Hello one and all. Class is in session today so if you could silence your mobile phones, put your gum underneath the table, and put away your gaming consoles, that would be much appreciated!
It’s time for a good old-fashioned history lesson just now, as we take a look back at all the animosity between Crusher Craib and Scotty Swift that has led them to their Dog Collar Match later tonight at Halloween Hijinx 2018. Sit back and relax because there’s a lot to get through…
Setting The Seeds
As 2016 rolled around and all eyes were locked on the next edition of Aberdeen Anarchy that June, Scotty Swift was the reigning Undisputed Champion in his record-breaking 525-day reign. While The Red Haired Warrior was grappling with the members of Sterling Oil, Crusher Craib was out picking up a number of victories over guys such as Johnny Lions, Mikkey Vago, and Lou King Sharp. Heading in to that year’s Regal Rumble, The Creator of Carnage was a favourite to win the whole thing.
Entering the match at number 15, Craib outlasted the other 19 competitors to win his third Regal Rumble Match, lastly booting Shawn Johnson off the ring apron. A staredown between Crusher and Scotty ended an eventful night at the Aberdeen Northern Hotel. Following a title retention over Aspen Faith in Westhill, Swift’s place as champion was cemented for the Beach Ballroom main event.
The last stop before the big title fight came in Stonehaven, a show that featured champion and challenger in a non-title singles match with Shawn Johnson and a Handicap Match with The Rejected, respectively. Both men were successful in their contests, but that wasn’t it for both men on the night. Furious at their loss to Craib despite having the numbers advantage, Chris Archer and Mikkey Vago ambushed him after the match, only for Swift to make the save. Did Crusher take kindly to his gesture? Of course not. He insisted that Scotty was in fact just using it to fuel his own ego instead.
Beach Ballroom Showdown
The fourth Beach Ballroom supershow featured a record four former WWE superstars, the second encounter between Bingo Ballance and Stevie Xavier, and one of the biggest main events in WrestleZone history as Scotty Swift faced Crusher Craib.
Two of the biggest faces in WZ history battling it out on the biggest event of the WrestleZone calendar. Both men put it all on the line, with ring announcer Martyn Clunes taking a tumble at ringside after colliding with The Creator of Carnage. A sitout powerbomb and a Black Hole Slam were unable to give Crusher his third Undisputed Championship and, following a missed attempt at a diving splash from the top rope, Swift became the first (and so far, only) person to retain the Undisputed Championship at the Beach Ballroom.
The splash proved to be a big hit for Crusher as he broke his hip socket upon impact. This would put him out for a whole year as he recovered from his injuries. During this time, The Red Haired Warrior’s 525-day reign as champion came to a crashing end at the hands of Andy Wild that October. In a rematch for the title in February 2017, the title was declared vacant after Wild put his hands on officials, and so a No DQ rematch was signed for the Regal Rumble. It was Swift’s night here as a Granite City Driver on a pile of chairs earned him his second reign with the Undisputed Championship.
Return Causes Anarchy
While Scotty Swift was set to defend the Undisputed Championship against the 2017 Regal Rumble winner Shawn Johnson at Aberdeen Anarchy, Crusher Craib was also announced to be returning to make a statement regarding his future. That announcement would be that he was cleared to return to in-ring competition, with his first match back coming at that year’s Battle of the Nations on September 9th.
For the remainder of the evening, he would join management’s Chris McDonald on commentary. That was of course, until the main event championship match between Scotty Swift and Shawn Johnson. With the referee knocked down, Damien and The Sterling Brothers stormed the ring to lay a beating on the champion. Crusher had seen enough and left his place at the commentary desk to interject their attack. After clearing the ring of the Sterling Oil members, he booted Swift in the face to hand the championship to the golden boy of Sterling Oil. A new monster had been created.
Complete Destruction
With Crusher’s first match back being at Battle of the Nations, there was no question about who his opponent would be. It was obviously going to be Scotty Swift. After all, Crusher had cost Scotty victories against Lord Mr Malice and Alan Sterling, and also planted him through a table at Proving Grounds during their contract signing.
