Autumn has finally arrived but on Saturday September 9th the weather didn’t get the memo as over 100 fans sweated their figurative balls off at the Hopeville Social Club in Inverurie.

Marking the second appearance in the venue, WrestleZone provided a hot night of professional wrestling with a little bit of everything for everyone.

Thanks to the team at WrestleZone I got to do some pre-show interviews for the podcast, all of which went well… even Ronan King bluntly calling out wrestling fans which may or may not have killed the podcast by now (I’m typing this part 6 hours before the episode goes out). It was a nice peak behind the curtain, and afforded some time with wrestlers without feeling like I’m holding them hostage when they just want to get home after the show.

Two shows in a row with a lower level ring, will I get to the point where I won’t be ready for a standard height apron, is that how annoying my brain works? Yeah, probably.

VIP Ticket Holder Match – Triple Threat – Connor Molloy defeated Oliver Green, and Tommy Raiden by pinfall.

The show kicked off with Blue Thunder on MC duties to promote the WrestleZone Training Academy. I’ve brought up this point on any media platform I’ve wormed my way on, but it was brilliant to hear the entrants all coming from Aberdeenshire (Ellon) and Moray (Elgin and Forres), away from the city of Aberdeen and, following this being pointed out on Twitter, even the referee Dennis Law being from Whitehills representing two of the three counties that WrestleZone regularly operate within (the other being Angus for shows in Montrose which Mikkey Vago represented in the main event, Caleb represents Asgard before anyone comes at me).

Connor Molloy’s opening shotgun dropkick to Tommy Raiden as soon as the bell rung set the tone for the bout, it gave me flashbacks to Survivor Series in 2009 when Shawn Michaels gave Triple H a Sweet Chain Music as the bell was still echoing around the arena.

It immediately added an edge to the match, with Connor being able to out maneuverer his less experienced opponents delivering some wicked chops. It’s not to say that Oliver Green and Tommy Raiden didn’t get their chances with all three having a time to shine. The fact that these three are more primarily known for a bit more of a high risk, high flying style which made things a little complicated because of the roof capacity that hadn’t quite been blown off yet, they quickly adapted.

Molloy picked up the win, raising Raiden’s hand after the match as a mark of respect.

The winner wasn’t in doubt, with my thoughts being that Connor would show a more aggressive side, which was right but the fans still embraced and supported him throughout. These three will be top guys in WrestleZone, no doubts that these three will collide again with some sort of title involved.

Ryan Riley defeated Murphy by pinfall.

This was the first of three Foundation of the Future and Outfit collisions to take place in Inverurie which meant we were treated to at least three plays of their respective great entrance themes. Lucky us.

For some backstory for those just joining us here, at Battle of the Nations in August the Foundation of the Future retained the WrestleZone Tag Team Championships against Connor Molloy and Bingo Ballance, Ryan Riley then got on the microphone and teared through the tag team division with mention of The Outfit bringing out the trio for a confrontation. They later had a brawl later in the show which saw Zach Dynamite lose the Tri-Counties Championship, I’ll probably get into that more later on.

So, with all that being said, the match.

This being the first time Murphy really had to encourage the crowd to get involved and he gave it all he got. It did help that Ryan Riley is an absolute menace to an audience and is more than happy to belittle them and his opponent, multitasking is inspirational.

Murphy missed a big splash, but made sure he hit it with gusto the second time following being trapped in the ropes but escaped just in time to hoist a running Ryan Riley up for a Samoan Drop.

Riley removed the top turnbuckle pad which ultimately saw Murphy hit it head first and it was metaphorically first blood to the Foundation.

A great showing from Murphy, he kept the Murphy-ness but let the crowd in. Ryan Riley is very underrated. He’s a wrestler that you see is constantly thinking, the cogs turning, and working out the next move in order to maintain an advantage.

During the match Ryan shouted that his two week old was putting up more of a fight that Murphy. Sharp as a tack, I’m jealous. I think after two weeks of my son being home I may’ve gathered double figures of hours slept so to be able to have a banging match I’m both enraged and begrudgingly respecting him.

Your time will come Ryan and you will pray for someone to put you in a sleeper hold!

