Goodbye FPW

Thank you and goodnight.

As most of you know we had to cancel our October 29th show due to personal circumstances affecting one of us that would have made running the show impossible. Those life affecting circumstances haven’t gone away and it now seems clear that continuing to try to provide shows to the standard that we’re used to would be problematic and irresponsible.

It is then with regret that I have to tell you that we have decided to close the doors of Future Pro Wrestling effective immediately. We had hoped to put on a show in December. I know that many of you had tickets rolling over from Oct onto that one. Any purchases will of course be refunded. Any tickets already booked for December will also be refunded.

We had always said that we wanted to choose when we finished rather than fading away. I know that having just cancelled a show that this seems hypocritical but we feel that by choosing now to end things means that we have kept a consistent quality of shows and we then stop the potential for disappointing both fans, our amazing FPW ring crew and Wrestlers in the future. The story of British wrestling is littered with tales of promotions sticking it out to the bitter end and often at the expense of the reputation of the industry as a whole. We don’t want to do that and would much rather be upfront and honest and not tarnish the current scene which is at an all-time high. There is no extra story or conspiracy here. We haven’t fallen out or split up over creative differences or money. The three of us are firm friends and have been since school days. What affects one affects us all.

The landscape of British wrestling has changed. We leave it in a much different place than when we joined it. We’ve seen stars grow and flourish and share their talents on a far bigger stages. We’ve seen promotions crack the code and produce shows that consistently sell out for all the right reasons. We three are not naive enough to think that we’ve caused any of this to happen. However we are proud to have played any part, no matter how small in flying the flag for British wrestling during a time of positive change.
Last December, one of the best wrestlers in the country turned to me before making his entrance and said that he’d seen the music video from our first show back in 2011 (yes the Adele one) and told me that from then on he’d wanted to work for us. He walked out to make his debut and went down a storm. Later that night he told me that our crowd was very unique in that “They’re smart but nice”. The organic energy of the FPW crowd has helped us keep going for over 5 years. A combination of young and old, enthusiasts and people new to the scene, mums and dads, trainees and grandparents alike all contributed to an energy that I’ve found to be unique to any building. Are their louder crowds? Sure. Are there bigger crowds? Absolutely. But the genuine, non-cynical investment from our fans has never gone unnoticed and would always be talked about with much love and appreciation in the locker room.
You’ll never know how much that crowd has meant to us over the years. They’ve followed us through venue changes and more besides and never once dipped in energy.
FPW has been described on occasion as a family. Early on I thought that this was an excitable label but over the years it became a very accurate one. People were sitting in particular seats at every show and getting to know the fans next to them. Chants would start from one corner of the room and bat back and forth and there was a huge familiarity amongst everyone at halftime. It felt like a family. Not a football club but a family. These unforgettable years have truly been highlights in our lives and we thank each and person who has ever bought a ticket and joined us for a crazy evening of wrestling.

And so to the thank yous. Firstly to our families & friends who have put up with a lot since we started in 2011. Thank you for supporting and listening and sweeping, mopping, selling, cooking and generally being the backbone of the operation. We could not have opened the doors without you and we’ll never forget your support and understanding with each and every show. Both on show days and at home you never once told us to quit or that this wrestling thing was a bad idea. You always kept us up and made sure we put on the best show we possibly could for every paying customer.
To the guys behind the scenes on the ring crew, lights, sound, video, photos and editing you made us look good and you were consummate professionals. Thank you so much for lending us your experience, maturity and hard work.

To the wrestling promotors who have supported us over the years. In 2011 we were warned about an element of rivalry and a tendency of working against each other rather than alongside other wrestling promotors. Apart from one occasion in 2012, we have been blessed with fellow promotors in the industry who have been there to pitch in, offer advice and work alongside. The country is very lucky to have so many quality promotions being led by some of the nicest, most professional and passionate individuals we’ve ever known. There are now no lack of places to go to experience a quality product and we thank each and every one of you for your partnership over the years.

And lastly to every wrestler who stepped through our ropes and gave 100% for every paying customer, we can never thank you enough. The jaw dropping quality of the matches you put on is the real reason the crowds came back time after time. We always wanted to cater to people of all ages without watering down the intensity of the matches. You never held back or gave any less than your all and you conducted yourselves like true ladies and gentlemen in front of a crowd who appreciated every risk you took. Thank you for making fans of us all.

It has been an adventure and a pleasure to be part of FPW and we step away from wrestling with many more stories, friends and experiences than we ever thought possible.

With all our sincerest thanks and best wishes to you all for the future.

Matt Burden (co-founder)