Who doesn’t love a rumble, a bunch of folk throwing other folk around for our enjoyment. It’s a primitive joy that is always a perfect introduction to a wide array of characters. Discovery Wrestling’s Disco Derby is a little different with the over the top rope contests ending with the final two competing in a one fall to a finish bout to earn a title opportunity of their choosing.

But enough about that because I’ll talk more about it later in the review. Discovery Wrestling once again put out a poster and let the fans flock to a packed Portobello Town Hall. Discovery Wrestling had been thrust into the mainstream wrestling media recently via All Elite Wrestling after Mercedes Moné won the Discovery Wrestling Women’s Championship from Emersyn Jayne at RevPro, coupled with the continued rise of Joe Hendry in TNA and WWE, and Y Division Champion (and TNA X Division Champion) Leon Slater doing very well in his worldwide endeavours, there was a lot of positivity around the promotion. None of those names were in the building though, so once more Discovery Wrestling pulled in a crowd mostly on reputation.

What was announced was Grado being in the building, Emersyn Jayne versus Kanji, and the 20 wrestler over the top rope spectacle that is The Disco Derby. The Judas Choir were prepped and ready, and The Good Times were coming.

Chris Bronson defeated Franco Fate by pinfall.

After the sultry voice of Kwaku welcomed everyone in, it was two debutants to open the show. Franco Fate may have been a familiar name for those that went to Bleeding Gums Wrestling events, with Chris Bronson making his Scotland debut I believe, he entered to Dire Strait’s Money For Nothing which automatically got the crowd hyped. Music is a powerful thing and the guitar riff at the start of that song is a banger.

The “Disco Wrestling” chants were already being busted out as Fate and Bronson entered into their opening lock up. Franco supplied some extra sauce to his digs wherever he could, and the lightning fast speed that Bronson brought to the table was electric. That agility came back to haunt him with a Fate side step which sent Chris hurtling into the turnbuckle before being hoisted up for a Canadian Backbreaker to slow The Stallion down.

Bronson tried a slingshot from the apron but was caught with a knee to the chest, Fate then took him from there smoothly into an impactful vertical suplex that looked gnarly. Franco kept the pressure on but Chris continued to fight back and picking up the pace. Fate tried to keep his opponent at bay but there was a clear panic setting in with quick pin attempts after jarring strikes to no avail.

Chris held on, knocking down Franco with a big clothesline, and a second rope moonsault caught Fate for a very near fall. Bronson went for the spear but Franco once again dodged it only to find that Chris had Flair flipped his way onto the apron to avoid a repeat of earlier. A sunset flip for two got Bronson back into the ring, with a momentum build running spear cutting through Franco to seal his fate.

A hot opening match, having two debuts is a bold choice but both delivered tremendously with Franco Fate being a great foil for Chris Bronson, who certainly made a name for himself in Discovery Wrestling very quickly. The callback to the spear dodge in the opening exchanges showing the intelligence of Bronson was a great story beat. There was a couple little hesitant steps between the two but nothing that interrupted the flow, if anything it added a bit of realism as it was like they were trying to fake out the other. Great match that was received fantastically by the Disco faithful.

Discovery Wrestling Openweight Championship – Shreddy defeated Judas Grey by pinfall to win the Discovery Wrestling Openweight Championship.

Shreddy entered to his Scott Steiner/Demolition mash up, a proper 80s with a 90s twist retro wrassler music that. It’s something you hear on Legends of Wrestling, the music video just being Shreddy doing a lariat in slow motion, maybe with a black and white filter, on repeat or at least mirrored every second time.

The Jacked Stacked Daddy ran down the crowd before the Scottish Openweight Champion Judas Grey emerged from the entrance curtain to soak in the Judas Choir adulation but Shreddy had other ideas with an attack before the bell to put Grey on the back foot from the off.

It was a mauling from Shreddy, throwing Judas so hard into the corner that it caused him to bounce and ricochet all over the ropes for an incredible visual. A wounded Judas Grey found himself at the mercy of Shreddy, who took a lot of joy from putting a hurting to the Scottish Openweight Champion.

