After the years biggest wrestling event saw some of the top names in American wrestling go nuts on pay per view around the world, an event so passionate it causes riots, I decided to put a twist in the latest geeky list thing and look a little more local.

For several years now I’ve worked for the Scottish Wrestling Alliance doing various things from putting on a pair of tights and fumbling about in the ring to being party host to building an online presence and more in between. From the start I’ve been involved in the company, so why not share my top moments within the premiere source of Scottish Wrestling?

All pics are by David Wilson, most of them are from the Gathering 2009.

A List Rules.
A very selfish choice to enter at number five, but this was without a doubt the night that made the A List a faction to be reckoned with.

Having to live in the shadow of the Sinners, Falcon and I expanded out teamwork to include several other stars such as Wolfgang, Darkside, Johnny Darko and later on we brought in Micken and BT Gunn. We even had our own valet and campaign manager, Alice, better known as Louise Stewart, who’s now making waves on BBC Scotland’s Burnistoun.

After winning Clan Wars, we got the right to grab anything we wanted. So we giggled and asked for our own show. So our next trip to Clydebank Town Hall saw us booking something to amuse ourselves. Putting tag teams against each other in singles competition, placing our adversaries in impossible to win matches and I let the roster I’d pised off get their chance for vengeance with an open challenge that I merrily won.

This was one of the nights that showed the A List as a legitimate threat, even if we were more comedy than fury… it was a hell of a fun ride and this night, we quite literally stole the show.

The Gathering begins.
Where it all begins… for us. The Gathering was part of a five year plan to put on a huge show in a respected venue once we’d built up enough momentum and the five year plan… well, didn’t go to plan. We got there sooner than expected and with a little help getting our foot in the door, the Gathering occurred for the first time.

For fans, talent and staff alike this was a huge moment. We either did well and we’d go on to bgger and better things or we’d crash and burn wishing ourselves luck in our future endeavors.

The night was headlined with Jester winning the NWA Scottish Heavyweight Championship and Conscience walking out as NWA British Champion. More importantly, it was the night that proved SWA was here to stay and has been repeated in success and quality every year since.

Conscience returns
When the Winners turned against their leader, they decimated Conscience. Beating him to a pulp, stuffing him a body bag and making sure we never see him again. With Majik taking control, the Sinners began a new era but at the following Battlezone that era was disrupted.

With a new angelic look (not the one above) and a mask to cover his damaged face, a new era of Conscience began as he returned with the one thing he needed to topple his new enemies; Faith.

Entering towards the closing moments of Battlezone, Conscience took his revenge out on Majik, let Eric Canyon win back his title and the proceeded to eliminate the Sinners from Scottish wrestling one by one.

Retirements.
Having been a part of SWA from day one, Eric Canyon made an announcement to the locker room that he was on his way out to chants of “one more match” in a private ceremony. In the world or wrestling, this final match took place against his protege, RIP who has since gone on to wrestling in the US and Mexico as a champion.

This was a highly emotional match and no one in the crowd believed that Canyon would go, but when that bell rang and the entire locker room spilled out to give him a standing ovation, breaking the barrier between the fans and the locker room, it created a truly emotional moment that couldn’t be matched.

Tied with that is the retirement match featuring Con and Majik where, oddly enough, Canyon announced them both as losers and therefore both retired. Bitter, much?

That match remains strong in my mind for two reasons. One… these two men were the core of SWA both spiritually and physically. They brought more to the table than fans will ever know. Secondly, both men are huge inspirations to me, as well as the whole locker room. Both of them had a hand in making the best components of me, both of them are missed and both of them were, and remain, icons.

Scott Renwick wins the NWA Scottish Heavyweight Championship
This was the third Gathering and the third time the title had been on the line at the event. Jester won the first time, Lionheart stole the win the second time round cashing in his title shot after a huge defense from Wolfgang.

Wolfgangs match brought out something I’d never seen in Scottish wrestling fans when they began singing flower of Scotland and getting into it just as they would a cup final.

I didn’t think anything would top it until Scott Renwick turned the Lionheart and Wolfgang match into a three way dance when he cashed in his title shot. Renwick was scheduled to fight for the title until Lionheart and Wolfgang maneuvered the event to feature themselves. After some promotion, including a slot on STV’s ‘The Hour’, Renwick was able to build himself enough momentum to not only win a title shot, but compete again less than an hour later and win the NWA Scottish Heavyweight Championship.

When Scotty entered SWA’s training camp he was a clumsy boy with two left feet. He really was an underdog story. He worked hard, pushed himself beyond what he thought was possible and main evented the biggest night of wrestling in Scotland and has since went on to become one of the most loved champions in the country.

With all of us watching with the crowd, we all felt a deeply routed pride in seeing someone we loved achieve his dream on such a huge stage for SWA.

That match showed just how good SWA could be, not just for the fans, for those of us who spend so much of our personal time and energy to make it possible. IT was truly magnificent to see it all happen.

For a quick rundown of more personal highlights for me…
…in no particular order…

Wrestling Idol.
Facing Majik in the Best of the Best. I was far from my best, but to get in the ring with a man I’d admired professionally and personally, it was a truly amazing moment. Even if I almost killed his jaw.

The A List.
The whole lot from start to finish. It’s probably the most fun I’ve had and I got paid to be both violent and wear silly clothes. Win for me.

Friendly Fire.
Taking on Falcon in the Battlezone. Not only did this mean locking horns with the almighty Johnny Moss, but a man I love and respect, Falcon. It was great getting that closure from our mini-feud but at the end of the night, I was still hugging him backstage when we won that title.

Validated.
Conscience. In his garden, telling me why I was great at my job. I don’t look for criticism and I trust very few people. His opinion I trust and value and it was great to hear.

Finale.
I got a call asking me if I’d put the T-Div title on the line before a Source show last year and after a quick discussion, I was convinced and had shared and collaborated and come up with a plan. That plan was to put the title on the line… and Ricky Gibson was the man who’d take it from me. My final match and my final moment of realizing I could do something good… this time it was let someone who’d appreciate the title take it home and bring it new life.

And thats that. Fan Access 14 will be up at SWA Online soon enough, I’ll do my usual preview here.

Scottish wrestling has more than one promotion and it has dozens of young stars. All over the UK there are unsung heroes in the wrestling world who go unnoticed. If anyone wants to share great moments form their local promotion or favourite stars, please feel free to make a comment and educate me, and everyone else.

Related posts:

1. Drummonds Do Fight.

Tags: fives, geek, projects, wrestling