Dino defeated Bruiser Brad Evans by pinfall.

In the second of the gang warz matches, we got the big beefy bastards battering each other.

It started with a bang with Brad meeting Dino at ringside and the brawl was on. The chops echoed around the function room with hand prints being left on the other from the sheer force.

There was nothing left on the plate as Dino and Brad ate every headbutt and impact, removing layers of skin and carving their names in the form of fingerprints. You could’ve probably opened Brad’s iPhone SE with Dino’s chest (is that one that had finger print technology? I can’t remember, Brad is probably on whatever the new iPhone is anyway, champ wages).

Dino ultimately sparked Brad out, from memory it was the rolling forearm but truth be told I’m on this match 8 days after the fact so forgive me. What I do remember is Brad crumbling to the ground like he’d went night night. The Outfit scratch one back to make it one a piece.

At the time my only post match thought was, if I was to be challenged to show someone a match to squash the “fake fighting” buzz phrase then this would be it. Two big lads knocking the shit out of each other with reckless abandon. Two guys, I’d say, out to prove why they are the muscle of their respective factions with Dino walking out victorious on this occasion.

Triple Threat – Lost Boy Aspen defeated Rhys Dawkins, and Damien by pinfall.

Our first half main event was a seemingly random trio that sparked additional interest due to Aspen’s focus on elbowing dropping Rhys Dawkins’ book of Shakespeare. Anyone who had to suffer through school deconstructing every forsooth Billy Shakes wrote down were on board for such even if it was a tragedy in Rhys’ be-speckled eyes.

Aspen arrived cool, calm, and buzzing, a rare non-title match and with a win over his next championship opponent, Mikkey Vago, recently at Battle of the Nations, it was time to have a little bit of fun.

Dawkins kept an eye on his book like a hawk but it was Damien that thwarted the first elbow drop attempt by waiting for Aspen to wind up the crowd to a peak before kneeing him in the side of the head. After BEING STABBED IN THE EYE at Aberdeen Anarchy then having a blindfold match at Battle of the Nations, THEN get a challenge from the delusional Captain Alan Sterling due to his temporary eyepatch, it’s been a weird period for the former Undisputed WrestleZone Champion.

As the match raged on, we finally got the moment, the elbow drop heard around the Aberdeenshire area, then Twitter a couple hours later, Lost Boy Aspen connected right onto the Shakespeare adorned dust jacket that was the only protection between the elbow and the literature. Perhaps that’s why the book was still intact afterwards, we may never know.

Rhys dropped to his knees like Willem Defoe in Platoon as the music from that particular scene filled my head, the heat may’ve conjured some hallucinations. Aspen knee’d Dawkins in the face which only made Rhys angrier but a Darkest Lariat put down the wordsmith for the three count.

With three triple threat matches on a show, including the pre-show, it’s possibly easy to make them all look similar in structure. To have the book element be the focus of Aspen’s desire in the match made it all the more entertaining.

I liked that Damien was trying to wrestle, he’d been without an actual proper match since Christmas Chaos(?), he was injured early on in that match, didn’t wrestle at Station Hotel Showdown but attacked by Ronan, returned at the Regal Rumble for a 10 minute challenge against King, had a good showing in the Regal Rumble itself, injured at Aberdeen Anarchy (small matter of being stabbed in the eye), then the blindfold match. So from his angle he may’ve been looking to shake some rust whereas Aspen is just there like “gonna elbow that book mate”.

We got a good exploration into Rhys Dawkins, he had a myriad of issues between the book situation, returning to action after breaking his wrist at Aberdeen Anarchy, and going up against a former and the current Undisputed WrestleZone Champion. Easy right? He excelled with the opportunity presented, didn’t win but showed that when Tucker isn’t wittering in his ear Dawkins can do some damage.

I found solace in the toilets of the Hopeville Social Club to cool down during the interval. The tiles, the cold water, I wouldn’t shut up about it whenever someone approached me which became less and less following this for some reason. I’m getting so old. Cool down eh, go to the toilets aye ken eh *sharp inhale*.

Ted O’Keefe vs Zach Dynamite ended in a no contest.

