We’ll have a road trip episode of the podcast soon about this event, in the meantime it is available on Patreon in audio form here: www.patreon.com/scotwresnet

It finally happened. 10 years I’ve been promising myself that I would make it to Discovery Wrestling since their inception in 2014, 10 years things have got in the way, or the pennies haven’t been in my favour, but on April 27th I was on the train from Elgin to Edinburgh (via Aberdeen) for a night in the capital before the 40 minute bus trip the next day to Portobello.

A very easy place to find, due to the bus having a stop right outside the Town Hall which is very handy. A trip to the beach for Civerinos for a slice of jalapeno and chimichurri pizza that I could still taste 3 days later… totally worth it. Anyway, you come here to read about the wrestling and not my eating habits.

Wristband on, doors open, and pilling into the hall, the first face you saw was the Discovery Wrestling Y Division Champion Gene Munny. A wee handshake later with That Damn Dirty Dog and I was soon sat ready and waiting to be sports entertained.

Discovery Wrestling Y Division Championship Number One Contendership – Leon Slater defeated Joe Hendry by pinfall to become number one contender for the Discovery Wrestling Y Division Championship.

The show kicked off with a bang with The Youngest In Charge making his way out. I won’t lie to you, I’ve seen clips, I’ve heard the reputation about how highly regarded and talented he is but I hadn’t actually seen a full match involving Leon Slater.

I need to change that immediately.

But before we were treated to one of the best opening matches I can remember seeing in person in recent memory, we were gifted to the joyous tone of ‘I Believe In Joe Hendry’ *clap**clap*. The crowd waved their hands from side to side, singing along to the number 4 song in the UK Big Top 40.. It’s been many years since I’ve seen Joe Hendry live and man this guy has such an aura about him. A proper big deal. A genuine superstar.

We got a fantastic mesh of Slater’s high flying agility with Hendry’s power offense. The crowd chanted 0121 for Leon Slater, while still firmly behind Joe Hendry, two fan favourites trying to fairly gain the upper hand.

Slater went to the top rope but Hendry rolled out of a 450 Splash attempt, Hendry also slid into the ring to avoid the over the corner 450, which actually garnered a couple boos for Joe, denying us the chance to see it in order to try and win… how dare he.

As the match continued Hendry continued on the power well, but found himself lying prone for a Swanton 450 from Slater to stay down for the three count. As beautiful live as it is on a screen.

The crowd applauded Slater, Hendry shook his hand and announced that he didn’t know when Slater would get his title shot but he would be back in Discovery Wrestling soon. Leon got on the microphone and wanted his shot that night, strike while the iron is hot and all that. Hendry left it up to the fans who loudly confirmed that they wanted Leon Slater added to the main event.

The Joe Hendry Era of Discovery Wrestling struck with intent with that opening contest. Two incredible wrestlers which had plenty of back and forth, Slater was a highlight reel with the Disco crowd getting a fantastic introduction to him. The promise to see Leon again in the show, lucky us!

After that epic contest, Kwaku announced that due to injury The Kings of the North had vacated the Discovery Wrestling Tag Team Championships so the next match would be contested under no disqualification rules for the vacant championships.

Discovery Wrestling Tag Team Championships – No Disqualification – SKOL BROL (Caleb Valhalla & Lost Boy Aspen) defeated The Good Times (Robb Stow & Monstrum) by pinfall to WIN the Discovery Wrestling Tag Team Championships.

In contrast to the respectful back and forth of the opening match, this was something a little different, as these two teams smashed each other for an undetermined amount of time. Chairs were brought into the equation with each team using them to their advantage, the action went to the floor, back to the ring, all over the place.

Aspen dodged a conchairto attempt by The Good Times. They turned their attention to Valhalla but Aspen was able to trip up Stow on route for a Hart Attack attempt. The offense got inventive with Caleb jamming Stow’s head in a chair and jarring him with a running bulldog.

Robb Stow and Aspen had a loud yay boo forearm exchange which ultimately lead to Stow scooping up a running Lost Boy for a powerslam onto two chairs set up on their sides for a nasty crunching landing.

