Two of the top young wrestlers from Wales make their FWA debuts at "The Nation's Thrill Capital" Thorpe Park as part of the Adrenaline Division. Stand outs from the BWC South Wales "Dragon Pro Wrestling" school, Mark Andrews and Mike Hitchman dazzle the crowd with a tremendous showcase of what the new batch of UK stars have to offer.

However, the unexpected return of one of the FWA's top Heavyweight stars leads to a shocking turn of events at the end of this fantastic contest.

After giving BWC standout Nick Riley an ultimatum to pick between Joel Redman and Iestyn Rees as his next opponent, David Deville decided that he had other plans. It appears, however, that so did "The Resistance" in this action-packed contest from Thorpe Park.

Dim lights

Full round up will be coming soon from the four action packed days at THORPE PARK, however FWAUK.com have a selection of images from the weekend thanks to our photographer Sarah Barraclough

In hindsight, I suppose the events at New Frontiers shouldn't have come as much of a surprise.  In my last blog entry, just before we started Season 2 at the NEC, I talked about just how much of an uphill struggle I expect this coming year to be for the Resistance, which was shaken to its core by Alex Shane’s betrayal last November.  So I kind of knew what to expect going in, but somehow it was still a shock to see just how much the balance of power has shifted in favour of The Agenda, and just how easily they were able to impose their will on everyone for the majority of the weekend.

I won't recount all of the events from New Frontiers again, given that the full results are still available on FWAUK.com for anyone who missed them.  But there are a few guys whose actions in Birmingham merit special attention.

First and foremost, I want to get something off my chest about David Deville.  Being in the FWA should be a privilege, and there are literally dozens of trainees in the BWC system who would do anything for a spot on the roster.  Now, I'm not saying Deville is unworthy of his position, having worked his way up through promotions in London and the south east over a number of years.  But clearly, the way he is parading around is not sitting well backstage.  I probably need to be careful what I say here, so let me simply offer Her Majesty’s footman some friendly advice: Kissing up to your boss might result in you being given a championship belt on a silver platter, but it’s going to take much more work and a distinct change in attitude for you to earn the respect of the fans and your peers in the locker room.  Oh, and wearing a ridiculous purple singlet doesn’t help much either.  Just saying.

Anyway, New Frontiers also saw a couple of other notable début appearances for both sides in the ongoing war for British wrestling.  The first was Colossus, the monstrosity that Deville sent to fight his battle for him against Leroy Kincaide in the main event of day one.  It's now well documented that Leroy ended up passing out at the end of that match, trapped in a submission hold that put unbearable pressure on a neck that had already been badly damaged by a devastating choke slam and an earlier assault by the Agenda.  Of course, given the injury, it doesn’t necessarily follow that any of this means Colossus has Leroy's number – but I think there is plenty of cause for concern if you’re part of the Resistance.  The main reason I say this is not because of any physical damage to Leroy – hopefully that will heal soon enough – but rather the psychological scars that might linger as a result of this unexpected defeat.

Let me explain.  I have known Leroy Kincaide for close to three years now, and I consider him a good friend.  But it is obvious to all who know him well that his intensity can be as much a curse as it is a blessing – he is the kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and lives or dies by the amount of self-confidence he is feeling at a given time.  I remember I was commentating when Leroy won his first British championship in 2009 (ironically against Alex Shane), when I was working for a different promotion.  It was quite a moment, but in the course of picking up the victory he injured his shoulder and subsequently lost the belt much more quickly than anyone would have predicted.  Even then the bad times weren't over – for the next few months he seemed to go into a funk that lasted long after his shoulder had healed.  It wasn't until he started winning matches in the new FWA during 2010 that he finally found his feet again and rose to where he is now.  My fear is that this new injury could cause a similar problem for Leroy, and if it does then it will seem to many as though Colossus was the man who made it happen.  I don't personally believe that any rookie is unstoppable, however big and powerful he is, but if this newcomer is able to project an image of invincibility then he might have half of the roster beaten before they even set foot in the ring with him.  Perception has a habit of becoming reality in cases like this.

