NORTH Wrestling are attempting to surpass the attendance record for an active independent wrestling promotion in Newcastle.
In 2023, NORTH’s Thunderstruck show broke this record with a crowd of 730 in the Walker Activity Dome. On Saturday the 13th of July, NORTH attempt to break their own record in the same venue with Thunderstruck 2.
Thunderstruck 2 has already had some major match announcements including former WWE superstar Elijah (FKA Elias) versus TNA star Joe Hendry. This will be Elijah’s first match in the UK since leaving WWE in September 2023.
Joe Hendry recently became a viral sensation when his entrance theme music reached number four in the official charts. The song, written and performed by Hendry, beat out the likes of Beyonce and Taylor Swift because of the Scotsman’s large online fanbase.
A usual NORTH Wrestling show is unsuitable for those under the age of eighteen due to the language and graphic violence that takes place. However, this years Thunderstruck will once again be a night of family-friendly entertainment.
The main event will be current NORTH Champion and TNA star Leon Slater taking on number one contender Man Like DeReiss. Leon Slater became the youngest ever NORTH Championship at last year’s Thunderstruck at just 18-years-old and has since defended the title on five successful occasions.
NORTH Wrestling Owner/Promoter Andrew Bowers said: “Leon Slater could be headlining Wrestlemania one day, without a doubt. He is in the top level bracket with Will Ospreay, he has such a high ceiling”.
Man Like DeReiss is a NORTH regular set to make his seventeenth appearance for the promotion but this is his first opportunity at the NORTH Championship. As a team known as Boisterous Behaviour, Slater and DeReiss became the first ever NORTH Tag-Team Champions back in July 2022.
Andrew Bowers added: “You look at DeReiss and you see all the skills a wrestler needs to become one of the best in the world. He’s having a breakout year and everyone is finally starting to see his potential”.
The NORTH Tag-Team Championships will be defended in a chaotic bout that will see current champions Rhio and Emersyn Jayne defend against three other teams in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match. The challengers are the teams of Liam Slater and Rory Coyle, the Landed Gentry (Benji and Zeo Knox) and Rampage Brown and Will Kroos.
The 2023 Thunderstruck show saw the Landed Gentry lose a tag-team match against WWE legend Gangrel and Thunderstruck 2 foe, Rory Coyle. As a result of the match’s stipulation, Landed Gentry member Benji had his head shaved in front of the 730 strong audience.
The Landed Gentry’s Benji said: “It was awesome to get to work with Gangrel. When else are you ever going to get the opportunity to wrestle someone who has wrestled The Rock? It was insane.”
BBC Radio Newcastle regular and YouTube sensation Tom Campbell will be the event’s MC.
Tickets for this event are selling fast and are available on the NORTH Wrestling website.