A little too much gloating gave Judas time to evade a corner rush and leap for a dropkick to send Shreddy to the outside with haste, only to have Grey flying over the ropes. Shreddy showed some of his own quick thinking to catch Judas and ram him into the ringpost, then slamming him onto the apron face and rib first. A hard overhead belly to belly from the outside into the ring put the brakes on what Judas was trying to achieve, with another then another sending him diagonally across the ring.

Somehow Grey leapt over a spear, managing to land a shotgun dropkick then his corner headstand version but again Shreddy muscled his way out of harm. As the match wore on, an idea throwing Judas came in with the strikes, the desperation being evident. A barrage of offense, ending with a standing moonsault couldn’t keep Shreddy down. A last ditch butterfly neckbreaker may have done it but Robb Stow strutted out to cause a distraction along with a stalking Monstrum leaving Judas between a rock and a hard place, Grey fended off The Good Times but the bad times arrived in the form of a Shreddy spear to see the Scottish Openweight Championship change hands for the first time.

The Good Times assaulted Judas after the match until Dave Conrad rushed out to clear house.

This was a demolition job from Shreddy from start to finish with the peaks in the audience coming from Judas Grey making his comebacks. It drove home the danger Shreddy now imposes on the roster, first by making his presence known in Joe Hendry’s final match at We Believe, and now unseating one of the most popular wrestlers in Discovery Wrestling from the Scottish Openweight throne.

As far as a match goes it showcased Shreddy, and if you need someone to show off an opponent’s power set then there are few better than Judas with his ragdoll physics and body movements. A couple of the overhead belly to belly suplexes looked like a bit of hard work but can be handwaved with Grey trying to fight out but unable to stop the pure strength of Shreddy.

Kwaku had the unenviable task to announce that Emersyn Jayne versus Kanji would not be happening but a replacement match would take place.

Myla Grace defeated Daisy Jenkins by pinfall.

The scattering of boos quickly subsided with the entrance of Myla Grace who brought the positive vibe that was only increased when Daisy Jenkins joined the party.

After a handshake, Myla and Daisy exchanged holds as the feeling out process began, it was Grace who got the best of the early going and finding a nice roll through to try and lock in an arm trap crossface, but Jenkins wasn’t going to let facing a TNA Knockout phase her, getting a build up of offense of her own. Myla came back with a basement dropkick as her opponent was poised on the bottom rope, with a fun smiley taunt that switched gears for Daisy who didn’t take too kindly to it and ramped up a more aggressive style. No smiles, just grit and determination.

A frustrated Jenkins targeted the left shoulder by stretching it out, trying to control Myla Grace’s movements but a lovely spring off the bottom rope to counter an Irish Whip spun Daisy over and through into the crossface again, a shift in balance got Jenkins a near fall to break the hold.

Hard forearms went back and forth, with Myla Grace changing direction to catch Daisy off guard, a shot to the stomach allowed for Jenkins to be sent crashing to the mat with a double arm sit out neckbreaker for two. Daisy ran through with an uppercut to build the momentum back to The Starlight, with another from the second rope earning her a two count from referee Mikey Innes.

Grace came back with a stunning stepover small package, quickly moving on from the kick out with a folding back suplex. Jenkins broke the combo with a Starlight Express combination but the basement flatliner couldn’t get the job done. The counters and struggle to land that killer blow continued until Myla Grace managed to snap Daisy down with a reverse DDT to pick up the fall.

Myla Grace’s debut in Discovery Wrestling a little while back saw a lot of nervous energy that caused her movements to look choreographed and it took a little time for her to grow into the match. Her improvements as a professional wrestler from that point to now is incredible, entering with confidence but a likeability that goes with it isn’t an easy balance to hit but she nailed it, travelling the world, signing with TNA, gaining access to a plethora of advice and training opportunities, all of that clearly has been taken and absorbed because the Myla Grace now would eat up the Myla Grace from April 2024.

The Disco crowd slowly gravitated their split towards Myla which was picked up by Daisy Jenkins who didn’t devalue her stock as a fan favourite with shortcuts but clearly made sure that she hit a bit harder, let the crowd in but didn’t pander, put a serious face on, just subtle things that made the match better because of those little tweaks, which made the closing struggle land with a nice crescendo of sound from the crowd because the fans got the winner they put their collective voice behind. I’ve seen matches like that with the crowd choosing a side and in the past it would’ve rattled Daisy into trying to gain favour back but the growth and adjustment to lean in just enough but not succumb to the dark side was a wise move.

