From Maryhill Halls to the Hydro: ICW stars gear up for biggest show of the year

The man behind Glasgow-based promotion Insane Championship Wrestling says it’s “surreal” to think how far the company’s come in the space of a decade.

Mark Dallas – the founder of ICW – will step out in front of thousands of fans at the SSE Hydro this Sunday at its biggest show of the year, Fear and Loathing X.

It’s a long way from humble beginnings in the north of Glasgow.

Speaking to Clyde News, he said: “Our first show was in Maryhill Community Central Halls in front of about 73 fans, and then this Sunday we’re at the Hydro for the second time in front of 4,000-plus fans. It’s surreal when you stop and think about it.

“At the very beginning, I thought – if I was lucky – I could fill the Maryhill Halls four or five times a year. In no way did I envision this growing to the size it has.”

It’s the second time ICW has held its flagship event ‘Fear and Loathing’ at the Clydeside venue.

Last year, around 6,000 fans were in attendance – making it the biggest independent wrestling show since Big Daddy faced Giant Haystacks in 1981.

Mark said: “I tend not to think about walking out in front of thousands of people until I’m already out there, and then when you’re there you don’t have time to soak it in.

“I thought about it for a tiny second last year when I walked out on the stage of the Hydro – I’ve never seen that many people all staring at me – and it kind of freaked me out. But I regrouped and I was fine, went and hit somebody with a golf club and we won the match.”

The company’s massive growth has created stars with cross-platform appeal, with Grado in particular appearing in wrestling shows across the world and as an actor in BBC programmes River City and Scot Squad.

The likes of Noam Dar, Wolfgang, Nikki Cross and Drew McIntyre – to name but a few – have also crossed the pond to join WWE, where the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena first made their name.

Mark admits it’s remarkable to see how ICW has progressed over the years.

“To see it grow from community centres to an actual industry – around ICW, Scottish wrestling and further afield British wrestling – which people can now get wages and make a living from, I’m incredibly proud of that.

“The Scottish scene is held in high regard, and it can still get bigger. The talent here is world-class. There’s countless wrestlers here that could go up against the best on the planet. You’ve seen that with the number of ICW wrestlers who’ve gone to ‘the big leagues’ of WWE in the US.”

Sunday’s show won’t just feature the promotion’s homegrown stars, but also some legends of the industry, including Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio.

Mark added: “If you’re a wrestling fan in Scotland, and this is on your doorstep, and you’re not going: what are you thinking?”

One of the performers on Sunday night will be female wrestler Kasey.

The Northern Irish native will take on Kay Lee Ray and Viper – fresh from an appearance in WWE’s Mae Young Classic – inside a steel cage for the ICW Women’s title.

28-year-old Kasey has competed across the world, and believes there’s nothing quite like taking in the grand spectacle of a wrestling event.

She said: “Think of the greatest firework display you’ve ever seen. It doesn’t give away everything at once – there’s a few pops here and there – but by the time it gets to the finale, you’re hooked. You can’t take your eyes off it.

“It just draws you in to that excitement of not knowing what’s going to happen next.”

Kasey admits this Sunday will be one of the landmark moments of her life.

“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for in ICW, for a long, long time.

“I can’t put into words how I’ll feel when my music hits and I step out on to that ramp and look out and see all those faces, and hear those fans.

"It’ll be unreal."