David Mantell

Staying with the modern era for a second week ... Okay, let's see how this impacts on a title bout other than Nina's British Lightweight title. Sid Manelli turned heel for the second time last year and shortly afterwards lost his Rumble Championship to middle Bryant brother Zander. From the same Xmas Ditton show as Callaghan-Marley III (hence the Xmas decorations), here is the return match. As usual, Rumble employs female seconds. Sid comes out in a lavender towel of which more anon. Round 1- Like Dave Viking in Hanover 1981, Sid goes for the false handshake and when H3 gets the Fake Shake he goes for the eyes. He jans Zander in the ribs and downs him but while down there Zander gets a quick side folding press for 2. Things get more Traditional British technical from there, Sid gets a wristlever and passes it overhead to tighten it, Zander rolls out - back, forward, back, forward - and forces a high whip and bump on Sid, leaving him in a guard armlock. The sequence repeats and Sid heads to ringside to break the flow. He gets back in, goes behind and gets a snapmare but the bell goes. Round 2 - Sid is getting a lot of heat! He again offers a handshake but Zander kicks it away and gets a cross buttock throw into side headlock. Sid folds himself up nicely to get headscissors, Zander gets a kip up escape. then rearcdropjicks Sid into the ropes. He aborts a 619 as Sid dodged and gets an eye fake and big boot for 2. Sid and referee Dave Macro argue. Sid gets a standing double wristlock and jerks it, getting another telling off from Macro. He posts Zander then does a kind of self reversing posting twic3 on Bryant, following in with a boot, getting a crosspress for a 2 count which he claims was a 3 ("Sid can't count" chant the crowd.). He gets another posting and Zander -like Bernard VanDamme on the French thread - takes it by climbing the corner but unlike BVD misses his man. At that point, the bell goes. Round 3 - Sid gets some scissor chops etc in the corner. He goes for a posting but Zander reverses and goes in for a monkey climb. Sid overpowers and makes it a folding press. He has his feet on the ropes but Macro doesn't see it so the fall still stands despite Zander's protests and Macro's suspicions. Unlike on ITV, MC Stephen Barker is not entitled to be a second pair of eyes. So, 1-0 to challenger Sid. Round 4. Zander tires to equalis with a rope assisted front folding press of his own but Marco this time seems the legs. He doesn't penalise Zander as he took is suspicious of that last fall. Sid gets dirtier throwing Zander across the middle rope and booting him. He takes down the red corner pad and as Marco is busy fixing it, grabs his towel and chokes Zander with it, then wipes his face and puts it back. Macro is suspicious of the towel but Sid claims to have the flu! He boots Zander around but Zander, sat on a top turnbuckle gets a boot of his own and sunset flip into double leg nelson for 2. Zander gets a dropkick and 619 (this time it connects) and Superfly Splash off the top for an equaling pin. 1-1. Round 5. Sid walks out for a while but comes back -then jumps and stomps Zander. He goes for the blue corner pad and the towel, using the latter while Macro fixes the former. This time Macro catches SidMoran(filmed late 1986,screened ear Moran with the towel and an argument ensues. Sid pulls down a white pad and Zander goes for some revenge with the towel, using it to sling Sid to ringside but Macro catches him but as Kent Walton would say, puts it down to retaliation. Zander topes Sid at ringside, 39 years since Fuji Yamada did that move on ITV to Rocky Moran (filmed late '86 Lewisham, screened early '87). Zander goes for another flying bodypress but Macro is in the way. Zander jumps down, lightly taps Macro on the shoulder and tells him to be more mindful in future! Sid gets brawl some and end up in a shoving match with Macro that earns Sid a bump and a Public Warning. Zander goes for a charge on the corner but the bell goes. Round 6. The final round but no sporting handshakes. They slug i5 out and Zander gets several clotheslines and goes for another superfly splash but Sid puts his feet up in the air to spike Zander, then gets a stomp and crosspress for 2. He grabs the belt and marches around with it, seemingly aiming at Xander but "accidentally" striking Macro. Zander gets a superkick and cover but there is no ref. Zander goes to revive him but Sid gets a crotch shot and folding press for the winning pinfall. 2-1 to recapture the Rumble Championship from young Zander. Well the reintroduction of Mountevans Rules (minus no follow downs and still with a slower cadence for KO counts) didn't stop Sid cheating his way to a title, did it? The antics with the towel, eye takes and belt would not have been appreciated by ITV although Screensport would probably have OKed them. Still there was a lot of good competent technical wrestling in here from both men amidst the dirties and retaliations. If anyone's interested here is Zander's previous title win from just before the above ruling came into force.

