The Beginner's Guide To British Wrestling

[David Mantell]

4 hours ago, WingedEagle said:

5 hours ago, ohtani's jacket said:

5 hours ago, WingedEagle said:

Novel idea, but apparently inappropriate and wholly dismissive as is typical of Americans (if I recall you're not American ). I guess I'll have to fall back on watching wrestling regardless of my legal and cultural citizenship.

Ha, I belong to the Commonwealth so technically I can say whatever I want. 

Amen. That's how it works here as well. For now! 

It's not really about where you're from. It's about what wrestling you were reared on as a novice fan.

[David Mantell]

Anyway:

On 5/26/2015 at 5:35 AM, ohtani's jacket said:

The Mighty Chang vs. Fuji Yamada (Amlwch, taped 2/5/87)

Absolutely horrific.

The real deal Vs the gimmick. The future Jushin Liger, fresh off having lost the World Heavy Middleweight title back to Rocco a second time, gets fed to Chang/Crusher Mason mere months before his one and only ITV appearance (see page 37) during a decades long career with opposition promoters. 

It's a pretty grotty squash match, I'll grant you, but at least Yamada doesn't take it lying down. He does get some good moments amid the clobberings, throws to ringside, bearhug, the attempt to drill a hole in his back with the belt peg and the opening backbreaker submission.  Referee Chico Roberts doesn't come off that badly either - at the end of round 1 after the big man took forever to stop for the round break, Roberts sternly follows Chang all the way back to his corner, with the camera tracking them all the way to show the referee in control!

For his pains, Yamada manages to get in some good moments against the big man. He breaks a rear waistlock and forces a hard bump from a whip.He fires off a powerful missile dropkick on Chang to the corner post. He scores the equaliser with a neat Sunset flip on the bigger man. He fires another dropkick followed by a snapmare on the bigger man!  He throws Chang to ringside and then flying bodypresses him from the top of the post to the ringside floor.

Throughout the bout the crowd are actively rooting for a DQ for Chang, chanting OUT! OUT! OUT!  (One kid waves his flag in time to the chant like it's an axe for beheading Chang!). And they get their wish but with a sting in the tail - Yamada wallops Chang with a chair, getting himself DQd on top of Chang's own well earned DQ. So DDQ it is.  At least Fuji won the fight.

Actually quite a few of Yamada's high spots in the match are worked in to title graphics, the two dropkicks in the ring, the dropkick to ringside and the chair shot.

[David Mantell]

On 1/10/2016 at 7:02 AM, ohtani's jacket said:

Greg Valentine vs. Rex Lane (12/16/87)

Sid Cooper vs. Andy Blair (12/16/87)

Greg Valentine vs. Sid Cooper (12/16/87)

 

Psycho is pretty cynical about this Gala Cup tournament calling it the "Something for Greg Valentine To Win Trophy tournament." Some ex-wrestler in the comments section says that Valentine wasn't very popular with the boys, but I guess there aren't too many promoter's sons who are well liked among the boys. I don't mind him as a worker, but I did notice him over doing it with the victory poses in this. This was all pretty straightforward compared to the Jolly Fisherman malarkey

This was Rex Lane's only Saturday ITV appearance.  He was in dark marches on two 1987 tapings (against Valentine and Little Prince!) and appeared on quite a bit on Joint's early 90s Scottish TV  tapings in 1990 Vs Greg and 1993 Vs Ian McGregor. Between times he was IIRC  on the 1992 Battle of the Brits video getting unmasked from under the hood of Dr Death by Tony Stewart.

He's a journeyman villain against Max Crabtree's kid. The babyface gets the best of it, forcing a hard bump from a whip, taking two throws with cartwheels, giving one back (Lane takes it well rollingly) then dropkicking Lane to ringside.Lane gets a hammerlock but Greg backdrops him. They run the ropes, Lane tries for a trip , gets booted in the behind, hiptossed a couple of times and runs for cover to ringside as Greg leads the crowd like his uncle.  Greg legdives hisway out of a side headlock and gets a Frank Gotch toehold (Figure 4 leglock Kent calls it. but not me to avoid confusion with the American style hold) He crawls to the ropes and gets the break just before the bell.

Round 2 Rex Lane gets and armbars, converts to a hammerlock and tries to throw Greg but he cartwheels to a stand and fires a good dropkick. He gets an opening fall with a backdrop and cross press. But Lanevhas a headlock in the new round and uses a punch to earn himself a public warning. He regains the headlock, is slow to release on the ropes and spins Lane out of a legdive. He gets Greg by the hair but the ref warns him off. Round break and Kent tells us about Rex's amateur background at Stockport YMCA.  Round 4.and Rex punches Valentine in a headlock but only gets a private warning. Greg elbows Lane in the stomach, gets a double legdives the villain to ringside. Flips him back in, long suplex and cross press for the second straight.

Technical vehicle for Greg, Rex either plays carpenter or is more of a dirty wrestling specialist. He'll meet another of those in the final.

 

[David Mantell]

Andy Blair in full Highland getup.was from the same English Midlands training camp as superheavyweight Scrubber Daly. He did some tagging with Big Daddy and got squashed by mega heels like Red Ivan. Here he's in against the great carpenter heel.  Let's see what Sid can do to make Andy look good before beating him.

Blair levers out of Cooper's side headlock and breaks open a sleeper into an arm lever. Cooper doesn't roll. He just takes the whip bump to make the kid look good. Blair leapfrogs and dropkicks Copper who starts attacking Andy on the mat. Cooper goes full nelson to side chancery to backslide but Blair bridges out.Odlybthey shake hands. Blair .egdives into a full Boston Crab but Cooper resists so Greg releases. Cooper spends the rest of the round being privately warned about something - Kent isn't sure what either.

Round 2.  Sid knocks down Andy with a few forearmd and the odd dirty blow.  Eventually Blair gets a Great Muta reverse shoulder drive (apprmore a female move in the C21st. Bodycheck and flying tackle for the cross press equaliser. Cut to Round 4. Cooper has Blair in a single leglock, having lost the other half. He tries for the surfboard regardless, the gives up, bashes his knee into canvas then takes down Blair and tries again for the surfboardbut only gets one side (an arm and a leg.) He puts pressure of the leg then gives up and smashes the knees down one more time.  He tries for double legs but instead splashes the leg. He gets a leg again .  Collins gets a near KO tthough a forearm smash then gets the a KNOCKOUT , yes OJ, with a reverse piledriver.

Apart from getting rescued by Daddy for tag wins, Blair doesn't seem to have got much done, but he hung around the business u til the end of the Nineties and has been seen at wrestlers reunions eg 2016.

I shall review the final tomorrow. I need my sleep.

 

 

 

[David Mantell]

Morning all. Right, the final:

 

Kent Walton makes a silly pun about Valentine having had a little more time to re-cooper-ate than Cooper. For a hated crumb heel. Cooper is in a merry mood shaking hands with loads of people including MC Brian Crabtree but not Valentine whom he shoved and gets dropkicked. And we're off...

This leads to another dropkick and a Powerslam and Greg getting the opening pin in only 15 seconds. Round two and after a couple of armdrags, Cooper tries to flee the ring but Valentine drags him back and pumps up the crowd. Cooper throws Greg in the hammerlock position but Greg takes it as a cartwheel, pinioned arm and all. He then throws Cooper who takes the bump. Cooper gets his heat back with a concealed stomach punch and another punch covered by a headlock. Cooper goes for another headlock on the taller Valentine but gets lifted into a fireman's carry and has to foul by pulling hair to free himself. Cooper gets two good legal forearm smashes and posts Valentine who comes back with double legs into a flip outside the ring. He gets back at 8 but is still selling his head and offering a handshake. Valentine accepts and gets a knee to the stomach for his pains. Cooper follows up with a snapmares into headlock but the bell goes. Cooper ignores it and slams Valentine's head into the corner and is threatened with summary DQ by referee Ken Joyce.

