The Beginner's Guide To British Wrestling

[David Mantell]

We've seen Jeff Kaye quite a bit lately as a referee.  We've seen him and Ian Gilmour tagging up as the Barons in both Britain and France. We've seen him sort out villains from Pancho Zapata in 1969 to Mike Bennet in 1985. Recently I saw him in Stampede. Calgary, commentating an early British Bulldogs match (No I'm not posting the video here but it's the new "Iconic Tag Teams' Debuts" video on the WWE Vault channel.). He was out there playing Tim White to Giant Haystacks when not refereeing, MCing or TV commenting. Now here he is having a top class clean match against another top class technician.

Round 1: Cortez gets a full nelson but Kaye throws him off and gets an in the guard wristlock.  Cortez kips up and gets dragged back down.  He tries again and Kaye armdrags him back down. Sideways moves don't work either. After the next kip up. Cortez side chanceries Kaye but Kaye takes his man with him and retains the hold.  He tries it again but as Kent Walton points out, he is only hurting himself and will have to think of something else "and knowing Cortez he probably will.". He's right.  Cortez drops to the mat, switches hands and armdrags Kaye to take over control.  Kaye kips up, cartwheels and whips Cortez who also cartwheels to avoid the bump and come out upright.  They go for a full finger Interlock and both get a short arm scissor and both agree to call it stalemate and break up .  Cortez gets a side headlock and takes his man to the mat.  Kaye tries to break it with an atomic drop but Cortez hangs on.  Kaye in the end handstands his way out of the hold.  Cortez armdrags Kaye for a 5 count.  Kaye gets a wristlever but the bell goes and he releases.

Round 2:  Cortez gets a single legdive. Kaye undermines Cortez's leg so he goes down and converts it into a seated leglock. Kaye turns into the mount so Cortez makes it a single toe hold. He lifts Kaye by the foot, trying to smash his knee into the mat but Kaye pushes up then rolls forwards and away.  Kaye tries a cross buttock throw but Cortez arrests his momentum with a side headlock then a hiptoss of his own.  Cortez now has the guard wristlock. Kaye rolls back and tenses his arm to resist a hammerlock attempt.  He twice goes up on his head and the second time looks to be trying a toupie but instead gets a headscissors. Cortez easily snaps out.  He backrolls off a half finger Interlock so Kaye rolls away.  Kaye gets a Fireman's Carry takedown into armlock with bar. Cortez rolls from the guard to the kneeling position then upright but Kaye still has a wristlever.  He rolls forward and spins horizontally on his backside till he takes down Kaye into an armbar in the mount.  He turns him over into the crosspress and only gets a one before being thrown on to the ring apron!  Back in, he gets a double finger Interlock into a double leg Nelson. It turns into La Bascule (back and forth double leg nelsons), occasionally turning sideways rather than just back and forth. They give that up and try another finger Interlock and Kaye makes a drop toehold of it, ending in a figure 4 legscissor.  They turn into a seating position but end up too close for an American figure four leglock so break (for once untying the legs without referee assistance.  Cortez gets a rear waistlock into full nelson, bounces Kaye off the ropes, drops down to trip him into a folding press but Kaye sidesteps out of the way.  Cortez gets an armbar and has Kaye in the guard again. Kaye tries to bridge his way out so Cortez turns him sideways, maintaining pressure on the upper arm. Kaye gets a headscissors but Cortez kips out quickly.  They lock up and hit the ropes as the bell sounds.

Round 3  Kaye gets a headlock and takes it to kneeling position. Cortez upturns it into a side folding press but Kaye uprights it.  Kaye gets another handstanding escape and a beauty like the last! Cortez throws Kaye who cartwheels out of trouble nicely.  Kaye leapfrogs Cortez and goes for a flip. Cortez tries to clamp down with a front folding press but Kaye throws him off and when Cortez rolls back from the armstrtch he in turn clams down for a folding press balancing on his elbows instead of bridging. It gets him the opening fall. 

Round 4.  Kaye tries for a leg but Cortez darts over him to get a headlock. Kaye slips out the back to make it a hammerlock.  Cortez turns into the guard straightening the arm and Kaye gets 1 before Cortez throws him off the crosspress.  Cortez gets a wrist into an armdrag, Kaye gets a headscissors and has it more firmly than earlier tries as Cortez cannot just kip out. He struggles to force the clamp open, goes into upright position and a handstand but can't maintain it. He tries again, turns 90' in the scissors and now falls out of the hold. Cortez gets a front chancery but Kaye straightens the arm , high whips his man till he bumps into the guard and gets the same guard wristlock on again.  Cortez goes up into the headstand and this time he is the one who gets the headscissors. Kaye has similar difficulties snapping out to those Cortez had but goes into a bridge, flimps back and forth between kneeling and bridging and so weakens the hold that he can, finally, kip out.  Cortez again goes for the front chancery, Kaye again straightens the arm and goes for the night whip but Cortez rolls up nicely.  Kaye offers a handshake. And Cortez accepts then tries to make a throw of it but Kaye cartwheels out. Fortunately he is a good sport about this but of mischief.  Kaye throws Cortez who cartwheels upright but bangs his neck on the rope but luckily it is nothing serious. Kaye gets a single leg, they agree to break it up but as they do Cortez tries a crafty drop toehold. Max Ward will have none of it.  Cortez backrolls off a half finger Interlock, bringing Kaye to his knees.  He takes Kaye down into a ground top double wristlock, resisting Kaye's attempts to push up until Kaye gets a headscissors.  Cortez turns into the front position, gets a headstand and lays his legs against Kaye's head.  The weight overbalances Kaye and Cortez gets up and makes his escape.  Cortez gets a legdive and toe & ankle hold.  Kaye crosses his leg to make a figure four. This tempts Cortez to try to set up an Indian Deathlock but Kaye turns into the mount and rolls away.  Cortez gets a foot and switches to a wrist and again spins horizontally on his behind to wind up the arm.  He then switches to a drop toehold and thence into a Frank Gotch figure four toehold, switching from side to side. He pulls up Kaye by the leg but Kaye rolls away and the bell goes.

