4 years ago, I was sitting in my flat bored to tears when my I received a Facebook message from my friend David Grimason asking what my plans were for the night, I told him probably nothing and he suggested I head to The Classic Grand in Glasgow and check out a local wrestling promotion. I had been a long time fan of wrestling from the age of 5 but other than watching Raw, Smackdown and the odd WWE PPV, I wasn’t throwing myself into fandom as much as I did in the 90’s or as I do now.
With no-one to go with I decided to just take a much needed night out of my dingey flat and inhaling mould to check out just how “minted” David said it was.
That promotion was ICW.
I arrived and was surprised to see a que round the block and as I entered the venue and took my vantage point on the balcony overlooking the ring, the lights dimmed and chants began as the show got underway. From the first match watching Mark and Joe Coffey take care of business to the The Bucky Boys with The Wee Man and Lambrini trading insults with their opponents to the bizarre S&M antics of Mikey Whiplash I was hooked. This is what I had been missing and I vowed to keep coming along.
Over the months and years I have gotten to see the beginnings of Gradomania, seen him win and lose the belt all in the same night I have seen heel turns, title changes, face turns and some of the worlds greatest wrestling talent like Prince Devitt AKA Finn Balor, Rhyno, Bryan Kendrick, The Summerian Death Squad and the return of Drew Galloway. I have seen the brightest and best talents the UK has to offer put their bodies on the line in brutal matches where they’ve even ended up on hospital and though it’s had its fair share of oddball moments (Lionheart: This Is Your Life still strikes fear into the heart of many an ICW fan haha) I have still loved it whole heartedly.
ICW has done more for me than I think I’ve ever given it credit for. Without it I don’t think I’d be loving wrestling again as much as I do, it’s spurred me on to check out other promotions like PWG, ROH, Progress and PCW and allowed me to find local promotions like Pride and SWA to be able to see younger talent who are busting their guts to put on the best wrestling showcases in Scotland. I’ve gotten to see, what I believe to be, the next stars of ICW, The UK and hopefully the world. Without ICW re-igniting my love for wrestling then simply put there might not be a Triple Threat Podcast and you guys couldn’t read this or get to hear my voice…imagine that world? **
So as the hours count down to Fear & Loathing VIII, ICW’s biggest event in The SECC, a sold out show with over 4000 people with a chance of maybe, just maybe getting to see Grado finally holding the title aloft instead of a bumbag, I think back to that first night on a dancefloor in a rock club and all I have to say is:
THANK YOU ICW.
Larry “The Axe” Reid
**I am not the shallow.
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