I've been a fan of pro wrestling (a.k.a. the graps) since 2000 when I first saw Chris Jericho in the ring at SummerSlam of that year against Chris Benoit. Since then, wrestling has always felt magical to me and it has certainly helped to shape my personality, my taste in music and my disdain for anything that could be deemed as fake (e.g. soap operah's).
Off the back of becoming a huge Jericho fan, I found out that his all time favourite wrestler was Ricky Steamboat, so I went and looked at a couple of Steamboat matches (which just happened to be two of the three five star classics he had against Ric Flair in 1989) and I instantly saw why Jericho was a huge fan. Steamboat has since become my favourite wrestler of all time with Jericho not too far behind him. The match they had in 2009 still gives me goosebumps when I watch it now.
The first British show I ever went to was Pro Wrestling Chaos' second event at Shire Way Community Centre in my hometown of Yate, Bristol where the main event was Zack Sabre Jr. vs Mike Bird vs Dave Mercy. I've missed one Chaos show since May 2015 and don't think I'll be missing many more in the future. I've also seen a few other British promotions live such as ATTACK! Pro Wrestling, Tidal Championship Wrestling (I was at their first ever show), ICW and Rev Pro.
My favourite wrestlers on the current British circuit include 'Flash' Morgan Webster, Mike Bird, Eddie Dennis, Wild Boar and Pete Dunne, all of whom I believe could easily make the step up to the big leagues of places such as WWE, Ring of Honor or New Japan.
My favourite matches that have taken place on British independent shows would have to be Marty Scurll vs Chris Hero from PROGRESS Chapter 31, Eddie Dennis vs Chris Hero from Pro Wrestling Chaos: Hell is Made For Heroes and Will Ospreay vs Marty Scurll from Rev Pro High Stakes 2016.
Other than British wrestling, I'm a big fan of the American independent scene and regularly watch companies such as CZW and AIW as well as Ring of Honor (whom I don't consider to be an independent promotion). I've also been a huge New Japan Pro Wrestling fan for the last couple of years and absolutely love what they're doing for the business.
Follow Darren on Twitter - @AxelMulligan
Off the back of becoming a huge Jericho fan, I found out that his all time favourite wrestler was Ricky Steamboat, so I went and looked at a couple of Steamboat matches (which just happened to be two of the three five star classics he had against Ric Flair in 1989) and I instantly saw why Jericho was a huge fan. Steamboat has since become my favourite wrestler of all time with Jericho not too far behind him. The match they had in 2009 still gives me goosebumps when I watch it now.
The first British show I ever went to was Pro Wrestling Chaos' second event at Shire Way Community Centre in my hometown of Yate, Bristol where the main event was Zack Sabre Jr. vs Mike Bird vs Dave Mercy. I've missed one Chaos show since May 2015 and don't think I'll be missing many more in the future. I've also seen a few other British promotions live such as ATTACK! Pro Wrestling, Tidal Championship Wrestling (I was at their first ever show), ICW and Rev Pro.
My favourite wrestlers on the current British circuit include 'Flash' Morgan Webster, Mike Bird, Eddie Dennis, Wild Boar and Pete Dunne, all of whom I believe could easily make the step up to the big leagues of places such as WWE, Ring of Honor or New Japan.
My favourite matches that have taken place on British independent shows would have to be Marty Scurll vs Chris Hero from PROGRESS Chapter 31, Eddie Dennis vs Chris Hero from Pro Wrestling Chaos: Hell is Made For Heroes and Will Ospreay vs Marty Scurll from Rev Pro High Stakes 2016.
Other than British wrestling, I'm a big fan of the American independent scene and regularly watch companies such as CZW and AIW as well as Ring of Honor (whom I don't consider to be an independent promotion). I've also been a huge New Japan Pro Wrestling fan for the last couple of years and absolutely love what they're doing for the business.
Follow Darren on Twitter - @AxelMulligan