Back from the break and we got the third or three matches between The Foundation of the Future and The Outfit. If you’re keeping score at home it’s one win each with the rubber match down to the leaders, or at least the mouthpieces, of their respective factions.

The pairings for the first chapter of this prospective feud were spot on by showing the similarities between them and at the same time the differences.

Dynamite entered looking to be in a particularly foul mood but too be fair he was facing the man who ripped the Tri-Counties Championship from his hands which allowed Zach to be distracted long enough to be speared and suffer a Helride and see his third reign as champion end. I mean… if he didn’t wave out Brad and Ryan during the match to provide an unfair advantage then that may not have happened. If wishes were fishes, they could’ve swam in the pools of sweat between the wrinkles of my forehead.

Ted’s mission was simple, he wasn’t going to just beat Zach but make him tap out. A bold strategy Cotton, let’s see if it works out.

Zach wasn’t in the mood for playing around, giving a neckbreaker to O’Keefe on the outside of the ring on the wooden floor which put Ted firmly on the back foot early on.

O’Keefe made it back into the ring before the 10 count lapsed which just made Zach more annoyed if it was at all possible. Ted fought back, he tried to lock in the Sharpshooter (I’m personally taking submissions for Outfit inspired renames for the move), Dynamite avoided the early attempts, locking in a submission of his own with a crossface but O’Keefe managed to survive it.

The Sharpshooter was locked in which brought out everyone for a big ol’ brawl. Dino cut off a bandaged Brad at the pass but they were both sent into Ted and a prone Zach to cause the match to be thrown out. The trios stood across from each other before hands were thrown, security arrived, Blue Thunder rumbled in, then Evan Young joined the fracas to use all his might to hold back Bruiser Brad Evans of all people as separation was on the agenda.

As expected the final bout wouldn’t settle things on this night but Ted O’Keefe continues to put in very good matches since returning near the start of the year. Granted, it is difficult to get anything below a solid match when you step in with Zach Dynamite right now. I bet even I could get an above average match with Zach as he is operating on such a high level at the moment, living up to the Aberdonian Ace moniker, just give the man a broom and he could get at least 3 stars out of it.

Fun fact, Ted is technically undefeated in singles matches when he receives a handshake from yours truly pre-match, two handshakes, two wins. He should tread lightly in November because I won’t be at Stonehaven… maybe take that night off if you’re going in alone.

Mr WrestleZone & Umar Mohammed defeated Ronan King & Captain Alan Sterling by pinfall.

And now for something a little bit different. Two interesting teams for a match that was a blast.

We kicked off with Captain Alan declaring himself the greatest 38 year old wrestler to compare with teaming with the greatest 19 year old wrestler. Somehow Alan deduced that he might be Ronan’s grandfather. Mathematics wasn’t my strong suit but if I carry the one and x equals the square root… nope I’m concerned about how that was math was mathing. Bearing that in mind made watching King undress the sailor outfit from Alan while their opponents entered a little creepy…

Terrible jokes from myself aside, Mr WrestleZone and Mr Umar Mohammed continue to be a delightful duo. The childlike innocence of Mr W and his obsession with his own arse is endearing. He even provided gifts for his opponents, a slightly small crown for Ronan “who is actually a King”, and an empty KFC bucket because Sterling is not a Captain but in fact Colonel Sanders. The crown suited Ronan, it might give him an idea for Halloween Hijinks when he attempts to be crowned champion, see what I did there.

We got shenanigans aplenty as you would expect from a match involving Captain Alan or Mr WrestleZone with Ronan and Umar providing the wrestling action which is a singles match that would be all sorts of good.

Mr WrestleZone gave Ronan King a Styles Clash, and despite me talking about in both audio and visual mediums, we didn’t talk about it enough. It brings up questions like, has Mr WrestleZone got Impact Plus? Has he been revisiting AJ Styles’ WWE journey? Does he have a credit card or does he go to the shop and purchase gift cards for the WWE Network every three months? Does he hate the revamped WWE Network where you can’t find anything easily? Who are Winger?