Discovery Wrestling Tag Team Championships – Dave Conrad & Grado defeated Casino Brutale (RABU & Mikey Devine) by pinfall to retain the Discovery Wrestling Tag Team Championships.

RABU got on the mic to taunt Dave Conrad for not having any pals and gave him the option to just come out to hand them the Discovery Wrestling Tag Team Championships. Cowboy Conrad announced that going forward that he would have a mystery tag team partner and talking of mysteries…

Life is a mystery…

Grado strutted out to a heroes welcome with his custom Grado Championship around the waist.

What a belt by the way, between the light up centerpiece, the bumbag on the strap, to the big gold belt shape with the ICW World Heavyweight Championship black and gold strip design. There’s a lot to take in and I’d love to talk to Grado about the little bits and pieces of Grado lore is etched into that whole design. Anyway…

By way of a polite request, Grado got a rest in the corner after his spirited entrance for Conrad to start the bout. Dave proceeded to hold RABU up for a 10 second delayed vertical suplex, and easily caught a diving Mikey Devine to slam him to the mat and bringing in a rested resident of the tap end of Stevenson.

Mikey Devine fell into the Grado vortex of shenanigans for some vintage GradoMania, who has added a standing Protobomb and a Five Knuckle Shuffle to the repertoire. Thanks to a little Brutale tactics, a distraction, interference, they thought they struck it lucky but an r-Grado took down RABU to get Conrad back into the action, firing into Mikey Devine. Casino Brutale once again showed their experience, RABU got Dave’s attention from the apron which allowed Mikey to get back into the fold to isolate the Cowboy.

Conrad stuck it out to back body drop Devine and get the tag for Grado to dish out the Stinger Splashes and some Flip, Flop, and Fly. Casino Brutale found themselves stacked and seated in the corner for a bit of Roll N Slice. A Polish Hammer to Mikey from Conrad, followed by a Wee Boot from Grado to RABU for Dave to take the pin closed the match in style.

A feel good close to the half, as good as Casino Brutale are as fan favourites (which they are very good at), there’s something special about the villainy they provide when they have to get the scowls on, between the over the top scurls of Mikey Devine and when RABU looks on with disdain, it’s a fantastic combination.

The match focused on the resiliency of Dave Conrad as the crowd willed on Grado to get involved, and the Disco audience ate it up. There was a little bit after the match, after Grado did a bit thanking the crowd for coming, where he took the Discovery Wrestling Tag Team Championship and took pictures with fans in the front row that were in wheelchairs, and with disabilities, which is great in it’s own right and a special moment of its own, but on a wider thought that’s what the Discovery Wrestling Tag Team Championships should be about in this one man reign that Dave Conrad is doing. The second title is the fans title with the mystery partner holding it for them in the defence. That’s what the title should represent, it’s all well having a big name team with Cowboy Conrad for a quick rush of endorphins but there’s a bigger story that could be told.

It’s early days but there’s a vibe of it being too closed off with it coming across as being Dave’s title to share which isn’t going to be endearing to a crowd for long. Especially as it means his team will always have that mystery element to it and poses an automatic advantage. This needs careful navigation to keep the audience on side, because if there’s too many he’s and not enough we’s then the reactions will become negative, or worse he will be met with indifference.

I did like that it was all set up to potentially be Judas Grey as the tag team partner from the earlier save but the swerve was just as sweet.

Disco Derby – Judas Grey defeated BT Gunn by pinfall to win the 2025 Disco Derby.

As already confirmed, Cowboy Conrad entered at number one still on an adrenaline high from picking up the win in the first half was met with royalty when the BEEF KING Bruiser Brad Evans arrived as entrant number two. It was Godzilla versus King Kong with shoulder blocks being exchanged. The third man arrived as a singlet clad Rhys Dawkins went straight for Dave Conrad to properly introduce himself to the Disco faithful.

