The Boards Irish Top 25

FFPW Office · 17-12-2010 3:50pm

With the struggle to get the no.1 on the podcast makes me think it may be Manson, due to his UK commitments, 7 of the top 10 were on the AWR tour and all denied they were number 1, which means either someone is a great poker player out of that group or its one of the other 3 (Manson, Bingo, Devlin).

Justin Shape's over interest in the final outcome is another point that should be made, is his interest that of a fan of the concept of the irish top 30 or is it because he has the inside scoop about the no.1 spot and can't wait to tell the world.

Has Paddy Morrow's knee injury hampered his claims for top spot. Surely an active suicide machine would have been clear favourite for the crown

Sean 'Maxer' Brennan & Dunkan Disorderly have swapped the NLW Title in the past year, main eventing show after show. Will they be main eventing the podcast when the no.1 is revealed?

Will trips to the land of the rising sun in the last 12 months help Omen and Paul Tracey rise to the top of the rankings?

Has Phily The Kid russled up enough votes from his deputy's to claim the number 1 badge?

When the number 1 is revealed will the word on everyone's lips be BINGO!!!

And then last and maybe least Jordan Devlin will he be able to flip the odds chart and take the top spot?

Justin Ternet · 23-12-2010 1:22pm

Well this has become as quiet as a fart in a confession box. Has the boston crab scuttled off somewhere for christmas?

the flananator · 23-12-2010 2:43pm

Justin Ternet wrote: »

Well this has become as quiet as a fart in a confession box. Has the boston crab scuttled off somewhere for christmas?

I think he's lost his smile.

Justin Ternet · 23-12-2010 8:22pm

Justin Ternet · 23-12-2010 8:23pm

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thebostoncrab · 29-12-2010 9:23pm

Number 22

Tucker

At Number 22 is a man who is currently stealing the show in Dublin Championship Wrestling, Tucker.

A man who is quickly becoming one of the best wrestlers in the country is setting himself for an excellent 2011. Tucker recently took part in what The Boston Crab called the best match to take place in Ireland this year when he teamed up with Insano and took on Thunder and Lighting for the DCW Tag Team Titles.

Voters for the Top 30 are wising up to Tucker also, saying that he has a "great look and doing stuff in the ring I haven’t seen any Irish wrestler do ever. Excellent baby face that can get the crowd to love him no matter where the show is." All it will take is for Tucker to land a great gimmick or to improve on the mic and he could become top of this list next year.

thebostoncrab · 29-12-2010 9:42pm

Number 21

The Ballymun Bruiser

Bruiser has done it all. When it comes to Irish wrestling he is one of the names that comes up again and again. He can safely be called a vetern of the scene and has been involved with almost every company to set up in Ireland.

Bruiser has become known as being both a great comedy wrestler and someone who can go in the ring. His style is simular to that of Colt Cabanas, and his gimmick doesn't hinder him when it comes to recognition for his talent like it would for other wrestlers.

Bruiser is currently invovled in the main event scene in DCW, having recently turned face after having an old-school style match up with Danny Deans. His gimmick also allows him to play both heel and face, but we think everyone who has seen him will agree that Bruiser works best as the cocky gob****e heel who gets under your skin so easily. Anyone interested in becoming a wrestler can do no wrong in looking at his matches to learn how to become not only a good wrestler, but a great wrestler.

thebostoncrab · 29-12-2010 9:52pm

Number 20

Danny Butler

The former NWA Ireland Tag-Team Champion is another vet from the Irish scene who is still entertaining fans and hanging with the young guys. While we said that Danny Deans is one of the best big men in Ireland today, there is a very strong argument that Butler is one of the best big men in Ireland ever.

Butlers stiff style has gotten over brilliantly with fans and delivers one of the best suplexs you will see that is very simular to how Taz delivered them in ECW. Butler is subject to praise form everyone that works with him and has earned the respect that his peers give him.

