Around one hundred wrestlers and fans from the Heritage Years, through to those of the early 21st century and current stars gathered together at the Peter Boyle Bowling Club on 13th August.
For five hours there was a flow of food, drink, stories, laughs, entertainment, obituaries and Awards.
This was the tenth anniversary of the Ayr Reunion, a remarkable achievement in view of the long distance travelled by many attendees. In that respect a special mention to Gernot Freiberger, making a return visit from Austria, Chris Buckwell, Bill Beaney and Karl Heinz from Kent, Tarantula from Birmingham, Paul Kaye from Nottingham, Steve Casey, Adrian Pollard, Wayne Freeman and Gina from Manchester.
Gypsy John Kenny sent his apologies due to illness on the day of the event, and regular attendee Billy La Rue was taken ill a couple of weeks ago.
The 2026 WRS Awards
Services To Wrestling
The first category of awards, Services to Wrestling, is self explanatory. The awards are given to individuals who have served pro wrestling in any capacity, wrestlers, referees, MC’s timekeepers, and the most important of them all, fans.
The first three awards are to ex members of the Old Mossblown Gym. Set up by Andy and Bill Bryden who persuaded the council to allow them to set up a gym in the local school. Over the years around forty men trained up to four days a week at the gym and demonstrated their skills in holiday camps, private social clubs, large hotel function rooms and Town Halls in the Central Belt in Scotland. Not for them the glamour of tv, but travelling long distances and getting home at unearthly hours of the morning.
Services To Wrestling: Robin “The Sheik” Watson
The first recipient was a tall dark haired wrestler who worked under the guise of an exotic character that was far removed from his day job as a chef at the Parkstone Hotel in Prestwick. Today he goes by the name of Robin Watson, but to us he will always be The Sheik. Robin “The Sheik” Watson
Services To Wrestling: Johnny Peters
A very athletic wrestler with a spectacular hand and headspring move when making his comeback against the latest villain. His greatest achievement though was diving into the sea in the early hours after getting off the mail boat ferry to rescue Dale Storm’s wrestling bag … Johnny Peters
Services To Wrestling: Douglas Allan
The third recipient of the Services To Wrestling Award is to another wrestler from the Old Mossblown Gym, one of the founding members of the gym in fact. He was one half of two sets of twins that graced the gym. He left wrestling whilst quite young to pursue an outside career, he is Douglas Allan
Services To Wrestling: Bryan Douglas
Moving away from Mossblown and into the present day. This man has been involved in wrestling for fourteen years. He started out with Scottish Wrestling Entertainment as a wrestler before moving on to backstage interviewing, commentary and MCing for W3L. the World Wide Wrestling League. He’s also played a creative and matchmaking role for Saltire Championship Wrestling meaning he’s a man who has done the lot and thoroughly deserves the Services To Wrestling Award. Bryan Douglas
Services To Wrestling: Paul Kaye
Last but not least, the final recipient of this award came from the most important category of all, the fans. Without those that hand over their money we would have no business to celebrate. He started out as a wrestling fan in 1972 watching spectacular shows at the Nottingham Ice Rink. He travelled around watching his favourite wrestler, Kendo Nagasaki, wherever he could. On one occasion he and a group of friends followed the tag team of Kendo and Blondie Barratt around the country for a week. Fortunately they were not arrested for stalking, and yes, they really do have the tee shirts to prove it. Our final Services to Wrestling Award goes to Paul Kaye
The Mossblown Gym Fellowship
The Mossblown Gym Fellowship is awarded to those who were not directly connected with the Old Mossblown Gym and are given in recognition of a treasured friendship.
Mossblown Gym Fellowship: Andy Robin
Our first recipient was a wrestler who was arguably the greatest name in Scottish wrestling. The Bryden brothers were privileged to count him as a friend and a man who gave him support over the years. He was an immensely popular wrestler who always gave the fans what they wanted, and that was usually an opponent on the mat writhing in agony. A legendary wrestler who, supported by a loving family of wife and bear created his own mythology. We were privileged to be in the presence of his wife Maggie who accepted the award for the legendary Andy Robin
Mossblown Gym Fellowship: Chris Buckwell
Our second recipient of the Mossblown Gym Fellowship was for a man who has been a wrestling fan and supporter of Wrestling Reunions for many years. He provided the entertainment at the British Wrestlers Reunion, the longest lasting wrestlers reunion in Europe. .He’s served his local community for many years, has a day job that takes him around Britain and the world. And today the Honorary Consul for the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe has found his way to the Peter Boyle Bowling Club. We welcome to the Mossblown Gym Fellowship Chris Buckwell
The Jim Isdale Award
Jim Isdale epitomised everything that was good at the Old Mossblown Gym. He was the complete professional in whatever role he played, be it wrestler, referee or Master of ceremonies. Since his death in 2020 he has been remembered each year at the WRS by the presentation of the Jim Isdale Shield.
