Norfolk County Championship Wrestling goes big

Brent Banks flies through the air to take down Johnny Deluca during Clash on the Coast.

Chris Abbott

Editor

Norfolk County Championship Wrestling delivered big-time with its first Clash on the Coast, a two-show event Oct. 25 at the Port Dover Community Centre.

“Collectively, I would say the whole day ran really smooth,” said NCCW promoter Adam Martin. “The excitement, the energy, it was top notch throughout the entire day and night… for both shows. Especially for something that’s never been done like that in this area before.”

Martin said there was some concern it might be ‘too long’ of a day for most wrestling fans – and wrestlers – but they had respectable crowds for both afternoon and evening events (No. 1 and No. 2).

“The energy was extremely high, the excitement was there, people were entertained and having fun. It was something special, that’s for sure. Watching the (video) footage, you can hear it and see it, so it was pretty cool.”

The evening show included Kingsley vs Jody Threat, “a ball of energy,” said Martin, as a taste of NCCW’s next event in February 2026 which will feature the NCCW’s first-ever women’s championship.

“It showed what they can do in the ring. They can draw a house (crowds).”

Pretty Boy Smooth and Hayden Backlund, with Taylor Rising, was a ‘bit of a contrast’ in the first show, said Martin.

“They’re actually feuding right now in NWA. At our last event, Hayden lost to Pretty Ricky Willdy for the second time in a row and he was technically supposed to be removed from NCCW, but NWA pulls the strings, so they got him on the card.”

Pretty Boy Smooth, one of the giants in the ring at 6’9”, performed twice last year for NCCW, said Martin, and will be back again in 2026 – but not for the February show.

The evening TNA international match between Dijak and Maclin was the most intense match throughout the entire day.

“There was a situation when Maclin got busted open,” said Martin, “so that added a bit more drama to that match. We’re not used to having blood on our programming like that – it made it a big deal.”

Pretty Ricky Willdy upset Pretty Boy Smooth to retain his NCCW title in the evening match.

“Pretty Boy (Smooth) went for his finish, and Ricky avoided it,” said Martin. “He flipped over the back of Pretty Boy Smooth and essentially ended up getting a quick roll-up pin… by the hair of his chin, snuck away with the win.

“They mutually hugged and hand-shaked after the match,” noted Martin, who raised the arms of both wrestlers. “Two amazing competitors, representing two amazing brands… NWA and NCCW.”

It was disclosed after the match that there will be a working relationship – and talent exchange - between OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling – featured on Netflix) and NCCW.

“That was a pretty big deal. And of course we’re going to retain our working relationship with the NWA as well.”

NCCW’s next show – No Man’s Land - will be Feb. 22 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Simcoe. Doors open at 1 p.m.

Highlights from Clash on the Coast will be posted on social media.

“Just snippets,” said Martin. “They go up on our reels, they go on YouTube. Short videos just to get the attention of people and show them what’s going on with NCCW. Enough to get people to say, ‘I want to check this out.”

The comedy spot between Kingsley and The Mountie – Jacques Rougeau was ‘classic’, said Martin.

“They’ve crossed paths before,” Martin noted. “They had a little interaction… and this just made perfect sense.”

The one-day, two-show promotion was supported financially by the Amplified Norfolk program through a grant given to the Port Dover Board of Trade, who helped coordinate the event in conjunction with NCCW.

“A massive, massive thank you to Norfolk County for the Amplify Norfolk program, and the opportunity to work with the Port Dover Board of Trade to present a different type of entertainment of this magnitude in Norfolk County.

Sponsors included Luxe Lodges on Lake Erie, Maxwell Group Management, Scott Wass, Bobby Reynolds Tattoo, and The Creative BRU-tique.  

The success of the event will help drive NCCW into 2026, said Martin.

“It definitely keeps everything exciting, not only as promoter, but moreso the fans as well. This event sets the tone… that NCCW can bring in the bigger names. It’s not just a little smalltown promotion. We take it extremely serious and we want it to be recognized as a promotion that is related to a ‘territory,’ running it in a couple towns. And hopefully next year a few more different towns in our area.

“It’s exciting because this one got a lot of attention, a lot of eyes. We’re not a national brand, and not even a provincial brand, but the level that we are at – the professionalism and experience – has opened the door, and that is the right direction to be going in.

“A lot of it had to do with what we were already doing, but having an event like this, I think it builds toward something even bigger stages of where we want to be in 2026.”