Introduction to the Indys

I’ve been watching American wrestling since about 1990. My background in British wrestling is fairly limited. I do remember the times of Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Kendo Nagasaki and Mick McManus, but mostly I’ve been engrossed with the American products of WWE, WCW. ECW, TNA and some ROH on and off for the past couple of decades.

Until recently, British wrestling didn’t really grab me. I knew of the British guys who’d gone over to the States (British Bulldog, William Regal, McGuinness, Doug Williams, and Paul Burchill) and made it there, but very little about the UK wrestling scene. The extent of my knowledge in this area stretched as far as Rockstar Spud, Party Marty Scurll, Robbie Brookside and Mark Haskins and going to a few All Star Wrestling shows that have a mix of UK independent and former WWE wrestlers. So when my good friend Mark Adams told me he was taking up a ring announcer role at a small Wolverhampton based promotion called Fight Club Pro, I was slightly interested, but not enough to go there every month to see him work, despite it being my home city (I’m now living in Kent!) and him going on at me to go every time there was a show!

After quite a bit of nagging from Mark (thanks!), and seeing more and more articles in Fighting Spirit and Power Slam about British wrestling and its stars, I became more interested in seeing how much British wrestling is out there. So I did a bit of research, and through the power of t’internet and social media, it turns out there’s a load of UK wrestling promotions about, and they seem to be increasing in number. From this research I found that there is a promotion practically on my doorstep, which is IPW: UK.

IPW: UK has been operating since 2004, founded and primarily owned by Daniel Elder. Originally based in Orpington, they now host shows across the country with its main UK base in Swanley, where it also has a wrestling school. This promotion has been showcasing UK talent for the past 8 years, whilst inviting Ring of Honor, TNA and WWE talent over for special events. The one wrestler I have heard of from this promotion is Leroy Kincaide. He is one of the top UK wrestlers, and has been seen on WWE TV tapings in London on some backstage segments.

So this weekend I will be going to the IPW: UK event in Swanley, where Kincaide will be facing Sha Samuels for a first time ever main event for the IPW British Undisputed Championship. Also on the bill Mad Man Manson will be going up again the Mexican Eagle. There will be a Cruiserweight 4-way match with Ashley Reed, Paul Robinson, Mark Haskins and the debuting Will Osprey. Also former IPW: UK Champion Iestyn Rees issues an open challenge to the “Skinny Boy Wrestlers” of the UK scene. Bhangra Knights will be facing off again London Riots for the first time also.

I am really looking forward to my first proper UK wrestling event, and I will be reviewing it for SLTD Wrestling. Now I won’t claim to know everything about British Indy wrestling, I will be finding my way along and making my observations as a pure beginner, so any observations or views on the scene you may disagree with. But I hope you enjoy reading about me finding out about the ever growing British wrestling scene, and who I meet, and hopefully interview, along the way.