Martin Voller spoke to UK wrestler Jimmy Havoc about British wrestling and how he is helping to improve it…
“I genuinely think everything we are doing in Britain is better than anything else in the world.”
Jimmy Havoc had not long left the ring. He should have been winding down after his victory over Pastor William Eaver at ENDVR:7 in London, but he couldn’t help but get excited about British wrestling coming into its own.
Until recently, wrestling in Britain didn’t have much. For years people have gained an interest in the industry from watching American promotions such as WCW and WWE, but that’s a thing of the past.
Now, there is a thriving wrestling scene right here in the UK, and it certainly isn’t average.
One man at the heart of the change in British wrestling is PROGRESS Wrestling Champion Jimmy Havoc.
Havoc, from Dartford in Kent, has been grappling since his school days when he and his friends would fight in his back garden. Whilst at college he thought about making a go of wrestling, and so he did.
“I found a school in Sittingbourne which was Hammerlock,” recalled Havoc. “I thought I’ll give it a go, see what happens, and I got on really well, I really enjoyed it.”
That was eleven years ago. Since his first match against Peter Jay at the Tap ‘n’ Tin in Chatham, he hasn’t stopped, exceeding all his expectations.
Full of surprise, he said: “When I first started I was like, ‘I’d love to do a match’, but now I’m wrestling every weekend.”
Havoc has gone on to become one of the most recognisable faces on the UK circuit and the experience he has gained is second to none. Now he is sharing his knowledge with up and coming wrestlers at training schools in and around London.
“I love being able to teach people what I do.” Havoc emphasised his love for wrestling: “For me to be able to pass the knowledge on is wicked.”
One of the schools he teaches at is the PROGRESS school. The London-based company run bi-monthly shows called ENDVR which give their new talent the opportunity to gain experience in front of a live audience.
Following ENDVR:7, where many of Havoc’s trainees performed, he was full of pride: “Seeing the guys tonight, I trained half of them and to watch them have a match, I’m proud of that.”
This was the seventh ENDVR show, all of which have been in front of a sold out audience.
“I realise that a 150-people sell-out doesn’t seem like much,” said Havoc, “but for what is essentially a trainee show, that’s good.”
And those aren’t the only shows selling out. Companies across the UK are running shows in front of capacity crowds every weekend.
Havoc said: “In Scotland, ICW sold out the Barrowlands, that’s 2000 people. PROGRESS sells out every single show they have ever done. Southside last weekend, almost 800 people sell-out. FPW, 770 people sell-out.
“Compared to a couple of years ago, wrestling in Britain is f****** amazing! It’s doing so well and it’s because of the effort all of us are putting in collectively.”
Of course, British wrestling isn’t as large as it is in the US or Japan, but that’s not to say it’s not as good.
“Everyone goes, ‘oh yeah, America’s wrestling is better’, but is it?” he asked.
“I watch DVDs and stuff and there’s nothing the Americans are doing that is better than what we are doing, it’s just because for some reason they are perceived as being better than us that they are put on a high pedestal.”
British wrestling is growing at a rate of knots, it’s clear it has a very bright future. So who exactly are the wrestlers we should be looking out for?
Here are Havoc’s ones to watch: “Noam Dar I love. Zack Sabre Junior is legitimately my favourite wrestler in the whole world, and it’s not that he’s my best mate, he’s just that f****** good and I hate that he’s that good.
“Tyler Bate is amazing. 17 years old, grows a better moustache than anyone I’ve seen and he’s huge! And he’s really good. Will Ospreay to be fair, he is the most physically gifted person I have ever met in my life.”
The boom in British wrestling is showing no signs of slowing down, get out there and get involved.