Jim Isdale Award: Penelope Grace
The recipient of this year’s Jim Isdale Award embodies those same qualities – she’s dedicated, skilful, generous, reliable and admired by those around her.
This female wrestler has packed a huge amount into her five years as a professional. She has worked for various independent promoters, all of whom have testified to her outstanding skill and superb work ethic. These qualities have led to being crowned Fair City Wrestling’s Women’s champion and wrestling tours that have taken her to China, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. The recipient of the Jim Isdale Award is Penelope Grace
The Sammy Taylor Award
The Sammy Taylor award celebrates Sammy’s qualities of enthusiasm and dedication to professional wrestling.
Sammy Taylor Award: Fulton King
Another young wrestler who has packed a great deal into a few years. He’s an outstanding talent who has won the DAPW title, Target Wrestling Tag Team Championship and the Dundee and Angus title. In his four years as a professional he has travelled throughout the UK, toured Denmark , Sweden, China and is one of the few British wrestlers to have competed in Mexico as part of IPW Lucha Libre. A versatile wrestler who can switch styles as demanded, one of the most exciting performers in the ring today he was at the front of the queue when charisma was handed out. Winner of the Sammy Taylor Award is Fulton King
Legend of the Ring
Legend of the Ring: Wild Angus
The Legend award was awarded posthumously. Sixty one years ago, I even remember the date it was 1st June, 1965, this Legend of Wrestling wrestled Dirty Dominic Pye. It was a big night, and waiting fans snaked around one side and back of the hall. But even aged 11 I was sceptical that the Match of the Century would be held at Preston Public Hall. Nevertheless, the hall was absolutely packed out, and this man remained my favourite wrestler. In the 1960s independent rings where I watched him wrestle Dominic Pye, The Monster and The Ghoul, where he was always cheered on by the fans. So it came as a shock to me when I watched him elsewhere and discovered he was one of wrestling’s great villains. Nevertheless he remained my favourite wrestler.
The Award was accepted by Steve Casey, the son of Wild Angus
Lifetime Achievement Award
The most successful of wrestlers have always had careers that lasted twenty to thirty years, sometimes more. Twenty-five years is a long time by anyone’s standard. Our Lifetime Achievement winners have all been wrestling for a quarter of a century.
Lifetime Achievement: Kid Fite – Ross Watson
Whether you measure talent in terms of charisma or championship success this man has bagfulls of both. We could start with the British Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Title, or the Scottish School of Wrestling World Championship, or the European Cruiserweight Title. In tag matches we could point to championship success with 1 Pro Wrestling, Dansk Pro Wrestling, Deutsch Wrestling Allianz, Insane Championship Wrestling, and the list goes on, not forgetting five times World Wide Wrestling League Tag team champion.
If there is an end to this man’s talents we have to go some way to find it. Not only is he a great wrestling technician he is also responsible for one of Scotland’s top wrestling promotions. In 2006 he formed British Premier Wrestling, bringing international stars to Scotland. A working association with Brian Dixon, as a wrestler and part of the background team, established firm roots in the Scottish Holiday Camp circuit.
During his long career he has wrestled some of the big names of American wrestling, including the Steiner brothers, Kevin Nash and our own Drew Galloway.
At the Premier British Wrestling Academy he has been responsible for developing many young wrestlers, including two of our other Award recipients today, Lou King Sharp, Angel Hayze, and Noham Dar. It’s certainly a lifetime of achievement by Kid Fite
Lifetime Achievement: Mike Musso
Living the dream can’t start much lower than selling foam hands for Brian Dixon That’s where our next recipient started in return for some basic wrestling training. Further training came from Klondyke Jake, his sons David and Darren and Judo John Brown. He turned professional in 2001 initially working for Klondyke Jake, This led to extensive training by Jake the Snake Roberts before travelling to Canada in 2003.
