UKWF - Something From Nothing

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog – Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

New Rivals for 21CW?

 

For a long time now 21st Century Wrestling have been the primary wrestling promotion in the UK. That’s not just my opinion; that’s a fact. Jeff Nova’s takeover ushered in a new era of glitzy production values, interesting storylines and the kind of talent that only absurd amounts of money can buy.

 

Even before 21CW bought out their competition in 2010, it was a one horse race and everyone knew it. Since the closure of Men of Steel Combat and Ring of Fire though, UK wrestling has – in many people’s opinions – stagnated. Certainly the return of Dark Angel to his home shores was a shot in the arm, but it was short lived. The excitement it garnered has tapered off and wrestling fans bored of 21CW’s domination are looking for something else.

 

That’s where UKWF enters the fray.

 

The announcement came only a few days ago, but it’s already set the British wrestling scene alight. Dunton Hall has finally delivered on his promise of founding his own wrestling promotion; the United Kingdom Wrestling Federation.

 

UKWF’s first press release consisted of just a logo (from the esteemed RayW design firm) and a date: January 29th 2013. The popular opinion is that this will be the date of UKWF’s inaugural show, but the facts are limited.

 

More news as we get it![/Quote]

 

http://i.imgur.com/H0yHk2z.jpg

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog – Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

UKWF Hiring Spree – A Who’s Who

 

UKWF have been busy recently, snapping up talent from around the UK and even some from Europe if the reports are true. We’ve compiled a report covering the most commonly mentioned names, but please bear in mind that this is all speculation at this point:

Behind the Scenes and Support Staff

 

Dunton Hall: Well of course Hall is there – he is the owner after all. But our reports suggest he’s going to be featured ‘on-screen’ in some capacity as well. Odds are that he’ll be playing an authority figure, but his busy schedule might hinder him somewhat.

 

Gus Avatar: I know what you’re thinking. Who? Let me fill you in. Gus was a member of Men of Steel Combat for about twenty minutes years and years ago. He’d been wrestling on the British indies for a few years after turning pro and had built up a small (very small) following. On his debut match for Men of Steel, a big spot went awry and Avatar was pretty severely injured. He retired from active competition shortly thereafter and became one of the UK’s most active road agents, working on almost every independent show he could manage. It’s unlikely that Avatar will be onscreen in any capacity for UKWF, instead taking on the role of head road agent and (if the rumours are to be believed) chair of the booking team.

 

Humphrey Woolsey: It’ll be good to see old Humphrey again! After Ring of Fire closed down he hinted at retirement, but managed to get enough work on the independent circuit to stay afloat. He’s expected to be UKWF’s head referee and a member of the booking team.

 

The Big Draws

 

Keith Adams: Our sources claim that UKWF are planning to build their first few months of shows around this veteran. Recently Adams has cut back on his wrestling commitments to focus more on his day job as a police officer, so it’s entirely possible that he’s just being used for his popularity with the British crowd while UKWF works on nurturing some of their own stars.

 

Ian Davies: He’s ditched the paint and the moniker, but he’s still undeniably the Red Dragon! Ian Davies is being promoted a draw equal to Keith Adams which is a bit of a stretch, but if his recent European independent showings have demonstrated anything it’s that he’s in his prime right now and ready for anything.

 

The Beast: Undoubtedly better known as UEW World Champion Beast Bantom, this enormous monster is set to be a dominant force in UKWF. The only stumbling block in Beast’s path is that he’s relatively unknown in the UK and may need some exposure before the fans here accept him as readily as those in Europe.

 

The Rest

 

Johnny Highspot: Although getting on in years now, Johnny Highspot can still fly with the best of them and will be a better fit in UKWF than he was in Ring of Fire. Although famed for his tag team work with fellow ROF and UKWF wrestler Jonni Lowlife, early reports indicate that both wrestlers will be working predominantly in singles competition, at least for the time being.

 

Jonni Lowlife: Another ROF alum, Jonni Lowlife is already hotly tipped as a future star for UKWF provided they can utilise his flying skills better than Ring of Fire did. Although his team with Johnny Highspot is unlikely to make a reappearance in UKWF, knowing that the two of them are on the roster together is promising.

 

Nigel Svensson: We’ve been wondering when one of the larger promotions would snatch this guy up … and we still don’t have an answer. But at least he’ll do good work for UKWF until someone better comes calling. Svensson is a machine in the ring, and we expect great things from him.

 

Kashmir Singh: There’s this little promotion working out of Puerto Rico that you may have heard of, it’s called FCW. If you haven’t already, check it out. Now, see that guy with the sparkly robe at the perfectly coiffured blond hair? That’s Kashmir Singh. He’s pretty unknown in the UK but he’s a major talent for FCW and with a bit of luck he’ll become a huge star for UKWF.

 

JOJI: Who would have expected the former GCG rookie to turn up in a tiny British promotion? Certainly not us. But JOJI is here, and we have high hopes for him, provided he doesn’t have ‘high hopes’. Geddit?

Michael Gregory: While Humphrey Woolsey and ‘Your New Favourite Team’ provide the Ring of Fire nostalgia, Michael Gregory harkens back to Men of Steel Combat in all the right ways. As former MOSC referee Scotty Gregory’s son, young Michael grew up in and around wrestling rings and has adopted a high intensity brawling style to go along with his superstar look. One to watch for certain.

 

Bulldog Jack: Better known in Europe than in the UK, Bulldog Jack is nevertheless a charismatic brawler with great prospects. He’s been working as a borderline jobber with EWA recently, but we hope for more than that for him with UKWF.

 

Notorious F.R.E.A.K.: On the surface this hiring doesn’t make any sense at all. But then you think about it for a while. Then your brain hurts, your nose bleeds and you have to stop. F.R.E.A.K. is a semi-regular feature on French independent shows, and although he isn’t horrible in the ring, he isn’t great and certainly isn’t up to the standard of some of UKWF’s other talent. Time will tell what this guy’s going to accomplish.

Bali Daljit: Bali’s been working on the UK independent scene for nearly four years and until now had never gotten a regular gig. While we’re excited for him – he’s got talent, for sure – we aren’t sure why UKWF went with him over a dozen other, better wrestlers. Another one to watch closely, though maybe not for the right reasons.

