Remembering Extreme World Warfare Part VII

EWW needed momentum. So far, we had produced two shows and were getting attention from the British wrestling fans, but mainstream interest was non-existent. We weren’t the only ones having this problem. There was a lot of talk about TV from both the UWA and the FWA, especially with the proliferation of more television channels, but still the stigma of British Wrestling’s past haunted us all. Everyone had their media contacts and we all did our best, but we knew that our key to was to build a following. This meant more exposure of our brand and storylines. We did not want to stay at Exeter Hall. The plan now was to get moving on “The Armageddon Tour” and to book as many dates as possible. Unfortunately we just did not have the money and with both Stu and me in full-time employment it was difficult to promote a run of our own shows. We needed to selectively partner with other promotions and get bookings.

Remembering Extreme World Warfare Part VI

We were on our way back from our little adventure in Southsea and Stu’s outburst went something like this “It’s 1999 and look how far we’ve all come over the past two decades: Abba in the charts and Star Wars on the fucking cinema!” It was a fair point. Nostalgia was a drug we all smoked socially, but the turn of century was showing serious signs of innovation-stifling addiction. It wasn’t just coming from the past either. Despite a new generation of British wrestlers arriving on the scene, many were using slogans and gestures stolen wholesale from their US heroes. I cringed every time we worked on a show and some dickhead worker started x-chopping. This wasn’t the New British Wrestling scene we wanted to promote. We weren’t denying our inspiration, but we certainly weren’t shackled to it either. Looking back I am sure Stu and I had certain fundamental differences in the way we wanted to the wrestling scene to go, but I think a key thing we did agree on was the desire to forge something unique.

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 I

It seems very strange now looking back on the relatively brief time I was co-promoter of an extreme professional wrestling outfit. My life now is so different, that although I can see me back there and feel the energy I had then it just seems like another life altogether. What seems even stranger still was the path that led me there. Tell anyone now who either knows me through my work as a self-protection/martial arts coach or even through my current connections to showbusiness, that I was once a Gothic sword wielding wrestling manager that had a penchant for wearing red contact lenses, getting cut up with razor blades and barbed wire, and spewing Kensington Gore all over the place they are likely to ask “Is this the same Jamie Clubb we are talking about”. It’s no secret. I appeared in Combat martial arts magazine on the front cover with an eight page feature, covered in corpse paint and did the best I could to court media attention. And yet, years later I find myself training in an MMA gym in Birmingham and one of the receptionist starts teasing me as if this part of my history was comparable to being closet transvestite. A friend of mine pretty much summed up the incredulity of those that have known me since my days running a pro wrestling promotion are over: “Why Jamie? Why?”