The World According To Wrestling podcast is back with a second episode this week and explores the current situation in the British wrestling scene, ITV’s revamp of World Of Sport, WWE’s UK plans and how the UK indie scene feels about it. The loaded line-up of episode guests includes Triple H, Dave Meltzer, Andy Quildan, Klondyke Kate, Fred Dinenage, William Regal, Robbie Brookside, Finn Balor, Neville, Ryan Satin and Court Bauer.
The episode is available to download from today on iTunes and all other podcast platforms. You can read a few excerpts as well as listen to the show below:
Paul Levesque, WWE’s Executive Vice President and 14-time World Champion Triple H, on launching in the UK at a similar time to World of Sport:
“Did it change our timing a little bit because of when they positioned their show? Yeah, but we are talking by maybe months or something not speeding up the process in terms of getting it done. We’ve been working on this for a long time. Any other show aside, if they are successful I’m happy for them. And, at the end of the day, it all helps the industry so we just do what we do. And I think we do it better than anyone else on the planet.”
Former WWE writer and MLW’s Court Bauer, said:
“UK really was an amazing region for pro wrestling and then there was a scorched earth effect for many years and it’s revived itself in more modern times. When you have something as big as WWE hovering over you like a death star, you know, this could go two different ways. Fans might win, but also that might just be a short term position if you look at the large term something like ITV doing World Of Sport truly could really help sustain and stabilise this regeneration of pro-wrestling. So that’s my concern.”
Andy Quildan, founder of Revolution Pro Wrestling in the UK said, on ITV and WWE moving in on the British scene:
“Worrying about what everyone else is doing and trying to get into pretend wrestling wars with people is just ridiculous. The fact of the matter is if WWE want to come over and takeover UK wrestling, they’re going to do it. It is what it is. Let’s continue to do what we do in the highest level possible.
“I can see people’s mentality with ‘they’re trying to take over British wrestling’ and my argument is if you look at for example theatre, look at the West End. How many different theatrical productions are going on in the West End every single night. All at the same time. All competing with one another… I’m not phased by it. It’s a very interesting time and certainly a lot of stuff’s changing but at the same time it’s nice for British wrestling not to be an afterthought for once.”