Anyway, the other début of sorts at New Frontiers arguably caused even more of a stir.  For those who didn’t recognise him, the psychopath who broke into the NEC at the end of Sunday’s show was Johnny Phere – a crazed madman who has been at war with The Ascension for the past few months over the XWA British Heavyweight Championship, up in the north-west.  Having been unable to get the revenge he wanted against Shane, he had vowed to storm into Birmingham and force the issue.  No-one seemed to believe he was serious at the time given his apparently unstable demeanour, but it turned out he had been seriously underestimated.  Just when the Agenda thought they had wiped out all the threats facing them in Birmingham, the "Psychotic Warrior" turned things completely on their head.

Here’s my question: how much of a good thing is Johnny Phere for the Resistance?  On the face of it you might think there is a big upside to his arrival, given the desperate times and the ever-dwindling troops available to fight for the cause.  But I’m not sure it’s all good news.  Phere is the proverbial loose cannon who is liable to assault anyone in his way, and has already said he is not on the side of the Resistance or the Agenda.  His vendetta is a personal one against Alex Shane, nothing more.  The problem is that Shane has now beefed up security at THORPE PARK and promised that Phere has no chance of getting into the building.  Given that he has already attacked FWA staff and event stewards at the NEC, I can’t imagine that Phere has anyone fighting his corner in the FWA management office either.  Frankly, I think managing director Tony Simpson probably sees him as a lawsuit waiting to happen so he’s unlikely to stand up to the Agenda and push for Phere to be given a spot on the roster.  It’s a fair point, but I hope eventually the powers that be will decide to take the risk – Phere is certainly a handful to say the least, but we might just need him if we are to win this war and keep British wrestling alive.

There's one other headline-maker from the opening weekend of Season 2 who I must mention.  Nathan Cruz certainly grabbed the bull by the horns when he inserted himself into a pair of matches involving perennial rivals El Ligero and RJ Singh, eventually gaining victories over both before the weekend was out.  I may not find Cruz to be particularly likeable, but I wonder if he might just have picked the perfect moment to make his mark in the flyweight division.  All of his potential rivals seem to have their attention diverted – Singh and Ligero still seem intent on ruining each other’s careers, while the bitter feud between Rockstar Spud and Jonny Storm shows no signs of abating, even after one of them claims victory in the championship round robin tournament. Is it possible that the only man with the single-mindedness to focus exclusively on the gold might be the person who sneaks through the middle and steals the show from everyone in 2011?

With all of that in mind, we're headed into four days of action at THORPE PARK.  This was the big announcement to which I alluded at the end of my last post, and is a major moment for the evolution of the FWA – I hope and expect it will be the beginning of a very fruitful relationship between us and the Merlin Entertainments Group, which also owns many other top theme parks and attractions around the UK.  It’s actually a homecoming of sorts for me – I had my first job at THORPE PARK, working in the souvenir shops when I was a wee lad!  I’ll be getting a nice home-cooked meal on Saturday night when I visit my folks, but that’s about the only thing I can be certain about as we head into the weekend.  Very little has been announced about the cards for any of the four days, although we do know that Friday will be "Adrenaline Friday".  This is good news in my book – the FWA Adrenaline stars did a great job at the NEC, so I want an encore.  I understand that over the weekend we’re expecting Singh, Cruz and Ligero to all put in an appearance.  The Agenda will undoubtedly make their presence felt while for the Resistance, Nick Riley will be in the house.  I can also tell you that Sha Samuels intends to be there after missing New Frontiers – and by the way, having spoken with him this week I can confirm that he was not simply “stuck in London” that weekend as the Agenda tried to claim.  I won’t say any more than that – I’m sure Sha can speak for himself.

