Preview: ICW – Fight Club (12/15/19)

The final Insane Championship Wrestling (ICW) show of the year sees them back at the Garage in Glasgow as they prepare to tape three episodes of Fight Club. It’s been a sensational year for the Glasgow-based promotion, with the first two-night Fear & Loathing proving to be a massive success while their new GONZO brand has produced two incredible events thus far. Their final event for 2019 sees a mammoth ten match card, as all eyes are now firmly locked on the 9th Annual Square Go! on February 2nd.

Jason Reed vs Scott McManus

Jason Reed continues on his mission to make wrestling great again as he battles former Power Forward member Scott McManus. Since enlisting the managerial services of Coach Trip at the first GONZO show, The One For The Future has had a fair amount of success inside an ICW ring as he made his Fear & Loathing debut in November in the pre-show Rumble Match, as well as picking up a victory over Davey Blaze at the second GONZO event, albeit with the assistance of Ravie Davie. Elsewhere around the country, Jason recently lost his WrestleZone (WZ) Tri-Counties Championship to Captain Alan Sterling, plus his debut for Fair City Wrestling (FCW) on Friday evening saw him pinned by Lou King Sharp. Jason hasn’t had too much success throughout December thus far, so this is the match to get him back on track. His opponent for the evening made his official ICW debut this past March, however, Scott McManus had originally appeared a few months prior under a mask as part of Mark Coffey‘s Power Forward clique alongside Craig Anthony and Grant McIvor. After the trio revealed themselves at Fear & Loathing XII, Mark Coffey turned his back on them in favour of siding with Kenny Williams. Now that he’s an official member of the ICW roster, Mr Hapjitsu is looking to score his first victory in an ICW ring at the expense of Jason Reed.

Prediction: Jason Reed

Kenny Williams vs Grant McIvor

As previously mentioned, The Power Forward were unveiled at Fear & Loathing XII, with Craig Anthony, Grant McIvor, and Scott McManus revealing themselves as Mark Coffey’s masked henchmen over the last few months. Away from the mask though, Grant had debuted for ICW at the first show of 2019, losing to Paxxo (now Luca de Pazzi) in a Square Go! Qualifying Match, while also recently capturing the Source Wrestling Championship from Alexander Darwin MacAllan. He and McManus were originally slated to face Coffey and Kenny Williams at this show, but with both Mark and Joe Coffey unable to compete on Sunday evening, McIvor will now go toe to toe with The Lucky Yin in singles competition. Kenny is reeling off the back of a loss to Jordan Devlin at Fear & Loathing XII, so a loss to someone who is technically a newcomer to ICW will surely not do anything to help his ICW career.

Prediction: Kenny Williams

Ravie Davie vs Davey Blaze

In his return to the Garage, Davey Blaze has his second match back inside an ICW ring as he faces off with Ravie Davie. The Scottish Savage made a surprise return to ICW at Fear & Loathing XII, saving Grado from a post-match beatdown at the hands of Davie and his team of neds as the crowd lost their minds at the comeback of The Buckfast Barbarian. In his in-ring return to ICW, Davey suffered a loss to Jason Reed at GONZO #2, but it only came after the interference of The Ned Nightmare. The former Dallas Mavericks member ensured Davey Blaze’s return to ICW action ended in a loss, with Blaze now being given the chance to exact retribution on The Fresh Prince of Drumoyne Square. As long as he can evade the Sparrowhawk spear at all costs, it could be a happy night for Ravie Davie.

Prediction: Davey Blaze

Lewis Girvan vs Kez Evans

A first-time ever match will see Lewis Girvan tangling with Kez Evans, with Kez stepping in for Joe Coffey who will no longer be appearing due to circumstances outwith ICW’s control. Girvan is more commonly known as a tag team performer these days with his Kings of Catch pal Aspen Faith, with the pair recently losing their Tag Team Championships to The Purge in one hell of a Kings of Insanity Match, but that’s not to say he can’t handle the singles matches. Head back to Fear & Loathing IX in November 2016 for Lewis’ match against Ricochet – a truly outstanding bout. Speaking of outstanding matches, Kez Evans vs Ilja Dragunov at this year’s Fear & Loathing was equally as wonderful. Like with Girvan/Ricochet, it was a surprising result as Kez Evans came out on top. Even though he failed in his attempts to win the ICW Zero-G Championship from Liam Thomson at GONZO #2, The Dastardly One is still one to watch for during ICW’s 2020 calendar. A victory over a former Tag Team Champion will further rise Kez Evans up the pecking order, just what he needs heading into the 2020 Square Go! Match.

Prediction: Kez Evans

Krieger vs Stevie James

Originally, The Purge were scheduled to defend their ICW Tag Team Championships against former champs The Kinky Party, but Sha Samuels is now unable to perform on the night. As a result, Stevie James will now face Fite Network member Krieger, just a few weeks before Krieger and Lou King Sharp challenge Stevie and Krobar for the titles at the Square Go!, an opportunity they earned by defeating The Nine9 (Dickie Divers and Jack Morris) at the start of November. Big Scudmaster Sexy has had one of the best 2019s out of the entire regular ICW roster, with huge matches against the likes of Rickey Shane Page and Paul Robinson. Thanks to the return of The Blood Tourist, Krieger returned to tag team wrestling in ICW, with the pair having previously held the WrestleZone and Premier British Wrestling (PBW) Tag Team Championships. It’ll undoubtedly be an emotional evening if The Fite Network are able to lift the Tag Team Championships in ICW, but if The Purge can come out victorious in a Kings of Insanity Match, then they’ll likely have no problem in a normal bout.

