ICW's Mark Dallas Discusses Relationship With WWE, Almost Booking Hulk Hogan
He appeared on the Wrestling Daft podcast.
Insane Championship Wrestling are considered by many wrestling fans to be one of the pioneers behind the UK Wrestling boom in recent years. They have sold out the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, and hosted memorable matches like Grado vs. Drew Galloway and Prince Devitt vs. Jack Jester.
ICW owner Mark Dallas recently appeared on the Wrestling Daft Podcast to talk about his experiences in professional wrestling. One of the topics that came up was the relationship between ICW and WWE. He admitted they keep in contact with one another, and that they are very much a feeder system for WWE at the moment. He mentioned there had been discussions about putting ICW on the WWE Network, but there were no concrete plans at the moment. Dallas added that they do help each other with shows every now and then, as NXT Superstars and Triple H have appeared in the UK promotion.
Dallas explained: "We keep in contact with each other, and if they're needing talent they know we're a great place to cultivate [them] to eventually go to WWE and NXT UK. That's what it is right now [...] At this point in time we are not going on the [WWE] Network. It might change in the future. It has been discussed [...] I meet up with them once or twice a year, talk to them on the phone every now and again, and just stay in touch - try to help each other a wee bit. Like Jeff Jarrett couldn't do our show Shug's Hoose Party in July, so I contacted them and they were like we'll send you somebody from NXT, just give us a list of who you would want."
ICW has hosted many famous professional wrestlers throughout the years. Mick Foley and Kevin Nash have both been guest general managers, while Hardcore Holly and The Dudley Boyz have competed inside an ICW ring.
Podcast host Grado asked if there was any wrestlers Dallas wanted to book but couldn't. Dallas described that he tried to get Hulk Hogan. He added: "It nearly became revealed that the person who'd bankrolled The Black Label when they took out ICW was Hollywood Hulk Hogan. He was meant to be a certain price, then he won the Gawker case. And then the next day, his price was like five times higher."
ICW owner Mark Dallas recently appeared on the Wrestling Daft Podcast to talk about his experiences in professional wrestling. One of the topics that came up was the relationship between ICW and WWE. He admitted they keep in contact with one another, and that they are very much a feeder system for WWE at the moment. He mentioned there had been discussions about putting ICW on the WWE Network, but there were no concrete plans at the moment. Dallas added that they do help each other with shows every now and then, as NXT Superstars and Triple H have appeared in the UK promotion.
Dallas explained: "We keep in contact with each other, and if they're needing talent they know we're a great place to cultivate [them] to eventually go to WWE and NXT UK. That's what it is right now [...] At this point in time we are not going on the [WWE] Network. It might change in the future. It has been discussed [...] I meet up with them once or twice a year, talk to them on the phone every now and again, and just stay in touch - try to help each other a wee bit. Like Jeff Jarrett couldn't do our show Shug's Hoose Party in July, so I contacted them and they were like we'll send you somebody from NXT, just give us a list of who you would want."
ICW has hosted many famous professional wrestlers throughout the years. Mick Foley and Kevin Nash have both been guest general managers, while Hardcore Holly and The Dudley Boyz have competed inside an ICW ring.
Podcast host Grado asked if there was any wrestlers Dallas wanted to book but couldn't. Dallas described that he tried to get Hulk Hogan. He added: "It nearly became revealed that the person who'd bankrolled The Black Label when they took out ICW was Hollywood Hulk Hogan. He was meant to be a certain price, then he won the Gawker case. And then the next day, his price was like five times higher."
Written by Aidan Gibbons
Editor-in-Chief of Cultaholic.com Twitter: @theaidangibbons