Round 5 and Kaye gets a side headlock into  cross buttock and press. Kaye turns sideways and gets a side folding press for 1. He stands in the side headlock and leaps into a high almost headstand (more horizontal) to pull out.  Kaye gets a full nelson. Cortez reverses. He holds on despite being backed into twice and lifted forward in a throw attempt.  Forcing the hold open doesn't work but a side turning throw does, only for Cortez to reach up and get a headscissors.  Kaye turns it upright, escapes and even gets a leg out of it but hits the ropes and has to break.  Cortez gets an armdrag but Kaye headscissors him so Cortez goes into his usual headstand.  He gets out and tries for the leg but Ward says it's not part of the same move, so he gets a wrist and slings Kaye into the ropes, hiptosses and cross presses him on the rebound and gets the equaliser.

Round 6: Cortez throws Kaye (whom Walton thinks is developing back problems) into a hard bump on his back. He is up at 7 but still selling his back. Cortez gets an over the knee backbreaker and Kaye bridges to relieve the pressure. Kaye uses an inner arm blow - about the first striking move of the bout - to get out. Cortez gets a half nelson but Kaye uses a forearm smash over the head.  Kaye gets a rear snapmare and cross buttock throw but Cortez rolls upright and catches Kaye's incoming flying bodyscissors attempt by the legs, turns him into a full Boston Crab and gets the deciding submission. Cortez is the winner 2-1 on a late rally.

Not the fastest or most dazzling but still nice stylish scientific bout with Kaye showing what a skilled wrestler he was in his day and Cortez getting to show more flair and colour than he does against the likes of Keith Hayward.  Even if the wristlock in the guard is overplayed by both men, they find plenty of ways to try to escape and plenty more to prevent said escapes. 

[David Mantell]

On 5/2/2014 at 1:51 PM, ohtani's jacket said:

Pat Roach vs. Tiger Dalibar Singh (12/11/85)

 

This was another in Joint Promotions' endless series of knock out tournaments. .... Roach/Singh ended surprisingly quickly, just to maintain the veneer that anything could happen on any given night. None of this was offensive, but not too memorable either.

Okay. a quick one as the tablet is on 26% and I want to get out.  

Roch gets a side headlock. Singh straightens it out into an armbar and Roach rolls forward and takes the bump.  Gil keeps the guard wristlock. Pat gets up and gets half a headlock as Singh still has his wrist. Singh powers him down but Pat, impressively for a man of his size, goes into a bridge and turns on his skull into a forward kneel. Finally he gets an armbar of his own. Singh can actually properly roll through.  Roach forces him down but instead of the cross press turns him sideways, trying for a shoulder submission.  He does eventually try a pin but Singh has an arm up at 1 so he switches to a side chinlock.  Singh reverses it into his own armbar, right against the joint notes Kent.  Gil switches to armhank. Roach turns into the guard. Singh gets a finger Interlock and a 1 count. Roach bridges up, powers all the way upright, picks off one side of the interlock with a foot and uses the other side for a high whip, forcing Singh in turn to take a somersault bump. Roach has his shoulder submission back again.  he adds a leg around Singh's neck.  Singh resists long enough for Roach to drop it.  They exchange forearms, a Singh headbutt and a Roach bodycheck.  Roach gets a posting and slam and hits the ropes but Singh strikes with a sudden cross buttock and press pinfall. 4min 35 secs of a 15 min time limit.

Short and leveragy but it still contained more skill and ideas than Max Le Méchant had on the German thread just now (poor old Franzl!)

[David Mantell]

On 10/9/2025 at 12:56 PM, David Mantell said:

Have booked to see All Star at Dudley Town Hall on 28th October.  Will give a show report afterwards.

Pretty good show, sadly no clean matches but Joel Redman (he no longer uses his NXT name Oliver Grey) did some good moves in his bout with Kian the Fox Kelly.  Harley Hudson from TNA was there too. There was a Rumble at the end - Micky Long won, beating Kris Dekker who beat him in the opening match. Plus there was a TRIPLE TAG 😛match.

Tony Spitfire was MCing although the programme featured his heel "Loudmouth" persona, and it was a new programme.  I guess he must becstil doing it in other parts of the country.  There were plenty of WWE action figures on sale including a classic one of Jake Roberts - young Joe Dixon and I got chatting about Jake's UK tour in 2001- all before Joe's time of course but he's been brought up with it all like a bible story.

[David Mantell]

 

Quite a good docu piece on Masambula.

Tagging @William Bologna in this as he liked the last one I shared on here.

@ohtani's jacket The guys on here have an interesting take on whether people like Vic Faulkner or Masambula (and possibly Owen Hart in Europe) were comedy wrestlers or not.  They class them as "cheeky wrestlers" who were a separate category from the outright comedy guys like Catweazle/ Kevin Coneely/ Les Kellett.

[ohtani's jacket]

If you can explain the gist of what they're saying, that would be great. I tried watching the video but they behave like a pair of twats. 

[David Mantell]

5 hours ago, ohtani's jacket said:

If you can explain the gist of what they're saying, that would be great. I tried watching the video but they behave like a pair of twats. 

If you can specify parts that need explanation I can drill down further.  I'm not going through the entire piece.  I have to find some important documents right now and that is a bigger priority.

[ohtani's jacket]

The cheeky vs. comedy thing. 

[David Mantell]

1 hour ago, ohtani's jacket said:

The cheeky vs. comedy thing. 