Round 3 and Cooper attacks the base of Valentine's spine. Cooper the switches to headlock which again leads to a Greg fireman's carry and Cooper hair foul.  Copper slips in one last kick before leaving Greg for the count - Greg is up at five but Cooper swiftly smashes him down then flings him through the ropes. When Greg gets back, Cooper corners him for and over the shoulder leg lock but Valetbashed him over the head with his free leg. Valentine misses a dropkick and lands in his arm with Sid following in with an armhank (legal, he just catches Greg coming off he floor) for an equalising submission. During the interval a second throws Valentine a towel which Cooper thinks was thrown in to concede the bout. He makes a speech calling Greg yellow which enrages the good guy. Round 4 rings and Greg is a flurry, leapfrogging Cooper. Flinging him out of the ring. Cooper slips up on re-entry and Greg side folding presses him to make it 2-1. And he is ecstatic, leaping around. Greg gets his cup and a wreath of flowers round his neck to make him look like he's on holiday in Tahiti and is mobbed by fans.

He was a promoter's son with a name filched from a top American star and it was ultimately he and his brother who killed off RWS, the former Joint Promotions, by refusing to take over from his dad in February 1995 but Steve "Greg Valentine" Crabtree was a fine young technician and blue-eye who deserved his push.

 

 

 

[David Mantell]

Been to Dudley Town Hall for All Star this evening. Good crowd 250-300 ISH.  Sadly no clean bout this time, in fact only 4 bouts in the show.  On the plus side, good old.  Lee Bamber was MC.

Star attraction was ex WWFer Gangrel who teamed with Jim Diehard of the Henchmen (see post a year or back about current superheavies) to lose to Jack Stars and Nathan Cruz. Starz had a good clean match in Dudley a year or two back with Elmar Stone who was in the bill today against a comedy heel Chocolate. Lee announced it as a Britain Vs American show but the two other Americans on the show, both NWA Power guys, faced off against each other - Silas "no relation to James nor Crusher. Vs Alex Taylor.

Here's a video snippet of a couple of nights ago in Aldershot.

https://www.facebook.com/allstarwrestlinguk/videos/645587201318918/ 

I've still got a nice surprise for the German thread tomorrow. Will look through it tomorrow..

[David Mantell]

From the French Catch thread:

Quote

Okay, I'm off to Dudley for All Star, will report back soon on the British thread. Rumble should soon be posting their first videos of the new year soon too. Oh and I've found something REALLY SPECIAL for the German thread which I'm looking forward to watching in full.

And from just above here.

On 2/23/2025 at 1:15 AM, David Mantell said:

I've still got a nice surprise for the German thread tomorrow. Will look through it tomorrow

Okay, hope you all enjoyed Roland Bock Vs Antonio Inoki 1978 In Full over on the German thread. Now for the last item, some current day Trad Brit wrestling courtesy of Rumble.

Actually this is the tail end of last year, 27th December 2024 at Helmsley Village Hall but Rumble has already filmed a show in 2025 and that should be up soon. Nino Bryant will be a familiar figure to longtime readers of this thread, current British Lightweight champion, last seen on here defending against kid brother Leland after losing a trophy tournament final to him.

Here he takes on a slightly larger, cockier but still blue eye opponent in Tommy/Jack Tanner.  The bout is in three discernible sections with the first being the most old school friendly, plenty of Ulta traditional rollouts of wristlocks etc.  The middle section is a bit more big flying moves particularly missed dropkicks by Nino.  The final section is quite a lot of 2 counts, folding presses, a very well done Bascule with both guys trying a number of variants to get the pin rather than just rocking back and forth, as well as some drawn out submissions ending in an American figure four leglock (as used in Britain by Clay Thompson) by Tanner where Nino holds on long enough to make it a 15 minute draw.

Tanner, despite his cocky edge is, as I said, still a blue eye. And thereby hangs a tale - this is the third of a series of three singles matches, the previous two of which saw Nino's kid brothers Leland and Xander lose to outright heel opponents, members of tag team Project SE Nathan Blade and Tyler Walker. One of the two remaining matches still to "drop" as the kids say from this taping is a Triple Tag putting the three Bryants against Walker, Blade and Tanner. Three blue eyes versus one blue eye and two heels.  I get the impression one side is going to have difficulty sticking together due to philosophy. 

If Tanner ends up falling out with Project SE and siding with the Bryants it won't be the first time in British Wrestling (any more than this is at all the first ever team event to consist of three singles matches and a triple tag- plenty enough examples of that on World of Sport).  We shall see - and if my premonition plays out, I shall follow up with a similar scenario from the old days.

 

[David Mantell]

On 2/27/2025 at 11:20 PM, David Mantell said:

One of the two remaining matches still to "drop" as the kids say from this taping is a Triple Tag putting the three Bryants against Walker, Blade and Tanner. Three blue eyes versus one blue eye and two heels.  I get the impression one side is going to have difficulty sticking together due to philosophy. 

If Tanner ends up falling out with Project SE and siding with the Bryants it won't be the first time in British Wrestling (any more than this is at all the first ever team event to consist of three singles matches and a triple tag- plenty enough examples of that on World of Sport).  We shall see - and if my premonition plays out, I shall follow up with a similar scenario from the old days.

And yes, I was right!

Tanner who gets a Best Newcomer award before the match, ends up not just starting the match (after his partners, despite each beating a Bryant earlier, chicken out of a further fight) but remaining tagged in most of the time and actually has some good technical work with the Bryants especially Nino, using horizontal spins and rolls to reverse each others' armbars, taking each other down with further nelson pin attempts.  Tanner puts up a good effort and despite the one on three,  it's all pretty sportsmanly. In the best British tradition Eventually Tanner's partners get fed up and start shoving him around so he pushes Blade into a roll up, then after  Walker strikes with a Diamond Cutter, he walks out, sits in with the fans and watches. The two heels in the now five man tag put up a spirited rulebreaking fight but eventually succumb to the greater numbers and sheer skill of the three Bryants with young Leland flying bodypressing and pinning both villains!  Tanner joins his opponents to shake their hands and celebrate their win over his teammates.

But then like I said, I've seen this situation before.

As with Headhunters Vs Bryants, this was three singles bouts and a triple tag - in this case Scotland (three blue eyes albeit one is Drew McDonald) versus England (two heels and a blue eye.).  

Before we get down to business with the triple tag, we get on the video one of the singles bouts, Cullen Vs Cooper. Cooper the cowardly villain uses the corner to retreat until Cullen gets in behind with a sleeper. Cooper breaks it open into a top wristlock but Cullen spins off.  Cullen upsets a variety of spins and kip ups to escape and ultimately reverse Cooper's wrist lever and force a bump.  Cooper tries for a folding press but Runs Out Of Mat and Cullen crawls swifty back. He gets his own wristlever into front facing hammerlock then a headscissors.  Cooper eventually uncorks it with his fee so Cullen tries a full nelson then a snapmares into further nelson.  The bell saves Cullen from a double legdives but not a posting between rounds. Referee Peter Szacazs reprimands Cooper so when he capitalises on the damage with fouls in Round 2 it earns him a public warning.  He capitalises more legally with a knee backbreaker but Cullen bridges out. While continuing to have Cooper work on the back, mostly with fouls, Cullen pulls off a surprise roll up opening pin. Cooper again attacks Cullen between rounds but is chased off.  Round 3 sees more dirties by Cooper including a punch which gets him his second and final and more back weakeners including a pitch to ringside.cooper uses a leglock in the mount to test Cullen 's back for weak spots and obviously finding one as in the next round he gets an equalising submission with a Boston Crab. He tries for another one at the start of Round 5 but Cullen kicks him in the head. Another closed fist has the crowd BAYING for Cooper to be DQd and the referee BLISTERING him with threats as Syd covers in the corner. He continues the back treatment with knockdowns and drops focusing on the spine until Cullen pulls out a surprise suplex and cross press, getting a 2-1 win over Cooper. And so to the Triple Tag.

