It’s March so why am I doing my 2015 Matches of the year a full three months into 2016? Well I guess you could say I needed time to think. I went to a lot of shows in 2015, mainly Insane Championship Wrestling (ICW) but also Discovery Wrestling, Scottish Wrestling Alliance (SWA), Premier British Wrestling (PBW) and a few other promotions. I saw some good matches and I saw some great matches and because of the sheer volume of live wrestling I witnessed, I decided my top 5 matches of 2015 would only contain matches I beheld in person.
As a fan of many different promotions around the world I can honestly say that the quality of wrestling talent in Scotland could compete with anywhere on this planet. That is why my top 5 matches of the year are all by Scottish based promotions, with a mainly Scottish talent roster.
Even if my list included matches from other promotions that I had simply watched on television, my chosen top 5 would still be in with a shout of competing to stay on the list. Before I go on to reveal my favourites of 2015, there are plenty of tremendous matches that I haven’t included….
The Grado vs Drew Galloway at Fear and Loathing would be an obvious candidate, a culmination of years of hard work from Grado resulting in the fairy-tale ending of being crowned champion….OR even the incredible BT Gunn Vs Wolfgang in a steel Cage match, that had everything…….but sadly they didn’t make the list, here is the matches that did:
Joe Coffey vs Kid Fite
Insane Championship Wrestling
August 2015
Victor: Joe Coffey
A near perfect match. If professional wrestling was an Olympic sport then this would be Scotland’s entry. A continually flawless combination of technique, timing and passion. Kid Fite is one of the most underrated wrestlers not only in the ring but on the mic and his continual verbal bashing throughout the match added another dimension to it. Tremendous psychology that resonates into every move.
Joe Coffey is one of the best wrestlers around. Not only powerful but so clinical in how he works a match. The chemistry between both wrestlers was not only evident in watching but you could connect to every move in the ring. One of the most enjoyable matches of 2015 for me.
Lewis Girvan vs Chris Sabin
Discovery Wrestling
March 2015
Victor: Chris Sabin
As a Lewis Girvan fan I was looking forward to this match immensely. Girvan is a technically gifted, catch style wrestler that continues to impress me every single time I see him in the ring. Chris Sabin needs no introduction and has been a legitimate star for well over a decade. It was to be a match for the Discovery Y Division Championship.
The match itself was a technical master class with some excellent high flying spots and it showed a determination from Girvan that has helped propel him to the highest level on the Scottish scene. Sabin was masterful, matching Girvan’s energy levels as well as showing him a few tricks. For me, this match really showed how good Lewis Girvan can be and elevated him to a whole new level. Sabin showed just how good he is in person.
New Age Kliq vs Sumerian Death Squad
Insane Championship Wrestling
August 2015
Victors: SDS
Emotionally and Physically DRAINING. Was there a more daring and frankly dangerous feud anywhere in the world in 2015 than NAK vs Legion? Mikey Whiplash and Chris Renfrew, as leaders of each faction, refused to back down leading to many canings, beatings and brutal attacks that shocked and unsettled the crowd.
However, what we also got was some of the best wrestling ICW has produced. For every brutal piece of violence there was a piece of technical brilliance, for every stiff shot there was a superb hold. Yes it was powerful and bloody but it was also beautifully told. Each mans passion and hatred for one another was superbly conveyed in how they reacted in and out of the ring.
The above match of the feud was, for me, everything that is amazing about each individual as a performer but also ICW as a whole. Another near flawless match, it showed me how good Chris Renfrew can be as part of a Tag Team. Some of the moves he and BT Gunn performed were breath-taking and technically perfect but not to be outdone, the Sumerian Death Squad responded in kind. A brutal, yet gorgeous match that had me gushing for days.
The offshoot of this feud had some exquisite matches but Mikey Whiplash and BT Gunn took it to a new level of brilliance. Overall, the psychology, technical prowess and the sheer passion made the final Cage match at Fear and Loathing VIII a majestic piece of art.
Chris Hero vs Joe Coffey
Discovery Wrestling
July 2015
Victor: Joe Coffey
Another match involving that man Joe Coffey and one of the hardest hitters in the business Chris Hero. This was a dream match for me, with two of my favourite wrestlers clashing in a test of power, strength and speed. The sheer physicality of the match, with neither man holding back, meant that by the end everyone was physically and mentally drained. It takes a certain type of man to INVITE a Chris Hero strike but the Iron Man is not your average wrestler.
Hero was excellent throughout the match, using his experience and reach to keep Joe at bay. I can’t quite put into words the power and speed at which Hero strikes but it’s really something that needs to be witnessed live. This was another great showing from both men and Joe Coffey got another rub on his way to International stardom from one of the best in the world today.
Kay Lee Ray vs Nikki Storm vs Viper
Insane Championship Wrestling – Fear and Loathing VIII
November 2015
Victor: Viper
In my opinion this match was the best wrestling spectacle at the biggest Independent wrestling show in the UK in decades, ICW’s Fear and Loathing VIII. It had pockets of pure wrestling ability but the emotion intertwined throughout was captivating. Viper was added to the match at the very last minute by Mick Foley and this match, in a lot of ways similar to the main event, became about a young, hungry wrestler proving themselves on the biggest platform available.
There is no doubt that Kay Lee Ray and Nikki Storm are two of the best wrestlers in the world and they performed flawlessly throughout the match. Viper had improved every time I watched her in 2015 but in this match everything came together for her, and all three competitors worked the triple threat angle perfectly. Viper was victorious and she became the ICW woman’s champion for the first time but the important thing here was the performance of all three in ring combatants, showing a chemistry and technical prowess that is rarely matched.
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