Robb Stow nabbed the first elimination by throwing out a young Zander Mistry who provided a little help from himself to go over the top rope which was a bit awkward. It turned into a butcher shop as the slabs of meat continued to come out when Caleb Valhalla went a’splashin’ to all corners of the Discovery realm. Valhalla jumped off the most dangerous rope (the second rope) and landed in the centre of the ring with that much force it caused Stow, Brad, and Dawkins to lose their balance and be launched over the top. Luckily they all managed to hang on, except for Rhys who found himself knocked off the apron by Conrad who was showing, the next entrant, Lost Boy Aspen “how it was done”.

Ravie Davie entered with a microphone in hand to provide some commentary to his entry even when running into the brick walls that were Caleb and Brad. Portobello Town Hall went unglued for Judas Grey who came into the ring showing the earlier battle damage but that didn’t stop him returning to the ring with style via a springboard dropkick to Robb Stow while simultaneously landing on the back of Bruiser Brad Evans which was sublime.

James Erdos marked the halfway point with what remains to be the best/worst entrance music. Erdos provided his mandated Disco Fry advertising but his requests for help to win so he could get two weeks off wasn’t met with as much enthusiasm as he had hoped for. After a brief discussion, it was decided it was best if James just eliminated himself which he complied with. Finlay Bane kicked off the second half of entrants by smashing Robb Stow and Lost Boy Aspen, sending Bruiser Brad Evans inside out with a lariat, and clotheslining the hat off Ravie Davie while on the apron to eliminate The Fresh Prince of Drumoyne Square.

The twelfth man Ian Skinner had enough friends that it meant he could fake out high fives with everyone as he entered, because he’s a cool guy. After side stepping and sending the angered victims running into each other, once again he was stood face to face with Judas Grey and the sexual tension was unreal. So what does a loving couple do? Slap the shit out of each other then share a hug. Wrestling.

As the ring continued to fill up, Monstrum came to purge, sending SKOL BROL crashing out of The Disco Derby, then chokeslamming Finlay Bane onto the apron to take out another competitor. A fired up Alex Webb managed to rock the monster but got a kick to the side of the head from Skinner for his efforts. Umar Mohammed showed why they call Robb Stow “The Whizz Kid” by spraying water onto his crotch after Stow broke the TV star’s clapper board. A doubled over Stow then became Umar’s cover while everyone got sprayed. It took a little minute but he finally got Monstrum only to be sent over the top by Ian Skinner, saved by his Khussa inspired boots hooking onto the bottom rope.

Judas scored a big elimination to counter a powerbomb with a headscissor to send Bruiser Brad Evans out of the running but as the beef left the building, the experience entered as BT Gunn made his way into the Derby and with some stereo tandem offense with Grey, sent Alex Webb and Ian Skinner out. A stare down between the two ended with Monstrum chokeslamming both. Foreshadowing.

Jacob North arrived with a lot of energy, but an Austin Powers-esque Judo Chop stopped him from dispatching Umar Mohammed but left Umar with his eye off the ball and that ball being the point of the elbow from Dave Conrad to cancel The Desi Debonair mid-season. Connor Molloy slayed The Good Times with a double Slayced Bread off the back of a big top rope forearm to BT Gunn which added another match I want to see to my ever increasing list.

Chip Watson, with James Erdos, made his way out as the penultimate entrant but ran into the arms of an angry Jacob North. Thanks to Erdos, Watson snapped off a nice tornado DDT to plant North, before running around like a chip pan on fire to suplex Molloy, and give The Good Times a double springboard stunner. North and Molloy had an exchange with Conrad once again picking up the pieces to send out North, with BT Gunn dispatching Connor Molloy shortly afterwards.

Number twenty was the debuting Nick Justice, looking to maintain some law and order to The Disco Derby with his first act was to try and send Judas Grey out of the match but that Judas Grey is a slippery customer. Justice turned his attention to Chip Watson for a showdown, a slingshot spear led Nick Justice to sail out of the ring (thud thud, that’s the sound of the police) but a wily Robb Stow made sure Chip was following suit seconds later.

It was down to Dave Conrad, BT Gunn, Judas Grey, and The Good Times. Conrad tried to muscle Monstrum out of the ring ala Royal Rumble ‘04 but was thwarted by Shreddy to trip the Cowboy off the apron and eliminate him from the match to give us a final four. Grey got rid of Stow and after breaking out of a chokeslam in a callback from earlier, a double clothesline from BT and Judas sent Monstrum out for the final two. BT Gunn. Judas Grey. One on one.