The cheeky thing is not their actual gimmick. It's a part of their shoot personality written large. More importantly it takes a backseat to their serious technical skill and sportsmanship (and in Masambula's case the witch doctor aspect although this is discarded by the time the bell rings, a pointed difference from the likes of Papa Shango.  Vic Faulkner and Mick McMichael's banter as cheeky chappy and grumpy-but-with-a-good-heart is their way of articulating their sportsmanship and mutual bonhomie.  Against Johnny Saint or with Bert against the StClair brothers, he is simply a clean sportsmanly wrestler with a conspicuously cheerful disposition which neither opponents nor referees regard as a threat.)

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I tried watching the video but they behave like a pair of twats. 

The two are radio DJs by trade. Being a pair of twats is a common occupational failing:

I disagree with a lot of stuff they come out with but this video and the video on Big Daddy's This Is Your Life are mostly spot-on.

Quote

 I have to find some important documents right now and that is a bigger priority.

(For anyone concerned, the AWOL university degree certificate has been located, scanned and sent to my new employer)

[ohtani's jacket]

On 10/30/2025 at 7:34 AM, David Mantell said:

The cheeky thing is not their actual gimmick. It's a part of their shoot personality written large. More importantly it takes a backseat to their serious technical skill and sportsmanship (and in Masambula's case the witch doctor aspect although this is discarded by the time the bell rings, a pointed difference from the likes of Papa Shango.  Vic Faulkner and Mick McMichael's banter as cheeky chappy and grumpy-but-with-a-good-heart is their way of articulating their sportsmanship and mutual bonhomie.  Against Johnny Saint or with Bert against the StClair brothers, he is simply a clean sportsmanly wrestler with a conspicuously cheerful disposition which neither opponents nor referees regard as a threat.)

The two are radio DJs by trade. Being a pair of twats is a common occupational failing:

I disagree with a lot of stuff they come out with but this video and the video on Big Daddy's This Is Your Life are mostly spot-on.

(For anyone concerned, the AWOL university degree certificate has been located, scanned and sent to my new employer)

Faulkner always came across as a smart ass to me. Cheeky is a nice way of putting it. It was absolutely part of his persona, and therefore part of his gimmick. He used comedy to varying degrees, depending on the venue and the matchup, but could also work as a pissed off babyface or a serious technical wrestler. The type of comedy that Faulkner and McMichael did, in my opinion, breaks the fourth wall and is a wink and a nod to the most astute fans in the audience, though I suspect the majority of the audience simply found it amusing. It's a reminder that the taped matches were in essence house show bouts, and you often find comedy in house show bouts.

I don't particularly like it when a face like Faulkner uses his technical skills to belittle or mock his opponent, even if the opponent is a heel. I find that type of behavior annoying. It makes me want to root for his opponent. I understand that the majority of the audience see it as the heel getting their comeuppance, or their just desserts, but I much prefer to see a guy like Faulkner become furious over a heel's tactics than act like a dick.

I do think there is a distinction between a guy like Faulkner and someone like Kellett, who was always dropping punchlines into his work. I would much sooner watch a Kellett match than a Faulkner match, for what it's worth. I dislike a lot of the other comedy workers, though. Kellett is interesting because of how crusty he is, and his reputation for being a hard bastard, while hamming it up for the audience. 

[David Mantell]

8 hours ago, ohtani's jacket said:

The type of comedy that Faulkner and McMichael did, in my opinion, breaks the fourth wall and is a wink and a nod to the most astute fans in the audience, though I suspect the majority of the audience simply found it amusing. It's a reminder that the taped matches were in essence house show bouts, and you often find comedy in house show bouts.

Faulkner and McMichael were like two friends in a bar who are both brilliant pool players and who like to have a banter with each other as an expression of their cameraderie, especially while having their friendly but high powered pool matches which would honour any Pool Championship.  When they get on the pool table together, the whole pub gathers round, partly to hear them mock-gripe in jest at each other but mainly to see them both do some amazing trick shots and other skilfull stuff on The Beize. 

We have access to four of their eight ITV matches and in three of those the focus is on both men's technical skills with their banter as nothing more than added spice.  The one time the banter is overwhelming, they only have two rounds to play with and were probably under pressure from Max C to get stuff in, so the more serious spots suffered.

The only other person McMichael had this on-screen banter with was Owen Hart in Germany/Austria and that was when Mick was refereeing.  As a referee in the German speaking territory, McMichael was grumpy but fair-minded as opposed to an out-and-out miserable bastard like Didier Gapp.  Actively wrestling in 80s Britain, he is an avuncular gentlemanly sort who, when disqualified for recklessly injuring an opponent, is prepared to own up to having messed up and takes his punishment like a man.

Vic against other blue eye opponents such as Johnny Saint or teaming with Bert against Roy and Tony StClair or even Masambula and Zimba, he used his tricks sparingly, but when he did, opponents and even the referee take it in good humour.  Saint, Faulkner and referee Jeff Kaye in 1981 are all good friends together having a fun sporting contest. When Vic tries it on with a heel, it only humiliates the heel because the heel treats it that way.  The heel hasn't got the self confidence to relax and laugh just like he hasn't the confidence in his abilities to play by the rules.

[David Mantell]

What I would really like to have would be a singles match between Vic Faulkner and Masambula. Two men from vastly different cultural backgrounds United in their shared values of technical wrestling excellence, sportsmanship and GSOH.  But there isn't one, nor is there a Vic Vs Tony StClair match which would have been rather good too.  But at least I found this - which doesn't seem to have been reviewed on here before.

 

A very young Steve Grey with sideburns, in against Vic. MC is Charlie Fisher -he was a European Champion in his day and I think one or two of his bouts have been covered on the French Catch thread.

