Remembering Extreme World Warfare Part IV

Lee Edwards had become a very enthusiastic part of our new venture. He was thrilled and flattered with being selected to become our first champion. There were probably only a handful of wrestlers who really got the whole idea that Stu, Josh and I were pursuing in the early days of our promotion. We were trying to re-define professional wrestling and create a uniquely British art-form. Lee completely understood what we were trying to do. In addition to designing our logo and posters he was eager with ideas to push "Extreme World Warfare: The Declaration".

Remembering "Extreme World Warfare" Part III

Stu and I stood in the middle of Madison Square Gardens, our sense of wonderment restrained only by the shared knowledge that we'd earned this moment. All the lonely cold nights in the morning loading up equipment with the remnants of grease paint on my face had been worth it. All the days walking through the miserable November showers from premises to premises only to be refused at every stop by people who wouldn't display our advertising posters had been worth it. All the let downs and false promises we had absorbed had been worth it. All the ridicule and insults we had taken from both the wrestling world and the wrestling sceptics alike had been justly endured. All the money my grandfather had left me in his will had been invested well because of this moment. This moment of glory… that never happened.

I didn't actually dream of our show performing at any famous venue. I don't think Stu did either. We had nightmares about arriving late for the show, forgetting essential equipment and wrestlers not turning up. Stu had one reoccurring dream about the whole show not getting caught on film. These were warranted concerns because on different occasions such things nearly and actually did happen. With the exception of our final show together our debut, "The Declaration", was perhaps the most nerve-wrecking experience in the history of our business partnership.