 

Overview

 

So there it is – a roster with some highs (Adams, Beast, Davies) and some lows (F.R.E.A.K., Daljit). We have no idea what sort of show to expect, but with this collection of talent, it’ll certainly be something.

 

Until next time![/Quote]

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog – Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

UKWF Unveil Championship, Announce Tournament

 

Two big announcements in one day, and we’re only mid-way through January!

 

Firstly UKWF unveiled their first (and so far only) championship belt. Our sources say that it’s going to be called ‘the UKWF United Kingdom Championship’ and if the leaked pictures we’ve seen are anything to go by, it looks spectacular. Dunton Hall has clearly spared no expense here (even if he spared quite a bit of expense when selecting his starting roster).

 

A day later it came out that UKWF would be holding a tournament across two shows to crown the promotion’s first UK champion. Whether or not this is a sound idea is debatable – there will likely be a considerable gap between the two shows, and without a TV deal to publicise the events or a PPV deal to showcase them, they may not be widely seen.

 

But Hall has clearly poured advertising money into UKWF with posters and newspaper ads appearing all over the place. It’s entirely possible that the first few shows will take off, and we’ll be seeing a new dominant promotion in the UK within the next few months.

 

Unlikely, but possible.[/Quote]

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog – Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

UKWF Genesis Announced – Card Preview

Well we were expecting this announcement sooner or later. UKWF have finally gotten all the pieces into place and are now advertising their first show: “UKWF Genesis” will be held on Saturday of Week 4 in January at the Paddington Club in Croydon.

 

This is a time for cautious excitement; if UKWF is successful it could finally mean a shake-up of the UK wrestling scene. A monopoly is never a good thing, and British wrestling has been going through a period of stagnation for some time now. So fingers crossed the show will do well. Here’s the card so far:

 

Johnny Highspot vs. Notorious F.R.E.A.K. (UKWF UK Championship Tournament)

Ian Davies vs. Bali Daljit (UKWF UK Championship Tournament)

Bulldog Jack vs. Nigel Svensson (UKWF UK Championship Tournament)

Michael Gregory vs. Keith Adams (UKWF UK Championship Tournament)

 

The first round of the United Kingdom Championship Tournament – as expected – dominates the inaugural show. Whether or not additional matches will be added on the night is unknown, but there are several names (some notable) missing from the card as it stands.

 

Overall this could be a good show, or it could flop horribly. I’ll be there (my ticket’s in the post) and will be reviewing the show as it happens, so tune in![/Quote]

[cappyboy]

Question just out of curiosity. Haven't played with a lot of this talent. So maybe the answer would be obvious if I had. But who else speaks Japanese? Semms like JOJI could be awfully isolated on this roster.

[christmas_ape]

Despite being British, I've never properly gotten into either a British TEW game or diary so I don't know the people so much, but I think I'll give it a go here, enjoyed the start.

[Voeltzwagon]

F.R.E.A.K being used? Hell yesssssss. Just one Pigeon Mask short of a party

[Anghrist]

Question just out of curiosity. Haven't played with a lot of this talent. So maybe the answer would be obvious if I had. But who else speaks Japanese? Semms like JOJI could be awfully isolated on this roster.

 

That would be our illustrious owner Dunton Hall, a veritable polyglot (read: smartarse)

 

Despite being British, I've never properly gotten into either a British TEW game or diary so I don't know the people so much, but I think I'll give it a go here, enjoyed the start.

 

The UK is virtually all I play in TEW - I really should look into expanding my horizons at some point ...

 

F.R.E.A.K being used? Hell yesssssss. Just one Pigeon Mask short of a party

 

There's something about F.R.E.A.K. I find really appealing (obviously not his annoying name though ... such a pain to type).

 

Thanks for the comments guys, UKWF Genesis should be up later today!

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Review – UKWF Genesis

 

The United Kingdom Wrestling Federation’s first show has been hyped for weeks, with flyers covering the high street in Croydon, full page adverts in all of the tabloids and even a ten second TV spot that features a logo and four very ominous sounding chords. All very professional.

 

I’m sitting in the Paddington Club at this moment. Looking around shows that a whopping 40 people are in attendance (that’s including me). Most look bored, and that only deepens when the club’s house lights begin to flicker in what I can only assume is a feeble imitation of the elaborate pyro displays that kick off shows for the bigger promotions.

 

Pre Show

 

ANGLE: Kashmir Singh Promo

 

The club’s terrible PA equipment blares to life and the most stereotypical ‘Indian’ music I’ve ever heard echoes around the empty club. A man in a plush velvet robe saunters down the short aisle sneering at the crowd. He rolls into the ring and addresses the assembled … three and a half dozen.

 

“I am the Sensational Kashmir Singh!” he calls. There is no microphone, he’s simply speaking very loudly. “You may not know me yet, but you soon will. I am the future of not only this company, but of this entire business.” The crowd barely stirs at his words.

 

“Yes, it is clear you are not ready for someone of my talent,” he says as he exits the ring. He takes the time to personally insult each of the audience members before retreating behind the curtain.

 

My Rating: E[/Quote]

 

Main Show

 

ANGLE: Video Hyping UK Championship Tournament

 

It takes a few minutes for the technicians to unfurl a projection screen and set up a laptop and projector. It takes a few more minutes to diagnose some issue whereby the laptop doesn’t detect the projector. Once this is all done, a video begins.

 

Eight man stand facing each other. In huge letters it says, “WHO WILL WIN THE UK CHAMPIONSHIP?” The video lasts a little over a minute.

 

My Rating: F+[/Quote]

 

ANGLE: Dunton Hall Announcement

 

A distinguished man makes his way to the ring as the technicians tidy away the AV gear. He steps carefully between the ropes, obviously not terribly comfortable in the ring.

 

“Good evening all,” he begins, his voice carrying easily in the sparsely populated dump. “My name is Dunton Hall, and I am the owner of UKWF. I own this building, I own every man on the roster and I own all of you.” He sneers at the crowd, which draws a few boos. Literally. Three people boo him.

