ICW deserves a thread on its own (have I missed it)

[djchapsticks]

Similarly, plenty of aforementioned sycophants are giving it 'you saw ICW in the Hydro, what else do you want?! Just be grateful'.

Again, this doesn't wash with me. It's no use telling folk to be grateful just because of the venue. That's complete fanboy bollocks.

[Shuggie_Murray7]

I still can't get over two botched finishes on their biggest ever show. Fair enough if an audible was called for an injury to Coffey. The bump he took from the botched 3D was bogging.

No idea how Renfrew botched his though. 

Also worth noting that there were even more steaming wallopers than usual and not all "casual" fans. The place was rammed full of arseholes last night.

[Francesc Fabregas]

I watched this last night with a friend via the ICW On Demand website (which took ages to get going). This was the first time I'd ever seen an ICW show. It was okay, I suppose. I had a vague idea of who everyone was and what the various feuds were but with a lot of the matches featuring older boys from WWE, it was pretty obvious who was going to win and there wasn't a lot of tension or excitement in there.

I liked the women's three-way, it was different to what I'd been used to in the WWE where one participant spends a lot of the time outside the ring before suddenly pitching up to break up a pin. The ladder match was pretty good too although it seemed to end a lot sooner that it should have done. I think they made a mistake with the order of the matches towards the end - the fight between Kurt Angle and Joe Coffey probably shouldn't have gone on last, it should have swapped places with that daft elimination match that preceded it. That was overbooked as heck, far too much going on in there.

Everyone putting everyone else over post-match became a bit wearisome. 

As an aside, the crowd, especially the brers down the front, all looked awful, the kind of guys who talk very loudly in pubs and wear cheap headphones on public transport. Big, stinking neckbeards. They looked like they all smelled of washing that had been left in the machine for too long. I'm pretty sure I spotted "Randy Giles" in there somewhere.

[Shuggie_Murray7]

The smell was appalling. How anyone can leave their house smelling like that is beyond me.

[Francesc Fabregas]

Another couple of observations:

• How come a flabby jobber like Lewis Girvan is so highly rated? He looks in terrible shape. I couldn't believe someone like Ricochet had to lose to him. No charisma at all.
• I quite like BT Gunn, he seems like a cool guy.
• What a bad way to end the cage match. I can understand someone getting "caught up in the moment" and "letting their emotions get the better of them" but you can't punch someone on the top of the cage with brass knuckles. That just doesn't make a lick of sense.

[Ira Gaines]

The booking was okay. The execution was horrendous.

[Ira Gaines]

Apart from the cage. Booking was horrific there.

[Cardinal Richelieu]

Didn't realise the 3D was botched, and they had to improvise an ending. But Deevon losing to a body-slam just seemed utter rubbish. 

Wasn't expecting moonsaults etc from Kurt Angle, but it was a pretty poor finish nonetheless!

And if Mick Foley was "live" then I'm a Dutchman's uncle. 

[djchapsticks]

39 minutes ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

I watched this last night with a friend via the ICW On Demand website (which took ages to get going). This was the first time I'd ever seen an ICW show. It was okay, I suppose. 

And right there is the issue with their show last night. You. Well not you specifically but guys like you who are relative newcomers to their product. Despite not being there, you got a perfect feel for the show and first impressions are everything.

There was clearly nothing on the show that wowed you or drew you in. Made you feel you wanted to be part of it next time around or take in FAL next year. One thing that ICW have been top dogs at have been capturing people's enthusiasm, making them want to see more, to come back. Making the show absolutely top fun and madness. Yes at times its overbooked but it's nearly always been enjoyable and with purpose. Last night none of that happened, I knew people tuning into that for the first time would meet it with a resounding 'meh'.

 

Oh and as for your other point, there were wallopers everywhere, we got relatively lucky in that there was only one steaming smelly looking guy kicking about with what appeared to be his maw's vest top on and a 1999 backstreet boys haircut and tattoos drawn on in biro. Aside from that there was a guy in his 20s standing behind me who was proudly and possessively clutching a homemade cardboard cut out title with a dragon or sonic the hedgehog drawn on it. Definitely get some gauge of the mental illness and social awkwardness spectrums being at an ICW show.

