By @specficuchador

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4,000 people.

Now, that doesn’t sound like a lot of people but for ICW and British wrestling it is a history making and record breaking figure. No British wrestling show has grossed higher since 1981 when Big Daddy faced Giant Haystacks at Wembley.

A phenomenal achievement considering just 60 people witnessed Fear and Loathing II. On the 15th November, 2015, ICW announced itself on a global stage, reaffirming why the promotion has become such a cult phenomenon throughout the UK.

As expected, ICW provided laughs, tears, entertainment and a fair share of surprises as well as excellent wrestling from top to bottom: Fear and Loathing goes down as one of the best shows of the year not only in Britain, but worldwide.

The biggest night in British wrestling history began with rabid chants of ICW before Mark Dallas and Chris Toal made their way to the ring, golf club and Jack Daniels in hand: Dallas revealed that Fear and Loathing VIIII would occur at the Hydro, another step up in attendance at 13,000.

Red Lightning attempted to crash the party before Mick Foley appeared, Cornette shirt and all, to send Lightning scurrying to the back.

Stevie Boy (C) vs Davey Boy

ICW Zero G Championship Match

At Flawless Victory several months back, Stevie Boy and Kay Lee Ray shocked ICW fans by turning on Davey Boy, former Bucky Boys ally, and joining the NAK. Since that moment, Davey Boy, motivated by Stevie Boy’s betrayal, has sworn vengeance on Stevie Boy and the NAK, working his way through NAK members as ICW toured the UK. Despite Stevie Boy’s reluctance, several weeks ago ICW announced the scheduled match would be for the Zero G Title.

Here we, here we, here we fucking go.

The opening contest threw together speed and power which was exhibited early on. Davey Boy gained the initial advantage following a ringside brawl before a ddt shifted the momentum. The former partners dodged each other’s offence before Stevie Boy connected with two superkicks followed by the Devil’s Halo, the move that began the whole rivalry: remarkably, Davey kicked out before landing a Devil’s Halo of his own to secure the Zero G Championship.

Poetic justice.

This was a great way to open the show: a blood feud that was presented as a blood feud, there was no grappling or chain wrestling, just brawling and pure hatred between the two rivals. Steie Boy’s reign has been excellent but it is the right move to get the title on Davey: often out shone by Stevie in the Bucky Boys, Davey has a great chance to shine in the spotlight.

Liam Thompson, Lionheart & Doug Williams (Representing the 55) vs Noam Dar, Kenny Williams & Joe Hendry

In this, the final match announced for the show, ICW unquestionably threw together a match to ensure all of their wrestlers made it onto the biggest show in the company’s history. The match combined an interesting mix of youth, experience, styles and rivalries that translated into a solid three man tag.

Joe Hendry did not disappoint: he had a new entrance song, a parody of Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball.

Following a wild opening, Thompson, Lionheart and Doug Williams worked over Kenny Williams with frequent tags. Eventually, Dar received the hot tag, delivering a pair of topes punctuated by a fisherman suplex.

A unique five way submission was broken up by Doug Williams before Jimmy Havoc emerged to deafening chants of Jimmy Fucking Havoc: Havoc proceeded to lay out all of the 55 before revealing an ICW shirt underneath his coat.

Kenny Williams delivered the quiff buster to secure the victory for his team. The surprises had not finished there, though: Carmel, the pipebomb princess, laid out her ex-fiancee with a steel chair before challenging him to a match at Square Go.

An enjoyable match. Noam Dar was excellent and really deserved to be in a high profile singles match. As ever, Joe Hendry’s entrance was fantastic: Hendry’s gimmick is genuinely funny and will surely take his career to lofty heights.

Nikki Storm vs Kay Lee Ray

ICW Women’s Championship Match

ICW’s tournament to crown their inaugural Women’s Champion sprawled over several months but undoubtedly produced the best possible match up in the final: not only are Kay Lee Ray and Nikki Storm two of the best women’s wrestlers in the UK but they are two of the best in the world.

However, the appearance of Viper, who entered herself in the match, left me slightly underwhelmed.

Viper dominated for long periods of this match landing several power moves to the much smaller women punctuated by a double spear. Viper hit a splash from the top rope that nearly squashed Kay Lee Ray before delivering Kay Lee Ray in an electric chair drop onto Nikki Storm to emphatically pin both women.

I had big expectations of Nikki Storm and Kay Lee Ray: they are two of the best female workers in the world and they could have delivered one of the best women’s matches to ever occur in the UK so naturally I was slightly disappointed to see Viper be crowned the inaugural women’s champion. This match was given a long time, in excess of fifteen minutes. I don’t want to be overly critical but, given the same time, I feel Storm/Kay Lee Ray would have torn the house down.

