bit about who is who and why they wrestle. To that end, say hello to Bete Noire! (Please also check out the companion piece, An Interview With Bete Noire).

Bete Noire - Facebook - Blog - Twitter - Website

The French phrase "bete noire" can be translated as meaning "an anathema; a person or thing that one particularly dislikes. Evil. A cursed person to be avoided". As her opponents would agree, the translation is a fitting one for this Scottish wrestler.

A graduate of the Source Wrestling School (http://www.facebook.com/SourceWrestlingSchool) with a background in Judo, Boxing and Thai Boxing, Bete made her debut in 2011 and spent the next year wrestling for a variety of promotions including the Scottish Wrestling Alliance and Manchester's The Wrestling Factory.

However, it was the first Fierce Females show in September 2012 that represented a re-debut of sorts for Bete Noire. Facing fellow Scot Viper in a hard-hitting brawl that took both women through the audience and back, Bete went into the match a relative unknown but emerged as a force to take notice of.

From there, Bete formed an alliance with her opponent and the team of Bete & Viper made waves in the Pro Wrestling: Eve promotion down in England over the start of 2013. Bete made an immediate impact in fact, as on her PW: Eve debut on their Wrestle-Fever iPPV she would epitomise the "no regrets" style of wrestling that would come to define her, literally screaming "I regret nothing" before making a huge plancha dive.

The allure of a qualification spot in the tournament to crown the first ever Fierce Females champion would draw the partners back up to Scotland to once again face off against each other in a rematch even more brutal than before, at Insane Championship Wrestling's first ever show in Edinburgh, "Tramspotting".

Although tasting defeat in that contest, Bete was beginning to build a reputation for herself as a woman who would give it her all to win, no matter the personal cost. In a match highlighted by a death-defying leap from the top rope to the outside and finding herself on the receiving end of a swing into the metal post, while Bete may have lost blood and the match, she had won over the fans.

Fast forward a little to May 2013 and you can see the strides Bete had made in what is easily my favourite Noire match, and one of the most terrifying matches I've seen. At Fierce Females second show, "Luke Who's Yer Da?", Bete faced off against American sensation Crazy Mary Dobson in a brutal match featuring everything from chairs to a screwdriver, even a make-shift table. If the Tramspotting fight showed Bete's willingness to take punishment in the name of a strong wrestling match, this fight against Dobson showed her equal willingness at dishing it out.

Bete spent the rest of 2013 battling all over Scotland, ending the year with a title shot at the W3L Women's Champion Sara. 2014 would start off with a major change of scene for Bete, as she achieved a life goal of travelling to Japan to wrestle, competing with the Ice Ribbon (https://www.facebook.com/IceRibbon) company. Her time there included a match against Tetsuya Nakazato that was handily recorded by a fan.

Her return from Japan has seen Bete take on all comers from LCW in England, to RCW in Spain and of course back home in Fierce Females, where Bete has faced up to Sammii Jayne, Nikki Storm and the legendary Saraya Knight so far this year.

With two Fierce Females shows coming up this year and a tag-team match with Viper against the team of The Owens Twins scheduled for ICW's Spacebaws event on 21st September, there will be plenty of opportunities to catch Bete Noire in Scotland this year. But now that she has spread her wings abroad, there is no telling where this incredibly talented, strong-styled wrestler will end up.


Hopefully I've gave you a nice wee bit about Bete, showcasing some of her great matches over the past three years. There's plenty more out there, and if you're interested in seeing her live I urge you to check out Fierce Females or ICW (details of upcoming shows will of course be published here). If you've had enough of me talking but still want more Bete Noire, you're in luck.

Bete graciously agreed to take part in an interview with AWBA blog, which you can read in it's entirety here.

For more of Bete, please check out her Facebook page and her blog "Cupcakes & Chinlocks" through our fantastic friends at Breaking Baws.

