These days, 9 out of 10 ICW fans will say that Wolfy is their man in this feud. The big fun-loving heavyweight with the most nonsensical agility. He's been labelled "The Franchise" of ICW, and one of the most respected guy's on the roster. BT Gunn on the other hand is a bit of a strange one, hence his nickname "The Oddity". Over the years he has transitioned from being a well-loved ICW Champion to a psychotic man who doesn't much care for the well-being of his opponents, or indeed, himself.
As I mentioned there, BT was once well-loved by the ICW faithful. A fan favorite who, along with his NAK brother Chris Renfrew, Kid Fite and Jack Jester, was a member of Team ICW, which was assembled to take on the then most feared (and most hated) team in the company, The Gold Label, comprising of Red Lightning, Lionheart, Darkside... and Wolfgang. So their roles back then were completely the opposite of now. Now, the NAK are the most feared stable in the company. Gunn, along with Renfrew, Dickie Divers and Darkside, have had the run of ICW for as long as I've been a fan, and one of their main targets has always been Wolfgang.
What has always been a professional rivalry was made personal by BT Gunn though, as a pair of scissors were introduced after a match, and Gunn cut the then long blonde hair of Wolfgang. I could babble on for ages about how this was significant, and how it changed Wolfgang's demeanor. However, that wouldn't do it justice. Instead here's Wolfy sending a message to BT after that match, and explaining, better than I ever could, how Gunn's actions made it personal...
The old wrestling cliche of one wrestler addressing the other wrestler by their "real names" in order to make the rivalry feel more real may have been overused over the years. However, in this instance, the passion in Wolfgang's voice, hinted with sad anger, tells us that this is very much real. Barry Young's cousin Thomas McGowan hurt him personally, and he's going to need to pay for that. Wolfgang is nothing if not a man of his word, and at Still Smokin' this year, he looked to exact some revenge on his cousin.
With Wolfy set to take part in the ICW Heavyweight Championship match later on in the card, no one could have expected him to make the impact he did. During a triple threat tag team ladder match between the NAK, The Bucky Boys, and The Sumerian Death Squad for the then vacant ICW World Tag Team Championships, BT Gunn climbed atop a stage in order to fend off his opponents with a steel chair. Nothing too unusual about that, but from behind the curtain stepped Wolfgang. Everyone bar BT knew he was there, and by the time he realized, it was too late. A feeble attempt to ward off the attack of Wolfgang culminated with the big man hoisting Gunn in the Gorilla Press, and throwing him thirty feet onto the other competitors. What if the others weren't there to break his fall? Probably would have been the last we'd have seen of BT Gunn in ICW, but it was certainly his last contribution in that match, as both he and Divers were helped to the back before the match even reached it's climax. Later that night, it must have taken all the tonic wine in the back to perk BT back up, as he got involved in Wolfgang's title match, ensuring that he wouldn't be coming the ICW Heavyweight Champion, and ensuring that we wouldn't be seeing the last of these two in the same ring...
At Jimmy Nail's Revenge in Newcastle, the match was announced that we were all waiting for - BT Gunn vs Wolfgang one on one. It looked as though it was all going to go to plan. No NAK from the start, meaning it really was one on one. Wolfgang dominated BT throughout the match, with his size and strength advantage proving to be vital. It looked as if the moment when Wolfy finished off his cousin and got on with his ICW career was coming, but it seems a bigger stage would be set for this to happen, as the NAK showed face, ending with Gunn knocking out Wolfgang with Chris Renfrew's square go briefcase and sealing the win.
Wolfgang was undeterred though, and on July 13th at the sold out What's Your Boggle? in London, the two were set to square off once again, with Wolfgang looking to gain his revenge. Again, the odds were stacked up against him, as Rob Cage was used as a doppelganger in order for the NAK to try and finish it. The real BT Gunn appeared, and the Kliq mercilessly beat upon Wolfgang with a steel chair. Then they tried to end the career of Wolfgang. With his head propped inside the open chair, Wolfy was defenseless as BT climbed the top rope and delivered a sickening double stomp to the head of Wolfgang, leaving him badly concussed. The following show, the NAK showed a video of Wolfgang clearing up his bar sometime after London, when an assailant runs in and begins to attack him, it's later confirmed that it was indeed BT who attacked him. The rivalry was taken out of the wrestling ring and onto the streets, during Wolfgang's everyday life. We didn't see him in ICW for a while, until...
Edinburgh Fringe Festival shows. After many occasions where the NAK had Wolfgang's music played, evoking an ear-shattering pop, only to dupe the crowds by imitating the big man himself, the real thing happened. As the NAK tried desperately to out number Grado and Colt Cabana to retain their tag titles, Wolfgang appeared, and made a beeline for his cousin. BT Gunn fled, and that ultimately handed the tag team championships to Irn-Jew. Wolfgang was back, and there was no way he was letting BT Gunn slip through his fingers again... which takes us to this past Sunday.
Round three of Wolfgang vs BT Gunn, with the added stipulation of it being a dog collar match. Two guys with all the disdain in the world for each other being chained together by the necks was always going to be brutal, but rather than an all out mindless brawl, we were treated to the clear match of the night and one of the most emotional wrestling matches you're likely to see. The disregard of their own safety in the name of telling the most perfect and captivating story in wrestling today. Throughout the match, both men were dangling from opposite sides of the ring, over the top ropes and hanging by their necks, and at another point, Wolfgang held BT high in the air and launched him into the crowd. All it would have taken was that throw going too far and both would have probably been deid the now, no doubt about it. Yet again though, the prospect of Wolfgang gaining his retribution against Gunn just didn't seem to fit into the night, as another NAK distraction allowed BT to hit the facefucker and make it 3-0 in his favor. It was after the match that things got emotional, as the cousins who grew up together and dreamed of wrestling together shone through for those few minutes, as BT offered a hand in respect, which Wolfgang accepted. It had us all wondering. There wasn't a person in the Garage who didn't think for even a second that when Renfrew and Divers ran past Gunn and attacked Wolfgang again, that that chain wrapped around BT's fist had both their names on it. A thunderous "BT GUNN!" chant erupted, as it looked as though he was going to turn on his NAK brethren, but apparently blood isn't thicker than water in his eyes, as he laid out Wolfgang yet again, and left without as much as looking back.
The days of BT Gunn simply trying to convince his cousin to join him in the New Age Kliq seem to be over. It appears as if the stage is now set for Wolfgang and BT Gunn to have their show stealing moment together at Fear & Loathing 7, which is taking place at the Barrowlands. The moment that both men fantasized about together when they were young. Although, I'm sure they wouldn't have thought in a million years it would be under these circumstances. I guess we'll find out come November 2nd whether or not these two men are really bonded by blood.
Top photo by David J. Wilson.