Bernard Vandamme about a month ago uploaded a couple of his bout from the mid naughties for IWSF. This is from 2005 at that big venue with the stone archways . It was in Thaon Les Vosges in the Northeast and the crowd is pretty full despite it being two years before the French WWE/John Cena boom that apparently upped houses across the board for a while. Bad Mask is so called because he is un Méchant who wears a mask, not because there's anything bad about his mask. It's actually one of those scrappy Vader type affairs - overall H3 reminds me of a younger version of Randy Colley as Detroit Demolition in Southeast Continental 1987-1988. Or maybe that awful AI pic of Demolition I found and posted to the Demolition thread some time back.He spits on a TV camera lens. Bernard is introduced as ex Euro champion (We will see him regain the title next week.). Bernard has his usual Jimmy Snuka meets Ultimate Warrior image. The TV company have splashed out on nice graphic with Star Wars lettering in flames. I think that's Monsieur Jacky Richard refereeing and Flesh Gordon on commentary but don't quote me. Bad Mask gets a nice full nelson into snapmare into bodycheck series but BVD fires back with a drop kick. We get the same fire eff3ctvfor motion replays. Cut to BM choking BVD in the ccorner. He gets a posting but BVD gets a huaracanrana. Bern rears out of a standing full nelson and gets a good fly8ng tackle takedown for 2. BM uses a hairpull to yank him off. Quite a bit of garbage has been thrown in the ring. BM gets a single Interlock into high whip and bump but BVD kips up easily. Mask again uses the hair to pull him down but Bernard winds back further to free himself, winds forward and up and himself forces a pair of high whip and bump sequences on the masked man then a seating armscissor Bad god for the hair again so Bernie flips over 8nto a cross press, working on the arm, dropping knees, still twisting away on the arm. Bad Mask has a good kip-up of his own, locking Bernards arm and arm dragging him. Bernard painfully gets up from guard and hiptossing Mask only to be himself armdragged down again. Mask chokes Bernard on the ropes but Van Dammed gets a Yorkshire Rope Trick out and nearly heaves Bad Mask out to ringside. Bernard gets a flying armdrag.and another huaracanrana. He tries for the mask but Bad Mask low blows him. The villain rains down blows as more trash hits the ring. Bernard is in the corner getting a knockout count as Bad Mask makes thumbs down gestures. Bad Mask gets a long suplex for 2. He gets a crotch hold into an over the knee backbreaker. Bernard is still in the guard Bad Mask holds him with a knee and gets a Deuxieme Avertisement. Bad Mask whips Bernard across the ring but misses a clothesline and takes on himself from BVD. Bernard gets a slam, backdrop, two guillotine elbows. Bad Mask reverses a posting but BVD takes the impact well and comes back with a flying bodypress for the one required fall and the win. Fake snow (shaving foam I think) falls on the victorious BVD like at Survivor Series 1992 and 1993 on Bret and Lex respectively. A better match than I expected, not a technical masterpiece but some good moves from both men, especially Bad Mask who had some tricks quite incongruous with the image.

