Rampage: The World Wrestling Federation’s Invasion of the British Isles

by Lee Herbert, Ben Veal (Foreword), Ben Tallon (Illustrator)

"It wasn't just about what happened in the ring; it was about the way it made you feel. And for a generation of kids, wrestling never felt bigger, better, or more exciting."

In the early '90s, the World Wrestling Federation became a full-blown national craze in Great Britain.

Records were shattered at sold-out arena shows in London, Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester and Sheffield.

Action figures were front and centre in the UK's leading toy shops. The Album, produced by Simon Cowell, reached the UK top 10. Newsagents' shelves were packed with sticker albums and trading cards from Merlin. Video rental shops dedicated entire sections to tapes from Silver Vision. WrestleFest replaced Space Invaders in the arcades.

Even the tabloids couldn't get Bret "The Hitman" Hart, "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith and others were everywhere.

The craze peaked at Wembley Stadium in 1992, where 80,355 fans came together for the greatest day in British wrestling SummerSlam '92.

During this incredible time, the United Kingdom became the World Wrestling Federation's true home from home.

Now, for the first time, this is the story of how it happened.

"Brilliantly funny and nostalgic." – Alex Brooker
"I really enjoy Lee's writing." – Barry "Repo Man" Darsow
"A joyous trip down memory lane." – Ben Veal

445 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 7, 2025

Reviews

[Jo Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overflowing with passion, enriched by extraordinary research and full of heartfelt memories. It perfectly captures what it was like to be a British kid discovering WWE (then WWF) in the early ’90s. From the thrill of sticker albums to the joy of games and action figures. It’s wrestling nostalgia at its finest.

I’ve never read anything that has made me pine for my childhood more than this book has. Unreal.

[Cala Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book took me back to beening a kid from trading stickers with my boyfriend according to people at school and a memory of how this helped shape society back then to how things have changed highly recommended and so funny with British humour I hope there's a book two but you can also tell it was a work of love and passion 🤩 as I feel like it shines through

[Damien McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you grew up in Ireland or the UK watching WWF during 1989-1993, treat yourself to this. You will be transported back to your childhood, when WWF was the be all and end all.

Relying on family members and friends to tape the shows because your mum and dad refused to buy Sky, sending away a form and a postal cheque to complete the last few stickers of your sticker album, staring for hours at the same page of merch in a magazine and thinking how lucky the kids in America were. All this and more of your wrestling childhood covered with some lovely British pop culture references thrown in as well.

Order Rampage today and relive the best days of your childhood