AWBA: Upcoming Scottish Shows

Disclaimer: I canny afford all this!! I really canny afford all this!!! But what I can do is promise you full previews coming up shortly. For now, here is a huge amalgamation of what is happening for the rest of the year as of right now!! (PS... someone please pay me, I really, really, really canny afford all this!!)
2014

It's been a cracking year so far, hasn't it? Fierce Females is back, Insane Championship Wrestling is on the rise, we've had Fergal Devitt, big Drew is back home. All sorts is going on, so here's a wee bit aimed at keeping track of it all...


AUGUST

The big news is Insane Championship Wrestling's "Everything's Coming Up Milhouse" month long event at the Edinburgh fringe. ICW were offering reduced price "Season Tickets", another groundbreaking idea from the company, but these have of course Sold Out. Some individual tickets remain for the shows, hosted in Edinburgh's Studio 24, and you have the following matches confirmed:

Sunday 3rd August - Get Mendoza!
Grado v Colt Cabana
BT Gunn v Tommy End
Dickie Divers v Dante
Joe Coffey v Darkside v Kid Fite v Noam Dar - Winner receives and ICW Heavyweight Title shot at the August 10th show
This event has SOLD OUT

Sunday 10th August - You Have The Right To Remain Dead!
Nikki Storm v Viper
Joe Hendry v David Devlin (the man formerly known as Yum Yum)
Damo v Lewis Girvan
Jack Jester is confirmed as appearing (presumably against the winner from the August 3rd show... presumably)
Grado and Colt Cabana will also be there in some fashion
Tickets still available at £12.50 via Ticketmaster

Sunday 17th August - Suspect Is Hatless (Repeat, Hatless)
Carmel & Sara v The Owens Twins
BT Gunn v Red Lightning
Chris Renfrew v Jamie Feerick
Grado, Jack Jester, Colt Cabana and Sha Samuels will also be there in some fashion
Tickets still available at £12.50 via Ticketmaster

Sunday 24th August - Ice To See You
Zero matches announced, as ever Grado, Jack Jester and Colt Cabana will be appearing
Tickets still available at £12.50 via Ticketmaster

In addition to all this, Colt Cabana will be hosting "The Art Of Wrestling" at Studio 24 a few hours before each show, tickets priced at £5 each via Ticketmaster.

If, like me, you can't make all the shows (I personally will only be going to Ice To See You - see you there), Breaking Baws are hosting another wrestling night at The Ark on Sunday August 10th. Come along to see Money In The Bank 2011 on the big screen, enjoy some cheap food and drink and a great atmosphere. Excellent place to meet fellow wrestling fans, that's The Ark at 46 North Frederick Street, Glasgow, G1 2BS (http://www.screampubs.co.uk/thearkglasgow) and the Facebook event page is https://www.facebook.com/events/352829214871432/



Also on the not-strictly-live-wrestling events front, World Wide Wrestling League (or W3L as it's known) is hosting a WWE Summerslam afterparty on August 17th/18th at Sportsters in Edinburgh. More details available here.

If you want to venture a bit further afield than Glasgow or Edinburgh, Dundee's Scottish Wrestling Entertainment are offering two shows in August for you:

Saturday 23rd August - SWE Uprising "Hellbound"
2pm show for all ages from Kirkton Community Centre, Derwent Street, Dundee, DD3 0AX
Colt Cabana v Grado
Contract signing for Chaz Phoenix v Steven Magners (Steel Cage, career v career match)
and more
Tickets are £12 for adults or £9 for under-14s via http://www.sweonline.co.uk/shop.html

Saturday 30th August - SWE "Hell For Lycra XI"
6.45pm show for all ages from Bonar Hall, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Ian Ambrose (c) v Martyn Stallyon (SWE Championship)
The legendary "Road Warrior" Animal v Damo O'Connor
Former TNA star Doug Williams v Joe Hendry
Chaz Phoenix v Steven Magners (Steel Cage, career v career match)
Marty Jones & Jay The Jackal v Johnny Saint & Felix Fortune
The Butcher Scott Renwick & The Trident v Mr News & Williams & Claymore & L.J.T. (8-man tag match)
Tickets are £17 via http://www.sweonline.co.uk/shop.html and include an autograph signing starting at 2pm