Okay last 1981 bout and it's one I'm feeling pretty certain hasn't been done before. Gaetano vs another bigger badder heel, this time Scots expat Dave Viking. Blond, bearded and in no mood for a handshake. Runde 1 - Dave takes his time to lock up and quickly forces rope breaks when they do. Finally he gets an armlock, making good use of his size to beat down on Bobby, who lifts him with a crotch hold but instead of going for a slam, plants him on the ring apron and threatens to pummel him but breaks instantly the ref calls him off. They lock up and Viking gets another armlock which he converts to a standing back hammerlock and adds a facebar before switching to a side chinlock. Bobby reaches up, gets Viking in a lock on the back of the neck, try to pull him down for a rear snapmare. Viking resist for a good long while. So Bobby, by now on his knees gets Viking in a fireman's carry and forces a rope break again. Viking gets a shot before Gaetano is up . Bobby is vengeful but the bell goes. DJ plays bebop jazz. Runde 2. Bobby gets 8nto action with spinning kicks and forearm smashes galore, flooring the bigger man. He grabs the rope for a break but Bobby yanks him up by the leg and drops him. Someone in th3 crowd has eithe4 a harmonica or pitch pipes. Dave regains the advantage in the corner, choking Bobby halfway down and bashing him the rest of he way down. Bobby darts out of the way. He gets a straight arm and twists. Dave may be a Scot therefore British but he is also a big man so he does not roll out. A boot to the stomach and forearm smash follow up floors him. Bobby gets distracted encouraging fans in anti Viking chants so Dave takes advantage with fists and boots. This time Bobby goes for a rope break, but the ref kicks his arm off, eventually trying to use a dropkick and missing, taking a bump to the delight of the crowd. Viking gets a front chinlock into full nelson, cornering both Bobby and the referee who is non3 too happ6. bell goes.The MC and ref have a long debate while Bobby's second tends to him. The ref inexplicably blames Bobby then hides behind Big Dave. Bobby goes for a forearm smash, hits the referee who nearly gives him a first yellow card with Dave's encouragement but is talked out of it by the MC. Runde 3. Dave seems to have the ref's ear. Crowds chant for Bobby who does an Ali shuffle. Dave stalls in the ccorner, Bobby turns away in disgust and Dave strikes from behind, following in with a choke/smother. The MC is furious and even Dave's pet referee tries to coax him off. Dave lets Bobby up and forearms him down and the ref's knockout count reaches eight before Viking breaks it with a follow down axehandle. Dave gets pressure points (his torso obstructs the camera so it's hard to see what else he does) eventualy forcing Bobby flat down in the mount. Bobby rallies, lands multiple forearm smashes, tells the refs to stay clea4 and rear snapmares th3 bigger man!!! He butterflies Dave's arms with his legs and gets a neck twist. Eventualy the bell goes. Viking tells "his" ref off. German folk music plays Round 4 Dave gets a legal stranglehold but then switches to choking and pounding Bobby on the the tope rope. He hauls him off and blatantly punches him - getting a 6 count nonetheless. Dave continues the choking on another top rope. Gaetano throws Viking out and sends the ref with him. Dave is back first as the ref dazedly paces ringside before coming back. Dave wins a test of strength getting Bobby on his knees, hoisting him up and booting and dubiously punching him down for another KO count of 5. Bobby hulks up, getting a superkick, battering and rear snapmare in. He gets dirty with rope assisted stomps. The ref appears to have mislaid his cards! (He pats his pockets furiously trying to find them). Turns out Bobby has pick pocketed the yellow card, he back elbows the ref and waives the yellow card at him. The ref snatches it back and awards Gaetano his First Yellow Card officially. Bell goes, seconds come up. Shuffle type music plays. Runde 5 Gaetano does his shuffle, refuses Viking's NHS d again. Ref does a sarcastic version of the Bobby shuffle. MC announces something unpopular. Bobby moves in with side chancery throw, stomp and forearm smashes . He ties Viking in the ropes and charges him, the referee tries to obstruc5 but chickens out of a bump twice. Eventualy he gets caught and sandwiched, earning Gaetano a Second And Final Yellow Card. Fed up, Bobby slingshots the ref into Viking and needless to say gets a red card. Viking is the winner by DQ. (We see a brief snippet of a more professionally filmed wrestling show with an elderly TV host shouting to camera. Slow with a lot of stalling - actual proper stalling, not just this methodical Old German style. Mostly comedy with the heel referee and Bobby getting a moral victory over himif not Viking.

The s out I did anothe4 more detailed review of that Graz 1980 bout just three weeks earlier last summer!

Gerard Bouvet and Claude Rocas going at it in their later years:

Rematch 10 months later in Hanover, continuing with 1981 Wondering if I should rewatch the Graz 1980 bout as preparation. Runde 1 - mostly threatening to pummel each other on the ropes. Interlock tests of strength where Rene has the advantage. Bobby does the French style back flip off a top wristlock, from there getting a nice monkey climb. Gaetano kips out of guard wristlocks. After the bel they fight on and the ref blames Gaetano who I think gets a public wart(this ref is not equipped with cards, apparently.). Runde 2. A round of super heavyweight heel heat. René doing his best Sid, power dominating Bobby. Snapmare, elbow drops combination. Slams of all sorts. Chinlocks. Uncovering the corner pad for a posting. Stomping on the mat. Gaetano ends up in his corner on the mat being tended to by his second. Runde 3 more of the same so far so heel. A long running chinlock until Gaetano lifts Lataserre in a fireman's carry and threatens to dump him to ringside. But the big Swiss is soon back in charge. Crowd rallies for Bobby who goes all karate kicks forcing Rene outside for a breather. René soon gets his heat back. Runde 4. Bobby gets up some speed with a dropkick and snapmares. Ref gets knocked down, reprimands Bobby for it. Bobby stomps big Rene on the mat, crowd says yes ref says no. René gets snapmare, stomp and tries the top rope but Bobby throws him down. Bobby doing dirty back to Rene including the uncovered turnbuckles. I think he gets a second a final public warning (still no cards.) Rene goes outside for another breather or two. By the end of the round he is back in charge and has good guy Gaetano down again for a 7 count. He gets a tombstone piledriver between rounds. Runde 5. René gets another Tombstone and Bobby stays down for the 10.. KNOCKOUT. THE Big Swiss wins. A much more lopsided contest than what I recall of Graz July 1980.

