David Mantell

From the long and boisterous to the short and scientific. Staying in Bremen but hopping forwards 12 years, Tony StClair takes on a young kid called Wolf Trenker. Again Mick McMichael is referee in his kilt. Runde 1: they shake hands, always a good start. An Initial lock-up hits the ropes. Tony gets a wristlever, Wolf rotates 90' horizontally on his back on the roll through before completing the kip up. He gets a wristlever of his own but Tony reverses it so Wolf uses the same two stage counter with the horizontal turn using his behind as axis. Tony switches to a single leg takedown into another wrist lever. Wolf is trying a third time for the escape so Tony startsto fold the arm into a hammerlock. Wolf flips overc and takes a bump to straighten out the arm. An interesting idea but Tony gets a headscissors on. Wolf turns it upright and uncorks his head, but Tony deliberately stays down til 9, perhaps a tip of the cap to his and Mick's mutual friend and opponent Vic Faulkner. It amused the audience, even those who don't know Vic. Trenker gets a side headlock switching to wristlever then back to side headlock, taking his man down and down. Tony turns him into a side folding press and only gets 1, then 2 on a second attempt. Tony gets up, throws his man off but a bodycheck attempt floors them both. Tony gets a side headlock and cross buttocks Wolf down to the guard in the hold. Now it's Wolf's turn to try the turnover into side folding press. He gets 1 twice then a headscissors. Tony easily kips out and lands with a mild bump. Tony gets a single leg into mat leglock, Wolf reaches forward for a crossface but the MC gets Mick to call a pause on things, so they break. The crowd clap whatever it was. the wrestlers shake hands and resume. They lock up the Tony switches to a legdive into toe and ankle. Wolf turns out laterally so Tony releases, retakes the hold, gets a leglock on but th3 bell rings for an end of round (so that earlier holdup was not one, whatever else it was. Something in German, late 80s power-ballad . I guess a French fan is in the audience as so done offers to pay a tip to both men. Round 2. Tony gets an arm, briefly tries a front facelock, goes back to th3csrm, whips is man off the ropes and backdrops him but Trenker gets a sunset flip into double leg nelson for 1. They get up. Tony gets a side headlock, comes off the ropes in a flying tackle but Wolf catches and plants him. only gets the 1. They reset but Tony shoves Wolf down. forearm smashes him into the corner, long suplexes him and rolls over into a cross press for the one fall required. Handshakes all round again. Short but sweet. Probably the best technical wrestling I'll review today.

Christmas in Bremen 1982 with a triple tag match putting Caswell Martin, Bobby Gaetano and Wolfgang Saturski to face Judd/Gunboat Harris, Indio Guajaro and Rasputin (Johnny Howard/Shawn Doyle - this is just months after one very different Raspoutine popped up on FR3 although the "II" billing is more in reference to Frank "Wild Angus" having used the Rasputin name in a lot of Europe. Referee is Mick McMichael in his kilt - probably thesecond best technical wrestler in the ring after Martin! Harris and Doyle were well known Daddy fodder when not popping up on the recently launched Reslo). while Gaetano had been Marty Jones's opponent in his initial World Mid Heavyweight Championship win as seen on the British thread. The source tape has been through the wars - seemingly all colour signal has been scrubbed off through decades of heavy duty playback and generations of copying. First session Gaetano and Guajaro start, Bobby offers a handshake, Indio will have none of it. He throws and stomps Bobby who cartwheels out of trouble and hits repeated dropkicks. Cas and Judd tag in. Harris gets a grovit, snapmare and bodychecks Martin who comes back with a leapfrog and legflip. Rasputin tags in and gets a legdive and trip into standing single toehold and spread but Cas spins him off with a bump. Cas cartwheels off a single finger Interlock and gets a crosspress for 1. Rusputin gets a suplex but Martin's fett his the ropes and he forms a bridge. Rasputin chops it down but only gets 1, twice. He perseveres and ends up with a double anklesmash to the head. Martin, a frequent tag partner of Georg "Schurli" Blemenschutz in these parts (against all three of the heel team) , lands spinning kicks and forearm to Judd and Indio, clearing the ring. Judd tries his luck but Cas dropkicks him then tags Saturski. Wolfgang gets posted by Indi9 headlocks him but the Judd runs in with a forearm. Satursk8 hangs on, withstands an Indio bodycheck and armdrags his man three times. Cut to Wolfgang double legdiving and slingshotting him first to the top turnbuckle then to ringside. For some reason there is "Ein Pause" in the bout. everyone gets in the ring and the DJ plays a record even though nothing is scored and rounds are only in singles match. Perhaps @Jetlag or any other German speakers can explain. One and a half ??? Session. Rasputin resumes with Saturski and Fireman Carries him down into a front chinlock. Bobby tags in. and chinlocks Rasputin. Caz tags but Rasputin works him over, illegally hair drops him, Cas retaliates with a grab of the Irishman's beard which McMichael breaks up physically. Martin gets his own chinlock on and works Rasputin's ears with his fett. Harris tags in but Martin avoids a legdive, gets a leapfrog and superkicks. Harris gets back with a battering of blows. Indio and Wolfgang tag in. Indio gets an arm, drags Saturski to his corner and all three men work on the limb. Bob y and Caz come to the rescue and Bobby tags in, works on Rasputin's arm and superkicks him. Rasputin steps out in protest. In the end Wolf tags back in and gets a Headlock then tags Bobby and hands the hold to him! No escape by complaining. He throws Rasputin down and gets him in a full nelson, drops to a rear legdive, hits the ropes, comes off with a dropkick then tags Martin. Another of these round breaks. DJ plays Scotland the Brave for Mick who wasn't real Scottish (Doncaster being in South Yorkshire.). Just as curiously it all springs back into action with a triple bulldog head slam and six man rowboating then three posting and beatdowns. It ends with Rasputin Fireman's Carrying Martin, dropping him on the ropes and choking him. Wolf to the rescue drops Rasputin on the ropes. He tags in, Rasputin tags Harris who batters Wolf and fishhooks his nose until Mick pulls him off. Guajaro tags in headlocks Wolf, Wolf tries a Fireman's carry lift but Harris punçhes Wolf in the stomach and Indio beats him down. drags him by the hair, smashes him into Rasputin's knee and finally gets a standing full nelson. Harris takes over the treatment Wolf again tries the Fireman's Carry, this time it's Rasputin who makes the save. Wolf tries again and this time pitches Harris to ringside. Martin comes in on the hot tag, go8 going on a dropkick rampage on all the heels. Rasputin gets a toe hold and Indio a slam but Cas gets a ground dropkick. Harris is soon back beating on and chinlocking Cas but he ties up Jadd and Guajaro in the ropes to get them. Guajaro is soon free and has pressure points onBobbhho gets free and ties Harris up, cartwheels over to Rasputin's side and ties him also. Bobby dive bombs them both and all three faces drive Indio into Rasputin then tie him also and bomb him. McMichael frees Harris and Rasputin but leaves Indio - Wolfgang, pretending to be Indio's seconds, fans him with a towel, Bobb6 pours a water bottle, the DJ plays something childish and sarcastic in German. It looks like another of these odd round breaks. The bell goes and Rasputin pounds on Ca and throws him. Cas tries a flying tackle, Rasputin gets a slam. Cas gets a ground dropkick. Caz tries another flying tackle, takes Rasputin down but he bridges out and flings Caz to ringside. But Caz comes back with a sunset flip and double leg nelson for 2. Indio tags in and Caz tags Bobby who ducks under, leapfrogs. dropkicks , climbs the corner and gets one missile dropkick, climbs another corner. gets a flying bodypress and what appears to be the first actual fall . Babyfaces one up. Cut to the finish of the seconds straight fall - Saturski has the bigger Harris beaten from pillar to post. He gets him in an aeroplane spin, lets him fly and splashes him for a second straight. Babyfaces win. A lot more action packed than I expected. Round breaks in a tag were confusing