Staying on the family-friendly front we have British Championship Wrestling presenting the Homecoming on Friday 29th August at the Grand Hall, 1 London Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7AA (or Palace Theatre, KA1 3BN, sat-nav should get you to the same place). On that card we have the return of Drew Galloway (WWE's Drew McIntyre and former BCW Champion), former NXT stars Martin Stone (previously Danny Burch) and Oliver Grey (previously Joel Redman) and the BCW Tag Team Title will be defended with Champions "Just Uz" (BT Gunn & Stevie Xavier) vs "The Models" (Joey Hayes & Danny Hope).

Tickets are £25 (Front Row & Meet and greet with Drew & Poster & pre-show match), £15 (2nd Front Row & Meet and greet Martin and Oliver & Poster & pre-show match) or £10 (General Admission) or £30 (4x General Admission) from 01563 554 900.

Reckless Intent also have a pair of wrestling shows in August featuring:

Saturday 9th August - Cruel Summer
The RI Unit, Unit 9, Knightsridge Industrial Estate, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 8RA
Mikey (c) v Jackie Grady (Reckless Intent UK Title match)
Rawlins (c) v Lowblow (Reckless Intent World Title match, if Lowblow wins he is back in the company)
Falcon v Joe Hendry
and featuring Colt Cabana
Tickets are £5 from http://www.reckless-intent.com/buy or at the RI Unit Wed & Sun between 6pm and 10pm or through GM John Long on 07775 424425

Sunday 24th August - Sunday Slam
The RI Unit, Unit 9, Knightsridge Industrial Estate, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 8RA
A family friendly Sunday afternoon show from 1pm
Tickets are £5 or Family Of Four for £15 from http://www.reckless-intent.com/buy or via admin@reckless-intent.com

Saturday 30th August brings us Wrestlezone's "Battle Of The Nations 2014" at Aberdeen Beach Leisure Centre, Sea Beach, Aberdeen, AB24 5NR - the first event to be held there since Big Daddy & Giant Haystacks graced it in 1991. The card features:
Jack Jester v Crusher Craib (Wrestlezone Undisputed Title), Drew Galloway v Andy Wild (Battle Of The Nations) and Mr P v Red Lightning.
Tickets are £12 via http://www.wrestlezonescotland.co.uk/ or 01224 641122 showtime of 7pm, limited tickets also available at the venue itself.

Finally, the month will be rounded out with a double-header on Sunday 31st August with the following two events on at the same day, thankfully at different times so there's no excuse for not attending both:

Fierce Females - Strewth Sheila
Walkabout, Glasgow, 2pm
Confirmed: Nikki Storm gets to choose Kay Lee Ray's opponent, and Kay Lee Ray gets to choose Nikki Storm's opponent, in a "Pick Your Poison" double main event.
Tickets are £8 from Rufus T Firefly's on Hope Street, or from FierceFemales.co.uk

ICW - 1.21 Gigawatts Great Scott!
The Garage, Glasgow, 7pm
Confirmed: Drew Galloway will make his in-ring return to ICW, his opponent (and the rest of the card) to be announced shortly.
Tickets are £17 via TicketMaster

SEPTEMBER


Pro Wrestling Elite host "Fallen Angel" starring of course Christopher Daniels vs Noam Dar. Also scheduled for the Saturday 13th September show at the Ayr Town Hall, New Bridge Street, Ayr, KA7 1JX is a Tag Team Championship match between Project Ego and The Coffey Brothers. Tickets come in Platinum (£40 gets you entry at 5pm for a meet and greet with Christopher Daniels and pre-show bonus match), Silver (£15.75 each or £52.50 family, early entry for a pre-show bonus match) or General (£12.75 or £42.50 family) via http://www.prowrestlingelite.com/shop/event-tickets

Pride Wrestling the follow with "We Love It When A Plan Comes Together" on Saturday 20th September from Bridgeton Community Centre, 68 Dale Street, Glasgow, G40 4TL. The event features Joe Hendry (c) v Lewis Girvan in a rematch for the N7 Championship, and Pride Champion Glen Dunbar is scheduled to defend. Tickets are available via http://pridewrestling.co.uk/tickets/ for £10 General, £8 Concession or £38 for a family of four.... or my friends at BREAKING BAWS have an exclusive promo code if you click this link and head over to their site to enjoy 25% off your tickets. Result.

