So I was sitting thinking now that the year is coming to an end about just how much my life has changed since my first visit to Reckless Intent back in May and I thought it might make a slightly different and hopefully interesting blog post!
We discovered Reckless Intent when two of their wrestlers appeared on an SWE show at Easter and then we met Jackie Grady at Uprising at the end of April. We received a Facebook invite to their two night Super B.O.W.L event at the beginning of May and, as they were closer to home than most promotions and the ticket prices were extremely reasonable, we decided to check them out.
May
Friday 2nd - The first night of the Super B.O.W.L tournament and we arrived with no real expectations. This was a relatively new promotion and I hadn't heard of most of the roster but they had a couple of names on the card we knew, Damian O'Connor, Scott Renwick and Joe Hendry so it wouldn't be all bad!! The first thing I remember about arriving at this little industrial unit was the welcome we received. Strangely everyone seemed to know who I was and made an effort to say hello. We had arrived early as I wasn't sure where we were going and I never trust SatNav fully so we had front row seats for our first show. While not a sell-out, there was a reasonable turn out for the show and by the interval, I had to admit that I was impressed with what I saw and by the end of the show I was really looking forward to the second night. With the exception of one match, they had pulled off a show that had me hooked and buying into all their characters.
Saturday 3rd - We arrived for Night two to find that most people had read the blog about the previous night's show (those were the days when I started the blogs the minute I got home from the events!) and they seemed to have liked what I had to say. There was a bigger crowd at the Saturday show too. I was once again impressed by the quality of the matches and was delighted to see Scott Renwick win the tournament against all the odds. At the end of the night I spoke to some of the guys and told them we would be back but as their next couple of dates clashed with SWE, it probably wouldn't be for a while!!
Saturday 31st - Taking Over - We weren't supposed to be here!! But Reckless Intent had announced a card that grabbed my interest - with some of the new faces I had seen at a recent Source showcase also appearing. With no matches on the SWE card announced and Reckless Intent's Saint-George trying to wind me up on Facebook, I decided to make some signs and head to Livingston. Rob had started training with Reckless so we arrived early so he could help with the set up and I sat in the car reading or stitching and generally keeping well out of the way! When showtime arrived, I was front row, giving those heels hell and cheering for the good guys and already starting to wonder if I was going to make the SWE show in June....guess it would depend on the card announcements...
June
Saturday 14th found me at a Gala Day! I honestly can't remember the last time I went to a Gala Day but Reckless were putting on a wee show so we were there - not just for the show but we started by meeting at the unit before 9am before heading to Blackburn and setting up the ring. With Rob as a trainee, he was ring crew for the day and rather than stand around and watch, I got stuck in too - and I think I surprised a few of the lads with what I was capable of. After everything was set up, we had a short break before the boys did their stuff in the ring - not just a couple of exhibition matches either but a full on show! They did great and after it was all over it was time to tear it all down, pack it in the van and return to the unit. This was the first time I really felt like part of the team and not just an observer at a show.
Saturday 28th - Proving Grounds - With the SWE card not having been announced and Rob becoming more involved with Reckless, we were back in Livingston and another early arrival so Rob could help with the set-up saw me sitting in the car making signs to antagonise the heels and support the faces! I was also helping out a little with food and drinks outside when a freak wind lifted the marquee and knocked the urn of water over and my foot just happened to get in the way!! I ended up spending this show barefoot and wearing a pair of Rob's shorts (the first sign I had lost some weight) and doped up on painkillers!
With no shows in July, Rob had continued to attend the training sessions and we were both looking forward to....
August
Saturday 9th - Cruel Summer - This seemed to be a turning point for Reckless Intent - They had booked Colt Cabana and Chris Renfrew for this show and the unit was bursting at the seams. Thankfully the weather held out and they were able to pull up the shutter and create an extended standing area. The show was great, brought in some new faces and had one of my favourite moments - Chris Renfrew force feeding jaffa cakes to Saint-George! It also saw Saint-George cashing in his Wooden Spoon and becoming the new Reckless Intent World Champion.
Sunday 24th saw Reckless Intent put on their first Sunday Slam - an afternoon show aimed at younger fans and giving some of the trainees the opportunity to get into the ring in front of an audience. It also saw me on the ring apron offering to take up Saint-George's open challenge to his title but he was so scared, he used the "I don't hit girls" card.....it's a long time since I was a girl!