Ever the masochist, Judas invited a chop battle, giving a good account of himself as the strikes flew back and forth. As the BT Gunn sized finger marks formed across his chest, the skin breaking and bleeding, Judas endured chop after chop, he still managed to rolled a shoulder up from a post-Brainbuster pin attempt. The two jostled with Grey snatching a butterfly neckbreaker but the Swanton follow up wasn’t enough to keep The Oddity on the ground for three. The fight was back on as they two exchanged strikes, Judas went for a sunset flip but it was countered, which was again countered with Grey keeping Gunn down long enough to win The Disco Derby.

Judas addressed the crowd, he respectively called his shot against the Discovery Wrestling Y Division Champion Leon Slater at Halloween Disco, throwing in a jab that he would bring the title back to Discovery Wrestling and defend it at every show to close the night.

What a night for Mr Grey. Started the night as the one and only Scottish Openweight Champion, losing that title thanks to a duo he once considered allies, then entering at number nine in The Disco Derby, eliminating the man and monster that cost him his title en route to facing a Scottish wrestling legend in the final stretch to stamp his place in the main event of Halloween Disco against one of the best wrestlers that the UK have produced, a man that has accomplished out of this world things, winning the TNA X Division Championship, teaming with The Hardy Boyz, main eventing NXT on their first night, opening and closing his first Discovery Wrestling event by beating Joe Hendry then winning the Discovery Wrestling Y Division Championship against one of the best and beloved champions to exist in the promotion, Gene Munny. That is scratching the surface of what Slater has achieved in his still short career.

For the match, there was a quite a noticeable lukewarm reaction for Dave Conrad entering first. I think there’s a danger that having mystery partners for his tag team matches could leave people underwhelmed when he enters solo. There were also several moments that was just Conrad picking up scraps to score eliminations, which lead to him getting audible boos when he put Umar Mohammed out specifically.

It looks like he’s on a collision course with the Scottish Openweight Champion so does that mean he’s doing double duty to defend the tag titles and go for solo gold? Is Shreddy bringing a tag partner? It’s great that Discovery Wrestling has this worldwide coverage with their titles on international stars but if the stars aren’t at the shows then tying up wrestlers in multiple title feuds benches another belt temporarily.

For Disco debuts, Jacob North looked to have a something about him and though he didn’t have a lot of time to show character, his interaction with Chip Watson was enough for me to want to see a bit more. Speaking of Chip, the reaction to him and another debut, Nick Justice, was great, and the development of James Erdos actually trying to help Chip to stay in the match was nice. We didn’t get enough Rhys Dawkins but now that he has a foot in the Disco door I can’t wait to see him flourish.

Finlay Bane was a bit rough and ready, and I think with a little more presentation, he could be a force to reckoned with which was shown from him handily weighing in with the rest of the big brutes in the match.

As mentioned the brief interactions between Connor Molloy and BT Gunn made me want to see that, plus the sprint between BT and Judas towards the end is something that could be revisited very willingly (though maybe not if the chest of Judas could formulate an opinion). It was a good battle royal, with no names announced, bar Conrad at number one, it left room for surprises which it could’ve used one or two of in hindsight, everyone got a moment to shine though.

It was the right winner, Judas Grey has had quite the experience in Disco, from egotistical beginnings to being embraced by the crowd, to him accepting that this was a thing happening now, and making his way organically up the ladder to being a Y Division Championship contender. There are themes that you could draw from a 2008 Jeff Hardy, Judas doesn’t fit the mould of a top guy, he’s different, he forges his own path, but the enigmatic nature of his aura is undeniable which draws people in and they get invested in seeing him succeed. Weirdly it leads him to a man that is seemingly been handpicked by Jeff as thee next guy in TNA, Leon Slater. Funny how life works eh.

An exciting opener, a dominant display in the title match, a great replacement match, an entertaining tag match, topped off with a really good Disco Derby that paid off with a fantastic reaction and a mouthwatering contest for Discovery Wrestling’s next show on October 24th, Halloween Disco spooking out Portobello Town Hall.

A home run of a show from a fan perspective as the tiles of Portobello Town Hall are barely staying put at this stage with the roars of the Disco faithful shaking the fixtures and fittings every time.