The very next day Insane Championship Wrestling gives us "Spacebaws" from The Garage in Glasgow (that's Sunday 21st September in case you're skim-reading). Tickets are £10 via Ticketmaster, TicketsScotland or Triple-G Music and the bill features all the up-and-coming talent including Viper & Bete Noire v The Owens Twins, and showings from ICW Zero-G Champion Mark Coffey, Joe Hendry, Kenny Williams, Solar, "International Sex Hero" DCT, David The Beloved, Christopher Saynt, Lou King Sharp, Saqib Ali, Lewis Girvan, Bobby Roberts, and Switch N Flick.

Reckless Intent also have a pair of wrestling shows in September, all current details are as per their posters:

Sunday 7th September - Party In The Park

Saturday 20th September - Unleashed

OCTOBER & NOVEMBER

There are a whole raft of shows coming up in October & November which I will talk about in more detail nearer the time, but here are some highlights:

Premier British Wrestling have 7 events planned from Larbert, Alloa, Edinburgh, Greenock, Airdrie, Dumbarton and Barrhead. Click this link to see more but it will feature the likes of former TNA stars Christopher Daniels and Kazarian.

Scottish Wrestling Alliance are spending October building to Battlezone. Click here for details but October 18th is the date to keep in your diary - a 30 man rumble and a Tables Ladders Chairs match between Mikey Whiplash and SWA Co-owner John "The Bomb" Graham.

Discovery Wrestling have their debut show in Edinburgh on October 11th. Already boasting Chris Sabin, Crime Time and Mike Mondo it is bursting with imported talent, but importantly will also see UK stars Grado, Damien O'Connor, Sammi Jayne, Rampage Brown, Shanna, Damien Daniels and Marty Scurll. It looks huge for a debut show, event page can be found here.

Reckless Intent have five further events planned, taking them right into December in fact, all viewable here.

Insane Championship Wrestling are hosting their annual Fear & Loathing event, the 7th in company history, on November 2nd from the BARROWLANDS in Glasgow. Expect huge things, the even can be viewed here.

W3L will be hosting Wrestlution VIII on 21st November in Musselburgh, showcasing Mikey Whiplash v Nathan Reynolds for the latter's W3L Heavyweight title. Events page is here.

Finally, Fierce Females will be building up to the 23rd November where they will host Come & Say G'day from the Walkabout in Glasgow. Event can be viewed here, expect to see some intense action if Mad Maxine was anything to go by, and afterwards there will be the Survivor Series afterparty.

PS Big thank you to everyone on Facebook for pointing out any shows that I've missed. Any other details you think need added/updated get me at AWBAblog@gmail.com or @AWBAblog on Twitter.

PPS I'm also sure that SWA have a "Showcase" event on August 29th but can't find any details right now. I do however have a link to their other "Showcase" events throughout September and October - http://scottishwrestling.co.uk/events/ - enjoy.

SWA - The Next Chapter

Disclaimer: Don't really need a disclaimer for this one. I was there, I was alert, I took notes, this might actually make sense.

Friday 6th June - St Maurice's High School, Cumbernauld

Only my second wrestling show taking the weans, and first ever SWA show (despite making promises for well over a year now - sorry guys), and I knew there were a few ICW fans going so I had no idea what to expect in regards to the atmosphere.

Thankfully the atmosphere was very much family friendly (save the odd shout from the crowd, or innuendo from the heels, but what you gonna do - I think the worst was a kid getting called 'speccy' who took it in his stride, and another getting called 'fat' who had Grado immediately coming to his defense). Anyway, aye, the venue was as well set out as a High School gym should be, the atmosphere was great, on with the show.