Joe Coffey vs Rhyno

Joe Coffey’s talent is abundant: combining a British and Japanese style, Coffey is one of the brightest prospects in the UK. I’ll admit, I was hugely disappointed to see this match announced. Coffey has been forced to drop out of storylines in order to fulfil a match with Rhyno which has had no build.

Having said that, this was a good match: it was stiff, high paced and filled with impressive big man spots.

Chants of Black Sabbath’s Ironman underscored this match.. Following an opening big man off, Rhyno gained the advantage ringside before dropping Coffey on the apron with a saito supex. Rhyno cut Coffey’s comeback short with a gore through a table for a near fall: Coffey hit a gore of his own before gaining the victory with a discus lariat.

This was billed as Coffey’s biggest victory to date: whilst I have my doubts about that, this was a solid match typical of Rhyno’s previous matches in ICW. I have previously expressed my disappointment Coffey was booked in this nothing match with no build, however, this was as good as it was ever going to be although I still maintain Coffey deserved better.

Moving forward, I’m certain Joe Coffey will be featuring more prominently: Coffey has it all, power, speed, agility, technique, charisma and the ability to talk. All of which will equip him to reach the pinnacle of ICW and further.

Polo Promotions (Jackie Polo & Mark Coffey) vs the 55 (Sha Samuels & Kid Fite)

ICW Tag Team Championship Match

Polo Promotions, the longest reigning ICW Tag Team Champions, have defeated all comers since victory over Paul London and Brian Kendrick over a year ago: Polo Promotions even hold a pinfall victory over Jack Jester and Drew Galloway (albeit thanks to interference from Grado). The 55, on the other hand, have been vitriolic in their criticism of ICW seemingly expanding after every show, particularly after forming a working relationship with The Black Label.

If you have ever wondered what an arena wide rendition of the Eastenders theme song sounded like, wonder no more. The 55 gained the initial advantage with a cheap shot before DCT and Coach Trip were sent to the back after the ref caught an attempt by DCT to even the numbers following interference by Tim Wylie. The 55 worked over Jackie Polo with Samuels delivering four consecutive scoop slams followed by a DOA by Kid Fite.

A failed distraction by James R Kennedy allowed Polo Promotions to deliver the old man of hoy to both members of the 55 to retain the tag team titles.

This was a pretty standard tag match, nothing special, nothing terrible. The majority, in fact all, of the 55’s matches are hampered by interference and this was no different.

Having lost both their matches, the 55 appear in a vulnerable position heading into Square Go in January. I doubt this will be the end of the 55 but they are left in an delicate position following Fear and Loathing.

NAK (Wolfgang, Chris Renfrew & BT Gunn) vs Legion (Mikey Whiplash, Tommy End, Michael Dante)

In the second steel cage match match in ICW history, the two most dominant factions in ICW history, NAK & Legion, did battle. The animosity between these two teams is tangible, ICW isn’t big enough for the both of them: at Fear and Loathing, the score was finally settled.

The two factions have battled for supremacy throughout the UK for in excess of a year now: the steel cage was the only place to settle it.

Duelling chants of Legion/NAK reverbarated aroud the SECC as battle commenced: men flew in every direction, flesh met the cold, unforgiving steel of the cage. Four men attempted to escape but were sent back down by BT Gunn and Tommy End delivering double powerbombs each. Wolfgang looked to take advantage, climbing to the top of the cage before missing a moonsault. Legion rolled Wolfgang to the outside to make it three on two.

Legion proceeded to pick apart the NAK before all attempting to simultaneously escape: Dante was ragged to the outside by Wolfgang before End and Whiplash were dragged back into the depths of hell by Renfrew and Gunn. Similarly, End was dragged to the outside by Wolfgang moments later. Renfrew and Gunn delivered a series of double team moves culminating in a double foot stomp from the top of the cage by Gunn on Whiplash before Renfrew decided to escape whilst Gunn remained, determined to inflict more punishment.

Whiplash and Gunn brawled up the side of the cage whilst End, Dante, Renfrew and Wolfgang brawled around the outside. After trading several stiff shots on the cage, in an homage to Foley’s infamous fall through the announce table, Whiplash and Gunn fell from the top through four tables.

Confusion surrounded the indecisive finish before Whiplash, pushing End and Dante away, re-entered the cage to challenge Gunn to continue. Gunn duly obliged, punching Renfrew to get to Whiplash, as the war continued before Gunn delivered the bloodline to secure the victory in one of the best cage matches I have ever seen.

