Prepare for the Uprising of your life!
It’s the event of the year in Coventry on November 13th, time for the Three Count to preview the card (oh and by the way if you go to the Fanslam don’t forget to buy my 92 page Piledriver magazine for just £3!)
FWA British Uprising 3
Full Card
British Uproar (for Gold, Silver and Bronze Ringside ticket holders and Fan Club members)
- Colt Cabana v Dirk Feelgood
- Martin Stone/Stixx/Leroy Kincade v Stevie Lynn, Damon Leigh and Jack Storm
British Uprising
- FWA British Heavyweight Title
Doug Williams v Alex Shane - FWA All-England Title: Last Man Standing Match
Hade Vansen v Jack Xavier - FWA Tag Titles
Hampton Court v Mark Sloan/Stevie Knight - Thirty Minute Iron Man Match
James Tighe v AJ Styles - Six-Man Tag
Burchill/ Paul Travell and Terry Funk v The Triad (Drew McDonald, Thunder and Raj Ghosh) - D’Lo Brown v Mark Belton
- All-England Title Number One Contenders Match
Spud v Aviv Maayan v Ross Jordan - Plus appearances by Jonny Storm and Jodie Fleisch
Match by Match Preview
FWA British Heavyweight Title: Doug Williams V Alex Shane
There’s a lot at stake here for Alex Shane as he bids to regain the FWA British Heavyweight Title he last held back in 2000. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, that’s for sure. Doug Williams has won the title twice and has been FWA British Champion since March 2003, that’s a twenty month reign in which he’s beaten some of the best Indy talent in the world. He’s also won the ROH Pure Wrestling title and had great success touring abroad. As for Shane, well he’s had a few runs with the tag titles (his last title reign almost lasted 24 hours), his radio show got replaced by an easy listening music programme and has upset almost the entire FWA roster since turning heel at last year’s Uprising. Oh and there’s also the not so small issue regarding Danny Williams, who challenges for the World Heavyweight Boxing Title in a few weeks time.
Williams and Shane used to be friends, but that’s not the case anymore. The current war between the pair erupted in Morecambe. Williams had just beaten Aviv Maayan (who holds two wins over Shane this year) and had great respect for the rookie’s performance. But a vengeful Shane came to the ring to attack Maayan. Williams made the same and it’s been war ever since.
The day before Hotwired, Doug Williams was scheduled to top the bill at another show in Morecambe. Alex Shane took it upon himself to leave it to the very night to let Williams know who he’d be facing, a man chosen personally by Shane. Williams had to meet Joe E. Legend but also put up with interference by Shane who later stole the FWA Title belt. The following evening at Hotwired, Shane, the FWA’s Managing Director, decided Williams would again meet Legend in a dark match. More mayhem later, Shane then barred Williams from the venue.
With Doug out of the way, Alex could concentrate on upsetting the FWA’s special guest, Danny Williams. Shane came to ringside and began slagging of Williams, downplaying his recent victory over Mike Tyson. It all ended in a war of words between the two and a scuffle after which Williams left the arena. Later that night Alex Shane met Steve Corino who he’d also upset (memo, Alex needs the book ‘How to make friends and keep them’ in his Christmas stocking). Shane was on top until Doug Williams returned to cost Shane the match and reclaim his title belt.
The FWA had to issue an apology to Danny Williams and fired Alex Shane from his position as MD. But Shane still wanted his title match at Uprising against Doug. Now how he got that ranking I don’t know? Was it his loss to Steve Corino or the two losses to Aviv Maayan that clinched the ranking?
Shane got the title shot but at a price, a possibly painful price! If he loses to Doug he has to meet Danny in a boxer v wrestler match! I’m not quite sure how this is going to work out, Danny could be World Champ in a few weeks time so would he want to appear in the FWA again? Part of me thinks this could be the Showstealer’s night!
All-England Title: Last Man Standing Match
Hade Vansen v Jack Xavier
The feud between these two began when Vansen decided to interfere in Xavier’s match with Alex Shane. From that moment on, Xavier wanted revenge and Uprising could be the night he gets it.
No one could have guessed that Vansen would win the A-E Title at Uprising last year. After a series of rows and interfering in matches, Vansen was sacked by the company. But he managed to be on the front row at Uprising 2 as the All-England Champion The Zebra Kid (who beat Vansen at the first Uprising) failed to show up. Vansen offered his services and minutes later he’d beaten Flash Barker.