The match (if you want to call it that) was pure domination from Crusher Craib. A brawl all around the ringside area started them off, before a Granite City Driver received not even a one count. From this point on, Swift got no offence in. One boot, two boots, three boots. A mass of punches to the back of the head saw referee Dennis Law forced to throw the match out, but it wasn’t over there. A curb stomp ended the assault and put Swift on the shelf until December.
As Christmas Chaos rolled around, Crusher was scheduled to challenge Damien for the Undisputed Championship in the main event. The Revolutionary outsmarted Crusher and retained the title via count out, leading to Damien being attacked by the entirety of Sterling Oil. An army of Santa’s emerged from backstage, with one of them unmasking himself as a returning Scotty Swift. Swift and Damien joined forces for the first time in history, having a common enemy in Sterling Oil.
New Year, New Swift
Scotty Swift has never been too much of an aggressive person unless the time calls for it. This rivalry with Crusher Craib is exactly the time for it. Summerhill Showdown saw the pair square off again, with another all-out brawl taking place. Crusher got a steel chair involved at one point and aggravated Swift to the point where Scotty used the chair himself. The Red Haired Warrior had snapped.
As a result of the ending to their Summerhill Showdown match, another match was announced for the Regal Rumble with no disqualifications. This was possibly the most chaotic match in WrestleZone history, with tables, chairs, and a massive kendo stick being used. Following The Sterling Brothers breaking up a pinfall, Crusher booted Swift in to a table, followed by a cannonball and then finally tossing him in to it for the pinfall. The table never broke, but it didn’t hamper the match too much.
Both men were then on opposite sides of a six man tag team match at Battle of the Nations, where Crusher teamed with The Sterling Brothers against Swift, Bryan Tucker, and Johnny Lions. Scotty and Crusher brawled through the crowd towards the end of the match, not to be seen again until later in the night. Craib came out to boot Damien in the face during his bout with Sterling Oil adviser Richard R. Russell, with Swift appearing looking worse for wear. Another brawl ensued, as you’d expect from them.
The most recent match between them came in an eight man tag team match at Aberdeen Anarchy X; Crusher Craib, Alan Sterling, William Sterling, and Richard R. Russell against Scotty Swift, Bryan Tucker, Johnny Lions, and Chris McDonald. A key moment in the match came when Crusher ascended to the top rope for a diving splash, a callback to how this rivalry all started. Swift however knocked him on to The Sterling Brothers at ringside this time around though, resulting in McDonald planting Russell with a Rock Bottom for the victory. As a result, Sterling Oil were done.
And Now…
Crusher Craib returned to action for the first time since Aberdeen Anarchy X in Keith, easily dismantling Cysto. The Creator of Carnage demanded better competition, resulting in him costing Scotty Swift a match against Jason Reed in Balmedie. He issued a challenge for a Dog Collar Match at Halloween Hijinx, a match Swift was more than happy to accept.
The fifth singles match between the pair since Aberdeen Anarchy 2016. As of writing, the record currently looks like this;
- Aberdeen Anarchy 2016 – Scotty Swift def. Crusher Craib via Pinfall
- Battle of the Nations 2017 – Crusher Craib def. Scotty Swift via Referee Stoppage
- Summerhill Showdown 2018 – Crusher Craib def. Scotty Swift via DQ
- Regal Rumble 2018 – Crusher Craib def. Scotty Swift via Pinfall
Who will come out on top in the next chapter to the rivalry?
Tickets to Halloween Hijinx can still be bought from http://www.ringsideworld.co.uk, priced £12 for adults and £10 for under 14s. VIP tickets are available aswell for £15, which gain you early entry and a bonus pre-show match. Fans can also pay at the door on the night. Doors open at 6pm for VIP ticket holders and 6:30 for general admission, with the main show kicking off at 7pm!
Credit for all images used goes to Brianbat Photography and WrestleZone.
SCOTTISH WRESTLING NETWORK | SWN 