By Louise Westie
Twitter
When it comes to wrestling training schools in Scotland, what’s the first one that pops into your head? For me it’s GPWA (Glasgow Pro Wrestling Asylum).
GPWA celebrates its 5 year anniversary and this is a brief article on how it’s flourished in the past 5 years since it opened.
Located literally just across the road from Naveed’s shop from Still Game and a 5 minute walk from Buchanan Street Bus Station, the GPWA is the main training school in Glasgow and is the main school to get into ICW.
GPWA opened in 2014 is part of ICW’s main business headquarters and the coaches at this time were Lionheart, Rudo Lightning, Wolfgang, BT Gunn and Jack Jester.
Since then, the building itself has been given makeovers and now holds at least two professional wrestling rings, video equipment, kitchen, toilets and also the location of wrestling showcases, special shows, and £5 Sunday shows which can hold up to 250 people with a café next door and a backstage area where the wrestlers get ready and prepare for their matches. There are also monitors backstage where the coaches take notes on the trainee matches and can give feedback.
The Coaches
Now when it comes to the training of the students, the trainees are in more than safe and capable hands of the GPWA coaches who each bring their own set of skills and experience and advice that they can pass on and advise their pearls of wisdom and advice to. To be the best, you have to learn from the best and this is one of the the schools to offer that.
Adrian “Lionheart” McCallum
It would be an absolute insult to everyone at ICW and GPWA and the wrestling world if this hero wasn’t included or mentioned. Lionheart was one of the head coaches of GPWA and was a former ICW Zero-G Champion (2x) and a ICW World Heavyweight Champion. Lionhearts wrestling career began in 2002 and was trained by Colin McKay. Lionheart was a very smart technical wrestler and was a brilliant coach. He also raised the bar in having what it takes to be a fighting and defending champion.
Wolfgang – “The Regulator”
Wolfgang is the NXT:UK tag team champion and a former ICW World Heavyweight Champion and is
a former ICW Zero-G Championship Wolfgang started wrestling training in 2003 and has 16 years of wrestling experience under his belt, and brings his all rounder wrestling talents with him.
Jack Jester – “The Hardcore Icon”
Jester is a former ICW Heavyweight Champion and a former ICW tag team champion and brings his own Powerhouse style of wrestling into GPWA Jack Jester started his wrestling journey in 1998 and probably has the most experience out of all the coaches with 21 years experience.
Rudo Lightning
Rudo is one of the business brains behind GPWA and one of the head coaches at the school. Rudo
was a former ICW Heavyweight Champion and Square Go briefcase holder. Red or Rudo as he’s now known as in ring career began in 2002 and was trained under the likes of Carl Conroy, Colin McKay, Justin Richards & Spinner McKenzie and with 17 years experience under his belt, Rudo is on hand to assist the next generation of wrestlers.
BT Gunn – “The Oddity”
An ICW grand slam champion and the first ever unified champion, like his comrades, BT is also a technical wrestler. BT Gunn started training in 2006 under Conscience & Eric Canyon and has 13 years wrestling experience under his belt and he brings the technical and psychological side to GPWA.
Stevie Boy – “The Pharaoh of Filth”
At 27 years of age, Stevie Boy is a 2x ICW heavyweight champion, former ZeroG champion and a 2x ICW Tag Team Champion and has 12 years of experience under his belt as well as being the 2018 Square Go Winner and the 2017 ICW King Of Insanity. Stevie Boy was trained but Colin McKay and Kid Fite in 2007.
Kay Lee Ray – “The Queen of Carnage”
The Queen of Insanity and reigning NXT UK Women’s Champion and the only female coach is on hand to put the girls and boys through their paces. Kay Lee Ray is a 3x ICW woman’s champion, with 10 years of experience under her belt, and was one of the trainees of Kid Fite, since 2009.
Liam Thompson – “The Bad Boy”
The latest addition to the Asylum family is the Bad Boy and reigning ZeroG Champion Liam Thompson.
Liam’s Wrestling journey began in 2004 when he started training under Colin McKay, and has 15 years of experience under his belt and he brings his tag team and technical experience into GPWA with him.
Jackie Polo –“Scotland’s Best”
Our final coach is “Scotland’s Beeessssttttt!” Jackie Polo, who is one half of the longest reigning ICW tag team champions in Polo Promotions and a former ICW heavyweight champion. Having hung up his cowboy hat as Just Justice at Shug’s Weekender this year, Jackie Polo is bringing his own take of experience to the table.
The Students
The future stars of Scottish Wrestling have walked through those doors as trainees and have walked out wrestling superstars. Let’s take a little look at what shining stars have shined in GPWA.
Leyton Buzzard
This young man is one of the wrestling stars of the future. Since training since 2016, Buzzard has had
a brilliant few years in the wrestling game from graduating GPWA to debuting at ICW and wrestling
all over the globe.