September
Saturday 7th - Party in the Park - another outdoor show! While we didn't arrive early enough to help with the ring set up, we were there to help with anything else required. I also was allowed inside the barriers in order to take photos and I loved being able to get up close and getting those shots without the ropes or barriers in the way!
Saturday 20th - Unleashed - Once again a show I wasn't supposed to be at! I'd bought tickets for a Pride show in August which had been rescheduled and clashed with this one. Rob had attended the Andy Wild seminar before the show and we drove to Glasgow for the Pride show...picked up our friend who had travelled from Dundee to meet up for that show...then drove back to Livingston instead! Really glad we did as the match between Jackie Grady and Andy Wild was bloody incredible.
October
Saturday 4th - Reckless Intentions - In a word WOW!!! This was the annual "hardcore" show and it did not disappoint. The entire show was brilliant and had Scott Renwick and Saint-George in a "Falls Count Anywhere" first half main event, with the second half ending with a TLC match for the Wooden Spoon featuring Chris Renfrew , Darren Lewis, Rawlins and Martyn Stallyon. The whole night was brutal and brilliant and I loved it!
Sunday 19th - Sunday Slam 2 - This was the show that saw Rob make his in-ring debut during the main event rumble match. It also saw the "wedding" of Jam O'Malley and Saint-George which had been hyped on Facebook and was a definite highlight of the year!
November
Saturday 1st - Over The Top - Reckless Intent's first main show in an outside venue. In the 6 months since my first visit, I had seen Reckless go from strength to strength. New people coming to training, fans who had come for the first time in the summer were continuing to make the journey for shows and new links with SWE were bringing new faces to the roster and their fans were making the trip from Dundee. The unit was no longer big enough to hold the crowd so we took over Murieston Scout Hall for the day/night...and yes I said we because I was part of the team. After dropping off Rob and Janet with the food and doing a quick airport run, I returned to help set up the food and merchandise tables, before doing ticket and merchandise sales. During the show I was able to wander around the ring getting some cracking shots while manning merchandise during the interval and at the end of the show. I was not missed as the crowd loudmouth as the Russell Brothers had brought support from Bo'ness Rugby Club who more than made up for my lack of chanting! Scott Renwick beat Saint-George to take the Reckless Intent World Title in a cracker of a match. Rob got his first spot on a main show during the Rumble main event which I got some video footage of. Then it was all hands on deck to pack up the ring into the van before heading back to the unit to help unload again. It was this show that made me truly feel like part of the family - although I still steer clear of the pre-match talk...I don't know anything about the matches until they take place which is why I can still blog them as a fan!
Sunday 16th - Sunday Slam 3 - This show started the trainee tournament for the Sunday Slam title and saw Rob take part in his first singles match against JJ Russell. I was so proud seeing him in the ring, even though he was heel and told me to shut up as I was yelling support for him. He did a lovely head scissor armbreaker move which had the friends and family who had come along cheering...and a few others in the crowd too. Although he didn't win, it was great to watch my boy make those first steps in fulfilling his dream. The main event between Rawlins and Glen Dunbar caused controversy when the referee made the three count on Rawlins despite him kicking out at 2. Both wrestlers appeared confused and the crowd were not happy. Looking forward to a rematch!
December
Saturday 6th - Lights Out - The second show at Murieston and having done it once before, Janet and I let the boys get on with the ring set-up while we got stuck into the setup of our food and merchandise tables. Ticket pre-sales had been fantastic and it was another sell-out at the Scout Hall. The Bo'ness boys were back in force making plenty of noise. The matches were cracking, Rob got to be a lumberjack, Chaz Phoenix made an appearance and distracted Saint-George long enough for Bobby Roberts to get the win before ripping his England flag and draping the pieces on his face while the crowd went nuts and referee Conor Frost screwed Rawlins over in another match (storyline developing!) and Scott Renwick had a cracking match against Eric Canyon to defend his title. Once again, after the show was over it was time to pack everything up and head back to the unit to unload!
Sunday 14th - Christmas Sunday Slam - The final event of the year. Rob took his first victory in a match with Jackie Grady, rolling up his opponent while he was distracted by "West Grady". The final of the Sunday Slam tournament ended as a no-contest when Falcon interfered, setting up a triple threat match between Falcon, AJ Russell and Venym for the belt at the first Sunday Slam show of 2015 on January 25th.
And so there you have it - from May to December I discovered a little wrestling promotion and fell in love with it. I count the roster members and their families as friends and you really don't want to be in earshot of me and the boss's mum when we are at other events, eh Janet?
No comments:
Post a Comment