... Here comes another one! Thirty years earlier, Crusher Brannigan in 1982, fresh from facing Big Daddy and Akira "Kwick Kick Lee" Maeda at the 1982 FA cup final, teams with Daddy's nemesis Stax himself. The blue eye opponents' are themselves big guys and Steve's dad Frank, aka Wild Angus, himself teamed with the Giant against Big Daddy at the previous year's cup final match, the bout that set up the Daddy/Haystacks Wembley Arena clash. "Mc" Hoy and Stax also have transatlantic experience, mainly in Stampede. First session: Brannigan gets a headlock and hiptoss on McHoy The future Steve Casey (not the 30s one nor Steve Dane the American) tries for a further nelson so Crusher goes for a long press but Steve turns him over. Crusher turns him back but Steve escapes via the underarm, stays ahead of Brannigan's attempts to ride him and finally forces a rope break. Steve gets a standing side headlock and Crusher backdrops him, slapping his fallen opponent to get early heat. Not for th3clast time this match, Kent Walton harps on about how that sort of thing is Allowed In American All In Rules But Not Over Here, Dearie- Me, No! Brannigan corners McHoy with heelishness aforethought but the young Scot gets th3 better of it and has the big American collared. He strides off to the c3ntre ring, daring the Real American to face him cleanly. Steve brushes off attempts to cuff him but the American gets an armbar. Steve doesn't go with a whip, unusually Stax tags in and goes to work elbowsmashing his sometime partner Angus's kid a couple of times, complying for now with the no followdowns rule as Steve tags Ray. (Two British blue eyes both named after American World champions from the 1930s/1940s. How about that?) Steele is ready fo4 a fight, even getting a private warning from the referee for closed fists. Stax gets the better and blasts him down in th3 back. He gets pressure points but Ray elbows out Steele gets a Headlock but Stax illegally concealed punches the good guy and tags Brannigan back. He gets a chop and a front facing double wristlock into bearhug with backhammer, chops and elbows his man in the corner but is caught in a standing full nelson, snapmare and foot drop. McHoy tags in and gets a snapmare and Legdrop Of Doom (Hogan was in his AWA run at this time) a forearm, a knee, a forearm from Steele whom he mistakenly tried to tag, a rear snapmare from McHoy and a dropkick. Steele tags in and elbows Crusher to stop him tagging. He locks up and forearm smashes and posts the American. Crusher picks up Steele off 5h3 mat triggering another rent from Kent about American rules. Steve tags in and posts Brannigan who takes an upside down corner bump. He posts and monkey climbs Brannigan. The good guys take turns tagging in and dropkicking Brannigan, first Steele then Steve then Steele again who collars. forearms, snapmares his man and dropkicks and tags McHoy who whips, flying tackles and gets the opening pin on Brannigan. Second session. Haystacks tries to start but the referee will not have it. Brannigan takes a posting and endures a forearm smash battle with the young Scot but comes off the ropes with a kick, a legdive and an American Figure Four Leglock - best known in this country at the time for being used by Clayton Thompson in the 60s and 70s. He gets the equalising submission. Third Session: McCoy gets up and protects the leg from Crusher but Haystacks blasts him from the apron. That earns him a first Public Warning but also a much needed tag, only the third one of the heel side all match. Haystacks chops and stomps down in the kid he will face solo next year in Oldham. He throws him to Steele who tags in - a battle of former and future British Heavyweight Champions. Stax gets a headbutt, Steele gets three flying forearm smashes. Stax gets Steele up in a Fireman's Carry ready for a backdrop. Steele appears to get a, crucifix, trying to get a Further Nelson takedown and manages it but the Giant lands on top of him, injuring his ribs badly, resulting in a TKO. Sorry for ruining your Xmas, OJ. Ruins the audience's summer too as they boo. Less of a family friendly ending than thirty years earlier. Haystacks used sparingly and Brannigan keeps to the better bits of what he knows. The blue eyes put up a good performance and often look like pulling the upset but Stax is thecstart being kept strong here, even if he does very nearly fall for a very daring move at the finish.

