Well, it certainly has been a busy past few weeks for everyone associated with the World Association of Wrestling. If you take into account their commitments on the Pontins Holiday Camp circuit, and include their recent, six week run at the Atlantis Arena in Great Yarmouth, I think it's safe to say that they are certainly the busiest wrestling promotion in Britain at the moment.
But this column is going to focus on events at WAW's arena shows, in Great Yarmouth and Hunstanton.
The run began on Monday, July 26th. It now seems a very long time ago that I walked into the Atlantis Arena in Yarmouth for the first time, even though it was only about seven weeks ago. But then again, people keep telling me that a week is a long time in the wrestling business.
Hopes were high going into that first show. This was the first time I had been part of a weekly run during my time with WAW, and I was looking forward to seeing how the shows would develop. Of particular interest to me was the Atlantis Cup tournament, which pitted some of Britain's finest up-and-comers against each other over a five week period.
The July 26th show, although good in it's own right, was for me probably the weakest of all the shows. I can't really knock the match quality, it's just that compared to other matches in the run, some of them come up second best.
The first show saw the crowning of new WAW Tag-Team Champions, as Big Dave Waters and the Bulk, the U.K. Pitbulls, defeated the New Breed to capture the vacant championship. The titles had been vacant for almost a year, since the team of Ashe and Paul Tyrell defeated the Pitbulls at last year's October Outrage show in Norwich. It was good to see the void filled once again, although I have my doubts about one thing - the Pitbulls are so dominant at the moment, I can't see any other team in Britain taking the titles away from them at the moment.
The following week, August 2nd, not only saw an appearance from the Snake Man, but an appearance from the television cameras as well. An increased audience was told that the show was being filmed for possible broadcast on The Wrestling Channel, and they acted accordingly.
The six matches presented on the Summer Sizzler show were certainly worthy of broadcast. From top to bottom, the card was filled with top notch action. Of particular interest to me was the match for the British title between champion the Zebra Kid and Paul Tyrell. This was the first singles match fought under WAW's new championship rules, a good test of these rules if ever there was one. And it worked. Mixing old school values with new school action, the match was a great success, even if the outcome, a draw, did prove to be a little controversial. But it proved that the new system worked. WAW should be commended for their new rules.
There was some controversy in this match, though. With both wrestlers having been counted out after scoring one fall apiece, WAW Commissioner Steven Howard-Platt held up the title pending a rematch between the two. However, an appeal from the Zebra Kid saw him reinstated as champion a few days later.
Also of great interest to me was the match between Jake Roberts and Phil Powers. This rivalry stretched back to the beginning of the year, and through several other promotions as well. I've rated Powers ever since I first saw him wrestle, and knew that he would bring the best out of the former WWF legend.
But I didn't realise just how good this match would be. To say that Jake Roberts gets a great deal of negative publicity in the wrestling press and from the fans would be an understatement. Some of this he has brought upon himself. But whenever he steps into a WAW ring, he always seems to up his game a little. This was evident in his match with Powers. It was the best match I've seen from the Snake Man since his match with the Zebra Kid in Thetford over two years ago.
Special mention on this show must also go to two of Britain's young lions, Zak Zodiac and the Flaming Red, who battled in an excellent Atlantis Cup first round match. Britain's more established stars must surely keep looking over their shoulders when these two hit their prime years.
The third show of the run, on Monday, August 9th, saw a surprising appearance from "The Wonderkid" Jonny Storm. Currently banned from his usual stomping ground in the FWA, and back from his wrestling tour to Thailand, Storm was a very late addition to the bill, literally being added at the last minute. His match with another returning star, the baseball bat wielding maniac Bash, on paper, looked to be a distinct mismatch of styles, especially given the height and weight difference between the two. But that didn't matter as far as the match was concerned, as Storm showed why he is one of the top stars in the country at the moment.
Another great match on this show was the bruising TLC match between Ricky Knight and Paul Tyrell. Hard-core wrestling, if done just right, can be just as entertaining as any pure wrestling match. This match was a perfect example of this. Knight and Tyrell literally knocked the crap out of each other, with Knight reminding me of the great Terry Funk when he kept shouting at Tyrell to hit him with the various weapons. Hmmm..Knight v Funk....what a match that would be.
The new championship rules got another test in the Cruiserweight title match between champion Steve Quintain and challenger Steve Morocco. This was definitely a match for the old school brigade, harking back to the glory days of the World of Sport era, an era we are currently reliving courtesy of The Wrestling Channel. The Tattooed Warrior is certainly a man in the old school mould.