 

My Rating: E+[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Johnny Highspot vs. Notorious F.R.E.A.K. (UK Championship Tournament)

 

Oh hey, look! A match. I was beginning to think this was going to be an angle-fest like that Australian promotion. Home and Away Wrestling? I forget its name …

 

Anyway, Highspot sprints down the aisle and shows off at each turnbuckle, looking for a pop. He doesn’t get one. Notorious F.R.E.A.K. appears and draws a little heat, mainly for his freakish appearance.

 

In-ring the two lock up and start a fast paced spotfest. Every other move has Highspot climbing to the top rope. The crowd are utterly apathetic. It’s quiet enough to hear a fart drop.

 

The match ends when Highspot hits a superplex on F.R.E.A.K. and lands a pretty decent looking Frog Splash.

 

Winner in 14:02 via Pinfall – Johnny Highspot

My Rating: E+[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Ian Davies vs. Bali Daljit (UK Championship Tournament)

 

Davies comes out looking mean and lean, snarling at the crowd. This doesn’t draw much heat, but it was a good effort. Daljit runs into the ring, sliding in. Davies is upon him before the bell even rings, laying in with a series of brutal stomps and getting a near fall in the opening moments of the match.

 

Daljit battles back but it’s a doomed effort. Davies looks like he’s playing with the younger challenger as the match continues. The crowd lose what little interest they had, and the match ends with a quick roll up with Davies holding onto a handful of tights.

 

Winner in 14:58 via Flash Pinfall – Ian Davies

 

My Rating: E-[/Quote]

 

ANGLE: Dunton Hall Introduces The Beast

 

Dunton Hall returns to the ring, this time with a peculiar expression on his face. He looks around the audience before finally speaking: “I understand that many are unhappy with my leadership of this company. To prevent anyone from getting any ideas, I have hired myself an enforcer. Please welcome, THE BEAST!”

 

Discordant music blares out of the speakers. Or perhaps they’re on the fritz again. An enormously muscular man appears, striding down the aisle. He looks impressively intimidating, roaring at the crowd and cracking his knuckles threateningly. After a few minutes of this, Beast and Hall retreat back behind the curtain.

 

My Rating: D-[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Bulldog Jack vs. Nigel Svensson (UK Championship Tournament)

 

Bulldog Jack does a lap of the ring on his way in, high fiving everyone he can reach. Which is everyone, since there are only 40 of us here. This draws a decent pop, and by the time Nigel Svensson appears, stomping down to the ring with his face like it’s carved out of granite, the crowd are firmly on Jack’s side.

 

This doesn’t help the charismatic Jack, as Svensson proceeds to stretch and contort the EWA ‘star’ while the bell still echoes around the club. Bulldog Jack manages some token offense, delivering some nice looking potatoes, but in the end it proves futile. A failed neckbreaker attempt on the auburn (I wouldn’t dare call Svensson ginger to his face) Swede is quickly reversed into a nasty looking submission; Svensson’s finisher, the Hyper Extension Arm Lock. Jack’s submission is a formality.

 

Winner in 11:31 via Submission – Nigel Svensson

 

My Rating: E+[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Michael Gregory vs. Keith Adams (UK Championship Tournament)

 

Keith Adams gets a decent pop as he makes his way to the ring, wearing a plastic imitation policeman’s hat. Gregory looks determined as he enters the ring and begins an intense stare down with Adams.

 

Gregory breaks the stare down, launching a vicious flurry of punches that look particularly stiff. By taking the offensive, Gregory manages to control the early part of the match. Adams begins to fight back after several minutes of punishment, launching into a series of suplexes. Eventually Gregory knocks the referee out with an ‘accidental’ shoulder block. He snatches up a steel chair but Adams disarms him. As the referee comes to, Adams locks in his signature move, Arrested Development (a sleeper hold). Gregory appears to pass out, and Adams is declared the winner.

 

Winner in 17:45 via Submission – Keith Adams

 

My Rating: D[/Quote]

 

Afterthoughts

 

‘Bush league’ doesn’t quite cut it here; I’ve seen backyard promotions with higher production values. UKWF holds the distinction of looking spectacularly cheap despite being owned by a fairly wealthy entrepreneur. Perhaps Dunton Hall overestimated his ability to run a wrestling promotion. Perhaps the universe simply conspired against him. Either way, UKWF Genesis – while not a terrible show from a purely wrestling standpoint – did not manage to live up to the hype. Surely they can only go up from here.

 

My Overall Rating: E+

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog – Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

After ‘UKWF Genesis’ Criticised for “Looking Cheap”, Dunton Hall Hits Back!

 

Dunton Hall is not a happy bunny this morning. After receiving a metric butt load of criticism concerning the poor production values, and general ‘cheapness’ of UKWF’s debut show from several different websites (including this one) he has hit back with a scathing press release.

 

“To those who accused ‘UKWF Genesis’ of looking cheap, I ask you to consider what we are competing with. In the UK alone there is Mr. Nova’s 21st Century Wrestling, a company with deeper cash reserves than us, but more importantly a larger following.

 

Further afield there is Supreme Wrestling Federation and Total Championship Wrestling, both of whom dominate the airwaves. Their production values are so high because they have an enormous fan base and near-limitless sums of money.

 

So I ask you all, what would you rather see? Glitzy pyro displays, enormous arenas filled with people, perfectly manicured stars and scantily-clad valets? Or wrestling?”

 

Some claim that Mr. Hall has a point; that his promotion has a greater emphasis on the in-ring product than on the extraneous nonsense. Others (most) claim that Dunton Hall simply sidestepped the actual points of criticism: that the show looked cheap even for a locally based promotion.

 

As always, we’ll keep you posted on further developments.[/Quote]

[noswal]

i'm enjoying it so far,its good

[Eidenhoek]

But...there isn't a Janurary 29th...

[Anghrist]

i'm enjoying it so far,its good

 

Thanks very much!

 

But...there isn't a Janurary 29th...

 

Funny story about that (spoiler: it actually isn't funny) I considered kicking the diary off with a news story about the calendar being readjusted with every month now consisting of only four weeks and all that jazz, but I couldn't actually write it in a way that flowed, so I abandoned it and just decided to pull the dates out of my rear end.

