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.

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

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.

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.

August 1967, just weeks before Channel 2 went colour. Bordes is the young kid versus the wily heel.. He is called Rene Ben Chemouel's protege, not his tag partner. It's cat and mouse with heelish Tejero as cat getting on holds that Rene slides out of such as wedging his way out of headscissors. Walter has backward rolling attempts in scissor s, forward somersaults Tejero has his power holds like scissors and full nelson. Waltermania is not yet running wild. There are no chants of Pap Doux Mais Mais, probably because said record is not released. Big Mr Martial is refereeing again and so far by halfway he has had little to do as Tejero has behaved himself. Inevitably the bad penny drops, Tejero gets in an illegal concealed closed fist punch, Martial is livid although Tejero challenges him for proof since he knows his own torso covered up the Mechanterie. He does it again but is negligent enough to be facing away from Martial so this time the referee seeks it and gives him an Avertisement. A third and fourth one iare better concealed. Tejero is getting bored and started stomping Bordes on the mat. Big hope spot when Bordes sends Tejero out of the ring. He has Tejero begging for mercy in the corner and drags him by the leg to centre ring fore more treatment. It calms down for a bit, Bordes wedging out of headscissors etc. Martial misses a hairpull but but does catch and admonish a stomp on the mat. As OJ says, we only get the trademark Walter at the end with a flurry of dropkicks, Scisseaux Volees and finally a Victory Roll for the one required pin. But have a heart, the kid was learning 58 years ago. Catch A Quatre would prove to be his forte, from RBC to Flesh, but he had to start from somewhere.

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.

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

Okay, here goes. Schuman comes to the ring to a traditional Austrian marching brass band. They shake hands. Round 1: Schuman armdrags Luger who does it back to him. Schumann armbars Ligercwho rolls then tuns 90 degrees and flips up going over on his head then takes Schumann's wrist. He goes through a similar sequence. The third time while rolling, Liger sneaks in a ground position dropkick but Schumann easily nips up. Liger gets a side headlock and two twists into drop toeholds into Frank Gotch toehold (Satoru Sayama as Sammy Lee would do this at dazzling speed in 1980 on ITV and leave TV audiences agape. ) Liger switches to a side headlock, Schumann breaks it open into top wristlock then armdrag. Liger handstand headscissors Schumann, goes up on his head and perfectly toupees Schumann. Bear in mind (1) he's got a mask with floppy horns on (2) he has probably still never heard of Gilbert LeDuc even now. Finger interlock. Schumann winning at first, bends back Liger who bridges nicely, then takes back advantage. Liger suddenly backdrops Schumann putting an end to that. Schumann gets fireman's carry takedown into armlock.Liger stands up but Schumman armdrags him. He still has an arm so Ligervuses a French style headscissor takedown counter. Schumann turns into upright position, rolls forward out and gets a headlock as the bell goes. DJ plays I Feel Love Round 2. Liger gets a leg, turns it over like a single leg Boston Crab and gets an arm too, forming a sort of half surfboard. He lifts up young Franzl for a sub He holds on to the end of the round Cut to climax Round 3 Liger side headlock into camel clutch end of round.Bell rings Round 4: Luger gets wrist lever, progresses to hammerlock, Franz gets another French escape with reverse snapmare. They come off the ropes and Liger's clothesline sends Schumman doing a 360 flip sell. Liger waits for the count Keichi suplexes Franz but only gets 1. He gets a perfect Johnny Saint/George Kidd/Steve Grey Surfboard. I reckon he's been taking lessons. Schumann hangs on and Liger releases and gets an eight count. Schumann Liger drop toeholds Franzl for 6 , slams and rolling splashes him for 9, gets an abdominal stretch then converts to a folding press. for 1. Bell goes. Round 5 Yamada gets a bunch of Sammy Lee kicks to Franzl's legs, German suplexes him. Piledriver, spinning dropkick, Cut to Franzl clothesline and top rope flying shoulderblock . Bell goes Round 6: Franz gets double underhook suplex for 2, Jushin gets middle rope flying bodypress for 2. Liger dropkicks Schumann out of the ring and reverse flying tackles him at ringside. (It's probably got a fancier name than that.).Cut to later -Liger charges and misses Franz who dropkicks Jushin leaning on the corner pad. They come off the ropes and Franz waistlock suplexes Liger for 7 then long suplexes him for a two count pin. Liger reverses a Schuman posting and flying headbutts him in the chest. He posts Schumann again but misses a follow up charge and Schumann belly to back suplexes Liger for 2. Schumann gets an arm but the bell goes Round 7: Liger fells Schumann with 2kicks, powerslams and flying headbutts him from the top for 2. Liger goes up top again but Schumman catches him up and Barry Windham Superplexes him . Liger knees Franz for 7. Liger this time superplexes Franzl and crosspresses him for a pin of 2. Liger belly to back suplex es Schumann. Covers him but the bell goes Round 8: Liger kicks a leg out under Franz. Gets an American figure four like Clay Thomson. Releases and goes to the top but misses an Ivan Koloff kneedrop. Franz gets a full Boston Crab but releases eventually. Liger is selling the leg. But when Franz whips him off the ropes, he comes back with a sunset flip which Franz reverses into a bridging folding press and a beauty! But Liger crawls out and we briefly have a bascule until Franz breaks when he runs out of mat . Schumann gets armlock on the mat but bell goes. Round 9. Liger side headlock, shoulderblock and kick and faceslam. Backbreaker sand moonsault (just like he did to Rocky Moran in Lewisham six years earlier on ITV) for the one required pin! They aboth shake hands with each other and with the referee plus Liger bows a bit. This is now my favourite German match. Ahead of Owen Hart Vs Dave Taylor at Haumarkt in Vienna 1990 and putting Roland Bock Vs Antonio Inoki into third place. A joy.