Xavier has already had one shot at Vansen’s title and that ended in a double knockout. But since then he’s beaten him in a round-robin tournament in Enfield and pinned Vansen in the six-man tag at Hotwired. This should be one hell of a match and I go for Xavier to win the belt. The winner of the match has to defend their belt on the 28th against Low Ki
FWA Tag Titles
Hampton Court v Stevie Knight and Mark Sloan
Stevie Knight won the tag titles last year tagging with the, then popular, Alex Shane. The title run didn’t last that long, well two days actually, and he’s wanted them back ever since. He’s challenged for the belts since but come up short, now he has Mark Sloan as his partner and another title shot.
Hampton Court won the belts against The Family when Paul Travell left Raj Ghosh alone, Simmonz tried to convince everyone he’d joined the Family and then promptly pinned Ghosh after revealing his Butler T-Shirt. So how did this match come about? Well, Simmonz met Sloan at Hotwired and the Specialist (looking to add the tag titles to his previous reigns as FWA Champ and All-England Champion) had to win to secure the Uprising title match. That he did, thanks to the interference of Stevie Knight. This should be pretty entertaining but I go for Hampton Court to keep their belts.
All-England Title Number One Contenders Match
Spud v Aviv Maayan v Ross Jordan
This could steal the card with three talented youngsters in a high flying classic. Spud has impressed greatly over the past few months and made his main-card debut for the FWA losing to James Tighe. Maayan is a product of the FWA Academy and has to be favourite for rookie of the year even before this match. Jordan also has a good record in a number of companies and this should be a great match. I go for Maayan to win the match.
Thirty Minute Iron Man Match: James Tighe v AJ Styles
This is a rematch from earlier in the year at Vendetta when Tighe turned heel and shocked the FWA. Before that he’d been as good as gold and this time last year was challenging Doug Williams for the title at Uprising 2. But after a run of losses that included CM Punk, Low-Ki, Mark Belton and Eamon Shrahan, Tighe decided a change of nature might help. He bought a chair into the ring and went to attack Styles who grabbed the chair and when the ref saw him with it, got himself disqualified. Now he’s back and after revenge and seeing it’s just a week after he failed to win back the TNA X-Division championship he’s not likely to be in a forgiving mood. I fully expect him to get the win.
Six-Man Tag: Funk/Burchill/Travell v The Triad
Now this should be the hardcore match of the night and with more than a tinge of sadness mixed in with joy attached to it.
How did the match come about? Well, mainly due to the collapse of The Family. After last year’s Uprising which saw Travell set alight by Mikey Whipwreck, things were never the same again in the Family. Travell felt he was left to suffer the burns to his back and wanted to leave. At New Frontiers, Greg ‘The Truth’ Lambert introduced Drew McDonald as the new leader of the Family and he managed to convince Travell to stay in The Family. But tensions grew again and when Travell left Ghosh alone to face Hampton Court and the Family lost the tag titles, that was it. At Hotwired Travell was due to meet Ghosh, but instead he had to face McDonald and Thunder, he didn’t last long! Later that night Lambert declared the Family was dead and McDonald, Ghosh and Thunder were now to be called The Triad.
So what about Burchill? Well, McDonald is to blame there as well. He attacked Burchill as the man-monster wrestled Simmonz in a match to decide who’d get a tag title shot. It cost Burchill his unbeaten record and he’s wanted revenge ever since.
But who’d partner Burchill and Travell? Dean ‘The Twisted Genius’ Ayass, who manages Burchill had days to find a third man or face a handicap match at Uprising. He found none other than Terry Funk!
This could be your last chance to see the hardcore legend in the UK, mind you the way it’s going he’ll never retire! It’s also your last chance to see Burchill in an FWA ring. He’s leaving after this event after getting the great news that WWE have signed him on a developmental contract and once a visa is sorted out he’ll be in OVW.
A match like this needs a tough ref and Jimmy Hart is that man (wonder if he refs with a megaphone?). But will he be trusted? Hart has issues with Funk from Memphis Wrestling and who knows what will happen between the pair?
D’Lo Brown v Mark Belton
Boy is this a great card! Former WWE European and IC Champ D’Lo Brown is currently on tour in the UK and faces a tough task as he comes up against Mark Belton. Belton has had a good year in the FWA and challenged for all the titles but come up short. A win here could get him back in the title picture.
The card also sees special appearances by Jodie Fleisch, could he be about to make his long awaited comeback and we’ll find out if the FWA Roster have voted to let Jonny Storm back into the company. Throw in the two dark matches and it’s going to be one hell of a night!
Stephen Ashfield