Okay, after a couple of weeks of the sublime, how about the ridiculous? Flatliner and Little Legs recently did a reunion match for Joel Redman/Oliver Grey's ASW South training promotion for All Star. Mark is looking a bit older these days with his grizzled beard and Flatliner is looking a bit skinnier than his prim3 but they still send the family audience home happy. This starts as a personal appearance by Little Legs with Lee Bamber (a link back to ITV) interviewing him about his film credits including Harry Potter until a couple of heels (including Kian "Mr Fox" Kelly whom I've seen at All Star main roster shows in Dudley) plus their pet heel referee Bradley James pick on him forcing Flatliner to come out and make it a match. I'm not going to go into blow by blow, it's just the giant and the midget humiliating the heels, including Bradley, except for them double teaming Little Legs for a while to get some heat. Flatliner does do a Vasilous Montopolous style tie up on both villains. Like I said in 2023, at least Flatliner and Little Legs knew their place as end of the night relief rather than having the show revolve around them like Big Daddy.

Okay, my night out was very good last week. Back down to business. Some more of the nascent Gordon/Zefy tag team on New Catch Season 1 in 1988. Gordon, Zéfy, méchant Jessy Texas and l'arbitre Charley Bollet were all familiar figures from Old Catch in France, indeed Flesh and Jessy date back to A2 (and the three of Jessy. Flesh and the Prince were on that last FR3 broadcast in November 1987). and our earliest Charley is on a 1969 kinescope but Pat O'Hara is a newcomer - a French version of Scrubber Daly (whom Flesh faced in season 2 in 1991) in a fleece jacket and demons. This is from the Eurosport rescreen of season 1 with Peter Wilhelm of the CWA on German commentary. Gordon takes quite a bump from a Jessy backdrop and still comes back with a ground dropkick. and crosspress for 2. Zéfy gets to work with cross buttock throw and bodychecks. Jessy gets a standing full nelson but the Prince rears out and dropkicks. Gordon is back with a side chancery throw and dropkick on Jessy who suits the ring in protest. Pat finally comes in, Moon dog denim and Sid Cooper beard. He gets a wristlock and drags Flesh down into a guard position only for Gordon to kip up. He uses an illegal hairpull to get Flesh back in the guard - nom wonder Flesh shaved it all off later on, not just alopecia. Still Flesh climbs over, rear leapfrogs with a trapped wrist and rear dropkicks Pat til he tags My essay back. Neither heel wants to go but Jessy must. Flesh gets to work with a snapmare, monkey climb and tries for a second one. Jessy parks him on the corner and pounds but then turns his back and is caught by a leap from behind into an armdrag. Zéfy tags in and gets two snapmares, two armdrags and two dropkicks until Jessy is back at ringside complaining. Both sides tag. Gordon gets a standing hammerlock, Pat rear snapmares him I to a kneeling chinlock. Flesh eventually turns out an d regains the back hammerlock, this time with Pat kneeling forwards. Pat gets up so Flesh double rear legs him and gets a dropkick as Pat gets up too quickly for any leglock. It's Prince Vs Pat and Zéfy gets a side Headlock. He tries a cross buttock but can't get the power so switches to side chancery. He takes Pat down with a victory roll and hammers him down with a pair of dropkicks. Jessy is back and into snapmare, two monkey climbs, dropkick and a top corner missile dropkick. Flesh is back and Jessy finally gets some heat by double legs into a full Boston Crab. He releases and gets a guilloche elbowsmash, flying axehandle to the back and a leglock which Flesh kicks out of and dropkicks Jessy back to ringside. Zéfy and Pat are back and the Prince has a side chancery into leaping rear snapmare. He tries for another but Pat fouls him and bounces him off the ropes into a couple of backdrops. Zéfy gets a dropkick back. Flesh is back but Pat grabs his hair and gets Un Avertisement for his pains. Flesh gets dirty too, rubbing Pat eyeballs first on the top rope. (Charley disapproves.). Jessy back gets an illegal punch to the chest and heel of hand blow to the face that gets Les Méchants some more heat. He stomps Flesh and slingshots him out of the ring then follows up with a flying axehandle off the apron and stomps at ringsid before heading inside, leaving Flesh to desperately pull himself up by the crowd barricade as Charley makes the count. In the end Flesh pulls Jessy out for some ringside Manchettes and a slam. He gets himself and his man back in time for a long vertical suplex to get the winning pin. Nice straightforward enhancement vehicle for the Gordon/Zéfy team which succeeded Gordon and Walter Bordes and which was still going together in the 2010s. Only one man different from that lady November 1987 last FR3 bout as I said so a good link to the past also.

Oh drat. That's what I originally had planned as the quickie for this week. Okay something else nice and quick. Fast forward to 1996. Paul Neu the former PN News versus Tony StClair whom is either in his final British Heavyweight Championship reign or has already lost it to Marty Jones. Both are in T shirts and Neu - I suppose I should call him Grizzly here - sports a Q tip ponytail like he, Kendo Nagasaki and WCW era Jesse Ventura all went to the same barbers. Two minutes in and they still haven't locked up. Billy Haley's Rock Around the Clock is playing. They finally get going and Grizzly throws Tony to ringside but misses a dive to ringside on top of him as St. Clair darts back in. Tony leads Grizzly cat and mouse out of the ring and back in and over to the ropes where he pitches the former rap master to ringside. Grizzly has had enough and walks out. Audience and MC sing "Auf Wiedersein" at him sarcastically but he is gone and Tony the winner. Okay that was quite some quickie. I wonder why this was done? Back to 1981 next week for the penultimate 1981 bout with the last one to follow the week after.