Six months before his retirement and Fit Finlay is on a final British/European run. Six months after this he teams with son Fit Finlay Jr (actually Fit Finlay III) to beat former squeaky clean TBWs Robbie Brookside and Danny Collins 8n Germany after the former sabotaged his EWP World title shot at Cannonball Grizzly (Paul "PN News"Neu. In the meanwhile here his is one a final run at good old Butlins holiday camp chain. He's tagging with Robbie "the Body" Dynamite (Rob Berzins) who had mellowed out here and turned blue eye but spent much of the Noughties as heel nemesis of fellow 2001 Staffordshire Contingent member Dean Allmark after turning on him in 2002 and subsequently spending the decade feuding with him over Mike Marino's old British Mid Heavyweight title. (Dyno and Deano would continue to wrestle each other even after.the Body changed his ways, surprising audiences by coming out and having a clean match. As for the opponents, Rampage "Bad News" Brown (a name steal,not an outright tribute) was a long running heel (and occasionally blue eye) for All Star who was twice British Heavyweight Champion for All Star, as well as working for every Americanised promotion in the country including the 2018 WOSW TV show, a shot at TNA British Bootcamp and even a couple of unremarkable WWE stints. Perhaps you all already know him. He's partnering a visiting American, Sizzling Steve Walters, doing an Arrogant Yank gimmick. There's a link between this and the old time ITV bout I'm posting next. This being Butlins, the MC is one of their dreaded Redcoats. No he doesn't bloody shut up, does he? Referee is wrestler Frankie Sloan. Redcoat shows his age by saying Finlay is from WWE although there are surely plenty of parents and grandparents among the Happy Campers who recall seeing him on ITV with Princess Paula. He comes to the ring to his German theme tune "Belfast" by Boney M. Steve and Robbie start off, Steve gets a rear waistlock but Rob breaks it open to get an armbar. Steve raises it up to turn it into a top wristlock, swivel round and turn back into an armbar of his own. Robbie rolls forward, resting in the guard before completing the kip up. He th3 backwards cartwheels, underhooks Walters and backdrops him. The heels tag and Brown and former heel compadre Dynamite lock up. Brown corners and batters Robbi3 who posts him and bodychecks him in the corner. Brown gets an elbo2 in and comes back with a slam and guillotine elbowsmash. Robbie armdrags him, gets an armlever, twice passes it overhead, tags Finlay who takes i5 over and forces a high whip and bump on Brown. Both heels flee to ringside. Finlay threatens to do a sliding dropkick! The Redcoat leads the family audience in a chant of Chicken - so that's camp dinner sorted for that night!🍗. Walters comes in but is reluctant to lock up. Finlay gets pressure points and a trip to get the Californian in a kneeling position, finishing him with one last chop. Unlike his younger self, Finlay obeys the no follow down rule (enforced or not) lets the man back up. He floors him with a forearm smash and and cleanly lets him get up, He gets a wristlever bu5 Walters being an American doesn't really know how to roll out so F8nlay deveps the hold into a front facing hammerlock then takes him down with a chinlock. Again Finlay, going against a career of heeling, lets his man up - and pays for it when Walters drives him into the corner. The heels try to double team but Robbie comes in pushing Waters over Brown. Finlay tries smashing Walters' head in the corner but Walters gets the advantage and does it to Finlay who rolls out Walters tries the sliding dropkick. There is an out of shot ringside brawl an d Waters is rolled in the worse for it. Dynamite comes in to apparently rescue Finlay from an attack by Brown but referee Sloan stops him. The heels roll Finlay in, Walters gets a 2 count (being an American he just covers) and a pretty decent side chancery throw and another 2 count. Walters whips Finlay but puts his head down and gets it kicked then gets thrown to ringside as the blue eyes tag. Robbie gets a dropkick to ringside on Walters . From her3 it gets more brawly, Walters using an illegal knee to tag Brown who likes in the forearms and stomps in the corner. Dynamite leapfrogs Brown but is forearm smashed and stomped. Waters tags in, gets a chinlock, smashes away, gets a 2 count. Walters is back and the heels double team Dynamite for another 2 count. Brown posts Dynamite but Robbie headbutts him, climbs to the top rope and gets a magnificent sunset flip into double leg nelson for 2. The heels double team Dynamite and Finlay who must have pulled this trick a thousand times himself gets lured in and led back to his corner by referee Sloan. And so the heel double team continues - Brown eventually getting a first Public Warning for an upward slingshot of Dynamite throat first into the middle rope. Brown tries a quick cover for two, toehold Dynamite to stop him tagging, himself tags Walters who gets a guillotine elbowsmash. Walters also gets a public warning - these care being issued individually despite this being a one fall contest. Brown posts Robbie but misses a charge leaving both legal men on the mat. Finlay makes the hot tag, beats down both heels, does his old 1980s Fireman's Carry And Backdrop on Walters but Brown rescues him and the Redcoat leads the crowd in chants of Cheater. The blue eyes gets the better of it - Dynamite topés Brown at ringside while Finlay bouts Walters off, climbs the post but Walters pulls him off but then misses his own flying heat but and Finlay finies him with a reverse piledriver - another old 1980s favourite of his long before anyone called it a tombstone. Rob returns and the good guys who spent most their respective careers as bad guys celebrate. So do the crowd including a couple of typically Butlins pom pom girls. Finlay spends a night playing Big Daddy. Better in terms of pure than it should have been especially with a visiting American in the mix. Faultless as family entertainment. Anyway, speaking of an American in a British tag match ...