While Danny is more than capable of delivering solo, he shines brightest when put into a tag-team, having been involved in some of the best tag-team action the country has seen, no matter who he has teamed with.

When not wrestling Danny is also well known is the Irish metal scene, with his bands getting great feedback from fans that matches the ones he gets from wrestling.

One voter summed what we all love about Butler though, "I love watching him beat people up."

thebostoncrab · 29-12-2010 10:00pm

Number 19

Red Vinny

Another entrant who has been the topic of discussion with this list, but it's impossible to ignore just how much Red has brought to Irish wrestling over the years, and having him break into the top 20 just prooves how great of a wrestler Vinny is.

He has been able to stand and tails above so many other wrestlers from the get-go, as he looks like a superstar. With his ring gear and image, it's impossible to not notice him coming to the ring. But unlike some other wrestlers who use a great image in order to hide a lack of talent, Vinny more than delivers in the ring. Wheter it's on the mat or in the air, Vinny is comfortable with every part of the game.

Vinny has also been noticed abroad, especially in the UKs Real Quality Wrestling where he has had some fantastic matches, including a show-stealer with the British Dragon Gate star PAC.

Wheter Vinny will be in next years list is a tough question to answer, but enough fans here will back it up that the first list would be missing something if he was denied a spot this year.

thebostoncrab · 29-12-2010 10:08pm

Number 18

Bonesaw

What a difference two years makes. Bonesaw has grown more than any other wrestling in Ireland over the past year and has become one of the finest brawlers you can find on either side of the border.

Bonesaw may not be the flashiest wrestler on this list, but he is a great heel, and is one that any promoter can relly on to deliver a great match. He is a proper old-school heel, that realises that it is much easier to get the audience to hate you if you wrestle like a wrestler from AWA when all they want to see are the guys delivering speed and moves every 10 seconds.

He also seems to know that having the same name as Randy Savages character in Spiderman makes it frustrating to find any information on him, what a heel

What voters have said about him:

“Great heel, can wrestle and brawl and some one you just love to hate.”
“Great heel. Quite underrated.”
“A very safe wrestler.”
“Has come on so much over the past 2 years. He’s a fantastic wrestler, really solid and everything he does looks well.”
““Well built, solid heel who gets the crowd against him every time. Good in-ring, with convincing offense, and can be put into any main event.”
“Enjoyable as a heel, impressive stature, decent in ring”

thebostoncrab · 29-12-2010 10:18pm

Number 17

Kev Roxxs

"The Glam Rock Superstar" has had a fantastic year. He has made a name for himself wrestling for Pro Wrestling Ulster as their Heavyweight Champion and also for Dublin Championship Wrestling where he is involved in a programme with fellow Irish Top 30 entrant Vic Viper.

Kev plays a great underdog babyface who has a great, natural charisma that channels perfectly to the fans and it's impossible not to get behind the guy. He is a ball of energy and how he manages to keep it going for a whole match I'll never know.

The great thing about Kev also is how much he keeps kayfabe alive when he is spotted at a wrestling show. At a recent DCW show after Viper kidnapped his girlfriend Laura, Kev could be found by fans around the venue trying to find her, which may seem small on paper but in person really made you care more about the character, which is something every Irish wrestler should keep a note of. Just because we are wise to the working of pro wresling doesn't mean we won't enjoy seeing you keep kayfabe after matches. For doing so Kev deserves all the praise in the world.

Some voters have said:
“What a gimmick; gets the crowd going every time.”
“Most entertaining character to me and solid worker”

the flananator · 29-12-2010 10:24pm

What promotion does Bonesaw work for?

thebostoncrab · 29-12-2010 10:27pm

the flananator wrote: »

What promotion does Bonesaw work for?