[Stellaboz]

I fairly enjoyed it. Felt a bit flat though from up in the seats atmosphere wise.

[Shuggie_Murray7]

Trent Seven is really, really shite.

[Snakebite]

That show was my first in months after living abroad and it was absolute HORSE SHIT.

The matches were crap, finishes were shit, countless nonsensical finishes.

There's a lot wrong with the roster just now in my eyes. Girvan is being pushed and he's dull as hell. Joe Coffey is another boring posh boy. Davey was made to look like an absolute jobber. The imports were rancid. Trent Seven fuckin sucks. Jackie Polo is a pathetic comedy act. Naturally as well guys like Dar are hard to replace.

I left the SECC last year ranting and raving about what a good show that was and how the sky was the limit. It's been an absolute farce since.

Don't know when I'll be back. If ever. Maybe I've grown out of wrestling, but even though I've not enjoyed the mainstream stuff for years, ICW I felt was different. It's dropped the ball big time. 

Be lucky to get half that in the hydro next year.

 

 

Edited November 21, 2016 by Snakebite

[Shuggie_Murray7]

I was actually surprised that they announced the Hydro again next year before seeing how this one went.

 

[diamond_for_life]

It wasn't a bad show I just don't think it was a good show either. 

Plus points -

Joe Hendry and Davey Blaze was a decent enough opener.

The womens title match was good I genuinely get the fear every time I see Viper taking a dive from the top rope or off the ring apron.

Ricochet is something else I was mesmerised after his opening flurry in that match.

The casket match was fine.

The Zero G match I was glad to see Kenny Williams winning (Airdrie lad). 

 

The negatives -

The Dudleys just seemed like a nightmare the last few days and I wouldn't be in a rush to bring them back. The 3D botch was horrendous with Mark Coffey looking legit fucked hope he is ok.

The Wee Man and Davey are just not convincing bad guys the gimmicks don't work for me. Looked like a couple of diddies.

Lewis Girvan winning surely means they have to push the guy now. Why though as people couldn't be any less interested in him. 

The title match was over as soon as Trent set that table up. We all knew what was happening. It just reminded me of the last cage match I saw with the NAK and Legion. 

Kurt Angle got what 10 mins tops in a rushed final match. For a main draw that was disappointing.

Why spend weeks building up tension between Grado and Renfrew for it to have no part in the story. Jester just deciding to turn on Drew ? A rehash of last years patter with Foley running down but with Ballor this time. Renfrew's arm hitting the mat 3 times. Dallas making the quickest recovery from a beating I have ever seen.

 

Maybe Im in the minority but I expected more than what I saw last night

Edited November 21, 2016 by diamond_for_life

[Snakebite]

The hardcore fans are all stinky mosher c***s too.

Buy some right guard for fucks sake.

[Snakebite]

Another hing that annoys me.

Why do the spazzy neckbeards feel the need to do that shitty Ric Flair wooing stuff? I seen one out his tits doing it at the four corners in town next to mcdees almost getting run over. He looked like this c**t. 

f**k the Cathouse as well. It was just a complete shambles with queues. It was brilliant crack last year as well, and I say that as someone who thinks its a mhanky mosher shite tip, every other day of the year.

[cb_diamond]

I feel like I've been very harsh on ICW lately and have to say before I write this that I do more often than not love the product. I've been going for three years to live events and another couple before that as an engaged internet watcher.

I think they've peaked. I think last night was as big as it will ever be. If I was a casual fan going for the first time I wouldn't go back. It wasn't very good. I had said a few times before that I had huge concerns about the booking. Quite a few of them came back to rest. They we're also let down badly by Team 3D. They shouldn't ever be back. Angle was also not great. The crowd was too big and the engagement pretty non existent. I hope it settles back down to a better level. The SECC and the year before was great. This year hasn't been. It feels like they are at a big point of transition and I hope they are sensible about it. 

