Whilst the rest of the country is debating whether Scotland should be independent, for me and many others there is a more important struggle going on north of the border. This struggle is between two men, over a title, in the top clubs and venues in Scotland for ICW.
ICW has become one of, if not the top wrestling promotion in the UK all from the ambitious mind of Mark Dallas. They have gone from a small community centre in Maryhill, to having their biggest show of 2014. This will take place in one of the most iconic venues in (what is currently) Great Britain – The Barrowlands in Glasgow on the 2nd November. Headlining that show will be an ICW Championship Match between their champion and some say the franchise of the company, Jack Jester and former WWE superstar and a much revitalised artist known as Drew McIntyre, Drew Galloway.
For me, the beauty of ICW is that the booking is so simplistic, it’s good vs evil but they mould that with some progressive and forward thinking characters. Their world champion is a face BDSM enthusiast, they have an openly gay wrestler and then had a devout loudmouth Christian homophobic heel come out and battle him. They even have a group of NED’s (non-educated delinquents) running around doing music videos – they keep up to date as much as they can.
They’ve come so far to the point that they have a BBC documentary about them, Insane Fight Club and have a second one on the way. They were on TV for a short period of time until some dodgy scheduling by the channel in question screwed them and look likely to be back on again by next year. Everything’s coming up Dallas right now. But this feud is a unique situation, as this match fell right into ICW’s lap.
Since his release from WWE this summer, many expected Galloway to go back to ICW, even for a one shot deal before doing the rounds on the American indies. He was their first champion, and got his break in the wider wrestling world through Insane Championship Wrestling. But, yet, he decided to be a semi-permanent fixture back in the company. When he returned at “Shug’s Hoose Party” the roof almost came off the ABC in Glasgow. When the New Age Kliq (the leading heel faction in ICW) were attacking Jack Jester so member Chris Renfrew could cash in his Square Go briefcase (A Royal Rumble/Money In The Bank hybrid) for the belt – out comes Galloway to protect his friend, the man he helped train. But then, once he fended off the NAK – he let Jack Jester have his moment, before kicking his head off….with a big grin on his face. He then proceeds to cut a promo stating how he is back in ICW whilst pleading with Jester to stay down and don’t make me do this. He put the exclamation point when he picked Jester up and threw him off the stage through a table –all the time stating he didn’t want to do this. This wasn’t a turn, this wasn’t a normal double cross…he wanted the spotlight to himself. He has decided that now he is back he will be the man in ICW and, whilst Jester is his friend, he won’t understand that he needs to step aside and so he will beat it into him. In Galloway’s words – ‘he is the f*****g business’.
Then, Jack Jester disappeared – no sight or sound of him for the rest of the week. He then returned in street clothes and no frills to Edinburgh and beat the holy high hell out of loveable pervert DCT. Then turned round and left again. He’s shown that if he will do this to an innocent man, what is he going to do his so-called best friend?
He then went into exile for another few weeks, until he reappeared to address Galloway. In short, he wants to kill him. Galloway betrayed Jester and stabbed in the back a man that was almost his brother. Jack Jester has worked his arse off to turn ICW into the juggernaut it is today, and he will damned if someone will swan back in and take his spot. In Jester’s words – ‘I’m bring a heart that’s bigger than your ego’.
Fast forward a few weeks, Drew Galloway’s win over the man that beat him for his ICW title; Darkside – meant he is now the number one contender to the title his ‘friend’ Jack Jester. Jester followed this by making his appearance to confront his friend. And one sentence sticks out in my mind from the conversation.
“You know as much as it hurts me, you know this had to be done and I’m really sorry, but when it comes to that night, you know we’re gonna take it to the limit to take ICW to where it needs to be. You’re not the guy.”
You’re not the guy – imagine hearing that from your best friend on his return. Hearing ‘I am sorry, but for this company to move on, it’s time for you to move over and let me handle this.’ Jester then beats the crap out of Galloway. But that’s what Drew wanted, he wants that killer instinct so they both go out into ICW’s biggest venue ever and beat each other to death over that title. This went to the next level when Jester turned up to a Drew Galloway Q’n’A and a brawl ensued – which made his feud even more real than it once was.
So, it has come to this. Drew Galloway. Jack Jester. The ICW title. Two men wanting to be the one in ICW to take it to the next level. The biggest match in Scottish Wrestling, and in my opinion the biggest match in British Wrestling in the last ten years. Two men who are both beloved by the audience – but one who is in the right and one who is in the wrong. The classic good vs evil dynamic. The most impressive thing about the way ICW have booked the feud is who is good and evil is subjective. You either side with Jester for starting from the bottom to get them to the next level, or you side with Galloway for being the prodigal son returning to take ICW to higher echelons. November 2nd will be a huge date in ICW, and for wrestling in general – whether it is in Great Britain or independent Scotland.
If you haven’t seen this, get on ICW’s YouTube channel and watch it all unfold. I can’t recommend this enough.