 

For the record all of my events are held on the last day of the month so that I don't fall hopelessly into debt.

 

Also, this seems like as good a place as any to mention (though I'm sure anyone who's read UKWF Genesis has already figured this out) that I am absolutely terrible at TEW, have been since day one and it's never really gotten better. So expect a lot of stupidity in this diary, a whole lot of nonsensical booking and frustration - it's gonna be fun!

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog - Where Wrestlers Fear To Tread

 

UKWF Announce Second Show and Push Back Tournament Conclusion

UKWF dropped a couple of bombshells today with regards to their upcoming events and their significance. Let’s take them one by one, shall we?

 

Firstly they announced UKWF Road to Glory for the end of February. This was expected, but confirmation is always nice. The second piece of news confirms some rumours we’ve been hearing about the office this week; UKWF’s March show, tentatively called UKWF The Main Event, is set to be something of a big deal for the fledgling promotion and the hope going forward is that it will become something akin to 21CW’s World War, or even as well regarded as BHOTWG’s Night of the Burning Hammer or the Supreme Challenge for SWF.

 

Along with that announcement came the shocking news that the conclusion of the United Kingdom Championship Tournament will come at The Main Event, rather than at Road to Glory as was predicted. This gives the promotion more time to hype the eventual final, but this comes at a price. Fans could very easily lose interest, and this move could backfire horribly.

 

For now, the UKWF Road to Glory Card looks a little like this:

 

Notorious F.R.E.A.K. vs. Jonni Lowlife

Kashmir Singh vs. JOJI

Bulldog Jack vs. Michael Gregory

Johnny Highspot vs. Nigel Svensson (UK Championship Tournament)

Ian Davies vs. Keith Adams (UK Championship Tournament)

 

With the newly announced match of F.R.E.A.K. vs. Lowlife, presumably to pad out the run time now that the UK Championship Tournament Final will be held next month, this card seems slightly unfocussed in our (not so) professional opinion, but time will tell.

 

The UK Championship Tournament semi-finals have also caused something of a stir here; we had assumed that Davies and Adams, arguably UKWF’s biggest stars, wouldn’t be meeting until the final. That one of them won’t even be in the final is an indication that nothing is certain in UKWF.

 

One thing is for certain however – the next few months will be very telling for UKWF.[/Quote]

[christmas_ape]

Notorious F.R.E.A.K. vs. Jonni Lowlife

Kashmir Singh vs. JOJI

Bulldog Jack vs. Michael Gregory

Johnny Highspot vs. Nigel Svensson (UK Championship Tournament)

Ian Davies vs. Keith Adams (UK Championship Tournament)

 

Not sure if you're doing predictions, but here! Take them anyway!

 

Only heard of a couple of these (always play as a fairly big company) so I just chose whoever sounded cooler in the description you gave...

[Anghrist]

Notorious F.R.E.A.K. vs. Jonni Lowlife

Kashmir Singh vs. JOJI

Bulldog Jack vs. Michael Gregory

Johnny Highspot vs. Nigel Svensson (UK Championship Tournament)

Ian Davies vs. Keith Adams (UK Championship Tournament)

 

Not sure if you're doing predictions, but here! Take them anyway!

 

Only heard of a couple of these (always play as a fairly big company) so I just chose whoever sounded cooler in the description you gave...

 

I'm happy to hear predictions, even if I don't have any specific prediction competition in mind at the moment - thanks for the comment!

 

UKWF Road to Glory should be up today (I'm aiming for Saturdays and Wednesdays being 'event days' with the miscellaneous stuff going up between).

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Review – UKWF Road to Glory

 

Just when I finally felt clean again after last entering this cesspit, here I am again in the Paddington Club in Croydon in the front row for UKWF Road to Glory.

 

UKWF themselves have been on a somewhat rocky road for the past month; their less-than-stellar debut show killed what little momentum they had following their aggressive marketing campaign, and pushing back the crowning of the first ever United Kingdom Champion until next month’s show could prove to be a costly mistake.

 

Only 36 people have turned up for tonight’s show, a fall of 10% from last month. A sign of the economic situation? A reaction to the shoddy show? Bad traffic? Who knows. With a flicker of the house lights and a terrifying burst of white noise as the PA system goes live, the show begins.

 

Pre Show

 

ANGLE: Bulldog Jack Promo

 

Perhaps trying to take advantage of the pop Bulldog Jack managed to achieve last month, UKWF has him opening the show this time around. He struts down to the ring, smiling and laughing, high-fiving every one of the 36 people in attendance, asking after the four people who apparently couldn’t make it this time.

 

“How are you all doing tonight?” he calls out, eliciting a few feeble shouts of ‘alright’. Jack seems undeterred by his lukewarm reception, and continues, “Tonight I’m going to be taking on Michael Gregory in this very ring. Now you saw Gregory last month; he’s a tricky little snake. But I’m here to say you won’t be able to cheat against me any better than you did against my buddy Keith, you hear? So until later buddies!” He bows with aplomb and departs, shaking hands and singing along to his own entrance music as he goes.

 

My Rating: E[/Quote]

 

Main Show

 

ANGLE: Video Hyping UK Championship Tournament

 

The technicians have obviously spent the past month practicing making use of the ancient AV equipment as the screen unfurls in – dare I say – a professional manner and there is no issue with the laptop this time around.

 

This time we’re treated to a slightly longer hype video, showing us the highlights from the first round of the UK Championship Tournament. Everyone here tonight was in attendance last month, but for those with amnesia or early-onset Alzheimer’s, the reminder is appreciated. The video closes with Ian Davies, Johnny Highspot, Keith Adams and Nigel Svensson standing in the ring, one man in each corner. They charge at one another, and the video ends. A notable improvement from last month’s video.

 

My Rating: E-[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Notorious F.R.E.A.K. vs. Jonni Lowlife

 

F.R.E.A.K. elicits half-hearted boos as he wobbles down to the ring, teetering dangerously on his seven-inch platform boots. Lowlife gets a reasonable pop, probably from ROF fans.