Monstrum looked indestructible with chairs seemingly having a little effect until SKOL BROL each took a chair to “SQUASH HIM” to quote Caleb Valhalla. Valhalla threw a chair to Monstrum only for Aspen to swing his chair into it, clattering the masked face of the monster.

It wasn’t long afterwards we saw SKOL BROL finally pick up the win to become the NEW Discovery Wrestling Tag Team Champions.

A chaotic match that was non-stop. Aspen acquiesced to the crowd with several hard chair shots to the back of Robb Stow. The little comments from Caleb trying to eagerly batter his opponents just makes the big innocent viking even more loveable. It made for a very enjoyable encounter.

This was the first time seeing Robb Stow and Monstrum live, there’s something about them that I hope evolves going forward. They usually have Mister Manoval around but he was absent, could this have been the reason for the downfall, is that a thread that could be pulled going forward?

Being a big fan of SKOL BROL, I was of course delighted in the result of the match.

We were rolling on when The Big Strong Man made his way out to the ring. To hot to handle, to cold to hold, and other catchphrase’s as The Big Strong Man announced his arrival in Discovery Wrestling. The Big Strong Man confidently challenged anyone from the Discovery Wrestling roster to face him there and now.

Enter: ‘Big Flex’ Adam Maxted.

Adam Maxted defeated The Big Strong Man by pinfall.

Maxted towered over The Big Strong Man as BSM offered a test of strength. Unfortunately The Big Strong Man doesn’t have big long arms so couldn’t reach for plenty of laughs.

As someone who has never really ‘got’ Adam Maxted with my past experiences watching him was on TV for ITV’s World of Sport Wrestling and 5 Star Wrestling which was about 6 years ago, seeing him wrestle live, yep I get it.

The Big Strong Man used his big strong cunning to try and take advantage in the match but his big strong attempts at trying to show off his big strong strength it didn’t go well. Maxted caught BSM from a big strong second rope crossbody and hoisted him up for a stalling vertical suplex.

Maxted went up to the top rope and hit a Blockbuster to The Big Strong Man that left him discombobulated enough for a springboard dropkick from Maxted sealed the deal for ‘Big Flex’.

Variety is the key to professional wrestling, and The Big Strong Man is definitely testament to variety. It’s silly, but pure entertainment. The tall, tanned, and jacked Adam Maxted against the short, pale, and uniquely shaped Big Strong Man was great. A pleasant and unannounced surprise, when Maxted was announced for the meet and greet I had assumed he would have something to do with The Kings of the North, and maybe he was pre-injury confirmation, but this was a delight to in the room for.

Discovery Wrestling Scottish Openweight Championship – Judas Grey defeated Ravie Davie by pinfall to retain the Discovery Wrestling Scottish Openweight Championship.

In our first half main event we were spoiled with another title match with Judas Grey defending the Discovery Wrestling Scottish Openweight Championship against Ravie Davie.

Davie entered to pump up the crowd in typical Ravid David style-y with the rapping and whatnot.

Right, a thing that has been happening recently is Mr Grey throwing clothing items at this writer’s face. WrestleZone ‘Christmas Chaos’ – a big fluffy jumper, WrestleZone ‘Regal Rumble’ – a thin black silky shirt, so here we are at Discovery Wrestling, what’s next? Judas entered in a very light looking thin colourful shirt, jackpot. He scoured the crowd for my slaphead, target acquired… I even waved, what an idiot… Grey dropped the shirt, lifted the ring apron and produced a big thick red fleece and launched it at my face at point blank range. He reeled me in good and proper. Fair play.

We were provided a fast paced match with both wrestlers using high risk offense throughout. Davie ran the apron to punt Judas Grey as he stood on the floor, following up with a senton from the apron to the outside. Davie hit a stunning double jump moonsault but couldn’t put Grey away. Judas hit a standing moonsault of his own that had him floating in midair for a moment, there was some incredible hangtime.

Grey hit his vintage stalling corner dropkick, I love the recoil from when he makes impact as Grey flies back at speed. Judas also hit a stunning second rope imploder senton in the corner, he is very good.

