Since rebranding to Defiant Wrestling from WCPW at the end of 2017, the Newcastle-based promotion have been lighting up the UK wrestling scene. Since fighting off the invaders from IPW:UK, they have continued to show defiance from critics with their excellent shows and storylines. That all continues with No Regrets 2018 this Saturday.
No Regrets Rumble Match: Justin Sysum, Chris Brookes, Amir Jordan, David Starr, Simon Miller, El Ligero, Martin Kirby, Gabriel Kidd, Prince Ameen, Drake, No Fun Dunne, Joe Hendry and Little Miss Roxxy will enter
The No Regrets Rumble will make its return this year after the success it had last year. Whoever wins this year’s instalment will earn a championship opportunity on June 17th at Built to Destroy. Entrants announced so far include last year’s winner Martin Kirby, Commonwealth Games athlete Joe Hendry, former Internet Champions Gabriel Kidd and El Ligero, and of course WhatCulture’s very own Simon Miller making his professional wrestling debut. Expect to see a handful of surprise entrants pop up throughout the match.
Prediction: Joe Hendry
Defiant World Championship Match: Austin Aries (c) vs Rampage
Austin Aries is a man of many belts and on Saturday night, he’ll be putting the Defiant World Championship up for grabs against Rampage, the winner of the 2018 Magnificent Seven Briefcase. Aries made his Defiant debut back at #WeAreDefiant and made an immediate impact, leading the charge for the IPW invasion. Following Team IPW’s loss in a five on five match at Chain Reaction, Aries was left on his own. Rampage hasn’t had the best of success in championship matches, failing to lift the gold on four separate occasions. After bulldozing his way through the competition in that Magnificent Seven Match, it looks as if he it could be fifth time lucky for Leeds’ own.
Prediction: Rampage
Defiant Internet Championship Match: Travis Banks (c) vs WALTER
With Zack Sabre Jr. having to attend to business elsewhere, it meant he had to step down as the Internet Champion. As a result, up stepped Travis Banks, who bested David Starr, Mike Bailey and Chris Brookes to become the interim champ. After an ankle injury forced his scheduled Lights Out title match to become a #1 Contenders Match, his first challenger was determined as WALTER defeated David Starr twice. The current PWG World and PROGRESS Atlas Champion has been demolishing the competition all over the world. Is there any way for Travis to overcome Der Ringgeneral?
Prediction: WALTER
Defiant Tag Team Championships Match: Jimmy Havoc and Mark Haskins (c) vs The Aussie Open (Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher)
After losing the Tag Team Championships at The Road to No Regrets, The Aussie Open find themselves as the challengers once again. The Australian sensations won the gold on the go-home show for Lights Out, where Jimmy Havoc turned on Primate and essentially handed the titles to Davis and Fletcher before aligning with his PROGRESS partner Mark Haskins. Aussie Open retained the straps over Havoc and Haskins, as well as the team of Joe Coffey and BT Gunn, but a rematch saw Havoc and Haskins becoming the new champions. Considering it’s their first defence, is there any one betting against a title retention?
Prediction: Jimmy Havoc and Mark Haskins
Defiant Women’s Championship Last Woman Standing Match: Millie McKenzie (c) vs Kay Lee Ray
British wrestling standout Millie McKenzie and veteran Kay Lee Ray are once again set to do battle over the Women’s Championship, this time in a Last Woman Standing Match. Since arriving in the Defiant Wrestling women’s division, Millie has been suplexing her way through everyone in sight, winning the title within two months of being there. After two defences against Kay Lee Ray, with one being a Triple Threat also including Sammii Jayne, KLR has pleaded for one last chance at McKenzie and GM Stu Bennett was happy to oblige.
Prediction: Kay Lee Ray
Singles Match: Martin Kirby vs No Fun Dunne
Last year’s No Regrets Rumble winner Martin Kirby will be in action before he enters this year’s Rumble as he takes on No Fun Dunne. These two have cost each other big matches in their Defiant careers, with Dunne preventing Kirby from becoming a two-time World Champion before Kirby paid him back by distracting him in a Magnificent Seven Qualifier against Prince Ameen. Following Primate’s injury and subsequent retirement, their match at Lights Out was for his spot in the Magnificent Seven Match which was one by the hater of fun. Both men will be looking to get some momentum ahead of the Rumble later in the night.
Prediction: Martin Kirby