I haven't been reviewing too much of Signsquad's recent uploads unless one REALLY caught my eye, but this was one as it was professionally filmed. It's an hour of mixed bag so I'll try and keep it brief. Press conference for the show, including Hawk and Liger chatting in English over lunch. Ring is usual white ropes, navy canvas. Not changed much since Boch Inoki 14 years earlier. I lov continuity like that. Giant Haystacks vs. David Taylor Dancing Dave gets to dance with some really dumpy Deutscher Girls ( punk era Adam and the Ants reference there) He then proceeds to be largely squashed by Stax for a knockout win just at the start of Round 2 but then Stax delivers an extra guillotine afterwards and is DQd by Mick McMichael (sans kilt). You can almost hear Kent Walton tut-tutting away at how disgraceful Stax really is. Cannonball Grizzly vs. Bruiser Mastino PN News Vs Mancow. Just a couple of minutes of this is shown. Ten bodyslams matches are sometimes used to speed things up in elimination tournaments on World of Sport in the early 80s. They had good couple of minutes trying before the future Mancow slams the former Rapmaster Fit Finlay vs. Eddie Gilbert Good American style match. I don't think Gilbert could at all wrestle European so it's Finlay who has to bridge the gap. Finlay wins with a tombstone piledriver- Finlay says something about getting His Title back. I think he means the CWA World Middleweight title Buffalo Peterson vs. The Warlord Buffalo is Max Payne and he plays a good guitar piece. Warlord is Terry Schopinski in full 1990-1991 WWF getup including the W trident. Big American heavyweight battle but the finish has a nice tip of the hat to the local style. Peterson pins Warlord with a charming attempt at a back suplex folding press plus bridge. It almost looks properly done. Keith Hayward would be patting him on the head and saying not bad for a beginner. Fair play to him I say. He gets the CWA Intercontinental Championship and a nice big cup presumably instead of a belt. Franz Schuhmann vs. Jushin Liger Match of the night and I want to come back later and do a proper blow by blow of this. Liger is Fuji Yamada, twice former Mountevans World Heavy Middleweight Champion. Schumann is a key member of the post Steve Wright generation of German Youngsters who revolutionised the German style. Result: one for the purists (albeit with a couple of JapLucha aerial spots thrown in.) Afterwards there is backstage footage of Liger where he nearly forgets himself and starts to unmask on camera! CWA World Heavyweight title Rambo vs. Road Warrior Hawk Both get cheered - Rambo is the beloved slayer of Bull Power, Hawk, well everyone cheers a Road Warrior regardless as JCP found out in late 1988. Rambo has a French flag and gets the Marseillaise played for him even though like Dino Bravo he is Quebecois. Hawk looks hilariously proud and solemn as the Star Sprangled banner is olayed. It's not at all scientific (yet again two American Heavyweight lumps) and they don't really get Euro rules especially the round breaks, but there is respect there. Hawk wins and is presented with the CWA belt by a suited Otto Wanz. Four months ago he was riding a motorbike on sleeping pills in Wembley Stadium. Three months ago his old partner Animal was teaming with Crush in this same country. Soon he and Kensuke Sasake will form the Hell Raisers. Right now he's got Otto's old belt and being most unRoadielike sportsmanly about it. Credits including Otto in English encouraging Japanese fans to come to Bremen not just for the holiday but for the tournament also.

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. .

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.

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....