He has been in Fight Factory this year

Justin Ternet · 29-12-2010 10:34pm

He started out with UCW then worked a bit for PWU but now runs his own school and promotion called MEGA or modern extreme grappling arts. He has done a fair bit of work with FFPW and NLW this year he's a solid worker and a joy to watch. Great write ups crab nice to see things are back on track.

nlw_coleman · 30-12-2010 12:56pm

Flan, you'll know Bonesaw as 'Machine', worked for UCW, NLW. He'll be working the NLW show in Moat Theatre, Naas on January 23rd.

thebostoncrab · 30-12-2010 8:18pm

Number 16

Working Class John

Working Class John ended the year strong making his debut in Dublin Championship Wrestling as one of the men involved in the gauntlet match with Danny Deans. Depsite John ended the match with the loss, he prooved that night he is one of the best in the country at doing what he does best; making others look brilliant.

Today in wrestling, so many guys are too focused on making themselves look a million bucks, not realising that it's perhaps even more important to make the person on the other end of the ring look just as good.

Talking with others involved in the field, they are all agreed that John is one of the best guys to wrestle against due to a lack of an ego coming from the man. He will ensure that everyone involved in the match looks strong.

That's not to say that he ends up on his back every match. John is a great wrestler himself and could easily walk over other wrestlers and only make himself look like a star, but his knowledge of the game ensures that John will continue to help grow Irish wresters and their stance in the fans eyes, while keeping his one strong.

thebostoncrab · 30-12-2010 8:30pm

Number 15

LA Warren

As we reach the half way point in this list, we are greeted with the former IWW Zero Gravity champion LA Warren. LA Warren will begin 2011 as another addition to the ever growing DCW Roster. He ended the year by turning on his old running buddy and fellow Boards Top 30 entrant The Ballymun Bruiser.

Warren stands out with his nightstick in hand and 80s shades that instantly just makes fans want to boo him. He carries himself like a star and is somone that any Irish group can benefit from featuring on their roster.

Warren had some brilliant match ups with Red Vinny that should be checked out by anyone with an interest in Irish wrestling as they are breath taking.

thebostoncrab · 30-12-2010 8:37pm

Number 14

Andy Phoenix

It's a shame that the second half of the year resulted in Phoenix ending up on the shelf, because his year was getting better and better with each show that feautred him.

Andy knows how to play a heel perfectly, and can have a great match with a broomstick. Phoenix has his character down perfectly, to the point that it almost looks like he is just being himself in the ring.

He has brought his craft to every major company in Ireland, including NWA Ireland, Celtic Pro Wrestling, Fight Factory Pro Wrestling and Dublin Championship Wrestling. And everywhere he has gone, he hasn't never found himself from at the top or just below it. This is a strong testament to just how great of a talent he is and impossible to ignore.

Hopefully Andy will be bounce back strong for 2011. If his past is anything to go by, he shouldn't find it hard to make everyone remember his name again.

thebostoncrab · 30-12-2010 8:48pm

Number 13

Sean South

Sean South has never been too far away from controversy, as has unfortunatly rubbed some of our voters up the wrong way; He has been accused of using politics to climb the ranks in Ireland. However, everyone that voted for him, even those who pointed out some of the controversies, have all said the same thing; he is a damn good wrestler.

South is a classic monster heel who looks tough and hits even harder. He has traveled and trained across the globe and has picked up a repuatation in Europe as being one of the heaviest hitters around. He is also a sound technical wrestler, making him able to work with any style of wrestler. It's something that alot of big men don't seem to try to do and South is wise enough to know that in order to make yourself stand out from the others, it takes more than just having a great image, you have to make your in-ring moves different from everyone else.

One of my personal favourite things to do in a Sean South match is to watch him snap when the crowd gets behind someone he is on top of during the match. South can deliver a beat down like no other, and it is a sight to behold.