Speaking of Rumble, I'm pleased to report that they have decided to eradicate the American concept of Champion's Privilege from their shows and will be changing titles on a disqualification like in the old days.

This one, I presume

Bob Plantin recentely commented on the Luxembourg shows: Téléluxembourg , venaient filmer des matchs en France en toute discrétion........... Les lutteurs n ' étant pas informés _ ya pas de petites économies.......... FB auto translate to English: Teleuxembourg, came to film matches In France in all discretion... Wrestlers not being informed _ There are no small savings.......... He also posted a TV listings cutting (along with a seemingly irrelevant pic - other than that he was Plantin's opponent on that broadcast - of a young Paul Lagache)

Well it's about time I got the French thread back to its roots and went straight for Les Trentes Glorieuses." Duranton is without his fur coat or Firman (whom we see became a referee and later a wrestler himself.). In a vague keeping of theme with the Adrian Street bout on the German thread, Robert wears a mini skirt with braces - apparently the centurion gimmick to which OJ alludes - but he swiftly ditched it. Lamare is very much un Méchant - and a really nasty crumb heel at that. This leaves Duranton as -if not Le. Bon - then certainly the sympathetic heels as emphasized by his handshake at the start with a stick wielding Andre Bollet - his career ended the previous year by a hit and run driver. Duranton practices his boxing shots before the bell goes. After an initial lockup lands them in the ropes, Ted gets a hiptoss into armbar in the guard. Robert stands and tries for a front facelock but Ted slam him back down. Duranton gets a headscissors. Ted turns it upright and goes into a handstand but Duranton turns it sideways again. Ted turns it back upright then turns himself to right angles and kips up out. Duranton gets a snapmare and attempted grovit, Ted gets a Bearhug, Duranton does a foul to the eyes or nose before getting out with a Manchette. He gets a snapmare into chinlock but Lamare pulls out from behind to make a hammerlock on the mat. He tries for a rear chinlock but Duranton reaches back for a reverse snapmare and gets it but Ted retains the hammerlock throughout. Duranton stand and rear legdives Ted who kicks him into the ropes and legflips him. Ted gets the leg againand turns into a seated legscissor. Bob replies with a crossface but Ted moves into Indian Deathlock position, shoving Duranton off. We cut to some celeb and his girlfriend being interviewed. When we cut back. Duranton has a crossface into ground suplex into crosspress for 2. Back to crowd shots. Cut back to Robert with a crossface on Ted. Ted gets up to knee and rear snapmares Bobby, applying his own rear chinlock. He rides through a throw by Duranton. Robert escapes through the back into a rear hammerlock. Ted stands and tries for a rear snapmare but Bobby drags him back down, switching to an armbar. Ted eventually forces Duranton off into the ropes, body checking him and side chancery throwing him. Duranton likewise slings his opponent to the ropes, ducks under the first. and slams Ted on the second. He teases Ted with some faints and is reprimanded for it by Monsieur L'Arbitre. Ted backrolls off a a half sided interlock with one further twist to bring him down. Ted now has a top wristlock on the mat on Duranton. Robert powers up but Ted drags right down again. Duranton tries again, forces a rope break, sneaks in an illegal punch and posts him, choking Lamare in the corner and earning his Premier Avertisement. Duranton follows with chokes and Manchettes. Ted gets a single toe-and- ankle. Duranton takes overcwith a chinlock. Lamare throws him and gets an H&S (sleeper). Duranton powers out with Manchettes, leaving Lamare tied in the ropes. He pounds his man until the ref frees him. Ted throws Duranton twice and Bobby rolls to ringside to recover. He comes back and they trade more blows. Duranton is on A KO count, he stays down til 9, then springs up like Vic Faulkner. Ted gets a wristlever.and gets his man down in the moun. using a foot to help make a hammerlock. Duranton tries to interfere with his spare hand but Ted secures it to make a further nelson and get a 1 count. He tries some crosspresses and a side headlock so Duranton grabs his hair to pull his man over for a series of fouls. But Ted gets his ankle and Durantonhas anyway earned himself a Deuxieme et dernier Avertisement. He continues with kcks, Manchettes, a choke and an Ali shuffle. Ted fights back with a slam and more fists. Ted eventually gets a spectacular side chancery throw into inverted grovit, another side chancery throw. It hits the ropes and and brawling resumes Duranton corners and bites Ted, chokes him on the mat. Ted does a nice bridge upright into rear snapmare, the first good wrestling move in ages. He gets an over the knee backbreaker. Then it's back to manchettes. headbutts, punches, rope chokes etc. Even Monsieur L'Arbitre gets in a few shots to try and prise the men apart. It's Duranton's turn to be tied up in the ropes and bashed. He gets free, flings Ted Lamare out to ringside, will not let him back and eventually lands him against the ring barriers (pretty unusual to have them there in an old time Euro territory!) getting himself disqualified. Duranton is now happy, he attacks MC Jacques Rouxel and cuts his old traditional complaining promo. This started off as a slow but worthy heavyweight match then degenerated into a fouling and brawling afair - presumably not OJ's kind of brawling as he also gave it a bad review.

Have moved the bumped-up Bock Inoki match to the new page. In it's original place I will say a few words of tribute to Bock. One of two Tectonics along with Otto to bring a foreign World title to Germany and Austria in 1978. A no nonsense working class German babyface with a big beard who probably owned a ferocious Alsatian and smoked a pipe, lik3 they all do. An easy babyface for Germans to understand. The Inoki match is pretty legendary among Puro circles, although clearly not a shoot it's a very stiff no nonsense bout. It would be great to view in full, Der Sportliche Helde and also th3 full TV show with Bock in a tag match and Brock Vs a bear.