 

The match is fairly poor. It is readily apparent that F.R.E.A.K. possesses little in the way of actual wrestling skill, and for all the dives and flips in the world Lowlife can’t carry a match by himself. The match mercifully ends with Lowlife hitting a Low Down (top-rope leg drop) and getting the pin.

 

Winner in 9:51 via Pinfall – Jonni Lowlife

 

My Rating: E+[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Kashmir Singh vs. JOJI

 

I’ll admit, I have high hopes for this match. Both men are talented, and could be destined for great things in this company, if not in the business as a whole. Singh gets some decent heat, probably because of his obnoxiously strong aftershave which smells like a mixture of the excrement of at least a dozen farmyard animals. JOJI’s entrance barely stirs a reaction, except for one man offering him a toke (I swear it wasn’t me).

 

The match itself is … disappointing. Singh manages to get the crowd going fairly well, but JOJI just can’t. Perhaps it’s the language barrier, perhaps it’s the different culture, or perhaps he’s too damned high to care. Either way, when Singh finally wins (with a hasty roll-up with his feet on the ropes for leverage) the crowd are relieved to be done with the match.

 

Winner in 9:12 via Pinfall - Kashmir Singh

 

My Rating: E+[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Bulldog Jack vs. Michael Gregory

 

Both of these men competed last month in the first round of the UK Championship Tournament, and of course they both suffered a defeat. One of them looks set to turn their fortunes around tonight, with the other continuing their losing streak.

 

Jack gets a slightly cooler reception this time, but takes it all with quiet dignity. I’m just kidding, he pleads for cheers like JOJI pleads for weed. Gregory doesn’t give the crowd a second glance when he appears, instead dashing into the ring to start the match.

 

Gregory’s pure viciousness gets him the early advantage, and he throws Jack around the ring with ease. After reversing a whip into the ropes and landing a ring-shaking arm drag, the momentum swings back in Jack’s favour and the match ends soon after with a brutal Standing Powerslam. Bulldog Jack looks unsteady on his feet, but his hand is raised in victory.

 

Winner in 11:44 via Pinfall – Bulldog Jack

 

My Rating: E+[/Quote]

 

ANGLE: The Beast Destroys Bulldog Jack and Michael Gregory

 

Bulldog Jack’s music cuts out suddenly and the Beast appears, running down the aisle. He annihilates Bulldog Jack with a massive powerbomb before laying into Michael Gregory. After his assault, the Beast roars at the crowd while Jack and Gregory lie broken in the ring.

 

My Rating: E-[/Quote]

 

ANGLE: Dunton Hall Announces Match for Next Month

 

With the Beast still standing in the centre of the ring, Dunton Hall appears at the top of the stage, his mouth twisted into a sneer.

 

“You’ve all seen now what my Beast can do. Next month at The Main Event you’ll see what he can do in a no-disqualification match against Bulldog Jack!” The crowd’s apathy is limitless, as Hall and Beast head backstage.

 

My Rating: F+[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Johnny Highspot vs. Nigel Svensson (UK Championship Tournament)

 

Round two of the UK Championship Tournament gets under way as Johnny Highspot sprints down to the ring, not bothering to pause and showboat this time. Svensson is once again his no-nonsense self, marching purposefully down the aisle.

 

The two lock up, and it is instantly apparent that Highspot is hopelessly outmatched in a pure wrestling contest. So he escapes the hold and resorts to using his speed and aerial offense to keep Svensson off balance and on the defensive.

 

This tactic works for a while, but eventually Svensson manages to score a sickening low blow on Highspot and the match ends soon after with Highspot tapping out to a Hyper Extension Arm Lock.

 

Winner in 11:54 via Submission – Nigel Svensson

 

My Rating: D-[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Keith Adams vs. Ian Davies (UK Championship Tournament)

 

The crowd is hot for Keith Adams, with several people wearing imitation policeman helmets like Adams’. As he enters he makes certain to bump heads with each person wearing such a helmet, and gives his own to a woman who screams out that she loves him. With the crowd so heavily in support of Adams, it comes as no surprise that they shower Ian Davies with boos as he heads down to the ring. The two exchange heated words in the middle of the ring before locking up as the bell rings.

 

Davies looks great early on in this match, countering Adams hold for hold and unleashing some fairly impressive aerial moves. His missile dropkick is stellar and he manages a spectacular spot where he attempts a moonsault but lands on his feet after Adams rolls out of the way. The crowd are really into the match and as Adams locks in Arrested Development they lose their minds. Davies is put to sleep and Adams moves on to the tournament final.

 

Winner in 10:05 via Submission – Keith Adams

 

My Rating: D-[/Quote]

 

Afterthoughts

 

This show was better in the end, but a lacklustre beginning really pulled the entire show down. It’s amazing how much the absence of technical difficulties affects the overall quality of the show however, and it seems that many of the incidental kinks from last month’s show (the poor PA system, the malfunctioning laptop, etc.) have been ironed out. This show flowed much better, and I must admit, I find myself looking forward to the conclusion of this tournament.

 

Match of the night was undoubtedly the main event; the crowd were eating out of the palm of Adams’ hand, and Davies plays the heel exceptionally well. Though this show wasn’t great overall, the main event scene in UKWF looks promising, and next month’s Main Event show should be pretty good.

 

My Overall Rating: E+

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog - Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

Trouble for UKWF?

 

For a locally based company, essentially little more than a backyard promotion, attendance is the one true gauge of the fans’ interest in what you’re selling. That being the case, it seems that UKWF could be in trouble.

 

A source within the promotion told us that, although Genesis had a fairly small crowd, they were hoping to build upon that core of followers in the coming months as the UK Championship Tournament and the partnership between Dunton Hall and the Beast drummed up interest. But it seems that the best laid plans go oft astray, because last night’s UKWF Road to Glory, the show leading up to their ‘big one’, had a smaller crowd than even Genesis, with 10% fewer fans in attendance.

 

UKWF management have yet to release an official statement addressing this, but if and when they do, you’ll hear it here first.[/Quote]

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog - Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

Star Drunk at UKWF Road to Glory?

With management still silent on the matter of the reduced attendance, still more worrying news has come out of the small London-based promotion.