Prediction: Stevie James

Aivil & Angel Hayze vs Isla Dawn & Little Miss Roxxy

ICW’s women’s division has changed dramatically throughout 2019. With Viper and Kay Lee Ray now making fewer and fewer appearances, it’s provided the opportunity for some other names to rise through the crop of talent to make a name for themselves. That’ll be on full display in this tag team match, pitting Angel Hayze and current ICW Women’s World Champion Aivil against the team of Little Miss Roxxy and new #1 contender Isla Dawn. Angel and Isla were originally meant to be a team in ICW beginning at GONZO #2, with The White Witch taking The Young Lioness under her wing to wrestle The Woke Queens (Debbie Keitel and Valkyrie). However, when the Irish stars were no longer able to attend the event, Dawn instead defeated Hayze to earn a future crack at the championship held by The Twisted Priestess (presumably at the 9th Annual Square Go!). So, that’s the story with those three, but what about Little Miss Roxxy? The Newcastle native recently spent some time in Germany with westside Xtreme wrestling (wXw), learning a new trick or two while there. Unfortunately for Aivil and Angel Hayze, they’ll be the first to experience it as the tea lover makes her return to ICW.

Prediction: Isla Dawn & Little Miss Roxxy

ICW Zero-G Championship – Open Challenge: Liam Thomson (c) vs ???

Since capturing the Zero-G Championship from Joe Coffey at Shug’s Hoose Party 6, Liam Thomson has had a fairly memorable run with the strap, with recent defences against Wolfgang and Kez Evans proving that. The Wolfgang match in particular, which was a Good Housekeeping Match, was comedy wrestling at its finest – it’s not often you see comedy wrestling matches having championships on the line, let alone be the main event of a company’s biggest show of the year. Now though, The Bad Boy has issued an open challenge for anyone to come and attempt to pry the title away from him. It’s always an exciting prospect when someone lays down an open challenge. Who could possibly answer the call? Will it be a current roster member? Perhaps a returning star? Or a debuting name? So many possibilities.

Prediction: DCT

ICW Zero-G Championship #1 Contendership: Leyton Buzzard vs Kieran Kelly

While Liam Thomson will have a Zero-G Championship open challenge, his challenger for the Square Go! will be decided as Kieran Kelly faces off with his greatest rival, Leyton Buzzard. These two have more or less been attached by the hip since Kieran debuted for ICW as part of the officiating team, having some tremendous matches with each other. More recently, the tandem have been part of two excellent Triple Threat Matches, which were one by Noam Dar and Luca de Pazzi respectively. Tensions appeared to be settled between them, only for Kieran to confront Leyton backstage following their bout with Luca. After a brief brawl was broken up by backstage security, the match was signed to determine who would go on to face Liam Thomson (or whoever the champion may be at the time) come February 2nd. Leyton had an unsuccessful challenge at the title back at GONZO #1, while this writer can’t remember Kieran having a one on one championship opportunity. No matter what though, this will be an absolutely delightful match.

Prediction: Draw

ICW World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contendership: Andy Wild vs Noam Dar

Another title match will be decided for the Square Go! as Andy Wild collides with Noam Dar with the winner going on to challenge Stevie Boy for the ICW World Heavyweight Championship at the start of February. If you know the history between these two, then you’ll know just what type of match we’re set for on Sunday evening. After both being in the finals of the Zero-G Championship tournament at Fear & Loathing III, a match that would be won by The Scottish Supernova, the pair would go on to have a few classic battles in both singles and multi-man action. The Dad Bod God always seemed to have the advantage over Noam on the majority of occasions, as he won the Zero-G Championship from the NXT UK star in July 2012, and was also Noam’s last opponent before departing for WWE full-time in September 2016. Now that he’s back in ICW as a full-time performer though, Noam Dar has made it crystal clear – he wants that ICW World Heavyweight Championship, a title that neither of these competitors has ever held. Either way, Stevie Boy has a tough task ahead of him at the Square Go!, a night that could very well see a new champion crowned.

Prediction: Noam Dar

Stevie Boy vs Alexander Dean

Speaking of Stevie Boy, he’s scheduled for non-title action at the show as he takes on Irish standout Alexander Dean, a man who has made a huge name for himself in ICW throughout 2019. After being brought in to challenge Lionheart for the ICW World Heavyweight Championship this past June in what sadly turned out to be Lionheart’s final match, The Catch Provocateur has since had incredible matches with the likes of Aaron Echo and Ricky Knight Jr. This will undoubtedly be his toughest task to date though. Following his return from injury at Shug’s Hoose Party 6, Stevie Boy has given it 110% each and every time he’s laced up those boots, showing that his knee injury won’t be holding him back by unleashing a new pouncing knee strike finisher as The Sacrifice. While this match isn’t currently set to have the championship on the line, you’d have to imagine Alexander Dean would do whatever it takes to get The Pharoah of Filth to defend his most prized possession.

Prediction: Stevie Boy