Krobar
Since debuting in 2016, Krobar is one half of the reigning and defending ICW Tag Team Champions The Purge and a member of Bad Company and King of Hawners winner.
Stevie James
Since debuting in 2016 alongside Krobar, Stevie James is one half of the reigning and defending ICW tag team champions The Purge and a member of Bad Company and King of Hawners winner.
The Sam Barbour Experience
Having debuted in 2016, SBX has grafted his way through GPWA becoming a wrestler on the main ICW roster and was also a backstage interviewer. Having made his ICW return recently, he hopes to make wrestling handsome again.
Austin Osiris
This is one of my favourite GPWA students I love to wind up. Austin Osiris is a smart man as currently he has a undefeated streak of 1000+ days, having not been pinned or submitted in GPWA, this cunning young man has ways of escaping getting beaten and has formed alias with Danny Cantrell and Ryan Knight and Thatcher Wright and Eli Bulwark.
Eli Bulwark
Having made his debut in 2018, Eli is the security guard of Austin Osiris and has aligned himself with The Wealth w/Austin Osiris, Danny Cantrell & Ryan King.
Levi Justice
Wrestler Spotlight
This is one of the future stars to walk through the Asylum doors. Having made his Asylum debut this year and made his ICW debut at Fear and Loathing, Levi Justice is going to be taking over soon.
Kyle Khaos
Having made his debut in 2015 as one of the Rich Kids of Instagram alongside Austin Osiris and Aaron Echo, Khaos has been reborn from the ashes like a phoenix, now hailing from the Venomverse he made his return at Fear and Loathing in a over the top battle royal to try and secure a place in next years Square Go.
Ross Hauser
Wrestler Spotlight
Big Ross Hauser is also one of the wrestlers making a name for himself this year and he made his ICW debut at Fear and Loathing 12 this year when he was the surprise entrant in this years over the top battle royal to try and secure a place in next years Square Go and just missed out.
Kez Evans
Having started his wrestling journey in 2015 and with four years wrestling experience, Kez has made a name for himself in ICW taking on his former mentor BT Gunn at Shug’s Weekender two years ago and became a member of the Dallas Mavericks at Fear and Loathing XI and pinned NXT UK star Ilja Dragunov at Fear and Loathing XII!
The Govan Team (Ravie Davie and Zander)
Wrestler Spotlight (Ravie Davie)
The boys from the Scheme are fan favourites among the GPWA faithful and run the raffles during £5
Sundays. Both boys have achieved excellent things at their time at GPWA with both of them making their ICW debuts and Ravie Davie having feuds with Bram and James Storm and Zander training in Germany.
Jokey/Aivil
Normally accompanied by “Penny” the balloon, her wrestling alias “Aivil” is also the reigning and defending ICW woman’s champion.
The Training
When you start your wrestling journey in GPWA, it takes six months of blood, sweat and tears. There is also an induction programme, which takes place across three Levels, each lasting eight weeks:
- Level 1 – £130
- Level 2 – £130
- Level 3 – £130
At the end of each Level, you will be practically assessed and if successful, you can move onto the next level. If you fail, it’s back to level one.
Once you pass all 3 levels, you become a full member of GPWA and get into the main class. The main classes run on and are coached by certain wrestlers on certain days. As a trainee, you learn how to take down the wrestling ring piece by piece and load the ring van, get it to the venue, help unload the van and set the ring up and help make sure that everything is running smoothly before the show starts and take the ring down and tidy up long after the show has finished and everyone has left the venue. You also have to dismantle the ring, load the van and get it back to the training school and help set the ring back up in time for training.
Majority of the trainees help or volunteer at other promotions as well.
The Seminars
No wrestling school would be complete without their seminars. Some of the best WWE/NXT UK superstars have walked through the doors to pass on knowledge and information to the next generation of wrestlers from Samoa Joe to Mr Anderson and DDP Yoga.
The £5 Wrestling Shows
Every other Sunday of each month, GPWA will hold a showcase every Sunday and it’s only for £5! These shows pave the way for trainees to make their mark and show their ability’s and what they can do. The showcase lasts from 12:30-13:00 in the afternoon till around 15:00 to with the raffle before the main event and there is also a café next door.
The Special Shows
The Asylum has played host to special shows in the past four years including Night at the Asylum and the GPWA Secret Show (where none of the matches got announced). There has also been invitational tournaments and is currently the location for ICW: Gonzo.
The Future
Recently, GPWA and Wrestling Experience Scotland has also united with Insane Championship Wrestling to launch Family Wrestling brand in 2020 with a new set of show dates announced from February to April coming to Bathgate, Ayr and Maryhill: bit.ly/WresExpScotland
All photos credit to Glasgow Pro Wrestling Asylum on Facebook
🆂🆆🅽 | Scottish Wrestling Network 