 

Reports indicate that UKWF and EWA star Bulldog Jack was slurring his speech and swaying on his feet throughout the show, with some people even remarking that he smelled very strongly of booze.

 

Lies and slander or the self-destruction of a once-promising star? More as we get it.[/Quote]

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog - Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

Preview – UKWF The Main Event and Future Booking Plans

 

UKWF have had issues with leaks from day one, and whoever the anonymous source within the company is, they apparently have access to the booking meetings because today’s leak is a big one!

 

We know that the UK Championship Tournament and the partnership between Dunton Hall and the Beast are UKWF’s two biggest storylines at the moment, but at least one of those storylines is scheduled to end in less than two weeks’ time – so where do we go from there?

 

Well, according to the leak, Keith Adams and Nigel Svensson will continue to feud over the title for a few months yet with the addition of a third party (popularly believed to be either Johnny Highspot or Ian Davies – for why, see below). Beast and Hall will continue their domination of the promotion, but will be challenged by an alliance of sorts in the not-to-distant future.

 

And finally we have learned that Bulldog Jack and Michael Gregory will be engaging in a lengthy feud based around the rookie’s lack of respect for an older, more established star. This feud has people talking for all the wrong reasons in light of the recent allegations against Bulldog Jack. To many this feud either shows that UKWF are willing to overlook Jack’s drunkenness at Road to Glory, or that they’re going to use this feud to bury him and get a younger talent over.

 

Along with the storyline leaks, we also have a preview of The Main Event’s card, which looks like this:

 

Jonni Lowlife vs. Kashmir Singh

Michael Gregory vs. Bali Daljit

Bulldog Jack vs. The Beast (No Disqualification Match)

Ian Davies vs. Johnny Highspot

Nigel Svensson vs. Keith Adams (UKWF United Kingdom Championship)

 

With Davies and Highspot facing off we are reasonably confident here that the winner of this match will join the Svensson/Adams feud for the UK Championship, turning it into a three way dance while the other, with several high-profile losses in a row, could have a bleak future ahead.

 

More as we hear it![/Quote]

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Review – UKWF The Main Event

 

Damn it Croydon, how hard is it to have a club that isn’t a total dump? The Paddington Club has seen better days; it looks dingier now than even last month. I’m praying for UKWF to either outgrow this place quickly or close forever so I can go back to the nice venues 21CW book.

 

The latter sadly seems more likely, as once again we see a downturn in business; only 34 people turn up for the biggest show in the UKWF calendar. Oh hey, someone got the message that flickering the house lights is obnoxious; this time they just lower them slowly, and the show begins.

Pre Show

ANGLE: UK Championship Tournament Final Hype Video

 

Now I see why the projection screen was unfurled already; we’re kicking things off tonight with a video.

 

Nigel Svensson and Keith Adams stand opposite one another, snarling and looking impressive. “There can be only one!” The voice booms through the PA system, with only a little bit of static garbling it. Then we see a highlights package of the first two rounds of the tournament; Svensson and Adams’ submission moves are hyped as match enders, and the video ends.

 

My Rating: E[/Quote]

Main Show

 

ANGLE: Dunton Hall Taunts Bulldog Jack

 

Dunton Hall swaggers down to the ring looking cocky and rich. He stands dead centre and after sneering at each of his 34 paying customers, begins his pre-prepared speech.

 

“Bulldog Jack, tonight you get to feel the full wrath of my Beast. He is bloodthirsty, he is vicious, and he is unstoppable. You will fall before him, and will be only the first. Are you ready?”

 

He leaves the ring, laughing heartily at Jack’s misfortune. The crowd don’t join in.

 

My Rating: F+[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Jonni Lowlife vs. Kashmir Singh

 

Lowlife tries valiantly to get the crowd interested, but they seem to have slipped into a boredom-induced coma after Hall’s speech, and barely react to his entrance. Kashmir Singh gets some token boos, but no-one’s heart is really in it.

 

Nevertheless, Singh and Lowlife put on a great display, showcasing Lowlife’s quickness and Singh’s ability to get the crap kicked out of him. The match goes on longer than it really needs to, and ends once again with Lowlife getting the pin after a Low Down.

 

Winner in 16:08 via Pinfall – Jonni Lowlife

 

My Rating: E+[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Michael Gregory vs. Bali Daljit

 

The crowd must have taken a simultaneous bathroom break after thee overlong previous match, because neither Gregory nor Daljit garner any heat here.

 

The match itself is nothing special; Gregory establishes his dominance early and Daljit never really gets a chance to shine. For the last few minutes Gregory is essentially throwing a nigh-unconscious Daljit around the ring before finally hitting his Running Powerslam and getting the pin.

 

Winner in 12:44 via Pinfall – Michael Gregory

 

My Rating: E-[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Bulldog Jack vs. The Beast (No Disqualification Match)

 

Jack looks petrified as he makes his way down the aisle with none of his usual bombastic cheer. The reason for his horror is obvious, as the Beast appears at the top of the ramp with Hall standing in his lengthy shadow. Beast utters a deafening roar and heads down the aisle at a dead run, sliding into the ring and manhandling the veteran Jack.

 

For all that this was touted as a No-DQ match, no rules were actually broken here, as Beast dispatched Jack quickly after a series of nasty powerbombs and then his finisher, the Savage Pounce (running spear). Beast makes a one-handed pin on Jack, who lies unconscious in the centre of the ring.

 

Winner in 5:27 via Pinfall –The Beast

 

My Rating: E-[/Quote]

 

ANGLE: The Beast Beats Down Bulldog Jack

 

Not satisfied with his squash match victory, Beast continues his assault on Bulldog Jack, hitting his finisher in as many different situations as he could think of, leaving Jack writhing in agony in the centre of the ring and Beast looking utterly dominant (and more than a little psychotic).

 

My Rating: E+[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Ian Davies vs. Johnny Highspot

 

Ian Davies draws wonderful heat from the typically apathetic UKWF crowd, and Highspot manages a respectable pop as well. The two circle one another in the ring before locking up, and treating us to a decent display of chain wrestling and high-flying antics that I wouldn’t really have anticipated going in.