Judas eventually picked up the win to retain the Scottish Openweight Championship, he and Ravie Davie meshed well together not only in the ring but also in character with Davie being the every man hero against Judas Grey’s absolute disdain for anyone that looks at him. A great combination.

Following a brilliant first half, it was interval time for merch browsing and photo taking. I had to nab a signed rookie card and photo with Leon Slater… even if I wandered off after the photo and forgot the card, thankfully Slater grabbed me while I was walking away. That could’ve been totally embarrassing…

Discovery Wrestling Women’s Championship – Triple Threat – Emersyn Jayne defeated Kasey, and Myla Grace by pinfall to retain the Discovery Wrestling Women’s Championship.

Back from the break it was another championship match this time featuring Discovery Wrestling Women’s Champion Emersyn Jayne defending against former champion Kasey, and debuting Myla Grace.

Grace didn’t look super comfortable in the early going, with some light offense and didn’t quite have that attack you need to make moves look convincing. Whereas Emersyn and Kasey laid in the forearms and made everything look real. I’d surmised that it could be nerves making a debut and/or against two very experienced opponents, in any event Grace slipped on the bottom rope a few minutes in and from that point she seemed to hit the ‘f*ck it’ button and started throwing hands hard and heavy, taking out her frustration on her opponents which looked great as a visual.

There was that cartwheel evasion by Emersyn leading to a front dropkick to Kasey from the apron which I loved when I first saw it and it’s still really cool. We got a lot of trio moments, including a double Shadowfax draping German suplex by Jayne. A couple of these moments conspired from one setting up two others for a move, one dodges and the setter-upper paid the price which I enjoyed.

Kasey got a lot of close calls in, a vicious crossbody onto a prone Myla Grace who was draped on the second rope. I haven’t seen Kasey wrestle live for a long time, what a performer she has become, the confidence is evident coupled by her epic entrance gear. When she and Emersyn were throwing hands it felt personal.

The finish came out of nowhere with Emersyn Jayne picking up the pin and retaining the Discovery Wrestling Women’s Championship. A great triple threat, once Grace hit the button she became a totally different wrestler and fit in with Jayne and Kasey very quickly. The turn from overconfident and patronising to savage and violent was quite the turn. I liked it.

Dave Conrad defeated Ronan King by pinfall.

In a surprise, Ronan King made his way out for a bit of the wrestling. I’ll take surprise Ronan King any day, as he waited for his opponent the opening to Kenny Rogers ‘The Gambler’ playing, a very catchy tune.

Out came Cowboy Dave Conrad, decked out in double denim and a snazzy cowboy hat. From my very brief research this was Conrad’s first match since 2020 and in that time he has got in phenomenal shape.

King tried to use his speed to take down Conrad, evading a Polish Hammer and knocking him down with a flying elbow, but couldn’t avoid getting thrown about like a wet trackie with a belly to belly suplex. Ronan tried to keep Conrad down with a smooth frog splash. Eventually King couldn’t escape from being cracked with a Rolling Polish Hammer to the face to knock him out for the count.

It was brief, quickly establishing Dave Conrad as a dominant force. King got a little bit in but overall it felt like a showcase for Conrad.

Dave Conrad is another I haven’t found myself drawn to in the past, for me he hasn’t ever clicked with a character, maybe this is the one. He looked impressive but didn’t do an awful lot to engage the crowd other than tipping his hat on the stage after the match. In ring was absolutely fine, and this new cowboy persona is just in its infancy so I’ll give it a show or two to see what comes from it.

Before we got the famous Discovery Wrestling raffle, we were witness to the raffle sponsor, Chip from The Disco Fry, who came out to drum up support and to hype up the audience. A disheveled James Erdos arrived to let everyone know that after the last show he had lost his job but got another job at an accountants so was back to find some discrepancies in Discovery’s books. After hours of digging he found… absolutely nothing and everything was in order to his immense disappointment.

After a little back and forth with Erdos blaming Chip for his misfortunes, he swung at Chip but was recipient to a Rock Bottom and People’s Elbow for his troubles.

Possibly the strangest thing I’ve seen at a wrestling show for a while, but the crowd were 100% into the interaction. The timing of Erdos when he paused for the punchline of Disco’s books being squeaky clean was perfect.