The only said point as far as this show goes was the withdrawal of the Sweet Saraya from her championship match with Ashley Paige. Saraya had been injured a couple of days before at a holiday camp show in Hemsby, tearing her lateral muscle in her back. However, this didn't mean that there wasn't a woman's match on the bill, as Commissioner Howard-Platt ordered a number one contender's match between Paige and Destiny, with Paige one, despite the dominance of her younger opponent. Hopefully, Paige will face Saraya for the title once the champion is fully healed.
Week four, on Monday, August 16th, saw an increase in the crowd again, and a match that WAW fans had been waiting eighteen months to see.
"Gentleman" Jimmy Ocean and "The Wonderkid" Jonny Storm had originally been scheduled to face each other at the first Valentine's Day Massacre show in Norwich in February, 2003, but Storm's overseas commitments meant that he couldn't make the show that night, so it was at the Atlantis Arena that we finally got to see this battle of the generations.
And what a battle it was. Fought over a twenty minute time limit, and over the best of three falls, the contest was so even that the time limit expired with both men level at one fall apiece. Commissioner Howard-Platt once again asserted his authority by ordering a most unique way of deciding the victor - he would be the man who would be able to knock his opponent on his back ten times. After some hard fought action, Storm scored the victory, but only just.
There was another bruising hard-core encounter here, again involving Ricky Knight as he went up against Paul Tyrell's running buddy, Steve Morocco. Knight would surely have won this contest had it not been for the referee, Stuart Lake. Normally associated with the UWA, Lake cost Knight the match by attacking him with a kendo stick, and then administering a fast count as he held Morocco up. Needless to say, because of his actions, Lake was fired just minutes after the match ended.
Special mention must also go to one Jamie Lee here, making his second appearance in the run in his match with Zak Zodiac. The last time I saw Lee wrestle, on a holiday camp show about two years ago, I wasn't really impressed. But this year the veteran has excelled, although his ring attire seems to be developing more of a following than he is!
A slight detour from the Yarmouth shows took WAW to the Town Hall in Hunstanton on Friday, August 20th. Ever since WAW held the first of their regular shows in Hunstanton last year, the audience has slowly been getting bigger and bigger, to the point where every show held in the town now hosts a sell-out crowd.
This show saw the crowning of a new British Champion in the form of "The Dark Angel" Ashe, as he beat defending champion the Zebra Kid in somewhat controversial circumstances. With the scores level at one fall apiece, the champion tried to sway things a little by attempting to convince everyone that Ashe had deliberately tried to injure him by whipping him into the exposed turnbuckles. The turnbuckles were only exposed because Zebra had removed the padding himself moments earlier. But his plan backfired. As the Zebra Kid claimed he was injured, the referee referred the decision to the judges, who awarded the bout, and the title, to Ashe.
Jake Roberts made his second appearance of the summer for WAW. Originally, he was scheduled to face Ricky Knight, but the Rowdy Man claimed he was injured, and replaced himself with Johnny Phere. However, the youngster just didn't have what it took to defeat the Snake Man. Moments after his victory, Roberts was attacked by Knight, which proved that he was faking it all along.
When WAW returned to Yarmouth on Monday, August 23rd, everyone thought that this would be the final show of the run, but with the shows having proven to be a great success, it was announced that an extra show had been added on the following Bank Holiday Monday.
This show featured the semi-finals and finals of the Atlantis Cup tournament. The first semi-final, between Ashe and Zak Zodiac, proved to be a perfect way of opening the show, and it was good to see the new British Champion praise his opponent after the match ended. The second semi-final saw The Kraft go up against Andy Rush, who was a late replacement for the injured Johnny Phere. It normally takes me a while to warm to a wrestler I've never seen before, but Rush really impressed me, and I hope to see more of him in a WAW ring soon.
The final itself was a hell of a match, six rounds of great wrestling action between Ashe and the Kraft, a perfect example of what the WAW Training Academy can produce. At first I thought their different styles would make for an awkward, ugly match, but I was pleased to be proven wrong. The Kraft proved to be a worthy winner of the tournament, and if things go well, this could be just one of many honours he wins during his career.
So it was on Bank Holiday Monday that the final show was held, and the crowd was definitely the most vocal of the lot.
We were given a wrestling master class from the Zebra Kid and Jonny Storm. These two are old rivals, having competed against each other in a variety of matches over the past few years. It was a joy to watch, until Paul Tyrell and Steve Morocco interfered, that was.