I'm yet to be told about the commentary plans for the weekend, but I gather there's a chance I might be paired with Joel Ross again, which is fine by me.  I won’t say it was a pleasure to commentate with him on Day 2 of New Frontiers, but it was certainly something of a relief to be working with a former BBC Radio 1 DJ rather than a wannabe journalist who thinks a pair of sunglasses and silly leather gloves makes him sinister.  Greg Lambert, please rest assured that you know absolutely nothing about my life, so I’d appreciate it if you backed off.  In fact, ideally I’d like it if you backed off a cliff.

One last thing to mention, although it deserves to be much more than a footnote.  I firmly believe that the announcement we made a few weeks ago about Equity accepting pro wrestlers as full members will turn out to be one of the biggest stories in our industry for many years.  To my knowledge, it is absolutely unprecedented for pro wrestlers to have access to a powerful trade union and to be eligible for the same insurance as stuntmen claim under that union.  Make no mistake about it – this is ground breaking stuff that could reverberate far beyond the UK.  I would think a few tremors are being felt in Connecticut, for example...

That’s all for now.  Hopefully see some of you at THORPE PARK for what promises to be an Easter weekend to remember!

Thousands of guests are expected to pass through the gates of THORPE PARK during the four days of FWA matches there on Easter weekend, so there could surely be no better platform to send a message that the struggle to rejuvenate British wrestling is still winnable. But with the number of days until the FWA’s debut at the nation’s Thrill Capital growing ever smaller, The Resistance has suffered a devastating double blow to its hopes of scoring an important victory over The Agenda.

FWA management has today confirmed that Resistance leader Leroy Kincaide suffered serious damage to his already-injured neck when he was choke-slammed by the monstrous Colossus during the two men’s match on the first day of New Frontiers.  As a result, Kincaide has been benched by FWA doctors and will not be competing in any matches at THORPE PARK.  FWAUK.com has been unable to reach Kincaide for comment, and it is not clear whether he still intends to show up despite doctors’ orders.

Meanwhile, Agenda leader The Ascension has issued a statement in response to the latest video message from Johnny Phere. The clip, apparently filmed some time after Phere broke into the Birmingham NEC in an unsuccessful attempt to get to his enemy during New Frontiers, includes a threat from the "Psychotic Warrior" that he will storm the FWA event at THORPE PARK.  The Ascension has now replied with the following short message to fans: "Anyone who was planning on coming to the FWA shows at THORPE PARK to see Johnny Phere shouldn’t bother.  He is not a part of the FWA roster, and there is no way that he will be granted entry into the park."  While Phere is not a part of the Resistance, his intense hatred of the Agenda leader makes the XWA star a powerful ally.  The Ascension has apparently realised this too, and sources close to him have told FWAUK.com that extra security will be in place at the entrance to THORPE PARK in case Phere should decide to show up.

Aside from the news about Phere and Kincaide, FWA management has so far remained tight-lipped about what fans can expect to see at the shows, which run from 22nd to 25th April.  It is understood that the opening day will be "Adrenaline Friday", showcasing the best young talent from the FWA’s exciting Adrenaline division.  Other than that, no other details of the events have been revealed at this stage.

FWA Managing Director Tony Simpson would not comment on this or on the Johnny Phere situation when FWAUK.com called him today, noting only that Phere is not a part of the roster and that as such he had nothing further to say on the matter.  However, Simpson did say the following with regard to Leroy Kincaide: "Obviously it is a huge blow for us that Leroy Kincaide will not be able to wrestle at THORPE PARK this Easter, as he is perhaps the most popular star in British wrestling today.  Nonetheless the FWA will still be presenting a show that is more than worthy of taking place at the nation’s Thrill Capital, and we are sure that everyone who sees it will have an Easter weekend they’ll never forget!"

With less than two weeks to go until the Frontier Wrestling Alliance makes its debut at THORPE PARK, FWA management has confirmed a trio of high-profile sponsors for the four-day spectacular at the nation’s Thrill Capital.