I really like ICW and want to keep going, but as said earlier the prices are shooting up (tickets, merch, on demand due to the shite pound), while the quality isn't as high or consistent as it had been. That's a worry. The official facebook is a joke. It's genuinely full of slabbering fuckwits. It puts people off. Worrying times.

 

[Snakebite]

6 minutes ago, cb_diamond said:

I feel like I've been very harsh on ICW lately and have to say before I write this that I do more often than not love the product. I've been going for three years to live events and another couple before that as an engaged internet watcher.

I think they've peaked. I think last night was as big as it will ever be. If I was a casual fan going for the first time I wouldn't go back. It wasn't very good. I had said a few times before that I had huge concerns about the booking. Quite a few of them came back to rest. They we're also let down badly by Team 3D. They shouldn't ever be back. Angle was also not great. The crowd was too big and the engagement pretty non existent. I hope it settles back down to a better level. The SECC and the year before was great. This year hasn't been. It feels like they are at a big point of transition and I hope they are sensible about it. 

I really like ICW and want to keep going, but as said earlier the prices are shooting up (tickets, merch, on demand due to the shite pound), while the quality isn't as high or consistent as it had been. That's a worry. The official facebook is a joke. It's genuinely full of slabbering fuckwits. It puts people off. Worrying times.

 

Has the game died a death too?

ICW has been like a lead balloon since the SECC show for many of the reasons you state, which just makes me feel negative as f**k about it at the moment.

Can only hope the death of the ownership angle freshens things up, but with the pushes for utter shite like Lewis Girvan, talent leaving that isn't being replaced, and general scatty as f**k desperate booking (why was davey ever turned heel!?) it's hard to be optimistic just now.

 

[diamond_for_life]

Just had a wee read at the official fans page on facebook and it just about sums it up. Can't say a bad word about anything or your a c**t. 

Its not even his fault but its part of the reason I don't give guys like Renfrew the credit he deserves. He has posted a few things on there and the amount of boaby sucking is unreal. Far too much arse kissing from folk desperate to be pals with a wrestler. 

I just watched last years show at the SECC again and its night and day for me. That buzz at the end with Grado winning the title and that atmosphere was electric. I can mind standing there last year thinking if Galloway wins this place is going to riot. This year it was just flat which is a shame.

I really hope ICW thrives for years to come and I wish Dallas all the best for what he has done to this point it must have been a hard joirney and im glad it has paid off. Its been a great part of my life the last few years and have travelled up and down the UK for various shows. I do think I enjoyed it more then though than I do now and its sad that people would take that personally. Hopefully will get back into it again. 

[Tay7x]

Can honestly say that was one of the worst shows I've been to some stuff just didnt make sense, why have team ICW win if it wasn't the main event a label win would have been so much better - they woulda got the happy ending with joe winning anyway plus they had the happy ending last year with grado winning the title too. Also the meet and greet was a shambles, ending of the cage was meh, tag team title match was pretty rubbish. 

Also the fact renfrews arm went down 3 times but it was like aw just ignore that pissed me off too! 

All in all I'm having a break from ICW for a bit noticed the prices for Fear and Loathing 10 have gone up and the ticket I had has gone up by 15 quid and the standing has gone up a fiver or what? The same venue, maybe if they actually focus on selling more tickets than putting the prices up they may be more successful... How many tickets did they sell for the SECC last year? 4,500? So realistically they only sold an extra 1,500 in a year...So what makes them think they will manage more next year?

 

I'm taking a break from ICW seem as through I'm wasting my money on tickets to shows when I'm just not enjoying them anymore  which is a shame cause I've been going for 3 and a half years and all over the UK but I'm really annoyed with the product and where its going now. Hoping I'll get back into it by F and L next year...

 

Ps I'm surprised they haven't gone to all seating since the amount of people feeling faint or fainting last night