Since 2013, WrestleZone Scotland have been drawing over 1000 fans to the Beach Ballroom in The Granite City for Aberdeen Anarchy. The WrestleMania of the North East has had some big surprises over the years, with big guests, grudges settled and game changing moments. None more so than last year with the return of the villianous stable known as Sterling Oil who made their mark by attacking the new Undisputed Champion, Scotty Swift, moments after he had just battled Joe Coffey.
The return of Sterling Oil also saw the end of a popular tag team as William Sterling turned on his Thunder Buddies partner Blue Thunder to rejoin the faction. A team that put on a showstealing performance a year prior in a ladder match against The Granite City Hotshots. A team that had earlier that evening teamed up with D-Von Dudley to defeat The Rejected and Lou King Sharp.
The Beach Ballroom already holds a lot of history for WrestleZone, from the final match of a World of Sport Legend Len Ironside, to record breaking attendances each year. As the attendance gets bigger, the guests follow suit. The first Beach Ballroom extraveganza included “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and Billy Gunn. The main event, “Tenacious” Johnny Lions defending against the 2013 Regal Rumble winner “The Creator of Carnage” Crusher Craib. A night that saw, personally, one of the best matches I have ever witnessed when Bingo Ballance faced Stevie Xavier in the opening contest.
The 2014 event included Sean “X-Pac” Waltman and Scotty Too Hotty, which sold out quickly. The main attraction being the latter facing the Scottish sensation fae the tap end o’ Stevenston, Grado. Crusher Craib was once again in the main event, defending the Undisputed Championship he won the year prior against the 2014 Regal Rumble winner, Jack Jester. The 2014 event was quite possibly the finest event WrestleZone have ever held with a packed Ballroom, a brutal ladder match, a comedic showcase between Scotty and Grado and a captivating encounter between Crusher Craib and Jack Jester that told a wonderfully barbaric story.
In 2015 it got bigger and bigger, with no less that three special guests D-Von Dudley, Hardcore Holly and “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters. A final match from Len Ironside, who hung up his boots following victory over Aspen Faith (who teamed with Johnny Lions against Len and Hardcore Holly).
This year, once again, WrestleZone have raised the bar with the inclusions of former NXT star Bull Dempsey, WWF Legend Tatanka, former WWE Intercontinental, United States and Tag Team Champion Carlito plus last years scheduled guest The Hurricane along with Grado already on the bill, it’s a night that will shake the foundations of Aberdeen and the country on a whole. With Crusher Craib winning the Regal Rumble this year, the odds are in his favour to lift the Undisputed Championship once more. The current champion, Scotty Swift, has been defending against all comers from Super Executioner to Chris Archer, Alan Sterling and Aspen Faith but he hasn’t had to defend against someone the size of Crusher Craib, the two time Undisputed Champion. Of course, there is still time for the main event to change with plenty challengers champing at the bit to face Swift for the title.
SCOTTISH WRESTLING NETWORK | SWN 