Round 1 and the more experienced Faulkner goes to work with with a rolling single leg dive. Mindful of Running Out Of Mat, he drags Grey by the leg to the centre of the ring and turns him into a Gotch toehold but when he tries to stub Greys knee into the mat, Grey suddenly pulls himself upright, a common move of Vic's ironically.  Steve gets the better of a finger Interlock and has Vic down in an armlock in the guard but he kips up. Vic succeeds in getting Grey to look up and snapmares the distracted Steve but he keeps his hold and drags Vic back down in the guard.  Vic again tries the kip up and snapmares, with the same distraction, but also with the same result. So he changes tack and forward rolls out, kicks off the middle rope to push himself into a backwards roll that lands him standing in front of Grey. He uses his foot to pick off the wristlock and himself armlocks Grey on the other arm. Grey forward rolls twice and is out, to a round of applause.  Faulkner gets a figure 4 top wristlock into armdrag into long press but Steve turns him over. He gets a couple of 1 counts despite Vic having bodyscissors on him. Grey turns himself into a front facing position to work on breaking th3 lock at th3 ankles.Vic tries for the French "Ah Ouais"  style atomic drop but Grey puts his upright legs down like aeroplane wheels and stands up to break the bodyscissors.  Grey gets a headlock but Faulkner works on the ribs to force Grey to break the hold.  He wins a full finger Interlock, puts Grey's palms on the mat, holds them down with his feet and pulls up his chin.  Grey resists, even when Vic turns his neck.  Vic tries for a stomp but Grey pulls his hands back and scores a dropkick on his man!  They cross cross and Vic gets a forearm smash in but not much more.  Vic throws Steve into ropes, leapfrogs him on the rebound, then takes him down twice with a flying headscissors for five each. Vic rear double legdives Grey, runs up his length, gets the feet under the arms and turns him over into a double leg nelson into folding press with bridge.  It's a magnificent pin and it's successful. Faulkner, now ahead,  generously helps Grey back to his corner and even attends to him before going back to his own corner to get his own.

Round 2. Faulkner gets a full finger Interlock, leans back to turn him into a double leg nelson. Grey tries to force a Bascule but over shoots and Vic rolls through into his own double leg nelson.  Grey makes a better effort of getting a folding press but Vic just upturns the press. It ends with the flat two way leg nelson with both men getting an arm up at 2.  Vic tries a bridge loaded feet press but it doesn't change things.  All four arms up at 1 after 1. So referee Max Ward calls a break and they get up.  Vic gets a full Japanese Stranglehold, kicks out a Grey knee, lens back and gets the surfboard.  However he leans a bit too far back and to his surprise gets counted for 1 a couple of times before Grey rolls backwards and nearly has his own Japanese Stranglehold until Faulkner double knee chops him.  Grey gets a single side interlock and resists Vic's attempts to get the other side, picking it off with his foot.  Grey gets a headlock but again like round one Vic works on the ribs to break free. Also like round one, Vic gets a leg and turns Grey into the Gotch toehold - but this time Grey just rolls away.  Vic gets a collar and elbow into armdrag into bodyscissors, occasionally getting counted 1. Both try to divert each others attention upwards. From a waistlock position, Vic manages to push off and fall away leaving Grey to land on the canvas.  Vic gets an armbar and twists to force a somersault and bump on Steve.  He then gets a top wristlock on the mat, driving Grey back down when he tries to stand.   Grey does vertically stand, up a foot to unpick the hold, take the other hand and get a wristlever.  Vic similarly reverses the armbars back with a rear foot pick but Grey rolls out  and away.  Vic gets a straight arm over the shoulder, they march around in the hold then Grey leaps up on Faulkner's shoulders, scissors one arm locks the other and tries a crucifix takedown. He manages it with a grab of Faulkner's chin but once down in the further nelson Faulkner shakes himself free.  Vic gets a side chancery but Steve resists the throw. So Faulkner gets another reverse double arms, trying for another surfboard.  Grey flips out but lands in a double armstretch position. Grey tries to tempt him into a folding press with his legs but Vic will have none of it.  So Grey boots him away on the chin (or possibly the throat as Vic is selling his neck a bit)  and rolls off.   Vic kips up. Steve gets an armbar, passes it over his head and almost forces a somersault and bump- in the end Vic just rolls through.  He posts Steve but Grey takes the impact well, on his lower leg.  Vic gets a single legdive to drop Grey into the mount,  then adds a  single toehold with a foot in the back of the knee for extra torque.  He sits up but Grey turns into the guard, leaving Vic only with a single straight leg and anyway the bell goes.  They get a good long round of applause and shake hands.

Round 3 and Vic gets a standing full nelson Grey tries the lean forward escape and unpicking the clasp.  Neither have any success.  The straight arm drop escape does work but as he rolls over, Faulkner reapplies the hold.  The same thing happens a second time and then Grey breaks one side to go behind and apply a full nelson of his own.  Vic rears his way out and gets a sunset flip on the still doubled up Grey who uses a leg chop to break out.  Vic stays down til 9 to get some rest. Grey throws him and they bounce off the ropes until Grey tells Vic to stop (normally a mind game Vic uses) . Bewildered, Vic turns round and Grey strikes with a rear waistlock into front folding press for a surprise equaliser. One fall each.  Vic is exasperated with himself for falling for it but congratulates Steve regardless.  Grey offers Vic a bottle of water and toweling off as recompense for when H3 lost a fall in Round 1. Vic gamely accepts.

Round 4 and they finger Interlock.  Grey forces Vic on to his back and loads himself onto Vic's torso as Faulkner bridges up to avoid a pin.  He tries to drop his weight but Vic gets underneath and goes up into a monkey climb and flip. Vic goes for a double kneepress but Steve gets both legs in for a leg nelson. Vic kicks up and over into a folding press with bridge.  but Grey crawls out.  Vic gets a wrist and high whips forcing a somersault and bump.  Vic still has the wrist and kneedrops the bicep.  Steve stands up in the hold so Vic armdrags him back down again. Grey slowly backrolls and Vic gets a back hammer .  Grey gets both Vic's legs and lifts him, placing him on the top turnbuckle. An amused Vic shakes Steve's hand.  Vic gets a bearhug s and rope a dopes Grey off various sides. The third time, Grey comes back with a bodycheck then both men miss a splash apiece. Twice Vic gets double legs only for Grey to spin him off. A third time, Vic cartwheels upright and catches a charging Grey with a backslide for a pin and  2-1 win. They shake hands.

