I don’t suppose that there much crossover between Wrestling fans who are reading this and Cricket fans. (For the Americans reading this, it’s a better version of Baseball).
But my dedication to Wrestling trumped the fact that England was in the Cricket World Cup Final and, as it happened, part of the greatest game of Cricket ever witnessed. So on a warm Sunday afternoon, I found myself in the palatial surroundings of the Stockport Town Hall for Futureshock’s Uproar 107 show.
For my “pound for pound” money Futureshock is as good as any of the more vaunted UK indies and this was yet another line-up that promised a lot of great action.
Number One Contendership For Futureshock Tag Team Championship – Delicious Danny Hope and Chris Egan vs Alex Boylin and Rizman Khan
After the usual BritWres™ wait after the scheduled doors time to get in things kicked off with a Number One Contenders Match for the Futureshock Tag Team Titles pitting Delicious Danny Hope and Chris Egan against the dastardly duo of Alex Boylin and Rizman Khan. After they attacked Hope early on they focussed their attentions on Egan with a pretty effective beatdown but it was never going to be enough once Hope had recovered and it was indeed Hope and Egan who booked their future tag team title shot with a win. This was perfect opening match territory that got the crowd going and gave them something to cheer for right from the bat.
JJ Webb vs Callum Corrie
Next up was something of a grudge match between two of the young bright hopes on the Futureshock scene. Issues have been brewing between these two on a number of recent shows and as such, it was a reminder that Futureshock isn’t just about great in-ring action but also gripping, episodic storylines as well. This was a high-flying and hard-hitting encounter between two guys who definitely work the “modern style” but don’t neglect the other things as well. With the help of his partner Alexis Falcon, JJ Webb was able to pick up the win after he waffled Corrie with his “fanny pack”…which he later revealed to contain a steel chain. It is clear that this is a feud which is far from over. A great match, even if the now ubiquitous trope of “kick out of untold finishers” was present. Which is not a knock on the action at all; we have to keep up with the times don’t we!
Adrenaline Rush Match Qualifying Match – Jacob North vs Luke Jacobs vs Tom Thelwell vs Henry T.Grood
A fatal four-way was up next, with the prize of being the last man to enter the upcoming Adrenaline Rush match (as in being the last person to enter the ring, not the last person to be named as a participant) on the line. Wrestling psychology being as it is this stipulation somewhat telegraphed the result as the heel Jacob North took the win over Luke Jacobs, Tom Thelwell and Henry T.Grood. Still, it was an action-packed slice of wrestling, featuring some stiff hard-hitting moves and some great aerial action.
FutureShock Adrenaline Championship – Joey Hayes vs Damon Leigh
The first half ended with Joey Hayes, who has to be one of the most underrated talents on the scene, defending his Adrenaline title against Deadly Damon Leigh. Hayes first came to my attention in Preston City Wrestling and at the time he was portraying somewhat of a comedy character. It’s only been more recently that even I have begun to appreciate just what a stellar talent he is. Similarly, DDL carved a niche as a comedy character in Futureshock and whilst there are still elements of that to this day he can certainly deliver in the ring too. This was another action-packed match full of great spots and the ending, where Hayes effectively blocked a Leigh Moonsault attempt by turning it into an RKO was a thing of beauty.
FutureShock Championship – Sonor Durson vs CJ Banks
The second half kicked off with Soner Durson defending his recently won Futureshock Championship for the first time against former World of Sport talent CJ Banks. This will not have been a match for everyone, given that there were a deliberately slow pace and plenty of mat work in the early going. BUT, that’s what made it so good. They picked the right moments to ramp things up and drew the crowd expertly into the action. This was one of those matches where everything meant something and wasn’t just a string of high-spots thrown out one after the other. Durson retained after a fantastic effort.
Big Joe’s “Little Man” Challenge
Big Joe’s “Little Man Challenge” was up next and was as successful as all the others; that he once again took the loss, this time to former Futureshock Champion John McGregor. McGregor’s night was not over though as his former tag team partner Kevin Lloyd solidified his heel turn and his new alliance with Isaiah Quinn with a post-match attack. Again this highlighted Futureshock’s dedication to telling great storylines as well as providing top-notch action.
Stockport Streetfight – FutureShock Women’s Champion Alexis Falcon and Taongs vs Lana Austin and Hollie
After the traditional raffle, it was time for the main event and the first-ever Stockport Streetfight. This was another match that had been set up over the past few months of cards or so as Women’s Champion Alexis Falcon and Taonga took on Lana Austin and Futureshock’s own Hollie. Lana channelled Stone Cold Steve Austin whilst Hollie channelled Hardcore Holly but if the entrances had a little humour, the action was far from comedic. Put basically, the four women hammered the hell out of each other all over Stockport Town Hall, with more than a couple of frightened looks from the bar staff as a result. Kendo sticks, metal bins, baking trays and, naturally, tables were all involved with Falcon and Taonga putting Lana Austin out of action for a long stretch after power-bombing her through the commentary table. The most vicious spot, however, was Hollie sending Falcon crashing into not one but TWO bags worth of emptied out Haribo. I felt the pain from where I was sat. In the end, Lana and Hollie rounded things off with a crowd-pleasing win and then Lana replaced the Steve-Weiser’s with cans of coke for an old school celebration.
Another great night of action from the Futureshock crew, which matched up great wrestling with storylines carrying on and new ones being built. With upcoming shows including appearances by the likes of Zack Gibson, Gentleman Jack Gallagher and PAC this is as good a time as any to get on board.
More information, including their on-demand service and tickets for upcoming shows, about Futureshock Wrestling, can be found at http://www.futureshockwrestling.co.uk/
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