Premier Promotions 4/9/08: Rumblemania Trophy

This evening featured two trophy competitions. The Ian Downland Trophy, which is a tournament
to find the best young wrestler in the UK, was fought from Semi Finals through to Finals. Then
there is of course the Rumblemania Trophy which is yearly the final culmination of the summer
series in Worthing.

We arrived early again for the evening, when we got in we found a different ring to the one we
are used to. More like the ROH design than the classic standard ring Premier uses. Maybe I just
haven't been to a show where they have used it before but it looked better and instantly gave the
night a bigger show feel.

The first match of the night was a Ian Dowland Trophy Match pitting Mark Haskins against Joel Redman.

Haskins came to the ring dressed in a purple shirt and slacks which confused us and had two whiteboards
with him. My girlfriend and I looked confused until he showed us a picture of a fat man with glasses and
pointed at one of the rotund regulars in the front row which caused the fans wife to scream at Haskins who
then showed her the whiteboard he wrote for her. I won't go into detail but to say she was angry is a huge
understatement. As Mark Haskins started to taunt them further by stripping to his tights Joel Redman came
to the ring to the sound of a raucous crowd. Them match began with Redman and Haskins hitting each other
with high impact moves and pin attempts. They then started trading holds whilst Haskins continually abused
the audience making them boo him even more. In round 2 after pushing the referee around Haskins recieves a
first public warning. This led into Redman rolling Haskins up for the 3 in Round 2. In round 3 Haskins
started focusing on Redmans knee which Redman reinjured from a previous show when he leapt off the turnbuckle
so Haskins started stomping on the knee and not letting Redman up. This causes Haskins to get his second and
final public warning. Haskins keeps chop blocking Redman and locks him in the single leg boston a lot. This
leads up to Haskins locking on the figure four for the submission during round 4. In round 5 hopping on one
leg Redman mounted a comeback hitting Haskins with numerous forearms to the head before picking him up for
a sidewinder suplex/brainbuster and getting the 1,2,3. This match was fantastic one of my top Premier
matches of the year. What surprised me was how much Haskins made me care about Redman who normally I am
not bored by but not excited by either. Tonight I was firmly behind Redman and I think that shows how
great a heel Haskins is.

Second Match Ian Dowland Trophy Semi Final 2 Wade Fitzgerald vs Marty Scurll

This match was fantastic. These two just did so many reversals that I lost track of who was winning
many times. Scurll picked up a reversal of a pin by Fitzgerald and won a fall in the second round.
Fitzgerald fought back in round 3 for a quick roll up 1,2,3. At one fall apiece these two started
taking more risks by going to the air. Fitzgerald hit some high impact moves, went up to the top rope and
tried to hit a Shooting Star Press but finding only mat he fell prey to Scurll who hit a reverse crossbody
for the final pinfall. Another great match between two young wrestlers. Wade has really come up in my eyes
in the past few months, when I first started going I didn't think much but I just love watching this guy
he is fantastic fun and a great wrestler.

Third Match: Tag Team Match: Barry Cooper & Jonny Storm vs The Bull & Ian Logan

This tag match had a 30 minute time limit 2 falls to a finish. The Bull and Ian Logan cheated throughout the
first 5-6 minutes getting the first pinfall at 6 minutes exactly with their feet on the ropes. Then at 6:10
Barry Cooper rolled up Logan for an equalizing pinfall. The action then really heated up as Jonny started taking
to the sky and even hit the 619 before being hit with a weopon which caused the Worthing fans to nearly riot. The
referee counted the pinfall but reversed the decision when he noticed the weopon poking out of The Bull's trunks
so at 9 minutes and 41 seconds he awarded the match to Cooper and Storm due to DQ.


4th Match final of the Ian Downland Trophy Joel Redman vs Marty Scurll

Again this match is very technical based, lots of very old school reversals and manouvers. In round two things sped
up as Redman slammed Scurll before picking him up in a northern lights suplex for the first pinfall victory of the
match. Scurll bounced back in round 3 hitting Redman with the reverse crossbody that put Fitzgerald away and scored
a pinfall. The match then began to hit a faster harder pace as Scurll started to focus on Redmans knee. Redman fought
Scurll off and locked him in some submission moves inclding a Qebrada, a Sharpshooter and finally catching Scurll in a
Octopus Hold. Scurll fights to the ropes but can't reach and has to submit conceding the match and Trophy to Joel Redman.
Good match.

The Rumble

Jonny Storm wins the rumble in approximately 15 minutes by hitting the 619 and throwing The Bull over the top rope.


Top class event well worth the cash, by the time Premier come back in October I am going to be stoked. Match of the night
was Haskins vs Redman and is one of my choices for Premier match of the year along with O'Neill vs Williams at the St Patricks
day event. Cannot wait for October Half Term show.