Bumping up the classic Bock/Inoki match plus review in tribute to Roland Bock RIP

Meanwhile as promised, here is a bout from just under 3 years later, kindly donated by @El McKell. Paco Ramirez, as many of you are aware was a heel from Spain. He faced Gerard Hervé, the future Flesh Gordon, in the latter's 1979 French TV debut. He also infamously played the race card after losing a tag match to reformed ex méchants Daniel Schmitz and Remy "Henker No Longer" Bayle that saw the tag team Pat Roach ran into the ring to protest about in 1974 now nine years later a well behaved pair of Bons. Anyway here he faces Adrian Street who was on good sportsmanly terms with Axel Dieter earlier in the tournament, here being treated s a Les Kellett style comedy babyface tormenting the villain. Paco wears a big red hat and red/gold sequin waistcoat. Adrian comes to the ring in his purple robe to Imagine What I Could Do To You with the beard from the Pallos' video. Runde 1: The bout doesn't begin until over 4min in. He is limbering up while Paco cowers in fear from whatever emasculating fun Adrian will have. He has the German audience in stitches with his antics. They finally lock up at 5:49 when Paco gets a standing full nelson out of which Ada promptly shimmies. At 6:06 they try again as Ramirez gets a side headlock into back hammerlock into top wristlock. I think Adrian misses his way out of that one. The crowd love it. They love it even more when Street leaps on the referee and forcibly snogs him. Just before 7 minutes, Adrian gets a full nelson of his own. They take turns reversing.first Paco then Ada then Paco then Ada then Paco to which Street viciously back elbows him off - the same back elbow that when Street used it on ITV against Dave Barrie 1974, Kent Walton flagged it up as something that would have been a Public Warning offence a few years earlier. Adrian skips around in an interlock and takes several rolls to free himself. Paco gets the advantage with a wristlock in the guard. Ada tries kipping up, eventually turning himself over with a kick on Ramirez's shoulder. He goes top armbar ton standing rear armhank to armscissor on the mat to double kneepress while fixing his hair. The bell goes for round 1 and Street just about untangles the hold. The DJ plays British ska band Bad Manners' version of the Can-Can, Street eventually dances to it - with more grace than singer Buster Bloodvessel did. Runde 2: Paco gets a side chancery throw and three bodychecks. He stops doing a Fourth when Adrian pelvic thrusts at him and pinches his bottom. Adrian goes for a piledriver, Paco counted with a backdrop attempt but suddenly puts him back down. An argument between the ref and Street ensues. Paco wins an interlock test of strength and has Street bent over his knee but Street bridges up and scuttles off backwards. He gets a hammerlock with bar, turns Paco by the leg into the guard and gets some cross press 2 counts. He goes from full Interlock to cross headscissors to boot to the head. Paco forearm smashes him, Street gets a front-facing double wristlock. Paco tries for a crotchhold but suddenly doesn't fancy it and backs into the ropes. Street gets his vertical flying bodyscissors -getting in a crafty kiss - then gets a headlock. Paco straigtens the arm into a wrist lever but Street rolls away. End of round. They tentatively shake hands. Runde 3: Ramirez runs away from Street until, backed into the corner, he suddenly gets the front folding press for the one required fall. Paco is the upset winner. Comedy bout with Adrian as a camp Catweazle. It amused the German audience but Street can do better.

Have moved the bumped-up Bock vs Inoki match to the new page as it deserves better. In its original place I will say a few words of tribute to Bock. One of two Teutonics along with Otto to bring a foreign World title to Germany and Austria in 1978. A no nonsense working class German babyface with a big beard who probably owned a ferocious Alsatian and smoked a pipe, like they all do. (Point of comparison- Jorg Chenok.) An easy babyface for Germans to understand. The Inoki match is pretty legendary among Puro circles, although clearly not a shoot it's a very stiff no nonsense bout.

It's been a while since we got bang up to date with a Rumble Wrestling match so here goes with a TBW clean match in the tradition of Peter Bainbridge Vs Gary Clwyd and Bernie Wright Vs Young David. By the way please excuse the decidedly non old school ring - Rumble has a big cage match on the show and their Traditional ring doesn't fit the cage. (And should you query the presence of cage matches on old school shoes I will hurriedly muffle my agreement and point you in the direction of cage matches on early 90s Reslo or on All Star shows between Kendo and Rocco during the same period.) They make up for the decidedly un-British looking ring with a real old time venue from the ITV era, the Woodville in Gravesend. Craig is the one in the headband with the shorter hair, Charley has the "Honey and lime" tights. They shake hands and lock up with Charley getting an early grovit take down which Craig reverses in to one of his own. Charley breaks it open and makes a hammerlock of it. Craig moves to a rear waistlock which Charey. reverses only for Craig this time to get the grovit. Charley tries for a reversal but Craig rolls out. They get a good round of applause and lock up again. From here Charlie gets an armbar which Craig rolls through to get an wristlever of his own . Craig tries an overhead reversal but Charlie twists through to maintain the hold. Charley hits a forearm smash and bodyslam. Craig misses a retaliatory blown and Charley gets him with a side suplex. He gets a flying forearm smash across the ring and an underhook suplex for a 2 count. Charley misses another charge and Craig nails him with a dropkick and monkey climb, a flying forearm smash of his own and another undrhook suplex for 2. Charley gets an armbar into a Fireman's Carry but Craig turns 90 degrees into a sunset flip into double leg nelson. The centre of gravity shift back and forth before Craig turns Charlie 90 degrees into a further nelson position andd tries for a side folding press for 2. Craig gets another armbar and converts to an armhank, turns round in the hol to face his man, grabs his other arm and rolls him over in another side folding press - a fine move that sadly only gets a 2. For his next trick he converts from the start of an armbar into a backslide for another 2. The pair have a brief exchange of forearm smashes before Charley lands a flying forearm smash. They exchange kneelifts they Charley gets a flying forearm, a backroll and dropkick. Charley gets caught in the ropes and really referee Anton Green should have stepped in but he allows Craig his somersault dive and 2 count. Some more forearm smashes and chops break out Charley gets a posting but Craig retaliates with a shoulderblock flooring both men for a double knockout. Until the brawling took over in the final minute this was a good promising scientific matchup with Craig especially coming up with some fine moves. I hope we see more of him on here in the future. P.S. If anyone's still worried about the ring, Rumble have started putting up another show with the Old School ring back in business. And guess what was on the bill? Another Craig Vs Charley match! Another fine scientific bout (mercifully without the brawl) this time with a winner - Charley.