We also saw an unexpected turn by none other than the Bulk. Steve Quintain had been scheduled to take on Bash in a no holds barred contest. This feud had been brewing for weeks, but because of injury, Quintain was unable to compete. Commissioner Howard-Platt allowed Quintain to pick a replacement, and he chose one half of the Tag-Team Champions to take his place. What resulted was a brawl that took in most of the arena. Just before the show, one particular fan told me that she hoped to get close to the action. She certainly was close to the action as Bash and the Bulk brawled their way right past her table! I hope she got some good pictures!
The show ended with a perfect example of tag-team wrestling, as Tyrell and Morocco took on the Superflys. The tension between Knight and his UWA counterparts had been brewing for weeks, and finally, Knight was able to level things up by bringing in his old buddy Jimmy Ocean. It was a joy to watch, especially being the fan of tag-team wrestling that I am. This match had everything you could want.
The season ended with something of a shocking announcement as Bash announced he was defecting to the UWA. This must anger the powers-that-be. Everyone knows the story behind Bash's initial departure from WAW in October 2002. I was one of the many who was glad to see him back this year, because he certainly brought an extra little spark to WAW's shows. But his defection to the UWA shows that loyalty in the wrestling business is a little bit wanting at times. Bash seems to have forgotten about the people who brought him into the wrestling business, who made him a star, and who forgot his past indiscretions and welcomed him back with open arms just a few short months ago.
So how would I describe this summer season of arena shows. Well, there is only one way I can describe them - a success. It was great to see the various situations play out over the weeks, and if truth be known, I am a little sad that the run has come to an end.
So who would I say impressed me the most during this run. Well, I was impressed and pleased with the outcome of the Atlantis Cup tournament. I hope that this tournament will become a regular fixture on the WAW calendar, in the way that the New Japan's Super J Cup and CZW's Best of the Best tournaments have become eagerly anticipated by wrestling fans. The Atlantis Cup could, in time, become one of the most prestigious tournaments in British wrestling.
Many of the wrestlers impressed me a great deal. Firstly, I was impressed with Jimmy Ocean. In my near three years as part of the WAW team, this was probably the best I've seen from Jimmy. He looked well, and his matches were great. It's a shame that he doesn't compete more often.
Jonny Storm was also impressive. To be perfectly honest with you, I think Jonny's matches in WAW are more impressive than his matches for the FWA. Having watched a great deal of his recent FWA matches on The Wrestling Channel, it's obvious that he wrestles in a different way for WAW. Jonny will always be known for his high-flying skills, but in WAW, he seems to let more of his mat wrestling skills come to the fore. It's something I'd like to see a lot more of.
Kudos must also go to the Rowdy Man, Ricky Knight. His brutal matches against Paul Tyrell and Steve Morocco show that despite being in the veteran stage of his career, he can still duke it out with the best of them. Hard-core matches may not be fashionable at the moment, Ricky Knight still does them really well.
Kudos must go to the new British Champion, the Dark Angel himself, Ashe. He was recently described as the best kept secret in British wrestling. Throughout the summer season, apart from one match, Ashe impressed. Although he is just three years into his career, he now holds one of the most prestigious titles in British wrestling. Only time will tell how long he holds onto the gold though. With the likes of the Zebra Kid breathing down his neck, looking for a rematch, Ashe will certainly have his work cut out for him.
I must also make mention of WAW's Commissioner, Steven Howard-Platt. At times he asserted his authority extremely well, especially with regards to championship matches and match stipulations. However, I was a little disappointed with his handling of the Bash situation, and the fact that he let the former British Champion slip through his fingers as he defected to the UWA.
It's a sign of how successful the shows at the Atlantis Arena were, when it was revealed that the shows outdrew every other event the venue held during the summer season. There are rumours of WAW holding regular monthly shows there. I'm sure that this would go down a storm with the local wrestling fans, and I hope the deal can be made so that this can happen.
So now the WAW faithful are looking towards the Talk in Norwich on Saturday, September 11th, as WAW present their tenth anniversary show, The War of 2004, headlined by an inter-promotional match between the Superflys, representing WAW, and the team of Alex Shane and Aviv Maayan, representing the FWA. Yours truly will be back next week with a preview of this match and the other great matches on this show.
There's an old saying, that all good things must come to an end. I'm going to miss my regular visits to Great Yarmouth on a Monday night. Things won't be the same for the next few weeks.
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