TNA Wrestling will continue its ever-evolving relationship with British wrestling by sponsoring the events.  Fresh from a successful European tour and a series of unforgettable fan events in London, TNA will be heavily featured at THORPE PARK – giving UK fans another reminder of the company’s support for our domestic industry.  With household names like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Sting, The Hardy Boyz and Kurt Angle all a part of the TNA roster, it continues to enjoy a huge following in the UK and its involvement with the THORPE PARK shows is expected to draw thousands of wrestling fans to check out the FWA product.

The Daily Star is the events’ second sponsor, and has been a proud supporter of the FWA for many years.  It has printed features on the promotion on many occasions, and last year Daily Star journalist Patrick Lennon was at the heart of a major controversy within British wrestling when he was featured on a video claiming that hated faction The Agenda has allies in far higher places than previously realised.  Next Friday the FWA will be featured in a new Daily Star article, written by Lennon, previewing the much-anticipated THORPE PARK events.

Last but by no means least, Fighting Spirit Magazine is pleased to be sponsoring the FWA’s Easter weekend extravaganza.  FSM is the UK’s biggest wrestling magazine, providing unrivalled coverage of the British scene every month as well as features and reports on all the major happenings from WWE, TNA and around the wrestling world.  On sale at WH Smiths and other newsagents around the country, FSM has done as much as anyone to spread the word about the FWA in recent years and will be providing a full report on the THORPE PARK shows in an upcoming issue.

The announcement of these three sponsors will only add to the anticipation ahead of the shows, taking place from 22^nd to 25^th April at the nation’s Thrill Capital.  Experience some of Europe’s most extreme rides and attractions at THORPE PARK, from SAW - The Ride, the world’s most terrifying rollercoaster, to the ‘Unholy Trinity’ of Stealth, Colossus and Nemesis Inferno. New for 2011, climb aboard a life raft and get in a spin on Storm Surge, the ultimate sky-high spinning water ride featuring a jaw-dropping 64 foot spiralling descent.

For more information on the FWA’s shows at THORPE PARK, keep checking back to fwauk.com!

The Frontier Wrestling Alliance is proud to announce that it will be making its debut at THORPE PARK with four days of live action at the Park over the course of Easter weekend. 

Experience some of Europe’s most extreme rides and attractions at THORPE PARK, the nation’s Thrill Capital, from SAW - The Ride, the world’s most terrifying rollercoaster, to the ‘Unholy Trinity’ of Stealth, Colossus and Nemesis Inferno. New for 2011, climb aboard a life raft and get in a spin on Storm Surge, the ultimate sky-high spinning water ride featuring a jaw-dropping 64 foot spiralling descent.

An alliance between the two organisations seems like a perfect fit: the FWA is one of the UK’s most up-and-coming entertainment brands, with a rapidly growing fan-base and some of the most exciting wrestling in the world.  Its second season kicked off with New Frontiers, an action-packed two-day show at the Birmingham NEC.  The THORPE PARK shows will take place on 22nd to 25th April.

“We are delighted to be working with THORPE PARK , and bringing the FWA to thousands of thrill-seekers on one of their busiest weekends of the year,” said Tony Simpson, managing director of the Frontier Wrestling Alliance. “This is another leap towards our goal of bringing British wrestling back into the mainstream, and we know that all the people who see us during Easter will be gripped by the action we bring them.”

It is indeed an exciting time to be a British wrestling fan, with more big news coming soon when the FWA is expected to address the rumours about a regular central London home for the promotion.  Meanwhile, the British Wrestling Coalition as just announced the ground-breaking announcement that the UK's leading performing arts union, Equity, will now accept British professional wrestlers as member. Some say this represents the biggest political change in the industry in over 30 years.

Be sure to check back to FWAUK.com next week for more on both of those stories, and in the meantime make your plans now to visit THORPE PARK (www.thorpepark.co.uk) for an unforgettable long weekend of wrestling this Easter at the nation’s Thrill Capital.