@JNLister do you have any information on exactly what wrestling footage was found in Zambia? (if not, suggestion - you may have the formal research credentials to contact these people and formally ask.)

Sounds good! Will it/could it be extended in the future to cover the Reslo, Screensport and Grampian/STV material on the site? (and the 2016-2018 "WOSW" TV show, come to that?)

It all comes down to an Old School/New School schism in Britain since the 1990s (and highlighted in an invasion angle the FWA did in 2001) with the neo Trad Brit scene as the Old School and the Americanised promotions as the "New School". Allmark, Spitfire, Robbie Dynamite, Mikey Whipwreck etc were the heirs to 90s kids James Mason/Justin Hansford/Jason Cross etc who in turn were of the final generation of ITV wrestlers (Robbie Brookside, Doc Dean, Kid McCoy, Peter Bainbridge). Jack Starz, Jordan Breaks, the Bryant Brothers etc are the next generation after Deano/Robbie Dynamite etc. On the other side of the coin, someone like Will Opsrey/Pete Dunne etc is the successor to people like Alex Shane, Mark Haskins etc- people who were trained in the Americanised promotions and consequently are a good fit for modern American indie promotions. (Incidentally, Doug Williams and Nigel McGuiness are in a halfway house as they come from the New School originally but can both work Old School fluently and can fit in nicely on All Star or Premier shows when booked on them.)

I wonder who the Arabic commentator was on these. In the 1990s, former top Egyptian babyface and "European Champion" Mamdough Farag embarked on a TV career that included him recording bootleg Arabic commentary. As Cairo is a BIG media hub for the Arab world, Farag and his cackling Cairo accent became ubitiquous throughout Middle Eastern wrestling fandom. Of course this was happening without Vince's permission and he and the execs were all spittin' FURIOUS about it - so much so that when WWE finally came to Cairo in 2012, Farag - the native citizen most closely associated with the sport in Egypt - was banned from the building! He died a few years later. This of course the raises the question of who was actually commenting on Farag's own matches as "Egypt's National Hero"/"Egypt's Own Rocky Story" Etc Etc back in the 80s and into the 90s:

Done! (both) Fair enough.

On a related Kuwaiti note

Okay here goes. Coincidentally it was Xmas back then. Marius is a former tag team champion facing Jack Stars They lock up: a second time after the first ends up in the corner on the ropes. Jack gets in a quick cheeky armdrag. Fans are cheering for Jack yet the commentator likens him to Robbie Brookside (the Wildcat was a hated villain in Germany late 1990s-early 2010s). Jack gets an armlock Lin the behind Marius who tries going for a rear waistlock so Jack shifts his armlock further up towards Al Ani's shoulder and grabs the opposite pressure point, altogether forming a three quarter nelson. Marius rolls out and gets a front facelock but Jack undoes the crossface and makes another armbar, Marius again rolls out, father more gracefully this time. He finishes with a kip up and gets a wrist lever of his own., then connects with the other arm to form a full interlock and powers downwards, but when jack hits the mat, he does so in a bridge position. Jack twice takes Al Ani's load and there third time gets his knees in and monkey climbs the German. As with Allmark and Spitfire on the British thread the two raise alternative arms then bridge to avoid pins before agreeing to a stalemate - like Deano and Tony they Ed up shaking hands while both in a bridge! Marius gets an arm and makes a waistlock of it before dropping to the thigh and tripping Starz into the mount then converting to a toe and ankle hold. But Jack goes for the rope, forcing a break. (He had to struggle for it, so no heat.). Marius uses the same transitions to get the toe and ankle in the mount a second time but Jack slips into the guard and gets Marius's double legs, rolling him up in a forwards folding press for 2. The next lockup produces a Jack standing side headlock. Jack cross buttocks his man down into a side headlock in the guard then augments it with a wrist scissors. Marius responds with a headscissors but Jack shakes it off while maintaining his own two holds (side Headlock and wrist scissor, to remind you). He converts to a cross press but Marius kicks out at 2 . Jack quickly has the side Headlock reapplied so Marius stands in the hold, throws his man off but doesn't get much impact. Trying again, Jack comes off the ropes with the rebound seeing Jack pass under a Marius leapfrog and next time he walks into a Marius dropkick. Marius fires off an inner arm blow, mounts the second turnbuckle, goes for a flying tackle but is met with Starz's own dropkick and a cover for 2. (Amusingly a German male fan starts singing "Freed From Desire" by Gala whom Lauren Laverne once dubbed "the singing PE Teacher."). Stars is up and gets a boot into Marius 's shoulders. He goes for a side chancery but Marius heel of hand blow to Starz's chest puts paid to that. They lock up but Jack gets in a forearm smash. Just when you think it's getting too brawly, Starz pulls off a magnificent front chancery into long suplex. Jack gets a cross press for 2. Next he tries a seated rear chinlock. Marius fights his way out, goes for a kick but is caught and spun round and forearm smashing him. Jack gets a bodyslam and cover and hold the leg for two. The pair exchange forearms until Marius gets a long suplex and two counts cover of his own and ditto rear chinlock. (We get a shot of young German fans cheering Jack and what a bloody healthy lot they are. No kiddies or grannies, just fit junger men who swim ten lengths each!). Back in the ring. Marius has a side headlock (presumably developed from the chinlock). Jack side suplexes out nicely (and Marius sells the impact well, bridging up in agony.). Stars gets yet another cover and 2 count- clearly no No follow down rule in force here. It gets brawly for a while until Marius escapes a Jack bodyslam, gets a rear waistlock in the corner and rolls backwards into a front folding press but then releases and drops a guillotine elbowsmash. Jack in the corner dodges a knee first charge from Marius and strikes with a clothesline and cover for 2. Jack briefly gets a chinlock from which Marius rope breaks, after which it gets brawly again until Jack gets a front facelock and Marius counters with a single leg into toe and ankle into Single Leg Boston Crab which Jack escapes with a rope break. Marius comes in with pressure points but it goes back to brawling except for one little wrist lever from Marius to set up a forearm smash. Jack then got a rear waistlock into German suplex and 2 count cover. He gets his rear chinlock again, moving from seated to sideways on the mat Marius powers upwards and it gets brawly again until Marius ends up on the ring apron and delivers a sunset flip and a powerful German suplex and a missile dropkick off the top turnbuckle. Jack tries a flying bodypress on a charging Marius but is rolled off. He single legs Marius who spins round with a superkick. Jack catches an again charging in Marius with a dropkick. He gets a full Boston Crab but Marius pushes up to get a double kneepress only for Jack to take him down in a front folding press/double leg nelson for 2. Marius gets a toe and ankle and tries for a submission. Jack curls his way out and (after one token stomp) gets a swinging neck breaker for the one pinfall required. Jack is winner, EWP European Junior Heavyweight Champion and owner of the trophy Marius brought to the ring at the start. The first half was a fantastic scientific clinic. The second half was more of a brawl with a few curate's egg bits of technical work, particularly the final minute or so. It could have benefitted from enforcement of the no follow down rule and discouragement of rope breaks.