Match 1 - Lewis Girvan v Eric Canyon
Great start to the evening, Eric Canyon made a great antagonist. Crowd were firmly behind Girvan, so much so that despite having a fur coat to rival Damo's myself, I was joining in on chanting "Shave Yer Chest" to Canyon. Great fluidity to proceedings, in terms of specific moves the main points I remember was Girvan going off the springboard and missing and cracking clotheslines along with a great Gutwrench suplex from Canyon.

The finisher however.... wow. Lewis Girvan won with the DDT. The DDT. None of your tornado stuff, not an Ambrose reverse DDT, not a Brainbuster. I have longed for the day I could read that someone won a legit wrestling match with a legit DDT, and here I am writing it. Lewis Girvan won.... with the DDT.... it is a legit finisher once again. Thank you Girvan.


Match 2 - Nikki Storm v Courtney
Courtney came out and did her splits spot, then Nikki came out, every bit the Queen Bee. We should respect her. We should be in AWE of her. We should thank her for being in our presence. As usual, Nikki had the crowd in her hands. There was something like a 10 minute build up to the match where Nikki just played the crowd, and Courtney, and nothing will enhance an upcoming talent more than a heel who knows how to work the crowd.

As proceedings got under way, a decent enough match ensued. There were a few botched spots here and there, but equally Courtney hit a few tough spots perfectly. Nikki did my favourite spot, claiming a 3 count when it was clearly a 2, and then later when it was only a 1. Slays me every time.

Nikki won by rolling Courtney up from the corner, mirroring a spot earlier where Courtney dropped to her knees as Nikki stumbled back over her, and put her feet on the ropes for leverage. Typical heel finish, but smartly done as it did recall what had happened earlier, and ensured Courtney left with her head held high in what was another good encounter.


Match 3 - Christopher Saynt v Grado
Now I know I've said Canyon and Storm were both great heels, but Saynt was something else here. Nae fear, attacked everything from a kid in the front row's waistline to Grado's maw. Grabbed Grado's hat and wiped his bum with it then threw it away. Our eldest grabbed it and "kept it safe" for Grado.

As for the match, Grado ran through his usual spots (I know I say "usual spots" a lot, but sorry about that... go see Grado more if you don't know what his "usual spots" are, eh), best moment for me was when he did the Ref-assisted kick-up spot, the youngest turns around to me and says "Grado's gonna be on NXT soon". Belter.

After going for the "horsie" maneuver, Dave Conrad, who had been at ringside for Saynt, leapt in and put and end to this match. Grado wins by DQ, but it looks like his night is over, until....

NEW Match 3 - The Gatecrashers (Christopher Saynt & Dave Conrad) v Grado & Damo
Big Damo comes out to Grado's aid. This is now a tag match!! Everyone is ecstatic, well everyone bar one, and Grado even momentarily forgets his predicament and instead tries to get an impromptu photoshot with his hauners. But Damo's no having it, he's all business, and after threatening to kick seven shades out of their opponents, he delivers with gusto.

That said however, Damo did have a few funny moments as well. Told Conrad he needed a few more cheeseburgers, Grado then chimed in that he sounded the spit of Drew McIntyre. With the crowd fully on board and Damo dominating physically, The Gatecrashers seemed to be in no man's land. Grado go into the mix, but unfortunately the tide turned away from him. That is a depressing trend I've seen lately, opponents getting the better of Grado. After what seemed like an eternity, Grado managed to get the big Irishman back in and it was full-on destruction time.

The brutality culminated in something I never thought I'd see - Damo hit the roll and slice on Conrad, then threw Saynt in too and hit the double!! Then Grado tagged in and repeated the feat. The finish came soon after, as Grado hoisted Saynt onto his shoulders, used his swinging feet to keep Conrad at bay, and hit the F5 for the ultimate victory.

After the match, Grado thanked the wee man for keeping his hat safe (which made his night and then some), then popped the hat on Damo and finally (finally!) got his photo taken with Damo. That sentence probably doesn't make a lot of sense now, but it was magical at the time.