Roy Scott of England (oh the irony) is a nice clean wrestler who happily technically wrestles the good guys. The two villains Kaye and Cooper use dirty tactics on the other blue eyes and just plain run away from Cullen. Early on, McGregor nearly gets a sunset flip pin off Cooper.  The English side in retribution corner young Ian and work him over.  When Ray tags in, it's a whole different match, just like Tanner in the ring in the recent bout. McGregor takes a Scott throw well rolling to upright on , gets a hammerlock which Scot tries to counter with a bodyslam attempt, then Ian snapmares Roy and tags Chic Cullen .  Cullen gets an armlock into mat side headlock. Scott tries to turn Cullen into a folding press but Cullen keeps rotating until it is a standing side headlock.  He then snapmares Scot into a facebar and offers the two heels Scot's hand to tag but they refuse to face Cullen, even when he frees Roy the villains flatly refuse the tag. So young Ian tags in and snapmares Scot. This time Kaye accepts the tag but Ian scampers back to tag Cullen.  And it's back to Goodies And Baddies as the two argue over a handshake and Kaye holds Chic for a double team with Cooper who gets his second and final public warning for it and nearly a DQ as he carries on regardless.  Chic gains the advantage and handles both heels. The ref bundles Kaye out. Chic leg slingshots Sid into the ropes. Big Drew tags in and batters Cooper with strength moves like slams and snapmares.  He then gets a neck lift opening submission over Cooper. Things go from bad to worse as Cooper and Kaye loudly complain to the ref about the situation.  Cooper even gets a shot in on partner Roy who by now is fed up with their griping and dirty wrestling and deserts them, briefly stopping by the opposing corner to wish them luck,,then heading off to the locker room. The two villains try to shake hands with Drew but he front chanceries both  and Cullen split dropkicks both their heads, Boston Crabs Cooper and tags in McGregor. Young Ian withstand a kick to the floor and various bumps by Tally Ho before escaping a shoulder backbreaker and getting down behind his man to trip him and get his team a second straight fall with a folding press on Kaye.

In both these triple tag matches, about 40 years apart, two bad guys are lumbered with having to team with a good guy against three of his fellows and in the end the white sheep of the heel team defects.

[David Mantell]

 

Reformed ex heel Dennison uses his strength to make hardcwork for youthful veteran Anthony to get wristlevers on before throwing him from a top wristlock. He just twists 180 out of a scissor grovit to the jaw .and gets a legdrive and leglock but Bob pinions his hand with his feet to take a wrist but Alan throws him. He gets a headlock, Bob breaks it up into a top wristlock but again Alan throws him.him.  They shake hands. Alan counters another wrist with a cross headscissor but Anthony folds it down into a leglock then a legspread but Alan forces his legs shut. Anthony gets a front chancery but Alan places him on the ring apron, opens the ropes and lets him step back in. They exchange standing armlocks. Alan throws Bob to get a bump, snapmares him for another and gets a chinlock. Anthony bridges back to get Alan's shoulders flat but takes another wrist rather than go for the pin.  Alan backwards rolls but Bob gets a leghank on as the bell goes. 

Round 2. Bob gets a full nelson, Alan breaks and over shoulder whips him. Alan now has the full nelson. Bob breaks it, snapmares, goes for a pin but Alan double knee smashes him in the head.Alan gets a front chancery but Alan unwarps it into a high wrist whip forcing a bump. They repeat. Alan gets the Japanese stranglehold but Anthony steps out of it. Alan tries a backdrop but Bob turns it into a sunset flip for a couple of 2s. It looks like a Bascule but they break up, Alan legdives but Bob stands and monkey climbs Alan. Alan considers a throw from the neck but instead goes for a bodyscissors. Anthony wriggles out nicely. Alan forces a whip bump but Bob takes him with for a bump himself.  They have a power battle over a side by side armlock which ends in Alan bumping. They repeat the double whip bumps.Bib bridges out of a pin attempt. Alan has a front chancery when the bell goes.

Round 3.  Alan has double rear arms but Bob gets a ground dropkick.Alan snapmares for a double knees pin but Anthony again double knees him in the head. Bob tries a bodycheck but hasn't really got the strength. A Dennison power throw ends up in the corner for a break Bob gets a standing hammerlock, converts to a wristlock then gets in a dropkick. He throws Alan twice but Alan gets him in a backbreaker. He tries for a dropkick but Alan grabs the legs for a Boston Crab for the one required submission.

Good sporting contest. Since fighting Dynamite Kid, Alan has developed an appetite for strength versus skill bouts against challenging lighter Whizzkid technicians. This was a good example.  Some people don't like the blue eyed Alan, found him a bit pious, but it a clean match setting he could be an interesting worker who used his strength in intelligent ways.

[David Mantell]

On 8/26/2023 at 9:30 PM, David Mantell said:

Also the Jolly Fisherman trophy - a pottery figure of a character from an old 1930s poster/magazine advert for railway trips to seaside resort Skegness, praising its notoriously bad weather as an actual major selling point:

The first semifinal. Bernie Wright as Bearcat, his equivalent of his brother Steve's Bull Blitzer or nephew Alex's alter ego Berlin.  This is another example of good effective use of a disqualification. Greg is the blue-eyed boy and Bernie, once the nice kid from the Wigan Snakepit has been transformed by his time in Stampede (as Athol Foley, "son" of John Foley) into a snarling low rent Cyanide Sid Cooper who "disgraces" the sport, beating the opponent up but losing the contest and being packed off to the dressing room for a dressing down. Even the ref gets to be strong.        

Bout starts off fairly technical, Valentine rolling out of all Bernie's wrist levers.  Wright looks your standard ugly heel (beard, snarl, crewcut). Bernie using dirty tactics, stomp and chokes on the rope, pulls of the hair, attacks after the round bell.  To which Valentine tries to reply with some science.  Like Inoki, Wright is accustomed to American rules and it gets him in trouble. The first public warning is for an off the top turnbuckle leap on a prone Valentine, the second for a Tree Of Woe type move, draping Valentine upside down in the corner and kicking his head. He does get a good opening submission in round 3 with a leglock over the neck. The crowd are appeased by a reminder of Wright's public warnings. Valentine gets  an equaliser in Round 5 with a neat backwards leapfrog in the corner into a waistlock roll up. Valentine gets a public warning of his own in round 6 for a retaliatory punch or two too many. At which point Wright fires off the straw that breaks the camel's back, a vicious stomach punch that gets him that third public warning and a DQ and elimination from the tournament.  The MC on behalf of the referee issues theee most condescending public dressing down like something out of School. "THE REFEREE WILL NOT ALLOW THESE KINDS OF TACTICS - YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED!!!"  Go on, mister heel, punch us, we doubledang dare you. And the crowd absolutely LOVE it.

Wright does get one bit of revenge - Valentine is badly injured by that punch and has to withdraw from the final,, leaving the second semifinal upgraded to a final. So at least he took Greg down with him.

  

 

[David Mantell]

On 1/10/2016 at 7:02 AM, ohtani's jacket said:

Ian McGregor vs. Ray Robinson (8/7/86)

This was the final for the Jolly Fisherman trophy. A trophy that looked like something you'd find at a rummage sale or white elephant stall. I like both these guys but this was a dull and listless bout. There was a big fuss made about how it was supposed to be the second semi-final, but Bernie Wright had been DQ'ed in the first semi and the winner, Greg Valentine, withdrew with an injury so it automatically became the final. Then they wrestled to a draw and Walton assumed the ref would decide the winner on points, but the local dignitary presenting the trophy, Leslie Shepherd, the Director of Leisure and Tourism at East Lindsey District Council no less, said they'd make a second trophy for the men to share. I wonder whatever became of the Jolly Fisherman trophy. When wrestling fans from the UK say this stuff is too British at times this has got to be what they mean.

Too British, to Fracochard (what was that word El P used on the French thread?) too SOUTHERN? This seems to be a universal complaint people all over the world have about their local pre-Vince style of wrestling.

Okay. let's get the trophy out the way first. You can see from the image I posted above what the front view of it looked like. Unfortunately all we get is an unflattering zoom in of the Fisherman's flexed buttock.  I expect Skegness tourist board were selling the statuettes of the town mascot and giving one away as a prize was crafty advertising. Bear in mind this aired just as the schools broke up for the 1986 summer holidays and if you were too poor for abroad, too East for Blackpool and too north for Great Yarmouth, Skeggy in Lincolnshire was going to be your beach that summer.