Grey would go on to many long years as British and European Lightweight Champion, only finally vacating the former title in 2021 (only a traffic holdup prevented him from refereeing current champion Nino Bryant's win over Lewis Mayhew for the vacant title.) He would also be Rick Steamboat to Johnny Saint's Ric Flair for the World Lightweight Championship with Grey's 1989 moment coming in 1992-1993.

A great Vic Faulkner bout, technical, sporting and cheerful. What I like about him.

 

[David Mantell]

A quick one to make up the numbers.

The third and at the time intended to be final installment of the Masked Marauders storyline. The all masked tag team (in itself a rarity on British TV)  beat Nipper Riley and Firearm Colin Bennett but then accepted a challenge from - and lost to - Big Daddy and Kid Chocolate on FA Cup Final Day World Of Sport.  Marauder Minor (Lucky Gordon) was last seen being dragged to safety by Marauder Major who takes on Daddy solo in a lumberjack match, 3½ years before ITV screened Hogan Vs Savage in an MSG one.  Just to warm up, Daddy arm wrestlers and beats the Marauder and armwrestles and SQUASHES perennial Marauders manager Gentleman Charlie McGeen, a UK knock-off of the then heel Captain Lou Albano.

According to legend, a German with a pay dispute tried to infiltrate the lumberjacks and, in a scene  cut from the broadcast, was frog arched out of the room by Daddy personally.  

This is KNOCKOUT ONLY oh yes.  Otherwise known as a Texas Death Match in America.  

The match is a squash too. Marauder gets thrown out by Daddy and helped in by heel lumberjacks. Syd Cooper and Banger Walsh each run in the ring to attack Daddy but are easily seen off. Charlie stays up on the apron like Marquis Richard's  butler in France. He and Marauder try  to double team Daddy but are each collared and thrown off. Two postings and a throw send the Marauder out and his future tag partner on TV Walsh tries again and gets the sane treatment. Marauder comes back and takes the double elbows backdrop for a KNOCKOUT.

He is now defeated and must unmasked. Daddy realises he hasn't splashed anyone so Charlie gets it.  Some lumberjacks including, ironically, Black Jack Mulligan while referee Peter Szacazs the kid brother of Tibor unlaces the mask and pulls it off. A load of light brown hair is underneath covering the face. He rolls out the ring and the heel lumberjacks cover his head with a towel and lead him away.

And that was meant to be the end of the Marauders gimmick but they had a second run in late 1983/ early 1984 with Mulligan replacing Lucky Gordon as Marauder Minor.  Major and Charlie even teamed with Giant Haystacks to beat a Big Daddy-lead side in an Xmas 1983 triple tag.   Finally Daddy and Pat Pattton defeated Banger Walsh and the Marauder who again unmasked and this timecwas clearly identified as Scrubber Daly.  He and Gordon later wrestled as Marauders without masks and lost to Big Daddy and Andy Blair.

If you like Ultimate Warrior Vs the Honky Tonk Man from Summerslam 88, you'll probably like this too.  Best watched through a child's eyes.

 

[David Mantell]

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A travelling British wrestling fan's perspective of All Star Wrestling's 'American SuperSlam Wrestling' event held on Wednesday 26th February 2025 at The Forum in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, UK.

Founded in 1970, All Star is the UK's oldest and longest-running pro wrestling promotion, touring with family-friendly shows. This event featured former WWF Attitude Era star Gangrel, stars of NWA Powerrr and a Tag Team Over The Top Rope Survivor Rumble Challenge.

Video includes:

0:00 Intro

0:39 Train travel to Northallerton

0:53 Sights of Northallerton, including high street, market cross, town hall and All Saints church

1:06 Pre-show drinks at The Durham Ox, The Buck Inn (Wetherspoon's), The Little Tanner, The Stumble Inn and Origin

1:48 Arrival at The Forum :

2:13 ASW British Championship: Tommy Freeman (c) vs. 'Too Hot To Trot' Alex Taylor

3:36 Samurai Shinobi vs. Callum Andrews

5:36  ASW World Championship: Micky Long (c) vs. 'Thrillbilly' Silas Mason

7:24 Krissy Dekker vs. 'British Beef' Ricky Matthews

8:54 Tag Team Survivor Rumble World Riot Squad (Gangrel, Billy Wild, Silas Mason & Alex Taylor) vs. The UK All Stars (Micky Long, Tommy Freeman, Callum Andrews & Ricky Matthews)

12:21 Post-show drink at The Tickle Toby and train home

A vlog piece about a visit to an All Star show in Yorkshire back in February this year.

[David Mantell]

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

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..

This was my review of a show four nights prior to the show in the Northallerton video above. 

The Aldershot Facebook video linked in the post was two days before that (total six days prior to Northallerton.)

MC at Northallerton was Tony Spitfire who was on in Dudley last week in thecsane blue/grey tuxedo.

I shall try and find some similar modern stuff to post to the French and German threads.