What it says on the tin. Pedro Morales, the Moondogs, Mr Fuji in tights, Putski and Tito as a tag team. All this and more. Booked by someone who was obviously a big fan of fthe WWF scene five years earlier .

( @El McKell as promised #2 of 2) I'm going out later so I'll do a review tonight hopefully but here is another Jack Starz EWP appearance from 2019 to be getting on with.

I did have a Hugo Perez bout from the same show as this here but it felt too much like the Samson/McDonald bout, all strength moves and little finesse. So here instead is Prince Zéfy in his autumn years, no longer quite the high flyer but able to work a crowd (and gets an Avertisement for "exciter la Publique" one of the heel rules Monsieur Jacky instituted in the Noughties as I recall. ) but fights gamely back back until Trash and Gannon start walloping him with corner pads and giving him quite a binding before missing a double team spot allowing The good Prince to get some retaliation both in wrestling and his corner pad flogging before scoring the pin with a shoulder charge. Two interesting points - the crowd singing along to Flesh Gordon's music (is that tune something more famous?) and Gannon Grey as a heel manager here - he later did a stint as un Bon during the Pandemic before becoming a méchant once again by 2023.

( @El McKell as promised #1 of 2) I frequently like to post the above Southport match as an example of the state of the Great British Clean Match in the C21st. The only downside is that, having already posted it a couple of times early on, I feel like I've already covered it off. So here instead for the blow by blow treatment is another bout from the same period a few weeks away at the Epsom Playhouse. Unlike Southport, the Epsom video cuts straight to the action. They link up and Deano turns horizontally to convert a half Interlock into a standing armbar. Tony immediately positions himself for a cartwheel out. He rolls forward, does a 180° spin on his behind and unpicks the wristlever with his foot á la Steve Grey, then horizontally swivels again to drop toehold Deano into the mount then rolls across him to apply a grovit on the mat. But Dean rolls round with his back to Tony's torso to reverse the grovit. Tony stands up in the hold, feigns trying a waistlock counter then whips Dean overarm forcing a somersault bump, Still holding the wrist himself he rolls back to make another armlock. Deano stands and uses a rope assisted somersault to escape the hold, then gets Tony's arm and deftly turns to get the wristlever again, forcing Spitfire to position for the rollout. But Deano reverses the direction of torque forcing Tony to take a backwards roll and bump. Deano tries to bend the arm into a Jim Breaks Arm Submission position. But Tony stands up (note his World Of Sport logo bicep tattoo!) and tries to hook Dean's head before Allmark forces him down again. Dean goes back to work with the arm submission, even applying it backwards, until Tony gets up and this time gets a headlock. They hit the ropes in the hold, Tony is thrown off on the first rebound but on the second rebound he floors Dean with a bodycheck. Allowing Dean up in compliance with the no follow downs rule, he gets a headlock and cross buttock throw into guard Headlock on the mat. Dean turns into an upright kneel and then into a headstand in the hold and falls backward across Spitfire to escape the Headlock and get one of his own with his legs pointed securely away. Tony uses a similar headstand in the hold to simply uncork himself. The two exchange sportsmanship and start over. Tony offers a half interlock but then falls backwards and gets the crossed headscissor on Allmark. H3 turns round to get at Dean's legs and after pulling his hands away lifts him off ground by the knees. His power goes and Deano, still in the crossed headscissor tries a quick double kneepress and gets 2. As they try to lock up, Dean gets a legdive, floors Tony, scissors his ankle and adds a wristlock on top. He then switches to a side chancery hold (while maintaining the ankle scissor.) . Tony meanwhile has an incipient half bodyscissors in place with his free leg. He forces the foot down to join the other ankle and complete the bodyscissors. Dean tries to switch back to the wristlever but Tony gets it free - worse he is forced to ditch his own ankle lock to focus on prising Tony's bodyscissors open. Tony keeps the hold and turns Dean Allmark into the double leg nelson. But Dean leans forward, grabs both Tony's wrists from behind to make the surfboard setup but can't haul his man up in the hold. He turns over and tries getting a double leg nelson but Tony resists being turned over and they start over. A collar and elbow becomes a Tony full armlock, driving Dean to his knees. Tony makes a back hammerlock with Dean in the mount. He half leg Nelsons Dean's other arm to turn his man into the guard and get a cross press for 2 from referee Frankie Sloan (cousin and then tag partner of Robbie Brookside.) and still has a wristlock on the arm he was hammerlocking earlier. Deano springs up in the hold but Tony headlocks him (before he can roll out). They hit the ropes and Deano gets free, drops to slow Tony to pass over but gets mown down with a Tony bodycheck on the third rebound. Mindful of the no follow down rule, Tony lets Deano up then takes him back to the mat with