Okay, as promised the third and final (actually the earliest) of the three Johnny Saint Chic Cullen matches. From summer 1983, the early days when it was not much different from what was on World Of Sport minus Big Daddy. Cullen is still Dynamite Frankie Cullen - he was Chic by the time he made it to WOS. a year later. Round 1: Saint has a good firm headlock on which withstand a Cullen rear waistlock thow counter of some sort (possibly German suplex). Saint shrugs off an attempt to straighten the barring arm and a leg attack but flubs it as he tries to take it to kneeling position and Cullen uses a simple Mike Marino in cork to free his head. It gets an early round of applause. Cullen gets an arm, passes it overhead and armdrags Saint down to the guard. Saint kips up twice but Cullen armdrags him down again. Third time Saint unpicks the lock with a foot and makes a back hammerlock in the mount of the arm he picked. Cullen is up and rolling through arm twists, once ending up on his back but kipping up, finally high whipping Saint who makes a good feet first landing to more applause. Cullen gets a Japanese Stranglehold and put Saint down on his knees, with a knee in his back. Saint tries powering out but Cullen pulls him back in again. He does a fine backwards roll to nicely reverse the JS. Cullen equally deftly reverses it back through Saint's legs. (More applause). Saint tries a sidewards standing reversal but when he gets it, switches tack and goes through o e of his sequences from breaking an interlock with a foot to going behind via a back hammerlock to coming through Cullen's legs with single leg takedown. Cullen spins him off but Saint absorbs it in a cartwheel upright. Cullen gets behind with a rear waistlock into rear double legs takedown into rear crossface. (This was 1983 when the Iron Sheik's camel clutch was the talk of the American biz). He pulls Saint's neck way high and back then switches to a Headlock and Strangle (as Kent Walton called Sleeperholds). He has a good grip but Saint gets him worried with various distractions with hands and feet that sucker Cullen in until he makes a grab and ends up in a hammerlock takeover into headscissors. Saint resists kip out escapes and an attempted upright turn. Cullen tries a bridging escape as the bell goes. Cut to Round 3: Cullen is quickly in with a side Chancery but switches to a hiptoss for the subsequent throw into a cross press. He has several tries including the 180 degree spins round we saw in the other two bouts, but Saint keeps getting an arm up until Cullen gets sportingly fed up and released. Saint gets a rear waistlock and takes Cullen down into a seating position. Cullen unfastens the waistlock and takes the arm up top for a high whip and bump, following in with a Legdrop to the shoulder (I think I called Cullen 's legdrop "Of Doom " previously but to be fair he's doing it here when Hogan was still in the AWA.) He then gets a Cobra clutch (this was the year of Sgt Slaughter's second crack at Otto Wanz's CWA title - perha ps Cullen saw it on the continent or perhaps he saw the video at the time.). Saint turns out I to a standing wristlever and then into front chancery. Cullen easily breaks this and high whips Saint but he lands well on his feet. Cullen tries for a headlock but Saint end up getting front facing pressure points from it. Saint throws him off, leapfrogs and shoulderblocks him down for 3 and catches him coming up with a side headlock. He switches arms, goes for a single leg but Saint gets a rear snapmare and bodycheck. Cullen leapfrogs the rebounding Saint and gets a stitch kick and inverted waistlock suplex into crosspress for the first fall. Round 4 and Cullen gets a single leg takedown into standing toehold into over the shoulder leglock into an odd leglock held by the thighs (not quite a leg scissor.l) and back to the standing toehold with Saint up on his other foot and getting a single leg monkey climb and 5 count. Cullen launches himself at Saint and floors him for 4 then gets a front chancery as he rises into a powerslam into crosspress for a couple of 2 count and a long press that Saint counters with a bodyscissors. Cullen stands up in the hold, forcing a stalemate - Saint releases. Saint gets pressure points but Cullen snatches an arm and armdrags him I to an armscissor which Saint counters with a headscissors. This time Cullen gets the upright position and handstands out but Saint pushes him back in again. So Cullen turns the hold upside down and uses his feet to uncork the hold. In the process he scissors both Saint's ankles in the same leg trap Jordan Breaks likes to use in the 2020s. Saint briefly gets a 1 count shoving Cullen's shoulders (a trick Jordan's Rumble opponents should consider.). In the end Cullen fells him again, in the guard. Saint gets up, manages to part the feet.gers one leg, switches to the other and makes a single leg Boston Crab of it, then a full length Boston Crab. Eventualy it either goes to the ropes or Cullen resists long enough but Saint releases. He gets an over the knee backbreaker but Cullen rolls off, taking an arm in the process. Saint goes over on one fist then gets another spin to weaken Cullen's arm. Cullen is down for 6, selling the arm.Saint gets a reverse snapmare and seated chinlock into neck twist into rear pressure points Cullen gets a snapmare of his own and three rapid bodychecks but Saint gets a rear waistlock into standing full nelson. Cullen rears sharply and gets a cross buttock throw and press for some 1 and 2 counts before releasing. Saint rolls backwards in a full interlock to gain the strength advantage. Cullen gets up, turns back to back with Saint - and then the bell goes! Cut to Round 6 and Saint -who now cannot get a 2F or 2S win in this bout - gets a side headlock takedown switching to guard armlock. Cullen gets up but finds himself caught in an over the shoulder armbar into a posting cum whip that he is unable to roll or somersault with, only take the arm weakener. Saint on the run leapfrogs Cullen and drops down I to the Ball. He offers a handshake to Cullen who accepts and is dragged down into a crosspress - but only for 2. Cullen reverses snapmares him but Saint lands on his feet. He trips Cullen and scores a front folding press pin for the final round equaliser. Yet another fine match between thesectwo even if certain tropes like the Cullen 180 degree spin on a crosspress become noticeable after watching all three bouts in a short spa e of time. A win for each man plus a draw - a nice even long-term tally.