He also paid tribute to fellow tough arsed competitor, the late Yokozuna, with a Banzai Drop to Sterling accompanied with his arms crossed. Mr WrestleZone has been watching the wrestling now that Mr Umar is no longer in Aberdeen and on the moon (might be best to watch their promos on YouTube for some context or live with the mystery).

We got a dance off between Ronan and Umar, King did all that young folk dancing, all crotch and no rhythm while Umar returned with some Bhangra.

After we saw a dogfight (aka a chicken fight but in an airplane spin position, just watch the montage), Ronan and Alan were cooking but a timely video from Damen (cause his ‘I’ is missing… wait I think I did that joke in the Battle of the Nations review) to accept the Captain’s proposal before promising to sink Sterling’s battleship with all the vim and vigour of someone who really would rather not face Alan but realises if he doesn’t then he might be stuck with more Alan nonsense that will just get on his nerves, which caused enough of a distraction for Umar and Mr WrestleZone to pick up the win.

Pure silliness with some really promising moments from Umar and Ronan that needs to be revisited. Whomever is under the mask of Mr WrestleZone (absolutely not Scotty Swift, the evidence to dispute such accusations is insurmountable), is having the time of their life. The commitment, the ridiculous characteristics from trying to exited the ring like the word co-ordination is a myth, the confusion of the world which doesn’t tread on the same confusions that Mr Caleb Valhalla suffers from. What if Mr WrestleZone finds his way to Caleb’s lair and they can solve all the mysteries like the little light in the cold storage unit, does it stay on when the door is closed? Where are all the dragons? Is Ricky Steamboat a vessel to carry goods and passengers over water? Am I riffing questions again while talking about the same match? Moving on to THE MAIN EVENT.

WrestleZone Tri-Counties Championship – Triple Threat – Caleb Valhalla defeated Mikkey Vago, and Bryan Tucker by pinfall to retain the WrestleZone Tri-Counties Championship.

A big tasty Tri-Counties Championship triple threat to end the night. The Mighty Caleb Valhalla defending against a former Tri-Counties Champion Mikkey Vago, and one win away from being the second Grand Slam completionist PC Bryan “Mother” Tucker (that’s not even a joke about anything, it just made me laugh), putting the tit of the Wrestlers Against Low Life Entities, who is still getting followed by “Wally” chants. Beautiful.

Tucker avoided the action as much is possible which allowed Vago and Valhalla to do what they enjoy doing, battering folk. They brawled inside, outside, shook-it-all-about side. Tucker did try to get involved and we witnessed the cleanest cartwheel elbow from Vago, the best one I’m seen him pull off as he avoided a charge in corner, ducked, cartwheel, back elbow.

As the brawling took place on the outside between Vago and Valhalla, somehow Tucker got stuck between the top turnbuckle and the low ceiling. This isn’t the first time it’s happened, and probably explains why his investigation into the identity of Mr WrestleZone hasn’t been going particularly well.

He was assisted by his opponents, whom stopped punching each other long enough to carry Tucker off the top turnbuckle, into the middle of the ring, and drop him to the ground rather unceremoniously.

As the war raged on, Rhys Dawkins returned to try and roll Tucker back into the ring. He was met by a green mist from Vago but alas it was blocked by the glasses of Dawkins! Huzzah! Rhys proudly lifted his glasses to show off… but was met with a second green mist from The Heavy Metal Hooligan.

Eventually Caleb grabbed Tucker for a Helride, that wasn’t the prettiest, to retain the title.

Three triple threat matches, three totally different stories and concepts. That’s skill, coming from this dork writer.

Despite the janky finish it was feel good ending to a top night of wrestling.

As noted at the start of this very long review, the show provided a variety. Big monsters tussling, hilarious comedy, as high flying as venue restrictions allow, compelling and competitive battles which eventually end in a mass brawl. Then a main event which consisted of a Viking, a roadie, and a Bay City Roller ducking it out over a snazzy belt. What’s not to enjoy?

A nice early finish as well as a bonus meant I was home back half 10 and in my bed with my brain whirring about the possibilities for Halloween Hijinks and trying to figure out if there’s any early favourites for the Regal Rumble already (simple answer is no).

What a night.