I can think of another tournament a year later where something like this happened, the 1987 Golden Grappler trophy where finalist Ritchie Brooks was injured and replaced in the final by his defeated semifinal opponent Mal Sanders who nonetheless lost to breakout TBW of 1987 Kid McCoy.  This whole trophy business has continued to the present day - we saw Leland Bryant win the first annual Bob Bartholomew tournament last year in Rumble a few pages back. After he died, the referee in this contest Ken Joyce had an annual trophy tournament in his honour run by Premier Promotions most recently won by Karl Atlas in 2019.  I agree with Kent's praise for Joyce, check out his 1981 match with Johnny Saint for starters.

So anyway, the match.  Ray Robinson is a lot like the reformed Alan Dennison, a strength wrestler with enough technical ability to get by who matches up well with lighter but technically sharper opponents. By the time of the 1990 Scottish TV tapings he was flirting with heelism (IIRC against this same opponent McGregor who himself is the heel in another encounter they had, caught on camcorder circa 199). Here however they're both all gentlemen.)  Ray uses sheer strength to break headlocks and a full nelson and throw Ian from his Japanese stranglehold. Ray takes Ian down in a rear waistlock, converts to a standing full nelson. Ian tries to rearrange his way out of it when the bell goes. Interesting potted history of TBWs from Kent, apparently Mick McMichael was one in his time.

Cut to round 3. Ian McGregor gets the leg a couple of times but just applies a weakener before releasing for the count. The third time he progresses to a single leg Boston Crab but Robinson reaches the ropes. Rex gets a leg of his own but McGregor, in the best move of the bout so far, throws him with a toupee that would have made Gilbert LeDuc himself proud. Robinson slams Ian, goes for a cross press, gets 2 the first time and nothing the second. He tries the slam again but McGregor in his second good move today,  rolls him into a cradle for 2. Robinson wedges his way out of a side headlock. Ian gets an armbar held down by a knee but Robinson powers upwards into a good cross buttock throw which the camera sadly cuts away from. Robinson gets a waistlock into folding press but the bell goes. 

Round 4 and McGregor gets a VERY quick dropkick and cross press for two. When Robinson throws Ian off, he lands in a headlock position on Joyce! The referee fortunately laughs it off - Michel Saulnier would have thrown a FIT. Robinson gets some great throws, two side chancery throws and a slam which all get counts of 6 or 7. He then gets a posting and a beautiful long suplex for the opening pin. Round 5 and Robinson continues this game plan with two more side chancery throws, two more postings, goes for the suplex ... but Ian blocks twice then gets a suplex of his own for the equaliser!

So it's just round 6 to decide. Robinson gets an over the shoulder backbreaker but Ian cracks it open and drops down behind. When Ray turns, Ian double legs him for a folding press and 2 count. Sadly we don't properly see the crawlout escape as it's time for Mister Leslie Shepherd, the Director of Leisure and Tourism at East Lindsey District Council to get his big close up, Mr DeMile (or rather Mike Archer!). Robinson goes for a posting but McGregor takes the impact on his foot, spins on it and comes back with another double legs but Robinson gets in first with a backslide for two. McGregor gets a flying tackle, Robinson overpowers and slams him but then leans in too far and gets a ground dropkick on the chin. McGregor gets in behind for a folding press but Robinson powers out. Robinson goes for an inverted rear waistlock, McGregor gets a hammerlock counter and switches to a folding press but Robinson crawls out and makes it a double knees press and cross press but none of these can hold McGregor. Stalemate and rest. McGregor goes for double legs and folding press but Robinson's strength is too much and to make matters worse, he clamps on a bodyscissor as Ian releases. Ian still gets a 1 count as he starts to turn into a Boston Crab. Eventually he tries a slingshot but can't throw Robinson far enough and Ray lands on him in a double knee press for two. Rest and this time Ray gets the double legs and the Boston Crab attempt but McGregor resists and Ray only gets it on just in time for the final bell.

"Dull and listless" eh @ohtani's jacket?  I'll grant you the first round is rather strength based and pedestrian and the second must have been even more like that to have got the chop but there are some good spots in round 3, then the two good falls and a VERY action packed and technical final round. It took time but I got into it.

So in the end both men end up with a trophy (Ian gets the existing one and Robinson gets the flowers) What would have been fantastic would be if they had made a third trophy for Valentine but NOTHING for that NAUGHTY boy Wright! There's only one punishment for the likes of him ...

[David Mantell]

.... Well okay. this is a couple of months earlier but never mind.

 

Tony Francis is gearing up to replace Charlie McGee and has already invested in the white leisure suit. The Emperor throws Collins out of the ring but this just leaves him to be Daddies. He has already lost his old mask to Big D in a previous misadventure and his new Conquig BB style one does a bad job of concealing Big Bill Bromley. Wright also gets pitched out. He and Danny resume and the European Welterweight Champion gets in a couple of good ground position dropkicks.  Wright comes back with a bodycheck then Danny gets a couple of armdrags and takes a throw himself.  One thing about Big Daddy tags you do get little nuggets like these between the two lighter men.Wright gets in a kneedrop in time to be part of the same time and a headbutt but misses an elbowsmash  He gets in two forearms a slam and a kneedrop before tagging the masked man, getting a public warning on the way out for various hair pulls as the masked man pounds and slams Danny then backbreakers him but he escapes and Danny tags Daddy. Both heels get the treatment from Daddy who tags Danny. The heels also tag and Emperor chokes Danny with one hand before knocking him down and tagging Wright who roughs up Danny who does get a good monkey climb in. And a forearm. More blows from Wright. Danny gets a dropkick and sunset flip for the opening pin.  Wright is back to work after the bell. Daddy charges the ring and headlocks both heels for a Collins split dropkick which earns him a public warning. The Emperor gets two postings to soften the back of Danny before equalising with a shoulder backbreaker . An over eager Emperor. tries to jump start La Belle and gets his own PW. After a few more back weakeners he puts the shoulder backbreaker back on but Danny wriggles out and tags Daddybut Jeff Kaye misses it and sends him out. Emperor guillotine elbows Danny but celebrates what he thinks is a KO count while Danny this time properly gets the tag. Four postings, a clothesline and splash get the job done 2-1.

At least ex Snakepit man Wright didn't have to job to Daddy himself. Had he learned his lesson?

 

 

[David Mantell]

3 hours ago, David Mantell said:

Had he learned his lesson?

Indeed he has. I present to you a reformed character.

Wright here in 1988 seems to have left Bearcat behind in the Bearkittylitter tray and re-emerged as a more mature version of the old Wonderboy Bernie who gave Young David his first TV match and gave John Naylor some serious worries on a Morecambe pier TV taping before going domwn 2-1 is back. Full head of hair, no mention Of Bearcat, he wears a German tournaments t shirt into the ring and gets an amiable pop from the crowd.

Robinson gets a cross buttock into side headlock. He resits a Wright bodycheck and taken him down with his own cross buttock for the count of 2. He legspreads and trips Bernie and gets a Gotch toehold, Wright pushed up and Wright flaps into a double leg nelson. They come off the ropes into an equal bodycheck and Ray  forces a hard bump. Brebyjtakes an armlock. Bernie  cartweels and dive rolls out of Gordon's armlever and crross buttocks and presses to get a 1 count then tries a folding press but Runs Out Of Mat. Ray gets a full Nelson which Bernie twists into a front facing lockup. Ray gets a throw out of it but again it hits the ropes.  Ray gets a side chancery throws. Bernie just a side chancery. He takes it to the mat where Ray wriggles out to applause. Bernie forces Ray to the mat in a finger interlock but Ray bridges and it holds Bernie's weight, so they reset. Bernie gets a slam, a posting and charges into the corner when the bell goes. He releases when the bell goes and they shake hands.

Round 2 and Bernie shows that Wonderboy is now Wonderadult as he cartwheels upright from Ray's throws.  Bernie gets a headlock but Ray counters with a slam for a 6 count.  A double arm suplex gets a three (not a pin, a KO count.) Bernie kicks out of a backslide and twice headbutts Robinson in the small of the back.  Robinson responds with his own headbutt and knee lift.and another slam, this time actually going in for the pin but only gets 1. Bernie gets a knee backbreaker then double legs and tries for a Boston Crab but Robinson resists. Bernie tries briefly for a pin then gives up.He gets a headlock, slingshots off the ropes and tries a vertical flying tackle but Robinson parries it with a shoulderblock, then capitalises with a reverse arm hank and posting.  Robinson gets a headlock and bounces Ray off the ropes, who comes back with a shoulder but not much impact. They crisscross and Bernie drops, lets Ray pass over then catches him with the cross buttock and press for the required pin - but barely as Robinson kicks out just too late and is about to go for Bernie when the penny drops. His nose is bleeding but he still shakes hands and is a good sportsman.