Well yes. Any old idiot can kick out of a pinfall. But to "undress" a submission hold and escape/reverse it and to do so in an original or otherwise aesthetically pleasing manner - THAT takes skill.

Like this for instance. DID YOU KNOW ... Warnia De Zarzecki was Mammoth Siki's trainer (possibly just storyline like Hulk "training" Hillbilly Jim).

I've got a night out next Saturday so this can count for two weeks worth. We've seen all four of these guys in later stages of their careers. Commentator is the infamous Claude Darget who, a couple of years after this got sacked for breaking kayfabe on air and then reinstated after all his colleagues went on strike in sympathy. We JIP la Première Manchewith LeDuc apparently the one getting the moves - a high arched folding press in which Chaisne dodges getting counted by rounding off his body - and a figure four armscissors .Chaisne turns this into a folding press of his own. We get some more of the Human Glove as done by LPP last week and FYB on the German thread. Gilbert gets dominance back in the armscissor he never relinquished. Another lift by Chaisne gets no further -the glove Gilbert takes him down. The third time he breaks the hold (and the picture breaks - but the implication is that he used a short sharp bump. Le Duc goes a bit wild with Manchettes and a slam. Chaisne powerbombs LeDuc and gets 2 with a folding press from it. Le Duc gets a Scisseaux Volees takedown. Chaisne gets a snapmare but then gets backdropped but leapfrogs LeDuc and gets one more Manchette before covering him for the pin. Chaisne leads 1-0. Except that the bout mysteriously finishes at that point. I think LeDuc won overall. I had a hard time picking out who was who especially as LeDuc did not do his famous toupie. Sufice to say what we have is two minute Very slow methodical moving around a single hold and two minutes of all out action. On with the next bout, but not before we see a changing of guard of referee s. At least the next two are easy to tell apart. Joachim is a familiar figure for us younger British fans under his later incarnation as Pancho Zapata, highlights of whose 1969 World of Sport bout with Jeff Kaye were included in ITV's The Final Bell in December 1988 (just eleven days before the New Catch Season One Finale on TF1.). Here he has the Pancho moustache but not the bald head. La Barba has given himself some stubble. RBC comes out in a rather splendid Japanese patterned robe. This is 5 years after his world Lightweight title war with George Kidd. RBC is quick off the mark getting a pair of high whips and bumps on JLB. (OK let's stick to those acronyms.). JL gets manchettes in on the ropes (Irregulière!) until L'Arbitre has had enough. RBC gets a top wristlock takedown to the guard. JLB fights his way up but then uses an illegal concealed punch to get the break - and some crowd heat. JLB gets to show some science of his own, converting a finger Interlock into a folding press leg nelson. RBC gets a superkick then takes down JLB with a spin on a single side Interlock. JlB uses more illegal punches. RBC uses a single legdive and spinning leglock into ground leglock. JLB fights his way up, gets a powerbomb but when he dives it, strikes RBC's feet. RBC appears to be trying for a toupie off a double Interlock but instead kicks JLB in the head. JLB gets double legs but RBC spins him off. RBC gets a headlock into back hammerlock into single leg takedown and single toehold (a bit like the start of Johnny Saint's "Russ Abbott.". ). JLB gets a headlock but RBC twists out and reapplies the toehold. JLB escape and jumps on RBC but misses and RBC kicks him as the crowd and Darget laugh. JBL this time gets the Interlock into single high whip and bump. He gets a guard armlock and maintains it, seeing of a couple of RBC Scisseaux attempts. RBC eventually kips up and ground dropkicks him off. (There are quite a few film gaps in this print - I think it must have had quite a few bits damaged and cut out while being bicycled around various customer TV stations around the world.) RBC gets a manchette while JLB hides in the corner. Then a kneelift and stomp. JLB wins a double Interlock test of strength and puts a foot on RBCs chest and gets an armlock on. L'Arbitre isn't too keen on how the foot sometimes gets too close to the throat. He orders a break and now RBC gets rough with chops and kneelifts. He gets a single leg takedown into guard armlock. JLB pulls his hair until RBC is in the guard . He knees him in the ribs and may be choking him out and anyway it's too close to the ropes to L'Arbitre orders a break. RBC kind of Hulks up and gets an elbowsmash off a finger Interlock, then goes a bit mad batting the Mexican on the ropes. Even when the ref stops it, René gets in a dropkick and manchette. They roll on the mat until JLB has a double kneepress