Parker Cars Magazine: Issue 4

O2 Academy in Islington and Koko in Camden. This
November they’re at Brooklyn Bowl, at The O2.
ICW boss Mark Dallas says his style of combat is
very much aimed at adults unlike American WWE
“which is aimed at kids”.
“Our shows have elements of all different styles
of professional wrestling but at the same time you
get a lot of stunts, and bumps and comedy,” he
adds. “There’s a bit of something for everybody. If
you don’t like the blood, then you’ll like the jokes.
There’s stuff you’d see on Jackass. There’s car
crash TV you’d see on Jerry Springer. There are
shocking twists and turns in the storylines. Imagine
EastEnders where every episode ends up in a
massive fight.”
Despite the theatricality, Dallas stresses how
dangerous professional wrestling can be if executed
incorrectly. “It’s an art form. But an art form where
any move done wrong can paralyse you. If I roll you
over my shoulder and put the wrong knee down,
your spine lands on my knee and you’re f***ing
paralysed. There’s a million moves, and there’s a
million ways to get hurt. Wrestlers get injuries on a
nightly basis; injuries that if you went to your doctor
you could probably get signed off sick from work
for the rest of your days. People don’t understand
the heartbreak and the pain these performers go
through for their art form.”
Back in Bethnal Green, Dawkins is feeling both
heartbreak and pain as he looks close-up in the
mirror and sees the damage inflicted on his face.
The split lip is bigger than it first seemed. But this
guy is tough. “I think Steri-Strips will do the job,” he
says with a certain bravado.
where to, parker? 27