So this is what TBWs fully grow into after a decade in thecsun with plenty of nourishment and fertilizer.  No trace of Bearcat, just the Wonderboy all grown up. He'll continue to be a force not just in Britain but in Germany too, there are plenty of his late 80s VdB bouts on @sergeiSem's channel for a start.

 

[David Mantell]

Ian McGregor and Ray Robinson had plenty more encounters subsequently but they weren't always as sporting as that Jolly Fisherman trophy semi.

This is from Joint Promotion's late 1990 taping in Aberdeen and features Ray as the villain. By now. As Kent had predicted, Ian had bulked up a lot and was now a fully grown Heavyweight.

 

Again this is a trophy tournament.  McGregor is piped to the ring by a bagpipe band like Roddy Piper. Ray shakes hand and is cheered - at the start. IHe crooss buttocks Ian into a side headlock but Ian wedges out.ian gets an armbar and one srm chinlock. He moves from snapmares to Futher shoulder press attempts. Robinson  gets a rear waistlock into folding press for a 2 and two 1s before releasing.  Robinson gets an armdrag into armbar, Ian back role then front rolls but Ray keeps the wristlock so Ian uses a forcefully blown to break the grip then a snapmares into headlocks and srengle (Sleeper). Ray kneelifts Ian off but in a hint of things to come front chanceries a kneeling McGregor and is warned off by the referee.  Ray briefly gets a side headlock and they trade forearm uppercuts.ian gets ina double kneelift to the chin. Low snapmares and drops feet first on Robinson's face.They lock up in the corner as the bell goes.

Round 2, Robinson corners Ian and takes his sweet time releasing.  Ray snapmares Ian twice , boots and slams and bodychecks, a headbutt, another forearm. He fells Ian and follows in with a guillotine elbow then a double underhook suplex. Ian forearms Ray twice who comes back with a fine far flinging cross buttock throw, Ian is up and firing forearms and gets a backslide for a near pin, then gets the openerwith a bodyslam.

Round 3.  Ian off to a flying start with two scissor chops, a drop toeholds and the same sarmbar/chinlock as early in round 1.  They exchange blows culminating in Ray's snapmarecand guillotine. They crawl some more with a bodyslam by Ian and reverse waistlock suplex for 2.  Robinson gets a headlock starts to get dirtierwith dirtier with a closed fist punch to the locked head, hidden from the ref but not the crowd who liven up. Or maybe not so well hidden as Ray gets a public warning. Certainly not hidden from Ian who is still sprawled ringside. He slowly crawls back straight into a chancery those, slam and splash for 2.More brawling then Ray posts Ian and corners him on the ropes until warned off.  Ray gets another slam and a front chancery into high duplex for the equaliser.  The crowd boos him.

Round 4, Ray throws Ian by the head and throws him to ringside. Ian makes it back but is posted. He charges in but Ian catches him with a boot and finishes him with a missile dropkick for A KNOCKOUT, YES OJ AND THE REST OF YOUSE, IT'S A KNOCKOUT.

Scottish fans cheer their home town hero. Ray isn't happy. he and Ian make threats at each other. But Ian has won a KO and he went on to beat Ray Steele in the final.  He wasn't always the nicest kid. In one ITV match in 1988 he was hinting at a heel turn in one bout. By 1993 he and Drew McDonald were The Wild Jocks, feuding with Big Daddy in his final year.  In the meantime. he and Robinson feuded on. Often with the shoe on the other foot....

[David Mantell]

Okay so here they are again on a November 1989 camcording, this time Jan the batter young heel. Ray had a British Commonwealth Cruiserweight titlecwon overseas as mentioned by Brian Crabtree at the start of the last bout.  Now Ian has the title and  it is on the line. Ray is backstage training while Ian cuts a heel promo telling the fans their town has never had a champion of anything.  Some fans chant for Danny Collins. The principals exchange words over the mic regarding the title.  

So on to round 1. Fans now firmly behind Robinson "we want Ray." They lock up and eventually Ray gets a headlock then anothter. Ian gets a grapevine but the bell goes They want to continue but the ref stops them. Crowd wants Ray

Round 2. Crowd still wants Ray. He shoves Ian and wedges out of a side headlock.  Ian gets the same armbars/chinlock which becomes a headlock/strangle then Ray turns out an armbar.  Ray corners Ray then gets the armbars back but to dry Ian gets a front chinlock on. Ray converts it to another wristlever.  Ian gets another headlock then another. Bell goes.  

Round 3, McGregor gets a full nelson but Ray  breaks it.  Ian gets dirty with a closed fist punch concealed by a bearhug.   Ray posts Ian but his kicked when he follows in.  Ian gets a neck breaker opening submission and a bonus kick too behind the referee stops it. He and Ray brawl off and on during the break. Ian gets warned that it's a championship contest but no actual Public Warning.

Round 4 Ian gets a side chancery and elbow to the back of Ray's neck the the neck breaker again to try make it 2-0. Ray breaks out and gets a bit dirty himself, with fan approval stomping McGregor.  One fan shouts out AAARIGHT, GIVE HIM WHAT HE GIVE YOU.. Ray snapmares Ian who begs for mercy but then springs up for another back of the neck elbowsmash.   He floors Ray with forearms. Ray gets 2 with a flying tackle.it gets into a brawl and something is wrong with Ian's eyes. They brawl until the bell.

Round 5 Ian suckers Ray in with a boot, then throws him out between the ropes. He stops Ray coming back and gets a definite Public Warning.  He brings Ray back in and goes for a flying tackle but Ray overpowers him for an equalising pin. Fans standing up ready to riot are They brawl on and Ray gets a public warning. All equal.  

Round 6, they run the ropes and collide. Run again and Ray gets an elbow and backslide for the 2-1 win and the title. Ray's son runs in to present Dad with the title. Well done Ray, but soon there will be a return match and Ian will want to regain. It's on YouTube and we'll check it out tomorrow.

[David Mantell]

11 hours ago, David Mantell said:

Well done Ray, but soon there will be a return match and Ian will want to regain. It's on YouTube and we'll check it out tomorrow.

Okay here goes.

The fan cam was mates with the wrestlers so we get a promo with Ray. Ian comes to the ring to much heat which intensifies when he cuts a heelish "gee" speech down the MC's mic. They spend the referee's instructions jawing at each other and Robinson the blue eye completely ignores the instruction to go back to his corner. 

Round 1 is mostly brawling until McGregor tries a full nelson and the chinlock/arm  lever that is clearly a speciality of his.  They briefly exchange uppercuts and McGregor takes Robinson to the mat in a front chancery into a cross buttock into side headlock. Robinson turns into the guard and wedges out.. McGregor gets a full nelson into side chancery into chinlock. The bell goes. They go back to their corners but then McGregor charges at Ray with a forearm, then points accusingly at Robinson and quits the ring.  

Round 2:  McGregor gets back in.  Ray gets a side headlock. Ian tries the handstand escape twice but can't get it up. He gets free running the ropes but then gets bodychecked down. Ray low snapmares Ian. Ian wants a handshake but Ray is having none and gets a side headlock instead.  Repeat the previous off the ropes/bodycheck sequence. Finger interlock into kneeling front chancery. Bell goes.

Round 3 Lockup into Ray armdrag and wrist lever on the mat. Ian pulls up but Ray armdrags down. Ian is up and knees & forearms Ray. They exchange forearms.headbutts and Ray gets in a good dropkick.Ian quits the ring. When he gets back he conceals a clench fist punch and more brawling. He gets a good snapmare and double knees which gets him some one counts but are distractiobs for illegal closed fists to Robinson's torso. This gets heat - one older female fan is right up by the apron complaining and pointing, soon joined by other fans. Ref gets suspicious, goes to investigate, Ian releases and protests his innocence, then twists the fallen Ray's neck. This bursts Ray's dam, he challenges McGregor to fisticuffs but Ian wants none. Bell goes. 

