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BRITISH wrestling fans have arguably the most fun of the calendar year to look forward to over the coming month.
Fittingly, it kicks off with the explosive weekend of Bonfire night.
The world market leader WWE is on our shores for the second of their annual tours, culminating in RAW and Smackdown being filmed on Monday and Tuesday next week in Manchester.
It is good that WWE is going to the Arena in the aftermath of the hideous attacks earlier this year. As FT said at the time, it’s fitting that wrestling plays its part in the healing process in a great venue and great city.
Sadly, Roman Reigns will not be on the tour as he continues his recovery from a viral infection which means the advertised Shield inring reunion is on ice. Triple H will step into the breach however, so fans can’t really argue. Expect him wrestling as a babyface. The explosive start to the month only gets better – apologies, but there’s so much on FT can’t fit it all in!
As WWE fly back in the middle of next week, Revolution Pro stages a marquee double header in London with a plethora of Japanese talent flying in from the East to tackle some of our best and brightest for their Global Wars weekender. Minoru Suzuki, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, Tetsuya Naito and Yuji Nagata are jut a few of the names announced – with some terrific matches in prospect. Dave Mastiff against Ishii will register on the richter scale, Marty Scurll against Naito is a hot contest and ZSJ v IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay promises much for the British belt.
Add that to red hot Scouse sensation Zack Gibson, Ryan Smile, Matt Riddle, and CCK and fans are rightly getting excited. Rev Pro are also at London’s Cockpit this weekend.
Pro Wrestling EVE are running their ACE of EVE weekender at the Resistance Gallery with some of the best women in the scene on the card with the winner main eventing next year’s biggest ever European all-female show at York Hall. Nina Samuels, Laura Di Matteo, Jetta, Kay Lee Ray and the formidable Viper are all in action.
ICW are in Liverpool at the O2 Academy this Saturday, building towards the massive Fear and Loathing X show on 19th November at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow.
Kay Lee Ray and Viper again feature in a three-way for the Women’s title with Kasey in a steel cage. Joe Coffey meets BT Gunn in a champion v champion clash and the legendary Rey Mysterio faces Kenny Williams. Fellow ECW and WWE alumnus Rob Van Dam is in action against Lionheart. Guest Commissioner for the evening is none other than Kevin Nash.
All in all, it is little wonder that rumours abound once more of WWE touting their long-awaited UK television project around to interested parties, including ITV.
The national broadcaster of course had their own now aborted plans for a World of Sport reboot which surfaced this time last year, but a happy confluence between the Americans and the channel could be on the cards.
It certainly won’t be too hard for either set of execs to see the potential market and audience if they pay attention in the coming few weeks. Interesting times.