Back in Britain he began promoting under the World Wide Wrestling League banner and learned more of the business from Heritage years greats Drew MacDonald, Blondie Barratt and Ricky Knight.
He picked up 9 Heavyweight Championships over 3 promotions and 4 Tag Team Championships over 2 promotions.
In 2012 he spent 3 days with WWE thanks to being put forward by another veteran of the UK scene that helped him, Robbie Brookside. In 2024 his career came full circle as he was accompanied to the ring by his old trainer Jake Roberts in a moment made possible by David Lowe at Scottish Wrestling Entertainment.
These days he’s still travelling but most of his time is spent continuing to build W3L, which has presented more than300 live ticketed events, that’s not counting events we have sold to gala days, holiday parks and private functions. Our Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Mike Musso
Lifetime Achievement: Bravehart David Low
Our next recipient took up wrestling in 1995, making his professional debut in 1997. Early experience came from working for Ricky Knight and Jimmy Ocean in England.
Dedication and ability meant he soon became one of the most sought after wrestlers in Britain. His development benefited from an eagerness to travel to work with the greatest names in the business, and that included a visit to Canada to learn from Stu Hart and his family in their world-famous gym, the Dungeon.
Part of his plan was always to open his own wrestling club, which came to fruition in 2000 when he opened the BSWA Club with Dave Maddison.
After around a year the BSWA became Scottish Wrestling Entertainment. Twenty three years later SWE is still going strong, having trained hundreds of wrestlers and promoting family orientated shows from local community halls to the Caird Hall in Dundee.
Acknowledging the traditions of British wrestling SWE staged traditional British matches, including championships, in partnership with veteran wrestler Dave Kidney
SWE Hell for Lycra series of tournaments has been staged at some of the biggest venues around Scotland, including the Concert Hall and Dewars Centre in Perth and the Caird Hall, Dundee, with international stars competing that included Johnny Saint, Marty Jones, TedDiBiase and Rowdy Roddy Piper.
It was recently said of a SWE show, ” I didn’t see people queuing to meet wrestlers. I saw children smiling because they got to hold a championship belt. I saw parents joining in. I saw grandparents reliving memories. I saw families from different cultures, backgrounds, and generations all enjoying the same experience.”
If that doesn’t make it a life worth living, nothing does. Our final Lifetime Achievement Award goes to one of the greatest wrestlers to emerge from Scotland in recent years, David Low, known to us all as Bravehart
Hall of Fame
The WRS Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest wrestlers of the current age. We acknowledge their dedication, charisma, and skill.
Hall of Fame: B.T. Gunn
Our first Hall of Fame inductee was trained by Conscience Peter Murphy and Eric Canyon. He made his professional debut in 2006 and will next month celebrate his 20th anniversary in the business. He has worked for over forty independent promoters around the country, worked on the 2017 WWE bill at the O2 Arena in London, and most notably is one of the leading stars for Insane Championship Wrestling.
Championship honours have never been far away, holding titles from British Championship Wrestling, Insane Championship Wrestling, Premier British Wrestling, Main Event Wrestling… the list goes on. He was the first Triple Crown champion for ICW.
Opponents have included WWE champion Drew Galloway, Colt Cobana, Davey Blaze, Kid Fite and Mikey Whiplash whilst tag team success has come with his partner Chris Renfrew and Kez Evans, winners of the ICW tag team title
In addition to his successful wrestling career he is also Head Coach at the Iron Girders Gym and regularly holds wrestling seminars around the UK. We welcome to the WRS Hall of Fame B.T.Gunn
Hall of Fame: Kasey Owens
Back in the 1960s female wrestlers had to fight for their right to wrestle with local councils around the country banning females from wrestling. Although those obstacles no longer exist the competition for the top is far more challenging. Our next Hall of Famer has overcome every challenge that has faced her and achieved greater success than earlier generations could imagine.
Making her debut in 2009 she was soon wrestling extensively throughout the UK, often un tag with her twin sister, Leah. She is a three times ICW champion, BEW Triple Crown Champion, twice TNT womens champion and tag team titles with her twin sister, Leah, and Molly Spartan. The list just goes on.