a side headlock. Dean turns him sideways into a folding press but at 1 Tony regains his gravity and rolls back. So Dean gets a headscissors Tony turns it unto the upright position. Despite Dean obstructing with an elbow. Tony uses a headstand to uncork the hold and kneel on the scissors to form an incipient Indian deathlock. Dean sits up but Tony gets a double underhook on him. Dean gets a leg free and outstretched but Tony tries for a front hammerlock so Dean counters with a small package attempt for 2. They start over. Dean switches from the double interlock to a rear waistlock and rides out Tony's escape attempts until Spitfire prises off one arm and wristlocks it in the guard. Deano kips up and briefly gets a countering wristlock but Tony switches to a headlock and bounces them both off the ropes. Deano ducks under the rebound, leapfrogs the next one and cross buttock presses Tony but is caught with a ground position dropkick as he moves in. Tony t gets a bodyslam but this time it's his turn to be caught by a ground position dropkick followed by a cross buttock into armlock. Tony counters with a legdive into toe and ankle hold. He loses his grip but manages to make a full Indian Deathlock instead. A couple of times Dean's shoulders touch the mat for 1. Tony turns into the same front underhook from earlier - and again maintaining an existing leglock as he does so! He tries to switch to some form of armlock but Deano rides out on top, gets a half nelson then a full nelson. Tony gets into the seated then standing position. He detaches the hands to make a backwards full interlock then backs Deano into a corner and throws him but Deano rolls through and upright. They pause to encourage the crowd and shake hands before fully interlocking. Tony gets the test of strength advantage but Deano forms a bridge. After Tony trying to break it with a couple of headbutts to stomach, Deano kips up and takes the advantage, having Tony in a double arm press for two before Tony pushes one arm up. He counters a second attempt but pushing up his other arm and a third attempt with a bridge. Dean loads himself on twice but does not break the bridge. The third time, Tony has got his knees on an Monkey Climbs Deano. Both men are flat on the mat, each getting an arm up for two 2 counts from Sloan. On the third, both men bridge then Tony rolls into a double kneepress but Dean rolls him the rest of the way round with a double leg nelson. They flip back and forth in "La Bascule" double leg Nelsons then a two way leg press before calling it a stalemate and getting up to soak in the crowd applause and shake hands. They lock up again and Tony manages to get a Posting on Deano and follows in but Deano leapfrogs him in the corner (catching him slightly on the way over.) He then handstands on the opposite top turnbuckle - although reminiscent of Masambula's pinfall celebrations, this is actually a trap move similar to the Johnny Saint/George Kidd/Rene Ben Chemouel/Vasilios Montopolous "Ball". Tony pauses for thought before getting Dean in a powerslam position but it's not secure and Deano slips out behind and gets a folding press for 2. He gets a wristlever, a weakener before Tony can roll out and then a rear standing armhank. He switches from there back to straight arm lever then a side headlock on the mat (sadly there is a cut in the video so we don't see how he did this) switching to a front facelock then the first forearm smash of the match before getting a posting but Tony takes it well, absorbing the impact on his knee and coming back with a sunset flip and takedown into double leg nelson for 2. Deano springs out and gets double legs into an inverted front folding press but Tony bridges out, turns Dean around into a front-facing rear waistlock position and then round into a backslide position but Deano gets the better of it and gets the backslide, securing it with a handstand, but can only hold it for 2. Deano gets another forearm smash into posting but again can't get the full impact as Tony rear leapfrogs him and bodyscissors him back into a somewhat clumsy sideways-held double leg nelson for 2 (I think it was meant to be held in top with a bridge!). Now it's Tony's turn to try the forearm smash and posting but Deano in turn takes the impact well, leapfrogs his man, crouches down, briefly gets caught himself in a double leg nelson for 2 but then gets free and grabs a double arm, tricking Tony into rollin backwards right into a folding press with bridge for 3. Dean Allmark wins with the one required pinfall. They shake hands and embrace. If anything an even better match than the Southport bout (which has a bit less wrestling and a bit more crowd working, but has a more old school ring with red and blue corners which is more persuasive when showing to lapsed fans that old British Wrestling is alive and well) Two guys in the 2010s giving me as much fine detail as any two no nonsense shooters in the early 70s. Fantastic stuff.

Just checked my notes and that KMG story is definitely not true either. Even Hervé himself is on record that he started using the name Flesh Gordon in 1982. And indeed, I have him on posters as late as February 1982 still using his real name. So the KMG, with G for Gordon, was definitely not founded in 1979. **The Penny drops** Of course it's always possible the G stood for Gerard (Hervé).