Right now in the UK, professional wrestling has entered a massive boom period, after years of no-one really caring about it. The sport is more popular than it has ever been since the Hogan era of the 80s and Attitude Era of the 90s. The people have made their voices heard and need the graps in their lives, more than you ever say you needed that shiny for your football sticker collection back at school.
As we enter 2018, it is no secret that the UK is white-hot for wrestling, and more new shows are popping up, along with older standing shows reaching audiences they have deserved for some time.
With that said, here are ten small promotions on the cusp of becoming super huge in 2018.
Riptide
One of the breakout promotions this year is the Brighton based Riptide Wrestling, which is quickly earning a big following amongst British wrestling fans.
Despite only a handful of shows under their belt, Riptide has managed to stand-out amongst the crowd, feeling like an exciting alternative in an already booming scene, showcasing some of the biggest names in the UK and beyond. And this is without mentioning the outstanding camerawork and editing of the on-demand shows available on the company’s website – both exhilarating and cinematic, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever witnessed and drastically changes the viewing experience for the better.
Season tickets for Riptide’s 2018 shows are currently on sale, with over half already gone as of this writing.
Lucha Forever
Offering the unique experience to see wrestlers showcased in a way you have never seen them before, Lucha Forever is the brainchild of two of the UK’s best high-flyers, Will Ospreay and Ryan Smile. and delivers the fast-paced, action-packed brand of wrestling that reminds you why you fell in love with it in the first place.
Another company that only found its feet in 2017, Lucha Forever has found homes in Birmingham, Manchester, Southampton and London, really taking the scene by storm.
Whilst the company’s social media seems to suggest there may currently be some trouble behind the scenes, here’s hoping everything pulls through because Lucha Forever is simply too exciting a show to go anywhere just yet.
Attack! Pro Wrestling
Fun, silly, and unlike anything else – The Cardiff based Attack! delights in doing things differently.
It’s easy to consider this promotion as the UK’s answer to ‘Chikara’ (a company they have worked with numerous times) but that would be doing Attack! something of a disservice. Attack! blends amazing talent with wonderfully over-the-top gimmicks and general silliness, taking joy in playing with the troupes of the already crazy medium that is wrestling.
Past shows have seen wrestlers base themselves on video game characters and even swap gimmicks with other wrestlers – heck, if you’ve ever wanted to see WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne wrestle as Tyler Bate and Tyler Bate wrestle as Pete Dunne and fight each other, then look no further.
Fighting Spirit Magazine previously named Attack! the ‘UK/Ireland Promotion of the Year’ in 2016 – get yourself to a show to find out why. You will not be disappointed.
TETSUJIN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bql7sIDA0kM
Of all the shows on this list, TETSUJIN may be the most unique.
Celebrating ‘Beauty in Combat’, TETSUJIN offers a style of hybrid wrestling, where victory can only come via submission or knockout. Over the course of a single night, eight wrestler’s face-off in bracketed knock-out style competition, with a winner crowned at the culmination.
Despite only having one previous show, ‘Round One’, back in 2015 (won by 205 Live’s Jack Gallagher), the concept and execution of TETSUJIN got people talking. So much so that, after years away, ‘Round Two’, featuring the likes of Mark Haskins, Chris Brookes and current Progress Champion Travis Banks, is now set in stone for February 2018 in Liverpool.
Tickets are on sale now.
Kamikaze Pro
When it comes to wrestling shows in the Midlands (UK), one of the biggest players is Fight Club: Pro, so you could be forgiven for potentially missing out on another of the Midlands gems – Kamikaze Pro.
Based in Birmingham and Coventry, Kamikaze has been growing since its inception four years ago and has been bringing the best mix of professional wrestling to Brummies in that time, often featuring stars of TNA wrestling, the US independent scene and the Midlands respectively.
Kamikaze’s goal is to resurrect and bring back a respectable wrestling scene to the West Midlands. So far, I think it’s fair to say they are doing a damn good job.
Tidal Championship Wrestling
Another show that’s been going strong for four years is the Leeds-based Tidal Wrestling.
Housing shows in a church (yes, you read correctly) just outside the city centre to a modest, yet faithful and passionate audience every month, Tidal showcases the finest up-and-coming talent in the North of England, alongside staples of the UK scene such as El Ligero, Joseph Connors and Rampage Brown.
Plus, it’s a hell of a lot of fun. The most recent show almost saw ‘The Bad Boy’ Joey Janela taken out by a more than game elderly lady in the ring. Anything can and will happen at a Tidal show, with matches not shy to spill out on the streets, as is the Northern way.
Pro Wrestling: EVE
Based in London’s Bethnal Green and having received rave reviews from the likes of New York Times, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley and musician/star of Netflix series GLOW, Kate Nash, EVE has kicked the UK wrestling scenes doors wide open and is a major reason for the revolution in women’s wrestling today.
Combine feminism, punk and pro wrestling, and you get an all-out empowering, entertaining and kick-ass night of graps and fun, turning the male-dominated world of wrestling on its head.
Since 2010, EVE has led the way for women’s wrestling, and long may it continue.
Pro Wrestling Chaos
Not to be confused with the New Japan stables, CHAOS, Pro Wrestling Chaos was formed by three mates hoping enough people would turn up. The Bristol promotion has continued to grow leaps and bounds since its hopeful beginnings in 2013.
The promotion keeps on finding new fans and shows no sign of slowing down, with one of the most massively in-demand stars ‘Matt Riddle’ recently winning their ‘King of Chaos’ Championship and the company recently teaming up with the wrestling streaming service Powerbomb.tv to reach an even bigger audience.
Their brand of chaos is for everyone, so absolutely get yourself to a show soon and see for yourself the well-deserved hype Chaos has earned itself. Tickets for their first three shows of 2018 are selling fast.
Discovery Wrestling
Up in Scotland, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Insane Championship Wrestling was the only promotion in play. However, in Edinburgh, Discovery Wrestling has been forging a name of its own.
Pulling in big crowds with some of the biggest names in the wrestling world and the best talent in Scotland, such as The Bullet Club (The Young Bucks/Marty Scurll/Cody Rhodes), Joe Coffey, David Starr and Kay Lee Ray.
Discovery, by its own claim, is ‘All About The Wrestling’ and the dream match-ups on their show cards are more than enough proof of that. Having only been active for three years, it won’t take that much longer till Discovery is recognised as one of the must-see promotions in the UK.
You do not want to be missing out on this one.
NORTH Wrestling
“Family Friendly, This Ain’t” – North Wrestling makes no bones about its intent.
Only established in 2016, North Wrestling hails from Newcastle and is all about ‘Geordie Strong Style’, boasting a wild, loud and crazy spectacle to behold at each and every show. They’ve already made a fan out of Botchamania’s own Geordie-native Maffew, who has recently provided commentary for the young promotion.
North currently streams their shows for free via Facebook and shares full matches online, so now’s as good a time as ever to get onboard before this promotion blows up.
What promotions did we miss? Let us know in the comments below and more importantly – SUPPORT INDY WRESTLING.
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