This was incredible. This match was fantastically booked with unique psychology throughout: I particularly enjoyed the use of the numbers advantage throughout. This was a brutal match and an incredible effort from all involved. Each one of these six men is not only an incredible performer but a crazy bastard prepared to sacrifice their body. Cage matches have become so commonplace many of the spots have become tired and clichéd: these men deserve all the credit they receive for a unique, creative match filled with intensity that lived up to expectations and then some.

Damo vs Jack Jester

Jack Jester and The Black Label have been interfering with Damo’s matches since Shug’s Hoose Party II: Jester formed an alliance with Drew Galloway and General Manager, Red Lightning, to prevent Damo from winning the ICW World Heavyweight Championship. Fear and Loathing represented an opportunity for Damo to exact a degree of revenge and he did so emphatically.

Following a brawl around the ring and into the crowd, Jester delivered several ferocious chair shots before Damo fought back. Jester escaped an attempted Van-Damo-Nator before delivering an impressive tombstone piledriver for a near fall. Soon after, Damo delivered a brogue kick before delivering several shots to the back with a chair followed by the Belfast Drop on a chair to secure the victory.

I enjoyed this match despite its relative brevity. Sure, given longer they could have been even better but, for its position on the card, this was everything it needed to be. Again, Damo is another member of the ICW locker room with big things on the horizon and this match only confirmed that.

Drew Galloway (C) vs Grado

ICW World Heavyweight Championship Match

This is what it was all about. This is what sold 4,000 tickets. Not only was the ICW World Heavyweight Championship at stake but so was the future of ICW and oh boy did it deliver. This match had everything: great wrestling, intensity and phenomenally well executed story telling.

4,000 drunken Glaswegians united to belt out the lyrics to Madonna’s Like a Prayer to accompany Grado, looking in the best shape of his career, to the ring. Galloway, accompanied by a live rendition of his entrance music, paid homage to the ring gear he wore when he first won the ICW World Heavyweight Championship almost ten years ago.

Galloway had the better of the initial stages, deivering a series of offensive manouevers whist cutting Grado off any time he gained momentum. Astoundingly, Grado landed a hurricanrana to send Galloway to the outside before delivering a canonball followed by an R Gra Do on the apron. Once again, Galloway shifted the momentum before unleashing some of the most devastating chops in the business today before Grado landed more signature offence to no avail.

In desperation, Grado delivered a low blow before connecting with the wee boot for another near fall, seemingly unable to pin the phenom. Galloway reversed a GTS into a futureshock ddt followed by a death valley driver on a steel chair but, encourgaed by the crowd chanting his name, Grado would not lay down.

Incredulous, Galloway punched the ref before Red Lightning attempted to get involved. Mick Foley made the save whilst Grado delivered the wee boot assisted by a steel chair: Mark Dallas, ICW Owner, made the three count as Grado, the clown no longer of British wrestling, was crowned the ICW World Heavyweight Champion as the crowd erupted into frenzy of partial disbelief and excitement.

This match was outstanding, truly a phenomenal achievement of story telling. As far as story telling goes, this was a timeless underdog and perfectly executed. I had my doubts about Grado and I still do, few in the world are as good a worker as Drew Galloway is and I’m still incredibly sceptical of Grado’s credentials as champion moving forward, but this story was so well executed none of those concerns matter.

Both Grado and Drew Galloway formed made history, responsible in equal part for one of the most intense matches of the year.

ICW is Grado: in a wrestling landscape dominated by the Drew Galloways of this world, Grado represents the unlikely success of ICW, proving that with heart, desire and unwavering passion, anything is possible.

Will Grado as champion be a success? Who knows, only time will tell but if 4,000 fans chanting Grado is anything to go by, it sure as hell will be.

Final Word: Holy, this was an emotional rollercoaster. Heading into Fear and Loathing, I adamantly believed Galloway should retain: however, Grado changed my mind with an astounding performance. I have not been as emotionally invested in a match for a long time.

This show was not just about the main event, though. Outstanding matches between Stevie Boy/Davey Boy, Damo/Jester and The NAK/Legion ensure this show goes down as one of the most important in UK history. This was an incredible feel good show with all the babyfaces, baring the NAK, emerging victorious: this is a new era for ICW and it will be fascinating to see which direction it heads in next.

Fear and Loathing was a spectacular achievement from all involved who must be equally astounded and proud in equal measure.

Fear and Loathing VIII was the culmination of ten plus years of hard work but ICW has not reached its final destination yet. On the horizon lay bigger venues, TV deals and more memories to be made.

So, buy a ticket and take this frenzied ride to the stars and back. I promise you wont regret it.