For the Love of Wrestling

Last updated
For the Love of Wrestling
SoCalVal interviews Adam Cole inside the ring at For the Love of Wrestling 2023.jpg
SoCalVal interviews Adam Cole inside the ring at For the Love of Wrestling 2023
StatusActive
Genre Wrestling
VenueBowlers Exhibition Centre
Location(s) Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, England
Inaugurated27–28 April 2019
Most recent29–30 April 2023
Next event2–3 March 2024
Attendance10,000k+ (2023 event)
Organized byMonopoly Events
Website www.fortheloveofwrestling.co.uk

For the Love of Wrestling is a fan convention held annually in Manchester, England that celebrates the sport of professional wrestling, which is organised by UK Events company Monopoly Events.

Contents

History and organisation

For the Love of Wrestling has been running since 2019 when Monopoly Events CEO Andy Kleek saw a gap in the market for a UK based wrestling fan convention after wrestling guests were extremely well received at other comic book conventions in 2018. The first two events took place in Exhibition Centre Liverpool while the last event in 2023 took place in Manchester.

Monopoly Events is a Manchester-based event organization company that specializes in events held in the North West of England and Scotland. Along with the For the Love of Wrestling event, they are also responsible for organising Comic Con Liverpool, Comic Con Scotland, Comic Con Wales, For the Love of Wrestling, For the Love of Horror, For the Love of Sci-Fi, Comic Con Manchester, For the Love of MMA, Comic Con Northern Ireland and Comic Con Scotland Aberdeen with new events, Comic Con Northeast and Comic Con Yorkshire joining the fold in 2023 and plans for further expansion across the UK including into London in 2024.

The first For the Love of Wrestling in 2019 was extremely well received by the public for a first-time event, with approximately 20,000 visitors many of who were there to see the wrestler The Undertaker, who was attending in his first ever UK fan convention appearance. [1]

The convention consistently includes guest appearances from well known professional wrestlers from different companies representing the sport like WWE, TNA, WCW and others. Some guests are modern wrestlers who are still fighting to date such as Jungle Boy, MJF and Adam Cole while others are retired wrestlers such as Ted DiBiase, Bret Hart and more.

Location, dates and notable guests

DatesLocationNotable guests
27–28 April 2019 Exhibition Centre Liverpool Booker T, Bret Hart, Brooklyn Brawler, Brutus Beefcake, Chris Jericho, Christian Cage, Emma, Eric Bischoff, Jim Duggan, Jimmy Hart, Kelly Kelly, Kevin Nash, Lita, Marty Jannetty, Pete Dunne, Rick Flair, Scott Hall, Sid Vicious, Summer Rae, Ted DiBiase, The Undertaker, Virgil
23–24 April 2022 Exhibition Centre Liverpool Adam Scherr, Billy Gunn, Bo Dallas, Bray Wyatt, Candice Michelle, Earl Hebner, Erick Rowan, Fred Ottman, Grado, JBL, Jim Ross, Kurt Angle, Lanny Poffo, Lillian Garcia, Madusa, Mickie James, Mike Rotunda, MJF, Nick Aldis, Road Dogg, SoCal Val, Sting, Tatanka, The Nasty Boys, Torrie Wilson, Trish Stratus, Victoria
29–30 April 2023Bowlers Exhibition Centre. Manchester Adam Cole, Anna Jay, The Barbarian, Barry Darsow, Bill Eadie, Booker T, Britt Baker, Bryan Danielson, Bubba Ray, Carlito, Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood, Diamond Dallas Page, D-Von, Bill Goldberg, Jamie Hayter, Jungle Boy, Kevin Nash, Mike Rotunda, Paul Roma, Big Show, Ruby Soho, Santino Marella, Sharmell, Ted DiBiase, Terri Runnels, The Warlord
2–3 March 2024Bowlers Exhibition Centre. Manchester Al Snow, CJ Perry, Dylan Postl, Elijah, Gangrel, Jake Hager, John Morrison, Ken Shamrock, Lita, Mandy Sacs, Marc Mero, Maria Kanellis, Matt Riddle, Nic Nemeth, Real1, Rhyno, Rikishi, Scott Steiner, Sean Waltman, Sgt Slaughter, Shelton Benjamin, Taya Valkyrie, Trish Stratus

See also

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References

  1. Docking, Neil (24 April 2019). "WWE legend The Undertaker flying to the UK for huge fan convention". The Mirror. Reach PLC. Retrieved 29 November 2023.