Round 4: Ian gets in an illegal fist. a legal knee and a whip into another knee. Ray gets a barrage of fists in (condoned as retaliation) then snapmares Ian out the ring. MC gives both men a (theoretically) private warning about fists, Ian grabs the mic to say it's all Robinson' fault. Robinson takes the mic and fires back. Ian cuts him off with a surprise attack and posting and uppercut. The ref spots one concealed punch and gives McGregor a Public Warning. McGregor shrugs and front chops Robinson  who headbutts him twice into the corner.  Robinson follows in on the ropes. The ref calls him off. Bell goes.

Round 5:  McGregor races across the ring into a monkey climb attempt. It doesn't come off but he gets in some slugs and a whip into a clothesline which fells Robinson but hurts McGregor's arm worse. MC Gregor capitalises forcing a high whip and bump twice (McGregor cartwheels on the second but it still ends in a bump, softer than the first.) Ray puts an armhank on the injured arm for the opening submission.  MC and Ian exchange words on the mic.

Round 6 Ian walks out, to have an argument ringside, Robinson makes to follow him but the ref holds him back.I an gets back in, but goes to his corner, calls up his second who gets in, closely followed by an audience member who the referee ejects. Crowd are rioting and have to be politely warned by MC. Second straps up Ian's arm but Ray targets it, getting a wrist lever on.  McGregor could roll out but he goes for the ropes (traditionally chickenshit heat in Britain) but ref exercises his discretion not to break it. Ray continues to weaken arm, even trying for a Jim Breaks Special. Ray headbutts and kneedrops the upper arm, his game plan for another arm submission is clear. Ian slips out to ringside as the bell goes.

Round 7. McGregor in at eight but Robinson gets a double underhook suplex. He works on the neck but the ref wants a break. Ian pitches Ray out of the ring, knocks him off ringside, goes out in search of Ray but decides to get back in as the count on Ray continues.  But the ref stops the count and gives Ian his Second And Final Public Warning. Ian chinlocks Ray, puts his head on the rope but, mindful of his PW status breaks when the ref tells him. He drags Ray up and posts him by the neck. He corners Ray steps back then closes in to get a concealed illegal punch and legal uppercut. Ian throws  Ray out, follows him out and flings him into a table (file under Things You Couldn't Do On ITV.) They get back in.  Crowd are BAYING for a DQ.  Ian starts a posting on Ray, Ray reverses but Ian gets a downward elbowsmash to fell Ray.  He slams Robinson. Bell goes

Cut to Round 8 in progress. Robinson carries on with uppercut, headbutt and open grovit on the mat. Still working on the arm, he post McGregor and charges in but McGregor meets him with a boot followed by a fine missile dropkick. McGregor gets a piledriver and equalising pin.

Round 9  McGregor knees Ray who gets a forearm and a long vertical suplex for a nine count.  McGregor kicks Robinson low but gets a count.  He goes to follow in but Robinson catches him with a backslide for the deciding pin.  Robinson the winner 2-1.  McGregor and his second from the previous clip give Robinson a kick kicking then disappear off sharpish. But the damage is done and Ray has successfully made his return defence of the title and put ex champion McGregor out of contention. 

 

.

 

 

 

[David Mantell]

On 3/8/2025 at 11:13 PM, David Mantell said:

Scottish fans cheer their home town hero. Ray isn't happy. he and Ian make threats at each other. But Ian has won a KO and he went on to beat Ray Steele in the final. 

Unfinished business:

Ray Steele starts off the same old Ray Steele we knew from TV. Cheered by the fans, shakes hands with Brian Crabtree and his opponent.  I however had seen a different Ray Steele a few months earlier in Croydon June 1990. Which would we see here?

Round 1: McGregor breaks Steele's headlock into a top wristlock then an armbar with two twists then a headlock of his own. He tries for a bodycheck but doesn't achieve much. Steele gets a full nelson then switches to a side chancery then a front chancery. Ian straightens the arm and clamps on a front chancery of his own. Steele lifts McGregor and puts him on the ring apron during which the bell goes.

Round 2. Steele gets a side headlock into side chancery. McGregor makes it Into a top wristlock then forearms Steele who does it back.  Steele goes side chancery to neck breaker (a la Rude Awakening). Then another side chancery into a crossface. Bell goes. Kent mentions Ray Steele holding the (by then defunct Joint breakaway lineage) British Heavyweight Championship. Apparently ITV still recognises this rather than Dave Finlay who beat Tony StClair for All Star, even though Dalbir Singh renounced his claim in 1989.

Round 3 Steele gets a side headlock but Ian slips out sideways so it becomes a top wristlock behind his head. Steele gets a straight armlever. Ian turns to brawling with forearms etc flooring Steele. He is not a happy bunny when he gets up.Still clean for now. He gets a legdive and open grovit but Ian 's shoulders are up. Steele goes from front headlock to side chancery (a favourite of Steele's , notes Kent) and lands a hefty uppercut of his own.He gets a full nelson, Ian breaks it with a backbutt, comes off the ropes and gets Steele's arm, makes the whip himself but is caught by a kneelift. Steele gets the reverse neck stretch for the opening submission. Partisan fans boo. Steele notices.

Round 4. Steele getting dirtier, reluctant to let McGregor up on his own and slams his head into posts when he does. Side chancery takedown and guillotine elbowsmash. Side Chancery again to position McGregor for a forearm smash. Steele now into outright dirty wrestling, repeatedly stomping McGregor on the mat. McGregor gets his own side chancery but Steele gets a single legdive. Both holds are on, Ray gets the better of it and floors and open grovits Steele. Takes his upstairs by his handy side chancery for a posting, double legs and a full Boston Crab attempt but Ian spins him out to ringside. He gets back in, takes down McGregor for the open grovit again and is just making it a headlock and strangle (sleeper) when the bell goes. He takes a bit longer than usual to release.

Round 5. Starts with a forearm exchange. Steele snapmares McGregor and gets a rear chinlock.Convert via side chancery (!) to a slam.Posting and knee backbreaker. McGregor gets a headlock, Steele tries the same knee backbreaker but misses and McGregor rolls him round into an equalising pin! Steele is furious and finally goes full heel. Punches McGregor and throws him out of the ring, shouting angrily at the crowd. He gets DISQUALIFIED and Kent is dismayed at his old favourite's change of style. 

I took was a bit surprised when I saw Steele like this a few months earlier in Croydon.  Still, the "disgraceful" behaviour clearly rebranded Steele for those who remembered him on Saturday afternoon as a blue eye.  McGregor meanwhile won his trophy in front of his fellow Scots and was a hero to the Aberdeen crowd while nonetheless continuing to be a naughty boy at halls elsewhere in the early 90s 

 

 

 

[David Mantell]

Some more good present day action. Nino defended the British Lightweight title against Danny back in 2022 when Danny was a bit more hellish.  Hower Danny is more a reformed character these days and has mopped up three titles, including one if not two from the hated Tate Mayfairs. Starts old school technical before becoming more big movey towards the end.  A good sporting 15 min draw.

[David Mantell]

On 3/10/2025 at 11:26 AM, David Mantell said:

He gets DISQUALIFIED and Kent is dismayed at his old favourite's change of style. 

That was a disqualification finishing a trophy tournament. Let's wind back 4 years to when All Star was on Screensport and watch a title change on DQ.

Sanders and Hayward had a long history of clean matches together. Hayward beat Sanders for Mick McManus's old European Middleweight Championship in 1981 and lost it back in 1984. They also fought in South Africa for a World Middleweight Championship after Adrian Street went off to America. OJ reviewed a 1983 bout earlier in this thread which I may look up.

By 1986 both for Joint on ITV and All Star on satellite, Sanders was morphing into a Mouth Of The South with no megaphone. Hayward had flirted with heelism himself in one earlier TV bout and got a public warning for his troubles but Sanders had taken the full leap years before Danny Collins in 1994, Robbie Brookside in 1995 and James Mason in 2003.