Her wrestling career has taken her around Britain, Ireland, France, Spain, and twice to Japan. She is well known for her hard hitting and all action style, which has earned her the nickname Mother of Chaos. Our next inductee to the Hall of Fame is.Kasey Owen
Hall of Fame: The Natural Alan Grogan
Our next inductee hails from Dundee, a city with a rich wrestling heritage of great names like George Kidd. He made his debut in 2003 for British Championship Wrestling following a years training by Carl Conroy, Spinner McKenzie and Justin Richards. He went on to work for major Scottish promoters that included BCW, Premier British Wrestling, W3L and ICW. This was the time that Drew Galloway, Kid Fite, Jack Jester, Wolfgang and Mike Musso were revitalising the Scottish wrestling scene.
Further afield he wrestled around the UK and in 2006 a tour of Nova Scotia in Canada.
He’s held the World Wide Wrestling League Heavyweight title and the Tag Team Title partnered by Mike Musso. Outside commitments brought retirement in 2013. In 2023 he was inducted into the W3L Hall of Fame, following which he was tempted to return to the ring for occasional matches, working for W3L and SCW…..Allan Grogan
Hall of Fame: Luke Aldridge
Our next hall of Famer made his debut in 2013. He is a man of many names. But whatever the name he’s entertained the fans who come back for more. A man of many titles too : SCW Tag Team champion, W3L World Champion, Scottish Wrestling Entertainment Super Grand Slam amongst them. He’s collected almost as many titles as he has names. He is Lucian Maynard Smith, Luke Xavier, The Exile, The Ascended, Father Luke, The Lord of The Mana, The Kiwi Crusader,The Notorious Nobleman, and more. Today he’s with us and is our latest entrant to the Hall of Fame.He is Luke Aldridge
The Lionheart Award
Lionheart Award: Xander Davidson
This award is presented each year in memory of Adrian Lionheart McCallum. Adrian was one of Scotland’s greatest wrestlers until his untimely and tragic death in 2019. The award is presented each year to a Scottish wrestler who has an even greater future ahead of him.
Trained by Kid Fite he turned professional four years ago he’s already attracted the attention of the fans, as well as attracting championship honours in the form of Premier British Wrestling Tag Team Champion as one half of the Dirty Money Tag Team and the Saltire Championship Wrestling Catchweight title. He’s made his inaugural trip abroad with a visit to Denmark, where he defended the PBW tag title….. Xanfer Davidson
The Wrestling Heritage Award
Wrestling Heritage Award: Big Ian Miller
The Wrestling Heritage Award is presented each year to someone who basically worked their socks off for the wrestling business back in the Heritage days of wrestling. This young fella had to do because he had three older brothers in the business who told him what to do. That meant putting up the ring, putting out and away the chairs, taking the money and pursuing his own wrestling career. That career started at just 16 years of age Former wrestler Eddie Rose told us of the time Romeo Joe Critchley dressed up as a chauffeur and arrived at the school gates to pick up Ian and loudly announce that the promoter had sent the car to take him to his match that evening. He wrestled for both independent promoters and Joint Promotions. He is the 2026 Wrestling Heritage Award winner,…Ian Bryden
The Drew Galloway Award
Drew Galloway Award: David Simpson Sr
The Drew Galloway Award is for those who made a long term commitment to professional wrestling, often without the recognition they deserved. Today’s recipient is no exception. He was a timekeeper, second and referee, but most of all a man who loved wrestling and was committed to Spartan Promotions and the Old Mossblown Gym. A man who is no longer with us and greatly missed by all those who knew him. His award will be collected by his wrestling sons, the Fabulous Harlequins. The Drew Galloway Shield is awarded to ….. David Simpson
A Special Award
Hercules
Wrestling promoters of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s always wanted to present something unique. Their attempts with the WildMan of Borneo, The Undertaker (yes Britain had one first) and the like proved fruitless as at the end of the day without the costumes they were just wrestlers.
One promoter did come up with something quite unique. Never seen before and never since. He turned to a family member, adopted family member who was admittedly a bit unusual. It was a loving family and the 20th September will be the fiftieth year since his adoption. In acknowledgement of his unique contribution to the wonderful world of professional wrestling I invite Maggie Robins to come forward and accept the award for Hercules The Bear
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Wrestling Heritage 