[David Mantell]

On 12/8/2024 at 6:52 AM, David Mantell said:

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From 2003 at the Victoria Hall in Hanley. Mike Gilbert aka Mikey Whiplash Vs Dean Allmark - future World Heavy Middleweight Champion versus future British champion in all three top weight divisions (Heavyweight, Mid Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight). Two of the then new generation of All Star talent rescued from the wreckage of Staffordshire garbage promotion GBH (shut down by the local council in 2000) and retrained as old school British wrestlers alongside Robbie Dynamite (Berzins), Kid Cool and Playboy Johnny Midnight. Deano is also the dad of current All Star proprietor Joseph Dixon (grandson of Brian) . This is also some of the earliest footage available of Allmark's then wife Laetitia (daughter of Brian and Mitzi Mueller, child star of various TV news items on Mitzi, see earlier in thread) as an MC. Whiplash has a crewcut and is not yet doing his Chippendale gimmick.

Bout starts off technical, both men reversing each others armbars, Whiplash using a cartwheel for one escape and eventually a nifty suplex to take things to the mat. Deano as blue eye works the crowd like James Mason before him and Robbie Brookside & Doc Dean even before that. Round ends with Whiplash working and ankle lock. Round 2, Allmark works over Whiplash's arm, whiplash gets to ankle lock from round 1 but Allmark spins him off.

Round 3 and Allmark fires off some kickboxing kicks and a monkey climb. Whiplash gets some 2 counts with a fireman's carry takedown Whiplash uses the ropes to pin Allmark but the referee spots it so he fall is disallowed and Whiplash gets a public warning. Round 4 Whiplash tries a powerbomb but Allmark converts it into a reverse victory roll and folding press opening pin! He nearly gets a second straight with a roll up from behind as Whiplash is arguing with fans. Dean tries a sunset flip but Whiplash puts his knees down and holds the ropes for a second dodgy pinfall, but again the ref sees him and he now has two public warnings instead of two pinfalls. Round 6 Whiplash gets a leg caught in the ropes and Allmark bounces him on the rope. Allmark gets a reverse top rope splash but only a 2 count.

Same again with an inverted flying bodypress. The two clash heads, Deano stays down, Mikey struggles but fails to get up, bout is declared a Double Knockout. The referee declared Dean winner 2-1 on account of his earlier fall in Round 4. Whiplash protests but the ref, Laetitia and the crowd are emphatic. Allmark offers Whiplash one more round for a £50 side stake. Whiplash goes to get some cash, but doesn't return so Allmark's music plays and he steps out onto the stage. Whiplash turns up with the money just as Deano is at the back of the stage, the bell rings and Deano scores a running dive across the stage and over the ropes to pin a furious Whiplash and take the cash.

Good blue-eye versus heel action bout from a time when rounds were just about hanging on in there. A war with rival Scot Conway's TWA had forced Brian Dixon to regenerate his product from the dark days of 1997-2001 with the UK Undertaker and Big Red Machine into a hot new home for new stars

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From the same venue 17 years earlier before Health And Safety banned fans from sitting on the stage leaving it free for the promoter to project nice swirly lighting patterns on it.

Some background - in early '86 Wayne Bridges had a real life disagreement with Brian Dixon and walked from All Star, taking his ball - or rather his red/white/blue World Heavyweight title belt he beat Jim Harris to win at Wembley '81- with him. All Star still had the original black belt first claimed by Spiros Arion in 1979 so held a tournament on All Star's TV show on Screensport (their audition forca share of ITV coverage.). StClair beat notorious Kendo Nagasaki impersonator Bill King Kendo Clarke, Quinn beat Johnny South and we were left with this final.

We join in progress. Quinn doesn't particularly work the British style, he is soon getting a public warning from referee Frank Casey (recently kayfabe-suspended due to complaints from viewers about him being too lenient on villains.). StClair gets a 2 count with a missile dropkick. Quinn throws him out but rather than try taking to KO win, follows him out and hits him with a (rather comfy-looking plush) chair. A heavily juiced StClair stumbles back into the ring but Quinn works on him with closed fist punches. What with that and the chairshot, I'm beginning to think the anti Frank Casey letter writers had a point. StClair fights back a bit but Quinn nails him with a Duthty bionic elbow and undoes a corner pad and bangs StClair into it. Chuckle Brothers on commentary are going crazy and so is the crowd. StClair still fights back, brother Roy is in his corner and he slams and cross presses Quinn for two. Quinn kicks StClair down, Casey inspects the cut and awards the bout and the belt to Quinn on a TKO. Quinn and StClair continue to have potshots at each other as Roy and a second (in green) tend to Tony. The ring is under siege from fans as Quinn puts the belt on. Chuckle Brother #1 Max Beezely, later an MC on ITV's All Star bouts gets in the ring for a French Catch style post match interview which cuts off before it starts.

Apparently this was the kind of envelope pushing stuff supporters of the Indies loved but the IBA would have blown a fuse over. Quinn and StClair did have their wild brawl on ITV a year later when they were both DDQ'd and left Kendo Nagasaki and Neil Sands to finish a tag bout as a solo contest, but at least that time, the referee was able to assert control. Clearly Brian Dixon needed a good filter if he was going to stay on ITV once he got a slice of it.

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Again from Victoria Hall, Hanley 16th June 2000. Three years before Dean Allmark Vs Mikey Whiplash and 14 years after Mighty John Quinn Vs Tony StClair. Kendo Nagasaki's "Millennium Comeback" was one of the bright spots of All Star's 1997-2001 dip period when Brian Dixon was supplementing his income with a sideline in male stripshows (the behaviour of female punters at which he later described as "the biggest education [he] ever had in [his] life.") and the shows were mostly headlined by the UK Undertaker and the Big Red Machine. A dead giveaway about the historical context is the signs saying "JABRONI" and "SUCK IT!" betraying that, somewhere else in the world, the WWF Attitude Era is in full throttle mode.