Location is in a tent (like some 70s French Catch). On Wrestling Titles, Hisa (not on here?) says this was Guildford but @JNLister has it down as Hanley and the commentators say Stoke on Trent (of which Hanley is one of the Five Towns).  Referee Frank Casey - later the British Bushwhacker - is doing an angle where he had been suspended for being too lenient according to fans and was now extra tough on villains.  

It starts off clean enough - Sanders goes into the ropes and cleanly breaks snapmares Hayward and gets a wrist lever but Hayward rolls upright nicely. Sanders gets the leg and weakens it but fails to keep continuous motion when going for a headlock so has to break. Sanders gets a top wristlock into arm lever, weakens the bicep with headbutts and forces a bad landing on an Irish Whip. Sanders is slow to break on the ropes and does something nasty.  He's not happy when Hayward extra rolls on a reversed wristlock to wrench his arm. He straight arms and forces another bump with another whip but then follows in with stomping.

Mal snapmares and headlocks Hayward but Keith breaks it into a wristlever so Sanders bashed him on the neck and lifts him off the mat, Casey giving him audible private warnings all the way (British Accent spotters, this is Scouse, the Liverpool accent.) Sanders jaws with fans as much as Casey,  telling them to keep quiet. He gets a front chancery with arm lever, Keith goes for a backdrop but Sanders makes it a sunset flip for a 2. One heckler in the crowd is unimpressed.  Sanders gets a Breaks Special , resists Keith's bodyslam attempt and sneaks in an illegal closed fist.  Casey misses this but cautions Sanders for following in with multiple fouls including fishhooking. Hayward allegedly bites Sanders fingertips (or Sanders fishhooks Keith's mouth), Casey pulls them apart, hurting Sanders. Keith whips Mal for a bump and back rolls on Sanders' arm to weaken it. Keith gets a leg but it hits the ropes. Mal undresses a front facelock to a wristlever and two postings but a third one is reversed and followed with a slam and knee press for the opening fall!  

Champion Sanders is now trailing. He gets a straight armlift, Keith falls but gets on a headscissor as Mal follows in. Sanders handstands out quite beautifully and gets some wrongway applause for it until he loudly appauds himself! He gets in a kick during a finger interlock, forces a bump whip. Keith fires back with forearms, Mal gets a double underhook into front chancery but it ends up in the ropes and he is slow to break.  Sanders arm is hurting when he does not go with a whip. He takes Keith to the mat with a sleeper but argues over if Keith is unconscious before breaking it. He kicks and posts and cross presses Keith but goes for fouls during the pin attempt forcing Casey to break it up. Keith reverse rolls and goes for double arms on the fallen Mal but Casey won't have it from Keith either. Keith recurs Mal's undressing of a chinlock and gets an arm weakener, then another then goes to the mat. Sanders gets a headscissors but Keith used the Gilbert LeDuc toupee escape. Sanders gets a folding press for one, a hammerlock and gets the other arm for some pin attempts. Frustrated he resorts to  a closed fist a crotch area fouls and not releasing him. Casey appeals to him to behave.Haward gets a bump whip, keeps the arm, figure 4s it briefly then gets a posting and cross press but Sanders low blows out then refuses to release Keith from more fishhooking and the champion gets a Public Warning. And so it begins ...

Sanders gets a single leg, weakeners, but then pulls his man up and chokes him on the ropes.  He whips Hayward outside but then follows out for a ringside brawl such as you could get away with on Reslo or French TV but not on ITV.  If Kent Walton ever saw this one, I doubt he was a happy bunny.  Sanders fouls Keith outside then kicks him back out the ring as he returns .  Hayward is now in the uncomfortable role of avenging blue-eye.  He storms back with a forearm, shoulderblock, snapmares, head wrench and head smash.  Sanders openly delivers a low blow right in front of Casey for the Second And Final Public Warning. 

Sanders has an armlock on the mat and reaches under Keith to get various fouls in, playing mouse to Casey's cat as he tries to hide fouls, biting Keith's fingers. Casey demands a break and gets it but Sanders stomps his man. He gets three postings. Keith gets a forearm and dropkick. Sanders pulls him up by the hair and sidesteps a dropkick, nearly getting a knockout, and then gets the equalising submission from a straight arm lift. He brags to the crowd about his impending successful defence.  But Sanders  has accumulated a bad record of fouls in this match. He gets two bodychecks but when Keith goes for a slam he gets a closed fist punch to break it ...and that right there costs him the European Championship!!!  DISQUALIFICATION!!!

Hayward in a post match interview with his regained belt has no good words for his old rival, now outright enemy.  He claims that Sanders can't wrestle hence the fouling. A bit strong but Sanders put on quite the performance of the crumby disgrace unworthy of championship gold.  Despite this, Sanders would carry on dominating in the Middleweight division for another decade. He beat Clive Myers who had beaten Hayward, lost and regained twice to Steve Grey then lost it to Danny Collins in 1993 resulting in Danny  having to vacate his European Welterweight Championship. Sanders won Danny's old vacant belt (as he had done with the  British title, later lost to Doc Dean) and passed it back and forth with Kashmir Singh. He got the Euro Middleweight title back one last time from Collins before losing it to Jason Cross, one of the Three Js who were the mid 90s hot prospects. In 1996 for zRumble, he beat another of the Js, James Mason for the World Middleweight title (the third J incidentally was Justin Hansford who ended up as Kane tribute act Big Red Machine) before losing it to Grey .  It didn't stop there as in the early Noughties, Sanders and Mason passed Brian Maxine's old British Middleweight title back and forth on Scott Conway's TWA shows (while Maxine and Johnny Kid fought for the old decommissioned belt on Premier shows.)

But for this night Sanders had paid the ultimate price to get over as a heel, sacrificing a European Championship.  He was far from the only wrestler to lose a title on a DQ - it happened to Gwyn Davies and Vic Faulkner in 1977,  Giant Haystacks in 1979, Fit Finlay in 1984, Kendo Nagasaki in 1988 and a dazed and confused Danny Collins in 1990 against Richie Brooks in Croydon.  But in no way was this instance about keeping Sanders strong. It was about getting him over as a foul heel and blotting his old Golden Boy textbook.

 

[David Mantell]

Support bout from the same Screensport TV taping.

I can't find any past reviews of the bout but OJ put the boot into another Screensport bout in a tent pitting Stevens against Dave Taylor. Too American apparently. Not sure what was American about it but this looks Boiled Beef British.  Stevens was basically a junior version of Sid Cooper, he's got the same beard as Cooper or Bearcat Wright. Here he and Brookside have a nice little technical bout to start with.. It gets brawler later and Stevens as any villain should, gets his Second and final public warning.

Robbie has Shane Rolling around to untwist a wristlever til he has PS on the mat. They each reverse arm levers til Robbie has his man prone in a straight arm. Shane goes for the ropes (not too much heat from the crowd despite this usually being a chickensh1t tactic.) Robbie gets a leg. dive and arm weakener He spins Shane out of a legdive of his own. and use a dropkick. More spins, Brookside crosspresses. Stevens, dropkicks him.   Psycho punches Brookside, they continue to reverse wrist levers. Robbie fires dropkicks, they both try folding presses. Stevens stomps Robbie on the mat. Robbie gets a monkey climb, PS is ejected. Stevens gets a public warning. and a backdrop.  Robbie gets a leapfrog, a dropkick, later on a backdrop. Robbie misses a tope rope dropkick and Stevens follows down with a diving fireman's carry (a Kamikaze Crash - ironically Stevens would go on to team with Kendo Nagasaki) and a folding press. Eventually Brookside gets the win with a Further Nelson crucifix takedown and press.

At this point Robbie was in full blossom on TBWhood but he was (for now) not on ITV and (for now) not getting any titles, mainly because he was too tall to credibly contend for the  Lightweight/Welterweight titles that were traditionally the stuff of a TBW Baby's First Push. He did get a run with the World Heavy Middleweight title following Rocco's retirement in 1991 and before that he wrestled a technical classic with Johnny Saint and had a successful tag team with Steve Regal and even pulled off Kendo Nagasaki's mask on TV starring a feud that would run into the early 90s, but for the moment he was stuck waiting for All Star's water level to rise up to and beyond Joint's so he could have the suitable sized pond for the big fish he deserved to be.