We got the raffle with the often mentioned, and finally heard, “what colour” chant for the tickets. I don’t get that either but it was fun to join in.

Discovery Wrestling Y Division Championship – Triple Threat – Leon Slater defeated Gene Munny, and Ryan Richards by pinfall to WIN the Discovery Wrestling Y Division Championship.

Once we recovered from the oddness of seeing a fry cook battering an accountant, it was time for the main event!

Following the entrances, and the pomp and circumstance by Kwaku to announce the champion and opponents, Ryan Richards tried to voice his complaints about having to wrestle a triple threat match when he was granted a one on one match with Gene Munny, I’d like to tell you that’s what he said but every time he opened his mouth the Portobello Town Hall was filled with boos, loud boos.

Richards and Slater started brawling through the fire doors as Munny returned to sit on the apron to ask how everyone was doing and if we were enjoying the show. I might just love That Damn Dirty Dawg.

Ryan Richards came back alone to scrap with Gene for a bit. Slater returned with a big crossbody, I won’t lie I had my eye on the balconies when Leon disappeared but alas a balcony dive was not to be. Munny hit a slingshot spear to Richards, we got a Tower of Doom with Munny baring the brunt of the doom-ness at the top of the superplex.

Munny fought back and tried a double single arm powerbomb, Richards wriggled out so Slater got planted to the mat. The referee was knocked down but the follow up low blow from Richards to Munny didn’t end the match.

We got the over the turnbuckle 450 from Leon Slater onto his opponents which was sublime, added to the fact that he landed on his feet blew my tiny mind. Richards was rolled back in and Slater headed to the top rope, landing the Swanton 450 to pin Ryan Richards to win the Discovery Wrestling Y Division Championship.

Munny squared up to Slater following the bell, after a tense stare down Gene shouted that Slater wasn’t even supposed to be in the match, but congratulated Leon and raised his hand.

As the celebrations continued, Joe Hendry arrived to congratulate Leon Slater. It was big announcement(TM) time, before Hendry could make the big announcement(TM), The Good Times arrived to attack Hendry and Leon Slater, Richards joined the attack while Gene Munny was conspicuous by his absence. Adam Maxted made the save until Judas Grey ran out from the back to low blow a distracted Hendry, then cracking him with the Scottish Openweight Championship to the face.

While Grey, Richards, Stow, and Monstrum stood on the stage, Hendry announced that Elijah fka Elias would be coming to Discovery Wrestling. Ryan Richards would get his just desserts, Leon Slater would defend the Discovery Wrestling Y Division Championship but it would be Joe Hendry, Adam Maxted, and Elijah versus Judas Grey, Robb Stow, and Monstrum. Walk With Discovery Wrestling on July 14th.

Let’s talk about the triple threat first, incredible. What a main event. I’ve been wanting to see Gene Munny wrestle since he broke out in Discovery Wrestling and this man is charisma personified. He doesn’t sweat the little stuff and even that little moment on the apron when he was chatting to the crowd while the brawling was going on elsewhere just made him The People’s Champion of Discovery Wrestling (as well as the Gene Munny Champion of Gene Munny).

We were spoiled by having two Leon Slater matches in one night to sandwich the show, to feel the crowd take to him so quickly and to see him win caused the roof to shake.

And I can’t forget Ryan Richards, who delivered a slimy, patronising, outright bastard to boo. The satisfaction to see him get pinned was electric.

The post-match with Joe Hendry’s students forming a supergroup against him offers a lot of interesting outcomes. Is it just pure chaos for respect, is it title collecting with the Scottish Openweight Championship already in the faction. I guess we’ll just have to wait until July.

I had an absolute ball at my first ever Discovery Wrestling event, the set up and organisation was top notch as well as the presentation from Kwaku channeling International Broadcast Analyst Darren T Goss with the black suit and yellow tie combination, to the matches all delivering some great moments throughout.

Four title matches, two new champions, a bit of everything on this show for everyone to enjoy part or all of it. A hell of an afternoon in Edinburgh and I’ll be sure not to wait 10 years to come back.