 

From the get go Davies uses underhanded tactics to get ahead, going for eye gouges and low blows at least as often as Highspot hits the top rope (which is a lot). After an impressive series of acrobatic counters and top rope dives, Highspot hits the Frog Splash and about half of the crowd actually stand up out of their seats as he goes for the pin. The largely empty Paddington Club fills with a chorus of boos as Davies kicks out with less than an atom’s breadth between the mat and the referee’s hand going for the three.

 

Highspot takes a moment to regain his belief, staring in disbelief at the referee, which allows Davies to recover, deliver a gut-wrenching low blow and roll Highspot up with a handful of tights for the victory.

 

Winner in 19:07 via Pinfall – Ian Davies

 

My Rating: D-[/Quote]

 

ANGLE: Keith Adams Entrance

 

Adding to the ‘big fight feel’ of tonight’s main event, Keith Adams makes his way slowly to the ring, taking the time to shake the hand of everyone in attendance, tap helmets with those of us … I mean them … who brought their own and give his own policeman’s helmet to a preteen who literally weeps at the honour.

 

My Rating: E-[/Quote]

 

MATCH: Nigel Svensson vs. Keith Adams (UKWF United Kingdom Championship)

 

Nigel Svensson gets massive heat from the crowd as he enters the ring, standing nose to nose with the people’s favourite. Adams starts the fight off with a slap that echoes around the Paddington Club. Svensson returns the favour, and the fight begins.

 

What follows is a dazzling display of chain wrestling prowess in that uniquely British style. Svensson and Adams exchange holds and counter holds, neither giving an inch. The crowd are utterly enthralled in the match, cheering each time Adams goes for Arrested Development and booing each time Svensson even looks at Adams’ arms.

 

The finishing sequence begins with Adams locking in Arrested Development and the fans going bananas. Svensson’s face begins to darken and the referee is seconds away from calling for the bell when Ian Davies comes running down the ramp. Adams releases the hold to prevent Davies from entering the ring. Svensson draws a deep breath while Adams is distracted, before whirling the police officer around and locking in the Hyper Extension Arm Lock. Adams holds out for a heroically long time, but ultimately succumbs as so many others have before him.

 

Winner in 21:08 via Submission – Nigel Svensson

 

My Rating: D+[/Quote]

 

Afterthoughts

 

UKWF have changed my mind, and they’ve done it in grand style. I was convinced I would be awarding match of the night honours to the Davies/Highspot match but then Keith Adams and Nigel Svensson put on a display that blew them out of the water. The build-up might have left a lot to be desired, but the payoff was spectacular.

 

The low point, as ever, was Dunton Hall who really shouldn’t be onscreen in my humble opinion. But if we’re going to see more main events like tonight’s, I am willing to accept ten minute long Dunton Hall promos.

 

My Overall Rating: D-

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog - Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

Preview – UKWF Retribution

Our anonymous source at UKWF headquarters has come through for us again, leaking the card for the promotion’s April event, UKWF Retribution. The card is as follows:

 

Bulldog Jack vs. Notorious F.R.E.A.K.

The Beast vs. Bali Daljit

Kashmir Singh vs. Johnny Highspot

Jonni Lowlife vs. Michael Gregory

Ian Davies vs. Keith Adams

 

Perhaps the biggest shock on this card is the United Kingdom Champion’s absence. Nigel Svensson came out ahead of seven other wrestlers, not to mention the men not included in the tournament in the first place, to be crowned the promotion’s first champion, so it seems strange that he won’t be wrestling the month after his 'historic' victory. Of course, there is always a chance he’ll be given a match on the night, we don’t think that’s terribly likely.

 

Other than that we see the return of Lowlife and Gregory who have both been on something of a roll lately. Which one of them will come out ahead in their match is really down to the flip a coin.

 

The Beast’s star continues to rise with this show – we don’t think Bali Daljit is up to stopping him at the moment. Singh and Highspot should put on an entertaining match, but we’ll have to wait and see if there’s any significance to it.

 

Finally, the main event looks like a rematch of Road to Glory’s main event, but the stakes are obviously higher now.

 

With just over two weeks to go until UKWF Retribution, we’ll have to wait and see if the promotion can capitalise on the success of The Main Event or if it was just a blip, a fluke.

 

Until next time.[/Quote]

[christmas_ape]

Bulldog Jack vs. Notorious F.R.E.A.K.

The Beast vs. Bali Daljit

Kashmir Singh vs. Johnny Highspot

Jonni Lowlife vs. Michael Gregory

Ian Davies vs. Keith Adams

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Review – UKWF Retribution

 

Once again we see a reduction in attendance, with only 33 people turning up tonight. Could it be that they just can’t stand the bloody Paddington Club? They’re smarter than I am if that’s the case.

 

Already I am beginning to recognise faces; everyone here tonight has been here since the first show. I think we might be the hardcore fan base.

 

For the first time tonight there are actually signs among the crowd. One says ‘My Beast!’ and has a picture of a fat cat. The other has a picture of Keith Adams (done in crayon) wearing his policeman helmet and a dazzling smile with way too many teeth. Creepy.

 

Pre Show

 

ANGLE: Dunton Hall and The Beast Promo

 

Even as the house lights begin to dim, Dunton Hall appears at the top of the stage with his enforcer. An audible groan goes up among the UKWF faithful as Hall begins to speak.

 

“Loyal customers,” he begins, “I’m so glad to see you here tonight, lining my pockets with your money.” He smirks at the crowd, but Beast remains completely impassive. “My domination of this company is complete. And my domination of this business soon will be. Tonight my enforcer takes on Bali Daljit to reinforce discipline among my ranks.

 

I’ve heard the dissension, the grumblings. But I won’t stand for it any longer. From this point forward, my enforcer will deal with dissenters in the only way he knows how.”

 

Hall smirks once again, and departs.

 

My Rating: D[/Quote]

 

Main Show

 

ANGLE: Nigel Svensson Hype Video

The main show once again begins with a video, this time highlighting the exploits of the UKWF United Kingdom Champion, Nigel Svensson. His Hyper Extension Arm Lock finisher is made to look especially potent as he tears through the competition with it.