Some of our voters had this to say:

“Solid, hard-hitting, and hard-working wrestler.”
“Very talented in-ring hand, who works well as a heel. Can be quite controversial, which would explain his lack of work in Ireland in recent years. Decent size, good gear and can get under the skin of any crowd.”
“Good technical wrestler, grand as a heel, no reaction as a face, less politicking might have made him higher up the list”

thebostoncrab · 30-12-2010 9:08pm

Number 12

Vic Viper

Viper is another one of those names that just comes up time and time again when the subject of Irish wrestling has come up. On a personal note I rate his match against Nigel McGuiness as one of the best match ups in Irish wrestling history, if not the best match up. It's not every Irish wrestler who can say he had a match for the Ring of Honor World Title but he did just that in 2008. Anyone else that was there will speak volumes about that contest.

Viper has spent the past six years standing head and shoulders above so many other workers, making a name for himself from the get-go in IWW. Viper is a former IWW Heavyweight Champion and is someone that just has "it" when it comes to wrestling.

Vic is hands down one of the best heels in Ireland today, if not the best one, and has the best look of any wrestler going today. Viper carries himself as a great wrestler that doesn't need the fans to like him in order to prove how good he is.

The Snake Man can currently be found in DCW, where he can be found easily making himself stand out as being perhaps the best wrestler on the roster.

Some of our voters had this to say:

“A great heel, who gets consistently excellent heat.”
“Solid gimmick, solid look, solid wrestling ability.”
“Underappreciated guy who has had some of the best battles of the decade on these shores. Hung with the likes of Nigel McGuiness and CIMA a few years back, and looked the part.”

cinder · 30-12-2010 9:36pm

thebostoncrab wrote: »

Number 16

Working Class John

Working Class John ended the year strong making his debut in Dublin Championship Wrestling as one of the men involved in the gauntlet match with Danny Deans. Depsite John ended the match with the loss, he prooved that night he is one of the best in the country at doing what he does best; making others look brilliant.

Today in wrestling, so many guys are too focused on making themselves look a million bucks, not realising that it's perhaps even more important to make the person on the other end of the ring look just as good.

Talking with others involved in the field, they are all agreed that John is one of the best guys to wrestle against due to a lack of an ego coming from the man. He will ensure that everyone involved in the match looks strong.

That's not to say that he ends up on his back every match. John is a great wrestler himself and could easily walk over other wrestlers and only make himself look like a star, but his knowledge of the game ensures that John will continue to help grow Irish wresters and their stance in the fans eyes, while keeping his one strong.

good write up. big fan of this guy. seen him wrestle a few times. nice fella. im suprised you never mentioned his pinfall victory against Kevin Thorn and numerous european wrestlers lol. i found his facebook there recently. seems he has fought guys from a lot of places. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Working-Class-John-Wrestler/176137895736017

cinder · 30-12-2010 10:04pm

thebostoncrab wrote: »

Number 15

LA Warren

As we reach the half way point in this list, we are greeted with the former IWW Zero Gravity champion LA Warren. LA Warren will begin 2011 as another addition to the ever growing DCW Roster. He ended the year by turning on his old running buddy and fellow Boards Top 30 entrant The Ballymun Bruiser.

Warren stands out with his nightstick in hand and 80s shades that instantly just makes fans want to boo him. He carries himself like a star and is somone that any Irish group can benefit from featuring on their roster.

Warren had some brilliant match ups with Red Vinny that should be checked out by anyone with an interest in Irish wrestling as they are breath taking.

well deserved. one of the best heels ive seen on the irish scene. swung his nightstick at me once. also a really sound guy.

cinder · 30-12-2010 10:06pm

thebostoncrab wrote: »

Number 13

Sean South

Sean South has never been too far away from controversy, as has unfortunatly rubbed some of our voters up the wrong way; He has been accused of using politics to climb the ranks in Ireland. However, everyone that voted for him, even those who pointed out some of the controversies, have all said the same thing; he is a damn good wrestler.

South is a classic monster heel who looks tough and hits even harder. He has traveled and trained across the globe and has picked up a repuatation in Europe as being one of the heaviest hitters around. He is also a sound technical wrestler, making him able to work with any style of wrestler. It's something that alot of big men don't seem to try to do and South is wise enough to know that in order to make yourself stand out from the others, it takes more than just having a great image, you have to make your in-ring moves different from everyone else.