As for tents well this was the Stoke Garden Festival (a bit prim for a mudshow) and marquees had been used for French TV and would remain a staple of the German tournaments into the 21st century.

 

[David Mantell]

Okay, by way of comparison let's watch that earlier Sanders/Ha(y)ward match:

On 6/30/2014 at 4:10 PM, ohtani's jacket said:

Keith Haward vs. Mal Sanders (5/10/83)

 

I didn't realise until this was over and I checked my notes that I'd seen it before. That's an increasing problem now that I've watched just about everything. Looking back on my comments, it seems I was nonplussed with the lack of charisma from Haward and the lack of any spark from the match. This time I thought it was pretty damn good. It might even be the best Sanders match I've seen. Haward outclassed him severely, but it was still an enjoyable contest. It was interesting that after taking a long break from Haward, I was more excited by his wrestling than the last time I saw a bunch of him. He's a wrestling machine, and that's all you get -- just relentless wrestling -- but it's cool if you're in the mood for it.

 

This was part of the undercard of the Big Daddy and Kid Chocolate Vs Masked Marauders match shown on FA Cup Final day 1983. Obviously for the live audience a contrast was needed. Haward had previously defeated Sanders for the title on World Of Sport on 1981 Cup final day (headline Big Daddy & Alan Kilby Vs Giant Haystacks & Wild Angus) - we will check that match out in due course. (The title change, not Daddy.

Keith opens up a headlock into a wrist lever but Sanders rolls out and does extra rolls as a flourish. Keith gets another headlock, Sanders headstands out and backwards over Keith to a standing start (a fave escape move of mine we've not seen enough of on here lately.)  Kent Walton predicts a clean match and in relation to this particular bout, he's right.  Keith side headlocks again Sanders opens it to a top wristlock and takes it to the mat. Keith tries to turn out, a slow predecessor of the rollout, but Sanders blocks the motion so  Keith tries standing in the hold, after being dragged down a couple of times he dives in, points upwards the threads his arm in to create the shape to go through Sandrs' underarm and out. Keeping the arm he has Sanders doing all the rolls and flips he knows to counter each twist before rolling out himself at the end. Sanders gets a front hammerlock, Keith backdrops, Mal goes into sunset flip for double leg nelson, Keith double ankles out. Keith goes side headlock to side chancery to a snapmare to side headlock, Mal escapes with an arm into hammerlock, Keith spins out horizontally and gets a Japanese strangle. Sanders reverses but Keith throws him and comes off the ropes with a sunset flip to double leg nelson, Keith double ankles snapmares, power-breaks a full nelson, Sanders arm stretches him, Keith rolls back and breaks the connections to his feet (without Sanders getting a folder!) Gets a leg into Frank Gotch toehold into side surfboard.  Sanders gets the arm stretches but again Keith disconnects with being folding presses. Keith flying tackles but Sanders overpowers for slam, doiuble knees and some 1 counts. Reset-  Keith gets a wrist lever  keeps it through a Sanders rollout and takes him to the mat. Sanders gets a long headscissors, Keith tries snapout and uncork from above, both fail. He gets the escape with a sideways fall.  Sanders takes down with a wristlever, Keith this time gets the scissors but Sanders does an easy snapout. Keith gets a leg and Mal gets a front chancery. Stalemate. Keith gets snapmare, bodycheck, flying tackle but Mal makes it a slam and double knees  Keith hits with ground dropkick, cross buttock and press for 2, step over escapes a Sanders legdive and folding presses him for the opening fall.

Sanders uses the headbutt to the arm and a high kick like the Screensport bout, but legal and restrained. He snapmares and rolls to twist the arm extra. Keith gets two postings and charges in, Sanders tries for a sunset flip but gets stuck Stalemate. Sanders gets a cross buttock takedown. Keith tries pulling open with a crossface so Sanders switches to H&S (sleeper) Keith turns out into a wristlever.  Keith overpowers to make it a posting then an armbar of his own into another posting. They try for finger interlock but hit the ropes. Sanders gets a sunset flip  into a double leg nelson for the equaliser. They shake hands. A very different Sandrs' back then.

Keith gets a headlock and wristlever, adding a knee then switching to a standing lever whip, Sanders does not go with it and gets a nasty arm weakener.  Sanders gets a full nelson into snapmares but Keith comes up with the wrist and this time Sanders rolls with it into a wristlock of his own and a roll by Hayward up to standing. Keith double whips Sanders but again he doesn't go, stoically taking he pain and going for a legdive and leg weakeners. He releases and legdives again for a single leg Boston Crab to the softened up limb. Keith pushes up and Sanders, perhaps sensing some coming counter, releases.  He still won't go with a whip and Keith capitalises by throwing him in a hammerlock position. Keith comes off the ropes for a folding press but Sanders gets out.  He gets a full nelson but Sanders goes for the front hammerlock so Keith backdrops him, but into a sunset flip and double legs. Keith ankle smashes out and gets a simple toehold I to Gotch toehold and finally a foot weakener and break. He takes back the foot too early and the ref stops him. Sanders gets a wristlever, goes underarm to behind forca whip and bump then repeats. He then straight arm lifts forca possible deciding submission but Hayward resists so Sanders drops him and gets a single kick in. while keeping hold on the mat. Hayward stands and rolls but Sanders takes him down again.  Haward is up and in a rollout position so Sanders again whips and forces a bump. He gets another straight arm lever but Keith converts to a sunset flip for 2. Keith goes from arm to leg to knee splash. He gets a leg while Sanders gets an arm, takes him down and makes it a standing arm hank. He goes for the same strsight armlift getting the same sunset flip, this time broken with double ankles. A snapmares and bodycheck is met by a slam and cross press for the winning fall.

Afterthought number 1: comparing this to the Screensport bout shows how the same two workers can produce two or even three very different bouts like Ian McGregor vs Ray Robinson or to take a more modern example James Mason Vs Dean Allmark.

Afterthought number 2 -  it is ASTONISHING just how much small detail there is in these clean matches, much of it at a pace slightly faster than the brain can process. It's hard work typing and hard on my tablet batteries (about 40%used up on typing this post) but a joy in terms of the treasure of skill and detail you find when you drill down.

I'll next post the 1981 title change. If it's similar to this I'll try to keep it brief but I may feel the need to come back and go through it for more fulsome details.

 

[David Mantell]

Okay, here is the 1981 cup final day Title Change.  Skillwise it's much the same as the 1983 bout, perhaps Hayward has a smaller bag of tricks at this time. What's curious is that there is a certain amount of needle between the two after Hayward capitalised on an accidental Sanders injury; after that they are somewhat snappish at each other, both taking time to break. It may just have been an excuse so the Max Ward could do his thing and growl at the two naughty stroppy schoolboys.  There is reluctant sportsmanship when Mal gets his consolation pin and they do reconcile fully when the title changes with Mal doing his best to be dignified in defeat, but it's a different animal again from the 1983 and 1986 bouts. 

Anyway, get this, the title match came about because of an even earlier bout and yes it's up on YouTube.albeit from a ropey copy of the original March 1981 broadcast. I'll check that out over the weekend.

[David Mantell]

21 hours ago, David Mantell said:

Anyway, get this, the title match came about because of an even earlier bout and yes it's up on YouTube.albeit from a ropey copy of the original March 1981 broadcast. I'll check that out over the weekend.

This is the earliest of four TV bouts between Sanders and Hayward.  Recording starts towards the end of round 2.  Apart from the frosty handshake at the end of round 3 there is little of the needle of the subsequent title change but Sanders is possibly displaying symptoms of his later heel persona. The champion having secured the opening fall with a roll up folding press, he at one point taps his brain a la Buddy Rogers and offers a boobytrapped handshake to Hayward, going for a double legdives, but Hayward spots it and gets a backslide pin in first for the equaliser.  Hayward gets the decider with his belly to back suplex and bridge, a legacy of his days as a legit Commonwealth Games bronze GR medalist.  Sanders is the sportsman after both fall losses and accepts Haward's title challenge "Any time. Anywhere".

Trivia learned, Sanders, Clive Myers, Dave Bond and Lee Bronson were all classmates at Tony Hurdle's wrestling gym in Stockwell.