Darren Burridge

Professional wrestling career

Burridge began his training in his late teens with the FWA Academy, in London and would go on to appear in the Frontier Wrestling Alliance promotion. After moving to the Dropkixx training school in Essex, he would be taught by "The Gay One" Vince Randell, Bobby Barnes and Tony Scarlo.

Burridge would first adopt the same gay gimmick comedy routine used by these two World of Sport legends (Randall and Barnes) as "Exotic" Baxter Burridge, but once established on the independent circuit he soon adapted it to his well-known King of Chavs gimmick "The Pukka One" Darren Burridge. Burridge would also wrestle outside the UK touring places like Thailand, Austria, Germany, Italy, and Sicily as well as become the head trainer at Irish Whip Wrestling.

He was considered to be one of the main faces of advertising on Sky's TWC Fight! and regularly commutes between Britain and Ireland where he was the lead trainer for Irish Whip Wrestling for a brief time. Burridge would go on to become a popular wrestler in 1 Pro Wrestling (1PW); making his first appearance as part of a pre show match at its first event. From March 2006, Burridge became extremely popular with the fans when he started tag teaming with Colt Cabana as Team S.H.A.G. (Street Hooligan Adventure Gang).

In May 2006 Darren Burridge faced Nigel McGuinness at 1PW Fight Club. The match was critically acclaimed and considered to be the best all-British match in 1PW history at the time. Burridge was set to face Bryan Danielson at Fight Club II in July 2006 but, due to flight problems for Danielson, the match never happened. Instead Burridge tagged with Jimmy Snuka. The Burridge/Danielson match has been due to happen at least twice, but as of 2008 it still has not taken place.

During 1PW's first anniversary show Team SHAG won the 1PW Tag Team Championship during a three way ladder match against the defending champions Jonny Storm and Jody Fleisch and the Southern Comfort team of Tracey Smothers and Chris Hamrick. Later, in April 2007, it was revealed that Colt Cabana (Darren Burridge's tag partner and fellow 1PW Tag Team Champion) had signed with the WWE. On 6 April (Cabana's last ever European appearance) Burridge and Cabana (Team SHAG) successfully defended their titles one last time by defeating Doug Williams and Nigel McGuinness in an excellent match which, due to issues with Nu-Wrestling Evolution, will unfortunately never see the light of day. Team SHAG then vacated the titles.

With Cabana gone, Burridge refocused on his singles career in 1PW. His first two scheduled matches were against American independent Delirious and Bryan Danielson, who was later replaced by 2 Cold Scorpio. At the Know Your Enemy 2007 weekend, Burridge defeated Delirious and went to a time limit draw with Scorpio. After this match, 1PW General Manager Adam Curtis declared that Burridge would face Nigel McGuinness at Invincible 2007 in a Two out of three falls match, in addition to Burridge's already scheduled match with Doug Williams at 1PW Underground #1. Burridge lost to McGuinness, two falls to one. After the match, Adam Curtis booked the 'rubber match' between Burridge and McGuinness at 1PW Second Anniversary Show as a 45min Ironman Match. The following weekend, he defeated Williams in their scheduled match.

A mid-show confrontation at Underground #1 with then 1PW Openweight Champion James Wallace (in which Burridge took the belt and challenged the champion to take it back) led to Wallace accepting Burridge's challenge for a title match at Underground #2. On 22 September 2007 Darren Burridge challenged James Wallace for the 1PW Openweight Championship. Burridge won, making Wallace submit with his Rings of Sovereign move. Burridge then travelled to Orpington to represent 1PW in an Inter-Fed Cup Qualification match against James Tighe, representing the defenders IPW:UK. After a heated match, Burridge defeated Tighe, again by submission with the Rings of Sovereign.

As 1PW's Second Anniversary Show approached, the company confirmed that Burridge's newly-won title would be on the line in the Ironman match. One week before the show, McGuinness won the ROH World Championship from Takeshi Morishima and made his first UK appearance with the belt at the Second Anniversary Show. The forty-five-minute Ironman match ended a tie at 4-4, meaning Burridge retained. It was voted 1PW's Match of the Year for 2007. Burridge went on to successfully defend his title a fortnight later at Underground #3, defeating Zebra Kid.

According to kayfabe injuries suffered in the match with Zebra Kid, Burridge did not appear at 1PW's Underground #4 event, but instead resurfaced at their A Very Merry Christmas Show to defend his Openweight Title once more. His challenger (announced at the previously mentioned UG#4) was the returning 'Man that Gravity Forgot' Pac, exercising his rematch clause. After a contest in which Pac initially showed little caring suddenly became very fierce very quickly, Burridge was able to attain the victory via submission to the Rings of Sovereign.

The new year ushered in a new era of change for Burridge in 1PW as he received his first shot at the 1PW World Championship over the double shot of 25 and 26 January 2008. The Pukka One earned the title opportunity by defending his 1PW Openweight Championship successfully against Darkside (notably, the original match made for the Doncaster Dome show 'No Regrets' was for Burridge to face the returning Jerry Lynn - a booking that was later cancelled with the show). In the following night's Underground #5 main event, a "double titles" four-way between himself, Abyss, Martin Stone and 1PW World Champion Sterling James Keenan, Burridge retained his Openweight Title but was not involved in the deciding fall (Keenan pinned Stone) and so did not win or lose either title. Twice over the two shows, Burridge challenged SJK to defend his criticisms of British wrestling - both times, Keenan bailed without any contact between the two.

At 1PW Underground #6, Darren was scheduled to defend the 1PW Openweight Title once more against Martin Stone. However, in the week prior to the event, Burridge sustained a knee ligament injury whilst working a show in London. His match against Stone was promptly cancelled and his status as champion was called into question. Following this, 1PW's main event for the Know Your Enemy 2008 show was announced as being for the 1PW Openweight Championship, featuring 'The Phenomenal' A.J. Styles against Burridge for his title, which he will retain until his return to fitness.

On 15 October 2007 Burridge made an appearance on World Wrestling Entertainment's London edition of Raw. Burridge was seen amongst other British wrestlers eating in the backstage area while Jonathan Coachman was chasing Hornswoggle.

On 3 May 2008 Burridge was booked to face Darkside in an Openweight Championship match at 1PW's Underground. During the event, Martin Stone came out and read a letter from Burridge explaining his absence. Co-General Manager Adam Curtis then stripped Burridge of his title and 'gave' it to Darkside. Martin Stone then won the title later on in the event. Burridge's knee injury has (legitimately) worsened.

Burridge has returned to the independent scene under the name Greg Burridge, The Cockney Crusader. Greg has adopted the character of Metallico for UK promotion Lucha Britannia

On 26 August 2011 Burridge once again teamed up with Colt Cabana in Team SHAG to headline the inaugural show of PCW - Preston City Wrestling Burridge will return to PCW on 24 February for their show, Blood, Sweat and Beers.

In 2012 Burridge appeared on two shows for PROGRESS Wrestling.

In wrestling

Championship and accomplishments