 

My Rating: E

 

MATCH: Bulldog Jack vs. Notorious F.R.E.A.K.

The crowd seem unusually apathetic towards Jack, and can’t even seem to raise the ire they usually direct towards the Frenchman. Perhaps it’s a result of both of these men suffering several defeats recently.

 

The match does nothing to perk the crowd up; F.R.E.A.K. isn’t a great worker at the best of times, and tonight he seems particularly terrible. Jack’s performance is lacklustre as well, though he manages to get the crowd involved a little towards the end. When he hits his finisher, the Standing Powerslam, there are even a few cheers.

 

Winner in 12:15 via Pinfall – Bulldog Jack

 

My Rating: E-

 

MATCH: The Beast vs. Bali Daljit

 

The Beast stomps down to the ring, drawing a decent amount of heat. It pales in comparison to the heat Dunton Hall draws however, with almost everyone in the Paddington Club jeering at the owner. Bali Daljit gets no reaction whatsoever, which is fitting because he is destroyed in short order.

 

Beast controlled the match, toying with his prey as has become his custom before almost slicing Daljit in half with a Savage Pounce.

 

Winner in 2:53 via Pinfall – The Beast

 

My Rating: E

 

MATCH: Kashmir Singh vs. Johnny Highspot

 

‘Sensational’ Kashmir Singh’s sequined robe is briefly the brightest thing in the Paddington Club, at least until he smiles at the crowd and reveals his bleached-white teeth. After recovering from their brief dazzling, the crowd jeers at Singh. Highspot receives a fairly big pop as he rushes down the aisle, slides into the ring, and takes the fight to his opponent.

 

It is a surprisingly even match, with momentum swinging back and forth multiple times throughout. Singh looks incredible in this match, matching Highspot move for move, spot for spot. Singh looks ready to snatch the victory before Highspot manages to hit his Frog Splash and get the pin.

 

Winner in 13:57 via Pinfall – Johnny Highspot

My Rating: D-

MATCH: Jonni Lowlife vs. Michael Gregory

Jonni Lowlife makes his entrance as Highspot heads back up the ramp following his victory moments ago. The two pass, lock gazes and share a respectful nod and a fist bump. The crowd sizzles with expectation, but nothing else happens between the two. Gregory’s appearance elicits a number of boos, but the youth lets the hatred wash over him.

 

The match is … less than stellar. Lowlife is too quick for Gregory, and the two exchange a number of clumsy looking holds and several botched spots. They try valiantly to save the match, and the second half is much better, but the damage is done. Lowlife hits the Low Down to score a win but the crowd couldn’t care less.

Winner in 15:34 via Pinfall – Jonni Lowlife

My Rating: E

 

ANGLE: The Beast Attacks Jonni Lowlife and Michael Gregory

 

Lowlife and Gregory are recovering from their awful match when familiar discordant music blares over the PA system. The Beast makes his way down to the ring and immediately catches Lowlife and delivers a massive chokeslam. He then turns his attentions to the slowly recovering Michael Gregory, barrelling into him with a Savage Pounce.

 

Beast looks dominant again, leaving Gregory and Lowlife laid out in the centre of the ring.

My Rating: E

MATCH: Ian Davies vs. Keith Adams

 

Ian Davies’ entrance music is buried under an avalanche of boos and jeers. He ignores it all easily, wearing an annoyed sneer and marching down the aisle. At the opening chords of Adams’ music though, the crowd go insane, cheering and screaming for their hero. He gives his helmet this time to the oldest regular, a man of at least sixty with bushy eyebrows and a stubbly beard.

 

Davies and Adams lock up, with Adams gaining the early advantage with his better developed mat wrestling skills. He takes Davies down early with a fisherman’s suplex and gets a two-count within five minutes. The crowd commiserate with Adams as Davies kicks out. The match continues fairly evenly, with Davies managing a few decent diving moves and even some pretty impressive counters. Adams tries to lock in Arrested Development, but Davies turns it into a leaping cutter, nearly knocking Adams out cold.

 

Just before the 20-minute mark, Adams looks set to win after laying Davies out with an uncharacteristic diving move of his own. Before he can make the cover however, Nigel Svensson appears, running down the aisle and sliding into the ring behind Adams’ back. He applies a modified Arrested Development to Keith Adams which draws massive heat from the crowd. Adams struggles, but can’t escape. Svensson releases the hold as Davies recovers and delivers a testicle-withering low blow.

 

As Svensson disappears into the back, Davies climbs to the top rope and delivers a beautiful Moonsault on the supine Adams. The referee slaps the mat thrice and, much to the chagrin of the crowd, Davies is declared the winner.

 

Winner in 21:14 via Pinfall – Ian Davies

My Rating: D+

 

Afterthoughts

 

It’s almost a shame that attendances keep dropping month to month because the shows are undoubtedly getting much better. Once again, match of the night was the main event and in my opinion it was at least the equal of last month’s main event, if not marginally better. It seems that any configuration of UKWF’s top stars manage a great performance, so I look forward to seeing what more can be wrung out of them.

 

For a change Dunton Hall wasn’t the low point of the evening, but that’s only because the Jack/F.R.E.A.K. match was so utterly awful. It will be interesting going forward to see how UKWF manages the disparity between the talent of their main eventers and the awfulness of the bulk of their lower carders.

My Overall Rating: D-

[Anghrist]

SuperSmark1 Blog - Where Wrestlers Fear to Tread

 

UKWF: Tax Haven?

 

Our leak has come through for us again, this time with an interesting piece of information that could go some way to explaining UKWF’s difficulties so far.

 

After taking a peek at UKWF’s financial records, it has become apparent that UKWF doesn’t seem to have Dunton Hall’s full financial backing after all. The company had a mere £10,000 in its coffers to begin with, and after a hefty loss in their first month have been slowly improving their fortunes ever since.

 

The question now is, why would Hall pour so much money into marketing a company with so little monetary support? Less charitable members of the IWC have suggested that Hall is in fact using the company as some kind of tax haven, but it’s sketchy whether or not this is the case.

 

Either way, the mystery surrounding UKWF, and Dunton Hall’s involvement with it, deepens by the day.