Match 4 - Mikey Whiplash v Ryoji Sai
Wow. That's all I'm going to use to sum up the legwork masterpiece that was the start of this match. So many techniques and so much variation, the gist of which was Mikey was determined to split Sai in two at the knee, specifically the left.

I didn't write down a lot of notes for this match because I, whether I wanted to be or not, was utterly engrossed from start to finish. The end came as Sai, overcoming battered knees, managed to get Whiplash off the top rope with a suplex then ended it with a move which I'm sure has a common name, but I can only give you the technical account - fireman's carry to a double knee gutbuster. Make sense? Naw? Shoulda been there then, we witnessed a masterclass.

Afterwards, amid intense heat from the crowd, Mikey Whiplash staged a protest. He called out the boss and made reference to a lot of stuff I was not witness to so won't pretend to be a part of, but I understood the gist. He retired John The Bomb a time ago and now John works backstage only. Mikey feels he deserves another title shot above the likes of Jackie Polo and doesn't deserve to be fighting exhibitions in front of us lot. John disagrees and thinks the only place Mikey should be is back to the bottom, fighting his way up. Mikey sees this as high disrespect and goads The Bomb into a match. As Mikey retired John, only he can allow him to return to the ring. As John's in charge, only he can allow Mikey a rematch. The scene was set for Battlezone, but not all went Mikey's way. Despite his protests of being a wrestler's wrestler, the match was set... for a Tables Ladders Chairs match.


Match 5 - Obata v Jack Gallagher
Following the intermission, we had another Japanese export in the form of Obata. Both this and the previous encounter suffered somewhat in the crowd being hesitant to back the Japanese, but I personally was in too much awe to cheer for anything. I had not seen either of these guys before, but had vaguely heard their names. They are both dynamite.

Jack set the tone early by getting out of a headlock... by walking backwards on his HANDS. That was it for me, I put down the notes and just kept my eyes locked on the action. One thing I will say is Jack was very suave and relaxed in the ring, like it was his natural environment.

That said, Obata himself controlled most of the match, keeping Jack in check with his very stiff, Japanese styles. Jack tried to give as good as he got, but this was firmly Obata's showing for much of the grapple. Jack had the final say though, as the ending came his way via an amazingly beautiful delayed dropkick in the corner followed by a Swanton that was, in my opinion, as ugly as the dropkick was beautiful. I'm not one to criticise, but Jack tucked his neck so late (from my POV) I'd rather never see that again from him. Didn't spoil the match in the slightest however, stole the show for me.


Match 6 - SWA Laird Of The Ring Championship:  Joe Hendry (c) v Mark Coffey
Joe Hendry came out in his pink suit to spell it out for us - he would not be competing tonight. Why should he? As Laird Of The Ring, surely he should be taking on Joe Coffey and not that pretender Jackie Polo. This was the second segment to rip into Polo, so I was all for it, and when I heard who would be replacing Hendry I was even more for it. Before we got to that though, we had Hendry remind us all that his now a GLOBAL Hero, and off he went into the night.

NEW Match 6 - Mark Coffey v Kenny Williams
Kenny Williams answered the open challenge, and after mutual respect from both and a bit of fooling around, we got down to the business of wrestling. I'm heavy into both these guys, and had two young kids getting antsy by this point, so I took few notes. All I can say is these guys are incredible, I was disappointed that every time Kenny went for his spinny flashy moves Mark kept throwing him away, and the ending came via Mark Coffey pulling on the pants of Kenny. Another heel ending, this was doubly disappointing as both men had been fighting as faces the whole time.

Mark tried to maintain he didn't cheat and it was all a misunderstanding, and after a slight hesitation, Kenny seemed to accept this and shook his hand. Then Coffey struck. Kenny turned his back, Mark struck him, and it seemed the rage at his missed opportunity had gotten to Coffey in the end as he left to a chorus of boos.


Match 7 - SAW Zero1 Scottish Championship:  Joe Coffey (c) v Jackie Polo
Polo's music hit, and the wee wee man fell asleep. So, thanks Jackie, made my job a bit easier.

