I
t was seen as being the dawning of a new day.
The return of the FWA. The time that British
Martin
wrestling could return to its former glories.
Stone
There were numerous highlights during the evening
of New Frontiers. The tremendous tag team opener
with the Leaders and Northern Exposure, Doug
Williams heeling it up against Martin Stone, and
Andy Boy Simmonz going off on Tony Scarlo. But
the one moment that everyone will remember from
that show is the entrance of Spud...or should we
say Rockstar Spud.
Ever since the original FWA closed its doors, Spud
has been wowing audiences up and down the
country with his highrisk style and ability to play
the ‘face in peril’ role better than just about
anyone. And he has slowly been developing his
character.
Now he has evolved into Rockstar Spud, he
may have just found the formula to gain the
British Wrestling scene a huge amount of
momentum.
If you go back over the years that wrestling
has been at all popular and asked the
mainstream public to name famous wrestlers
of that era, who would they pick. In one era, it
© SARAH BARRACLOUGH
may be the flamboyant Gorgeous George, in britishwrestlingpictures.com
another the Italian hero Bruno Sammartino, later
on Hulk Hogan, the Ultimate Warrior, the
But should we? As wrestling fans do we want to
Undertaker, Steve Austin or the Rock. These days
forever be watching something we have to justify
you’ll probably find them answering John Cena or
to our friends and family that just don’t ‘get it’? Or
the Undertaker.
would we rather watch something that those
friends can appreciate as well?
These are the wrestlers that the mainstream public
think of when they think of pro wrestling. They are
At the moment, British wrestling is at a phase
not necessarily the same wrestlers that wrestling
where, if many of your work colleagues or friends
fans pick as their favourites.
actually turned up, they might enjoy what they see.
I’ve had friends turn up that only know wrestling
You’re unlikely to get a person in the mainstream
from the WWE and leave amazed at the athleticism
pick Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, Brian Pillman, the
and drama that they witness.
Midnight Express, Paul London or Bryan Danielson
when asked to name a famous wrestler.
But in order to get them there, they have to first
get interested in it. And this is where the likes of
We all want British wrestling to enter the
Rockstar Spud come in.
mainstream, yet when shows are presented do we
see ‘stars’ or do we see wrestlers that will attract
If British wrestling had more colourful characters
people who like wrestling.
such as Rockstar Spud, then these characters may
get invites on mainstream TV shows. Don’t believe
I would hazard to guess we see shows that attract
me? Just take a look at the recent tours by El Hijo
that small minority in the UK called ‘wrestling fans’.
Del Santo and co to the UK.
58 The online magazine for pro wrestling fans worldwide thewrestlingpress.com
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