A month earlier, longtime traditional British wrestling phoneline Wrestlecall held a poll for Wrestler Of The Millennium which Naggers duly won. A trophy ceremony took place at the same Victoria Hall Hanley. For starters, Kendo was late according to manager Lloyd Ryan, then Tony Walsh's son Darren turned up with a note from former World Mid Heavyweight Champion Marty Jones protesting Kendo's poll win. This ended in an argument between Walsh and Ryan and eventual fisticuffs , at which point Kendo finally turned up, salt-bombed and Kamikaze Crashed Walsh and then finally got presented with his trophy.

Fast forward to this evening. There was originally a whole long bit at the start (which I've got on VHS) where Lloyd Ryan was supposed to be the Tag Partner but his arm was supposedly broken so MC Gordon Prior had to go back to the dressing room to find another tag partner. Vic Powers got the gig. Cue the start of this video.

The first fall goes by without Kendo tagging in - Powers (whose brother Phil I saw live in Dudley back in the spring) has an even time with Walsh but is completely dominated by Jones. The crowd have completely forgiven Jones for his past eight years since 1992 as a heel (road tested in Germany 1990 as we have seen on the German Catch thread.). Jones taunts Naggers to tag in to no avail. Eventually Walsh gets the opening pin on Powers. Lloyd Ryan is furious claiming that there has been an illegal tag but the referee has none of it. A brief ringside brawl starts and the heels retreat to the dressing room but are coaxed back. Kendo gets a public warning for a weapon used in the brawl.

Walsh misses an aerial spot and after stomping him on the mat. Powers finally tags in Naggers. Kendo kicks Walsh around on the mat.flings him to ringside, VICIOUSLY whacks him with a chair and coffee table and whips him with a tag rope. The referee, for reasons out of camera shot, gives Jones a public warning. Walsh is dragged back in the ring and double teamed. Even Lloyd joins in with his cast. Kendo finishes off Walsh for the equaliser with an old time combination of his, a backdrop and splash cross press pin. Jones finally has enough, knocking out the ref (he's still a heel at heart.) attacks Kendo from behind, gets him on the floor and has a go at the mask. He pitches Powers out of the ring and beats down on an interfering Lloyd Ryan. While he is outside doing this. Kendo revives the referee then locks up with Walsh, at which point the ring collapses! Kendo does a sort of belly to belly suplex and a slam on Walsh for the decider.

Needless to say Jones is unhappy, he and Kendo throw furniture at each other before Kendo leaves, chased away by Jones with a corner pad. Jones, aggrieved, demands a singles bout with Kendo where if he doesn't beat and unask Kendo, hecwill burn his boots and retire. No idea what happened next, but the Millennium Comeback continued another 18 months until December 2001 and Kendo's third retirement and only formal retirement match.

It's not very scientific but if @ohtani's jacket likes a good brawl, he'll love this one. Very cod ECW hardcore of its time (Kendow as a fan).

Footnote to the above stories, All Star are due to return to the Victoria Hall Hanley 24th January 2025, 22 years after Dean Allmark Vs Mikey Whiplash, 24 years after Nagasaki & Powers Vs Jones and Walsh and nearly 39 years after Mighty John Quinn Vs Tony StClair on Screensport.

Wrestling underwent a brief break at the Victoria Hall when it was closed for redecoration 1996-1998, an event Simon Garfield latches on to in his book as a symptom of an "end" which in truth has still never come. (He quotes Klondyke Kate says that her friend she used to go to shows with was getting very emotional about it). Nonetheless life went on and wrestling resumed in the redecorated venue as you can see in the 2000 and 2003 bouts.

In the late 2010s a new manager took over who wanted to move the venue more upmarket so did a Greg Dyke job on the wrestling. This spurred plenty of protest and did score the one minor concession of a WOSW tour date at the venue in early 2019 before the pandemic put the mufflers on things generally.

Now in the mid 2020s All Star returns to the Victoria Hall Hanley.  Hallelujah 

And the big news is that All Star are back at Victoria Hall Hanley in May next year, 40 years after that Quinn/StClair match.

In the meantime, here's a great shot of the All Star Wrestling show from this past January at the venue.

Incidentally, contrary to what I might have said earlier in this thread ITV DID visit Th3 Victoria Hall Hanley - all the way back in 1957!

[David Mantell]

In the early days of Clive Myers' TV career, before Iron Fist, he was a no nonsense clean kid in Union Flag trunks. He he battles another newcomer Mick West (a name, I'll admit, is unfamiliar to me.). Don't let the "Count the years" prison tattoos and Yorkshire Ripper beard (and surname of another serial killer) put you off, he's a good technical wrestler.  This bout has no past reviews on it, so now is a good time to start.  This bout is at the Wood ville in Gravesend, not just a regular TV venue back in the day but one which Rumble Wrestling have revived and featured on their videos including on this thread.  

Round 1 and Myers is quick off the mark with a pair of collar and elbow throws.  West offers a handshake, Myers tries to get crafty with a side chancery but regrets it as West gets a high whip, forcing a powerful bump on Clive.  West moves in too close to follow up early and Myers surprises him with a spinning ground position dropkick.  Mick gets a legdive and a single leg from it.  Myers has to hop but is able to get the spinning kick to catch West in the back of the head. He ,locks up and switches to fill Nelson then rear snapmare.  Mick gets the legdive again and this time trips down Myers' other leg to ensure no spinning kick this time.  Myers tries some heel smashes but Ick dodges them. Myers crosses his legs to go for a spinner but Mick sharply driven him down in the mount and stands back. Myers gets a side headlock and takes Mick down despite his attacks on Myers' leg. He's not down long, handstanding out beautifully, earning a good round of applause . Myers gets a front chancery into armbar into hammerlock down in the mount. He adds a bar on the other arm while neatly holding the hammerlock with just a foot.  West turns himself into the guard and Myers tries for the cross press and manages three 2s before giving up.  They full Interlock and Myers forces a high whip and bump, repayment for West's one earlier.  Mick is upmat 4 and gets an armbar. Myers looks like he might roll out but Mick forces a third high whip and (not much of a) bump fo4 5 then a rear snapmare. Myers gets an armbar into front hammerlock, locks the other arm, drops his man in a rather gentle powerbomb and goes for a folding press but West double ankle smashes him.  Myers gets a full nelson into rear snapmare into chinlock but West snaps out free with an armbar.  Myers goes into a headstand and despite getting three one counts, frustrates West enough to release. Myers kips up and gets a jab to the stomach on West for 4.  He gets the armbar again and double locks it against the joint.  West grapevines Myers and takes him down, going for the legs for a spread as clock counts down.  Myers pulls himself up to sit on West's back then turns him over into a double leg nelson. The ropes are nearby and the bell is about to go but West rolls off and up as it finally rings.  They shake hands, the crowd claps.