One of my personal favourite things to do in a Sean South match is to watch him snap when the crowd gets behind someone he is on top of during the match. South can deliver a beat down like no other, and it is a sight to behold.

Some of our voters had this to say:

“Solid, hard-hitting, and hard-working wrestler.”
“Very talented in-ring hand, who works well as a heel. Can be quite controversial, which would explain his lack of work in Ireland in recent years. Decent size, good gear and can get under the skin of any crowd.”
“Good technical wrestler, grand as a heel, no reaction as a face, less politicking might have made him higher up the list”

heard hes a good wrestler. never got to see him though. where does he wrestle?

thebostoncrab · 30-12-2010 10:13pm

He has done work with the wrestling.ie group up in the North.

cinder · 30-12-2010 10:16pm

thebostoncrab wrote: »

He has done work with the wrestling.ie group up in the North.

ah a shame. i live in dublin. too much effort to head north. shame he doesnt wrestle down here.

thebostoncrab · 02-01-2011 10:59pm

Number 11

Mandrake

The man to beat in IWW, Mandrake has had a very dominant 2010. The biggest news from this year are the rumors of a future shot in the WWE, which have yet to be offical or shot down 100%. If they are true, then we can all be safe in the knowledge that he will do us very very proud.

Mandrake is a massive hit no matter what crowd he is in front of. He has toured the whole country with IWW and has always been the most over member of the roster, and for a very good reason.

According to the podcasts co-presenter Walter Mandrake is perhaps the best guy in the country, and by just attending one of his matches it is easy to see why. He is dominant in the ring and just ozzes that "it" factor that is needed in wrestling. The fact that he spends so much time not only developing his ring talent, but his body image and his character, is a testament to just how great this guy really is, and how much he loves this sport. Besides, he isn't the longest reiging IWW Champion in the companies history for ****s and giggles

If there was one man who could hold the flag for Irish wrestling, you would be hard pushed to find a better rep that Mandrake.

thebostoncrab · 02-01-2011 11:11pm

HERE WE GO, THE TOP TEN IRISH WRESTLERS OF 2010 AS VOTED FOR BY YOU!

Number 10

Jordan Devlin

Jordan could very well be the best light heavyweight in the country today. Jordan takes to the sky with such grace and skill, it's a true sight to watch. When other wrestlers and promoters voted in this pole,Jordans name ranked incredibly high in everyones list to the point that I'm positive noone left him out of their lists.

But don't be quick to think that Jordan is a one trick pony; Devlin is just as capable on the ground as he is in the air. His technical wrestling is excellent and brings him closer and closer to having the total package. It's shocking to think that someone that is young could be so good. Mix his youth with his eagerness to learn more and more and Jordan could easily find himself in the top five next year.

What some voters had to say about Jordan:
“Only seen him in action once or twice, but he was impressive.”
“This guy is the best young wrestler in Ireland today fact. Check him out his high flying and technical skills are brilliant.”
“Tremendous in both high flying and technical wrestling”
“Watch out for Jordan. He's improving every single day. He's so good now and he will get better. Dedication to training and going to the gym will stand to him.”
“Superb cruiserweight who is as solid as any in ring. Good, if small, physique, and quite charismatic. Hits the most beautiful moonsault in the country.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg2uFD1wAhk

thebostoncrab · 02-01-2011 11:39pm

Number 9

Bingo Ballance

Bingo Ballance is creadited as being one of the wrestlers responsible for IWW Zero Gravity division, one of the most exciting things to happen to Irish wrestling in the 00's. That alone should spell out how great of a wrestler Ballance is.

The first ever IWW Zero Gravity Champion is a great singles and tag-team wrestler, he went over PAC of all people to win that title in 2007. When you can hang with one of the worlds finest light heavyweights its a strong sign of how gifted of a wrestler you are.