Always with a dedicated following, Jackie came out, but the majority of the crowd were firmly behind him. Homemade "Jackie Sucks!" tshirts adorned the crowd, hecklers never let up, the "king" of chat gave as good  as he got but he kept getting in return. This was the Iron Man's crowd. And out he came.

The ring throughout the night had been threatening to collapse, especially the turnbuckles we were sat right in front of, but I am amazing it survived the many Irish Whips and corner splashes that ensued. First spot worth mentioning was Joe whipping Polo plain onto the stage from the outside, then onto the apron from the stage itself!

Speaking of the apron, Polo hit the Roman Reigns running dropkick spot on Coffey soon after. This was followed up in the ring with a 2nd rope bulldog that really impressed me. I always have, and always will, oppose Jackie for his demeanour, his character, his smugness, all of that. But I will go on record right here and now and say it takes two to tangle, and this was a 5 star match without any shadow of a doubt. Both men gave it their all and I was impressed, and that's all the positivity I have to give Jackie for this year so come back in 2015 if you want any more.

Back to the action, Polo returned to his shady ways and tried to use the Polo stick in full view of the Ref, who wisely removed it from play. In doing so, he gave Jackie a window of opportunity in which to low-blow Joe, but it was not enough to make the hero go. Oh no, he barely slowed. Should I rhyme mo? My favourite Tellytubby's Po. So? Ehh...... aye. After teasing the big swing several times, Joe seemed to be finally building his momentum as he hit the big splash in the corner then set up for another, but unfortunately the first was too effective as an incredibly stunned Jackie staggered out of the way and accidentally caused Joe to miss and nearly knock himself out!!

Jackie came too quicker and seized his opportunity wisely, hitting four strong power slams that brought the 80s right back to Cumbernauld. But his ego as ever got the better of him, as he started all that swaggering patter that makes you imagine Jeff Jarret and Ric Flair gave birth at some point and that's not an image anyone needs. Joe Coffey agrees, as he regained his senses and equilibrium in time to finally get his swing on, swinging Polo a clear five times before locking in the Boston Crab.

It all seemed over, but Polo had enough left to get to the ropes. Momentum swung back and forth before a decapitating clothesline sent both men to the ground, exhaustion fully setting in. An epic battle had already unfolded, and it seemed Coffey realised it as he kicked up, hit a succession of uppercuts, connected with all the big splashes, but..... WHAT?! Polo managed to block the Bulldog. It was in vain however, as the energy needed to do that caused Jackie to miss with his follow-up clothesline and it was then Coffey hit the Bulldog anyway. Close 2 count followed, clearly the slight reprieve Jackie got himself was just enough.

Fatigue setting in, Joe tried the discus clothesline that has destroyed so many foes, but Polos arms up in a chop were enough to absorb the blow and keep Polo on his feet. Joe managed to block the fisherman suplex attempt, but not the follow-up suplex variation Polo managed to connect with which brought an INSANE close 2 count. Another one followed from a 2nd rope knee drop, but with his momentum sapping Polo couldn't complete another power slam, Coffey instead getting a bridged German suplex for the loudest pop of a 2 count in a night packed full of them.

All hyperbole aside, the crowd were wild at this point. Livid almost. Iron Man chanting so loud mad Ozzy himself travelled up to collect his royalties. There was a metric ton of exchanges at this point, punches, chops, Polo managed to hit the bridged fisherman suplex... oh wait, Joe has turned it into a roll up.... Boston Crab..... POLO TAPS, JOE RETAINS, IRON MAN, IRON MAN, IRON MAN!!!!!!!!!!!


Summation
You're damn right I was excited.  Despite one wean falling asleep, and despite Joe Coffey hitting me with his chewing gum at one point, this was one of the best events I've been to yet and I've witnessed Prince Devitt in the flesh. The venue was great, despite being as hot as the sun, and the atmosphere was incredible.  I rarely say an event had anything but a great card, but I genuinely loved every match here every minute of the run time.  DCT was an engaging host, the lines between good and evil were well defined, and it was just an awesome night.