Round 2 and Mers gets the best of a one sided Interlock but West rolls through, spins on his behind, gets an extended foot in which Myers goes for but it just makes it easier for West to shove him off and backwards.  Myers is up but straight back into West's single leg but, sensing something, West relinquishes.  Myers gets a double underarm from the front into a suplex into crosspress on his side,clocking both arms. He has to switch to a more conventional crosspress to get any count and then only 2 a couple of times before he moves lengthways and gets the armstretch at the head end. West hints at a rollback but bridges instead, working his way back until Myers is in a folding press - Kent Walton seems to think it's a backslide by Myers but Clive's feets are obstructing Mick's shoulders from making contact with the mat.  Myers kips up.  West gets the single leg and a standing single toehold/legspread. Myers puts his own other leg in a figure four position, turns to trip West into the mount, folds his man's legs into a Gotch toehold and turns him over into the Indian Deathlock.  Mick sits up in the waistlock but Myers shoves him off. Mick goes for a wristlock on Myers but Myers extracts the arm and re-engages it with holding down the Indian Deathlock.  West tries the other arm but Myers grovits him on top of the existing leglock!  But the latter is weakened and West is able to extract himself and stand in the grovit.  Myers twice tries for a suplex but can't get the weight up.  West gets a trip (breaking the grovit) and a legspread on the mat. Myers first slides away then adjusts his feet to reverse the spread.  West rolls backwards and tries to jump into dominance in the spread but lands back in the disadvantaged position! They shake hands and give up but Wes is slower to his feet, he is selling some pain.  Myers gets in behind with a rear waistlock and atomic drop for 5. West tries the same but can't get the impact.  He gets a single leg but doesn't like what Myers might be planning and drops it. Instead he gets a full interlock, rolls back and double ankle smashes Myers  then pulls up, Myers snaps into the front double underarm from earlier and tries the suplex again from then. He doesn't get it but manages a long armdrag instead, but it ends up in the ropes.  Myers gets a side chancery and hangs on, resisting straight finger jabs from West. The bell ends the hold. 

Round 3  and West gets a standing full nelson. Myers quickly powers out, hits the ropes and leapfrogs back over but misjudges a vault back and bumps on his behind.  West gets a snapmare and a vaulting neck stretch, quite flashy for just a  weakener.  He gets a second one for eight - not far off a knockout - and hiptosses Myers over the top rope.  He comes leaping back in and the two shake hands.  Apparently an elderly spectator was injured during Myers' landing. Oh dear.  The bout must go on and Myers gets a wristlever into standing reverse armhank into armhank on the mat.  He is still worried, checking out that side of the ring.  West tries a headscissors counter but Myers dodges it. He tries standing but Myers pulls him down  He kips fully upright and walks round, almost having Myers' shoulders on the mat, but Myers pulls him over and down again, this time on the other side of the ring.  West has hit the ropes and this forces a break.  They full Interlock but West falls backwards and gets a bodyscissors Myers threatens an elbow to stomach but instead leans forward and undresses it with one heel pulling the locked feet down.  Myers kneels on top to make another Indian Deathlock.  West tries a waistlock but Myers shoves him off.  West turnsover onto his front leaving the two men in a two-way grapevine.  Both men press up into a headstand, agree to stalemate and referee Max Ward unlocks them. Myers judo throws West down and gets an armbar in the guard, turning his man into the mount. West is kneeling and gets up to roll off the armbar, taking five rolls to break fully free.  Myers gets a sudden sharp kneelift that sends West down for six and a reverse snapmare that gets a five count and another for six. He tries again but West gets a legdive and trip. It takes three Myers kicks to get him off.  Myers gets a wrist, twists horizontally to wind it up and makes a double armed abdominal stretch of it.  He kneels and turns West into a side folding press for 2. He gets another 1 but West goes into a Johnny Saint ball to resist further pin attempts. The bell goes and Myers helps West up.

Round 4  and during the break Myers has been coming forward a bit too much for Ward's liking and he orders him to " Get back to your corner!" Come the bell he leapfrogs over Ward and goes for West who quietly sidesteps, diffusing the situation.  West gets a full nelson but Myers reverses it. West throws Myers off forward at the second attempt.  Myers gets a legdive into behind and a side folding press but West is quickly out and it goes in to the ropes, Running Out Of Mat.  West gets another full nelson, Myers breaks one side, goes behind and leapfrogs over, slips backwards through Mocks legs, gets the rear double legs takedown, walks over West to the top end. West bunkers down but Ward starts a count on him and he is up at 7.  He hiptosses Myers off the ropes but Myers cartwheels out and lunges at West's waist, downing him for 5 then snapmaring him and getting the ropes when West gets a leg.  Myers cartwheels out of another hiptoss attempt and sunset flips West into the double leg nelson into the one fall required for a Myers victory.

I do hope the poor old man at ringside was alright- he'll be long gone now but hopefully saw many more years as a fan.  Other than that mishap it was a good technical match.  West despite his Alan Woods/Dick Colon thing heel appearance was a fine mover and a good match for Myers.