When he finished up with IWW, he began to make a name for himself in the international field, especially in British company Dynamic Pro Wrestling, instantly finding himself in a programme with another of Englands finests light heavyweights El Ligro. He has been making waves all over England, especially this year and is a fine ambassador for Irish wrestling.

On a personal note I think everyone here should check out his Facebook blog (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bingo-Ballance/42218716280?v=info#!/pages/Bingo-Ballance/42218716280?v=wall) and check out his brilliant blogs!

What some of our voters had to say:

“Perfect baby face, knows when to hit his stuff and when to put on the breaks to get the crowd behind him. Well travelled and it shows.”
“Extremely underrated. Always has a good match, anytime I’ve seen him.”
“Exciting wrestler”
“Experienced cruiser who still delivers the goods.”
“Has grown a lot in recent years - innovative, exciting and reliable, Bingo is as solid a cruiserweight as any on the Irish scene, and rarely has a poor match. Has bulked up a little in recent years which lends itself well, but lacks a little on the charisma side of things.”
“Good highflyer, get decent enough crowd reactions, but overall has no real character”

thebostoncrab · 02-01-2011 11:55pm

Number 8

Philly The Kid

Currently making a name for himself in FFPW, we have the dark horse of this list, Philly The Kid.

Philly is a man who I love to watch wrestler, because he makes wrestling fun. From the moment 5,6,7,8 comes through the soundsystem, you know you're in for a good time. The cowboy outfit just completes the whole thing.

He may not be everyones cup of tea, but part of that is because alot of people won't give him the chance he deserves, simply because of his gimmick. It's very easy to hate a cowboy who comes to the ring with Steps as his theme music, but if you look past it you'll find a very talented wrestler. Placing so high on this list is a strong testament to that fact. Philly also takes a gimmick that would cause most fans to boo him right out of the building, yet gets cheers from it. He knows that a gimmick can only do so much; if it's flat fans won't cheer for you. Philly gets a reaction every time he is in a match, and it's always the one he wants. Hopefully this year some fans will wise up and realise that under the hat is an extremely talented wrestler.

Besides, a cowboy is not that out of the ordinary, considering almost all of us love watching a zombie biker steal Wrestlemaina after Wrestlemania.

thebostoncrab · 03-01-2011 12:09am

Number 7

Mad Man Manson

The bookies favourite just misses out on breaking the top 5 in the biggest shock of the list this year. But many fans have pointed out, that Manson is spending less and less time wrestling in Ireland, and perhaps might not be fuly elligable for next years list. Perhaps it is this reason that stopped him from getting the number one spot. If so, then it's a perfect swan song for Manson to make it into the top ten.

Manson is another one of those names that you instantly think of when it comes to Irish wrestling. Manson, along with the likes of Sheamus, Fergal Devitt and Vic Viper, is one of the men at the that was at he fore-front when Irish wrestling began to really start having a growth in the 00s.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Manson is the best comedy Irish wrestler ever. His dedication to his character is astonding, and it has lead to recognition across Europe. Name a company in Britian, and chances are he was worked for them. He has also travelled to Australia, New Zeland and the United States. He has even had the honor of sharing time with podcast favourite The Iron Sheik.

A true testament to his talent is the fact that he is the only Irish wrestler to make the UKFFs top 50 wrestlers of the year in England.

Mason is one of the finest to have in this countries wrestling history, and hopefully we will see him on our soil in 2011.

What somes of our voters said:

“Really adds something completely different and brilliant to every show he’s on.”
“Superb character, who delivers the best comedy bouts in the country, and could go further with it. No slouch in the ring either.”
“The best comedy wrestler in Europe by far, and one of the best in the world. Has bulked hugely since his IWW days, but retains his super-fun matches. Can be counted on to give both fans and non fans a giggle, superb promo, and also a surprisingly solid wrestler in the ring.”
“Legend”

The Boards Irish Top 25

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