but is holding the ropes. Another break and the ref doesn't like the Barba's kick afterwards. JLB gets a slam and another double kneepress well away from the ropes this timeand then gets 2 but L'Arbitre orders a break for a foul. RBC is good and mad, threatening a punch.He gets a top wristlock and manchettes JLB into the ropes, then twice throws him to ringside by the EARS (somewhere Mick McManus was wincing.) They Interlock and JLB gets a wristlever but RBC kneelifts him and gets on a seated leglock. JLB gets a crossface counter but RBC shrugs it off. He is sweating and more grips by JLB just slide off. Finally he gets the side chancery he wanted and throws RBC out, knocking him back down when he tries to climb back up. RBC dives over the ropes in a flying tackle and goes for the ears again, low throws and kicks his man until the ref stops him. The ref takes a bump and blames RBC, giving him un Avertisement, JLB tries an ambush but misses and posts himself . JLB slam his and tries to launch himself off the corner but RBC is recovering. The Mexican gets down but RBC legdives and leglocks and toeholds him. JBL gets a rear chinlock (and the odd sneaky punch) RBC in turn uses kicks and punches to free himself and gets a knee on the fallen JLB straight afterwards. They double interlock and JBL wins the test of strength, his prise being a ground top double wristlock. RBC kips up, back flips and drop toeholds JLB down into a seated leglock. JBL pulls him down and gets out but misses a jump and RBC takes him down and reapplies the leglock. JLB gets the pull off again but the ref catches him trying some small fouls and orders a break. They lock up with JLB behind RBC who gets a snapmare and 3 dropkicks on the Mexican. La Barba is up at 8 and chokes and pounds RBC on the ropes til L'Arbitre says Non. Le Bon crotch hold lifts Le Méchant but instead of slamming him., gets him good and properly tied up in the ropes, getting two dropkicks on his foe. The third time, L'Arbitre inadvertently backdrops RBC just as JLB breaks free and gets a double kneepress but only gets 2. Joachim goes into a total rage, stomping the ref until RBC dropkicks him off. They lock up again and JLB gets the high whip, somersault bump and armhank on RBC. RBC tries kipping up but is dragged back down, the second time with help from a hairpull. Eventualy RBC gets up and gets a standing wristlever, scraping JLB's head with his foot as Darget make horrific screeching noises. (He should have been sacked for THAT, not busting kayfabe. What a row!). JLB eventualy heaves him to ringside and aims a kick at him. Ben Chemouel is finally helped back by ringside officials. JLB powerbombs him for just 3 and gets in two Manchettes and an illegal blow on the ropes. JLB gets a Deuxieme Et Dernier Avertisement - I don't recall him getting a Première one. RBC gets him down and does various retaliation to his face including a spinning stomp on the nose. JLB gets a full nelson. RBC slides out downwards and legflips him off. JLB gets the full nelson back. Again, RBC slides out downwards. This time, JLB reaches down and grabs him back so RBC rears into him and follows with a rear dropkick. JLB is up just in time and gets a side chancery throw and double kneepress for 2 and a few 1s. then a long press out of which RBC bridges into rear snapmares (like Chic Cullen) then gets a pressure points, leapfrog and reverse dropkick. JLB comes back with manchetes that eventually put RBC on the ropes causing L'Arbitre to step in. JLB posts RBC and follows in with stomps but RBC uses his feet to propel JBL to ringside. (More corvine noises from Darget.). He comes back and gets a pair of side chancery throws but RBC ducks under, leapfrogs over and finishes with a huracanra. René Ben Chemouel is the winner. Scientific Bon versus Dirty Méchant. This is why I prefer clean matches. René spends too much time having to be the outraged and avenging hero to show the skills he needed to work with George Kidd in multiple Euro territories (although it's nice to see him in good shape and not the tubbier guy he was by 1969 teaming with Walter Bordes. Similarly I get the impression Joachim/Pancho knew more than he let on because he wanted to be the good carpenter and not upstage le Bon. Darget was just a pain. He reminded me of Roddy Piper in the early 90s (not the Mid Atlantic Piper who was great as a double act with Solie). I don't know why la Publique loved this guy - he didn't even know how many falls there were in EITHER match. Okay, that's one in advance for next week. Back here in a fortnight unless anything mega breaks. (Next week's German match will be a quickie. from 1981. The British bout will be a good 'un though, that third Saint-Cullen match from early Reslo. Anyone else noticed how Reslo and regional FR3'Catch both started the same year, 1982?)

