Preview: Future Pro Wrestling, Crowning Glory, Sunday May 11th

The FPW tag belts will finally be awarded on Sunday as four teams battle it out to become the champions – and to take on the visiting Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels in October.

“I’m very excited to see the tag final elimination match,” says Matt Burden, FPW co-founder. “It’s been a long time coming, and 16 teams later we’re here at the final four. 

Facts from IPW, Zack v Hero, Angel Centre Tonbridge, January 19th 2014

Well, I told you I was going to drag myself to Tonbridge, (very expensive) rail replacement services notwithstanding.

And frankly I think it was probably the best decision I’m going to make all year.

From the opening triple threat between Party Marty Scurll (resplendent in fur), Mark Haskins and Jonny Storm to the spectacular main event between Zack Sabre Jr and Chris Hero, every match was a gem for its own reasons.

Fact: The Bhangra Knights are running a tag-team training seminar

Any wannabe tag-team wrestlers should get down to IPW:UK on Sunday, where the Bhangra Knights will be leading an in-ring seminar.

It’s billed as “for anyone wishing to become better versed in the details of tag team work, and learning how to better apply tag psychology to matches” – so it’s not for beginners.

“You need to have a very basic level of experience: being able to bump, run the ropes and know some basic holds,” says RJ Singh, one half of the Knights. “Tag-team experience isn’t needed as we will be covering all the basics of that too.”

Facts from FPW Reloaded, Wallington Hall, February 3rd 2013

A cold Sunday afternoon in February requires some kind of illumination. Future Pro Wrestling, in their first event of 2013, provided the stars and warmed a sell-out crowd at the Wallington Hall in south London.

Once more the hero of the afternoon was the Cockney Crusader Greg Burridge, dice-thrusting as always, who led his team to victory in the opening six-man tag.

He celebrated by proposing to an obsessive ladyfan in the front row: “I love you TOO, honey! We love EACH OTHER! Let’s get married! We could have a wedding at a show! We could book Jake Roberts to do a run-in!” which garnered loud cackling from those of us of a certain age but went over the heads of the youngsters.

Interview: Iestyn Rees talks IPW:UK and tagging with Jimmy Havoc

Saturday night sees Iestyn Rees return to IPW:UK to tag with Jimmy Havoc against the Bhangra Knights.

Frankly I don’t think I need to say anything else. That sounds awesome enough.

“It’s great going back to the promotion where I have had the most success and high profile matches,” says Rees.

It’s been a tough few years for Rees, admittedly.

“Obviously the last two years plus, I have been mainly sidelined with various injuries and two knee surgeries,” he says. “However, I’m back fully fit and in the best shape I’ve been in so my plan is to get back to the top in IPW and get in the hunt for the gold.”