He Makes It Look Good: The Rise of Adam Bolt

True Grit fans, we need to talk about Adam Bolt and the Pride Championship.

Since winning the Pride Championship from Priscilla on 2 November 2024 at Jacob’s Ladder, Adam Bolt has been on an absolute tear. At the last show, True Grit Games, Adam Bolt was scheduled to make the 7th defence of his title against Che Monet. However, with the chicanery involved with “the match that never was” (more on that later), Adam Bolt has ensured that he will be the only wrestler booked on all Left Bank shows in 2025 as we head into Jacob’s Ladder in November.

That is both a massive achievement and a testament to the undeniable in-ring prowess of Adam Bolt. By my reckoning, only Brady Phillips has appeared on more True Grit shows (8) this year than Adam Bolt (7). However, a crucial difference between Bolt and Phillips is that all seven of Bolt’s scheduled appearances, whether they resulted in a match or not, have been title defences. This makes the Pride Championship the only True Grit title not to have changed hands this year.

To my mind, bar one aspect, Adam Bolt has turned the Pride Championship into True Grit’s version of the classic WWF Intercontinental title – the “worker’s title” that guarantees fans a quality match.

Adam Bolt Responds

In response to this comparison, Mr Bolt said:

“It was my goal to treat the Pride Championship the same as any other championship. It’s always been about highlighting the fact that I’m a great at what I do, regardless of who I am outside of the ring. So to me, the Pride Championship could have a completely different name and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. That being said, the Intercontinental Championship is referred to as the ‘workhorse’ championship, and ain’t nobody working as hard or making it look as good as I am right now.”

The stats support these claims. Going into True Grit Games, Adam Bolt had:

6 successful title defences producing banger after banger
Become the 2nd most booked wrestler of the year in True Grit
Represented the brand as Pride Champion across 7 shows in 3 venues
Delivered a global Match of the Year candidate at Showtime Slam

The Controversy

However, on the night of his match with Che at the Games, Adam Bolt came out with best friend and co-GM Ivy in tow to tell us he didn’t want to wrestle. Ivy had given him the night off and Jackie T was his replacement.

All the accolades listed above, and Bolt chose misdirection and an easy way out. Which sums up Adam Bolt and his Pride Championship reign so far – brilliant in-ring work, but constant reliance on Jackie T and Ivy’s interference.

This leads to the big question: how can fans get behind someone so talented, yet who continually resorts to skulduggery?

Pride Championship Defences

January – True Grit Rumble vs Priscilla & Tony Wright

Triple threat match that shone so brightly the venue lights went out.
Bolt survived early double-teaming, hit big offence, then took advantage of Jackie T holding Wright outside.
Opportunism paid off – but interference was a sign of things to come.

March – True Grit Redemption vs Jason Joshua

Classic speed vs power contest with top-level exchanges.
Jackie T interfered, holding Joshua’s foot to set up Bolt’s finish.
Great match spoiled by outside involvement.

May – Left Bank Lock Up vs Tony Wright

Excellent back-and-forth contest.
Jackie T caught interfering again.
Bolt distracted the referee, used hairspray, and stole the win.

July – Wrestlefest vs Sammy Blue

First outdoor Pride defence. Blue showed real grit in front of his family.
Jackie T’s hairspray nearly cost Bolt, but interference still allowed him to win.

July – Showtime Slam vs Tony Wright (Ladder Match)

Main event. 30+ minutes of brutal action, a global Match of the Year contender.
Ivy handcuffed Tony Wright to the ropes, handing Bolt the win.
Brilliant match soured by interference.

August – Summer Riot vs Kidd Bandit

First Pride defence in York, against first US import Kidd Bandit.
Hard-hitting, innovative offence from Bandit.
Ivy and Jackie T’s involvement allowed Bolt to retain.

Bolt’s View on the Fans

When asked about the constant interference, Adam Bolt said:

“The problem with the fans is, they boo me, because they can’t relate to me. I’m everything they’re not… I’m a champion. I’m also not going to be guilty for having friends too. Those things, are all things that don’t apply to True Grit fans, so I’m not going to worry myself with the opinions of those who are less fortunate.”

Looking Ahead to Jacob’s Ladder

At True Grit Games, Bolt weaselled out of facing Che Monet, instead putting Jackie T in his place. Monet won, meaning Bolt and Monet will finally meet at Jacob’s Ladder in November.

When asked if this delay adds pressure, Bolt replied:

“Did you see the ladder match with Tony Wright? I thrive on pressure and perform at a different level when I’m under it. That being said, there’s no pressure when it comes to Che Monet. This is my house, and all these challengers come through the door, pay their rent, and get booted straight back out. Che is no different.”

Elevating the Pride Championship

Bolt claims his reign has set a new bar:

“Elevating any championship means a lot. I hold myself to a high standard in everything I do and never give less than 100%. People can say what they want, but there is nobody else who could have set the bar this high with the Pride Championship, and I mean nobody. They all know it too. That’s not to downplay anybody’s potential, but their lack of focus. I want to see more people pushing us forward by getting better in the ring, having a stronger work ethic, hitting the gym, etc. Nobody is on my level with that, which is why I will carry this championship for a very long time, and look good doing it of course.”

Final Questions

So I’ll leave you with a few questions:

How high could the ceiling be for the Pride Championship if matches were allowed to play out to their conclusion?
Are the actions of Bolt, Jackie, and Ivy justified, or should they be brought in line?
Does any of the above matter when Adam Bolt puts on such good matches?
Who do you want to see challenge for the Pride Championship?

Only one thing is for sure – whatever Adam Bolt does, he makes it look good.

Upcoming Shows

True Grit Nightmare – 11 October at Millthorpe School, York
Tickets: truegritwrestling.com/events/true-grit-nightmare-3
Jacob’s Ladder – 14 November at Left Bank, Leeds
Tickets: truegritwrestling.com/events/jacobs-ladder-3