Since writing the above, Gangrel and Steele have won the All Star Tag Team Championship beating Ricky Matthews (also on in Dudley)and Callum Andrews in Northallerton. They are defending today in Middlesbrough and I doubt Gangrel will be slowed to take his share of the title home to America, so expect another title change soon.

I will patch in my other review of this match here when I can find it in the French thread. Okay that was Ivan Strogoff and Franz Van Buyten on French TV in August 1977 with Ivan DQd for beating up the referee (who looked suspiciously like Louis Deblamecq, the corrupt referee cum top heel on one of the regional FR3 shows 1982-2987, master of the bitchy result reversal, hater of midgets, wearer of purple satin shirts. Now three years and nine months and a trip eastwards across both the Rhine and the Rhine to the May 1981 Hanover tournament, it's time for the rematch: This time however, Strogoff does not come alone. Franz is in the ring (in a nice touch it has all red ropes like the one previously on French TV) while Ivan gets in and the ref is giving FVB the final patdown. Franz, after last time, declines a handshake and down to work they go. Round 1: Strogoff gets in a mixture of throws and brawling, Franz does his bridge to upright and into a snapmare from the mat,, Franz has a side chancery for quite some time. Ivan turns it into a crossface from behind. FYB almost rear snapmares Strogoff from a kneeling position! A second attempt comes closer with Ivan's legs in the air until he regains his balance. Third time he goes over in a powerslam but FYB can't follow up and a knockout count reaches about 4 for both men.Ivan gets one forearm smash in before the bell.Franz sells it heavily. The DJ plays The Scaffold 's 1969 version of old English drinking song Lily The Pink (one of the Scaffold, John Gorman, later found fame presenting This was on . Saturday morning ITV.) Round 2. Franz breaks one side of a double interlock with his foot and makes a top wristlock with the other half. Nobody does a French style somersault into a better position, instead Franz gets the takedown into a sitting armhank. He curls up like Le Petit Prince did to form a human glove to avoid being pinned (one day I shall have to show You Lot British midget Mark "Little Legs" Seeley's version of this move,.). Franz is back on top with the arm lock then Ivan with the glove, back and forth until Ivan tries to throw the glove of FYB but is pulled down in a victory roll back to the armhank. Ivan actually drops Franz on his second attempt with quite a bump but Van Buyten keeps the armhank! Third time they both fall out the ring with Franz dragging IIvan back in. Still the armhank is on, which earns FYB A cheese. Ivan gets a rope break and they start over with Franz getting an arm until the bell goes. Round 3 lots of crowd working. Strogoff gets brawly and dirty in the corner until Franz collapses. Ivan stomps his man a lot. Forearms with long counts. Headbutts. Ivan milks the crowd for heat. A good long pressure points. Franz gets up Ivan pushes him down and chokes him on the ropes. He then puts him in a pre-backslide and hooks his throat under the top rope. Nasty. He stomps FVB around until the bell goes. There in his corner is Rene Lataserre! Ivan waves a red towel like a flag. Round 4. Ivan takes Franz down with a rear chinlock. Franz gets Ivan up in a somewhat lopsided Fireman's Carry Takedown. He threatens to dump Ivan over the side but the referee earns him back and inadvertently pushes him back into the chinlock (now a full headlock). Franz gets loose but Ivan makes it a pressure points and chokes Franz on the middle rope. At ringside, Lataserre gets in a punch. Franz tips both Ivan and the referee to ringside then pitches Ivan out again and follows him out for a ringside brawl. Lataserre and others get involved and it all becomes one big schmozz which heads back to the ring like something out of Memphis or the USWA. This effectively ends the bout. Afterbirth: Apart from the two principals, the ref and Lataserre, I spy Bobby Gaetano, Dave Viking, Billy Samson, Mamdouh .Farooq, ... Quite the battle royal. Everyone climbs out and the MC scolds both Franz and Ivan. A DDQ I presume. Less of a brawl than the French TV match, just the old ponderous German style with some fouls thrown in untill it comes apart totally at the end.