While the promotion is no longer in operation, the rise of UK promotion RIPTIDE Wrestling captured the hearts, minds, and imagination of British wrestling fans from coast to coast.
But before it closed its doors in 2021, over the company’s four-year history, it highlighted some of the country’s greatest talent.
A great way to get readers up to speed on Riptide is to give a rundown on who RIPTIDE Wrestling are and what they’ve done. So let’s crack on.
A Brief History Of – RIPTIDE Wrestling
The massive boom of professional wrestling in the UK has spawned a multitude of promotions, all trying to be noticed as one of the best.
Off the top of my head, you have PROGRESS Wrestling, ICW, Revolution Pro Wrestling, OTT, IPW: UK, Fight Club Pro, ATTACK Professional Wrestling, to name but a few that have broken through to the forefront of British wrestling thinking.
You can add one more to that list….RIPTIDE Wrestling.
Down here in the South East of England, there aren’t that many really big promotions. IPW doesn’t run that often down here now. PROGRESS tickets are like gold dust for their home Electric Ballroom shows held in London. So up stepped RIPTIDE.
Based in Brighton, East Sussex, RIPTIDE Wrestling have only 15 shows under their belt. But already has amassed a huge reputation for their unusual matches and amazing cinematic style of their VOD.
Don’t believe me? Check out this teaser for their Point Break event from November last year. I swear this video below will make you a fan of their visual shooting style.
Pretty much every promotion has a home venue. ECW had their Arena in Philadelphia, Progress Wrestling now call the Electric Ballroom theirs, Rev Pro have their spiritual home at York Hall, and Riptide is no different.
All of their shows have been held at the Brighthelm Centre situated in the center of Brighton. The center is charity driven and strives to have a positive impact on the local community, a belief that is held strongly with RIPTIDE management.
Different Styles
To stand out from the crowd, RIPTIDE has incorporated different styles of matches and matchups.
Intergender matches – whether it’s a traditional one-on-one, multi-person tag matches, or even rumble matches – a drinking match featuring Eddie Dennis and a lady that likes her cans, Session Moth Martina, the world’s first triple threat 2 out of 3 falls tables match.
(honestly it’s brilliant) and even allowing another promotion’s tag titles to be defended on their shows (ATTACK before you ask).
The cream of the British wrestling scene has worked for the promotion in it’s short time, just look at the card above for proof – Will Ospreay, Marty Scurll, Zack Sabre Jr, Jimmy Havoc, CCK, Flash Morgan Webster, I mean I could go on –
But it’s not just British talent they have used. The people behind the scenes also have had some fantastic international talent on their cards too. “Speedball” Mike Bailey seems to have found a UK home and has put on some fantastic matches here.
Angelico – fresh from his Lucha Underground appearances, tore it up here, and let’s not forget that in their last show, RIPTIDE brought over the mighty Ringkampf (Timothy Thatcher and WALTER, now known as GUNTHER), who put on a match of the year candidate against Aussie Open (Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher).
Brighton Champion Tournament
In early August this year, RIPTIDE ran a tournament to crown their first-ever Brighton Champion, and after a hellacious three days, Chuck Mambo overcame the odds to seal his as the first-ever champion in RIPTIDE history.
Below is possibly the best photo of a champion celebrating ANYWHERE!
All these fantastic world-famous wrestlers wanting to work here. They are amazing and different shot shows for their VOD and a buzz like no other for a promotion that is only 16 months old! Seriously, RIPTIDE Wrestling is riding the crest of a huge wave.
2019 would be an even bigger year for them. Watch out, world, RIPTIDE is coming, and they’re going to make sure that you’re going to know all about them!
Their matches are exciting and offer something for everyone! Whether its the likes of Chuck Mambo, Spike Trivet, or Cara Noir, RIPTIDE Wrestling’s foundation is set!
RIPTIDE Wrestling
Thanks once again, folks. I hope that this little piece has made you want to look at RIPTIDE—and maybe British wrestling in general—more closely. The promotion has achieved a great deal in such a short time.
Their existence has been tied to a number of fun matches, excited crowds but most importantly a sense of production that is often unmatched.
As RIPTIDE Wrestling continues to move on, a number of questions will remain. Who will be the face of the company moving into the future? Will there be champions that will take over and ensure that RIPTIDE Wrestling continues to succeed?
Fans are also encouraged to visit RIPTIDE Wrestling’s official website, as they also offer a streaming service. Its ongoing content will never disappoint and their production is something many major promotions are likely to envy as well.
Unfortunately, RIPTIDE Wrestling closed in 2021. However, names such as Cara Noir, Chuck Mambo, and the late Mad Kurt were integral to the passionate promotions’ rise.
Today, names such as Will Ospreay, Pete Dunne, PAC, and Kyle Fletcher would be the ones that put the promotion on the map.
One has to wonder if the company will make a resurgence and once again run shows. Only time will tell.