Continuing with the Bernie Wright theme from the British thread, here he is in Germany against Dave Viking who IIRC was an expatriate Brit. Bernie reminds the German audience whose brother he is straight off by rolling then cartwheeling off a wristlever - and they love it. He Irish whips Viking for a bump.goes for two slams but Viking sabotages each with a low blow, so Bernie gives hip another high whip, steps over a finger interlock and superkicks Viking, sending him out of the ring. Viking gets a rear standing chinlock, Bernie tried for a fireman's carry counter but Dave is too strong and breaks him down to the mat. Bernie tries again and actually gets Viking up for a second before collapsing. A third attempt is broken by Viking apparently fish hooking Benie's nose (a foul) A big blow by Viking has Bernie on his back til 5. He drags him up and forearm smashes himdown twice but the second time Bernie kips up and fires a dropkick. Three forearm smashes fell Viking, Bernie lifting him for more as the bell rings. Round 2, Viking posts Bernie and illegally follows in with stomps and an axehandle and is reprimanded. He slams Wright who bumps backward a bit extravagantly. Viking follows in with more blows on his fallen opponent He posts Bernie and bearhugs him ready for a belly to belly suplex but Bernie gets free so Viking whips and backdrops him, bashing him down whenever he tries to get up.. He grabs a leg but the ref makes him drop it as Wright was still on the floor. More blows and a posting and axehandle to the back.The bell goes. Round 3 Bernie tackles Viking down and legdrops him, followed by two elbowdrops and pulling him up for a posting (Referee allows this for retaliation, I guess.). He gets a posting and two running shoulderblocks then hooks Viking's legs over the middle corner ropes. He then goes to work with illegal closed fists and knees and gets a red card. The crowd and Wright are furious at the Disqualification.

A bout I've been meaning to post on here, two relative youngsters for the time getting their break on TV during the Eurosport New Catch era. Jean Philippe de Lousac in pink is Le Bon a veritable TBW Francais at 18 years old, Lacroix is Le Mechant with manageress Miss Paris. Unlike Britain you can be a heel at a young age and Lacroix has all the youthful surly thuggy menace of Sean Waltman as the Lightning Kid in GWF around this time. Eric starts with a snapmares and elbow. JP gets a cross buttock &;press for a 2 count.. Eric gets a top wristlock on the mat and armdrags his man, De Lousac kips up, somersaults on the top wristlock (you KNOW you're watching French Catch when your see that move) and throws him out the ring with one arm (for an argument with his managers) and back in from the apron, then snapmares and dropkicks him twice getting a standing toehold weakener, then a leglock then elbowsmash thengets double legs. He tries for a Boston Crab then a slingshot but Lacroise lands short of the ropes. He moves around the ring to relax his leg ( a mistake to allow this says Orig on English commentary) then strikes with brawling tactics . He drags de Lousac (earning himself an Avertisement from arbitre Charley Bollet) into a full nelson then switches to a snapmare from behind over his shoulder, a dropkick as good and sharp as JP's ones earlier. He picks him up by the jaw but de Lousac takes over, breaks the hold and both men fire dropkicks at the same time, both taking a bump. JP up first and still in charge snapmares, slings and dropkicks Lacroix, but the young Mechant regains his heat with a kidney blow and headbutt. He posts JP and stomps and holds him before the referee and his own corner people demand the release. JP reverses a posting, somersaults across the ring and monkey climbs him then flings him back out of the ring and when he returns getting a snapmare and dropkick, whip to the ropes and flying headbutt for an eight count, then two forearms the second of which floors Eric. He grabs the heel's hair and asks the crowd what he should do next but Eric sinks in an elbow and this time it's Jean Philippe who gets thrown out. Theo and Miss Paris get their licks in while Eric keeps Bollet distracted then throw him back in time for Eric to score the winning fall with a long suplex despite JP's complaints. Good to see two promising young talent in the early 90s. Plenty of traditional French moves but the bout structure is more American with clear periods of dominance (hope spots, regaining heat etc). I'd love to know what both these Gosses got up to in the next couple of decades.

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.

.... 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?

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 ...

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.

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.

Match joined in progress hence possibly the lack of aristocric gimmickry. I believe Le Vicomte (sp?) Joel is in fact Joel de Fremery who turned up on World of Sport with a World Heavyweight Middleweight title that he lost to Rollerball Rocco. Cohen and Joel doing some interesting leglock reversals, Cohen using his knee to flip over Lagache. Every tries for a headscissors but it ends up a bodyscissors which Lagache shrugs off. Commentator says Lagache is one of the dirtiest wrestlers he knows of and he proves it, biting Edery's wrists then looking around innocently, later nipping Cohen's ear. Referee Martial may look like a Fatty Arbuckle comedy type but he is a hard-nosed ref like Delaporte later on. He physically pulls apart the heels ' double teams and at one point gets his hand trapped in a Joel hammerlock. Apparently Joel is an English teacher in a private school but that doesn't stop him fouling in the ring. The "Israelite s" tag is no joke, Edery is a former IDF soldier, presumably a protege of Rafael Halperin. Les Mechants pitch Les Bons to ringside. It gets them an Avertisement and a crowd riot but also the first fall as Lagache pins Edery. Heels keep up the heat with between fall attacks and plenty of double teaming. Cohen gets the hot tag but they nail him with a full nelson/ shoulderblock double team. A second go and Lagache misses. Sails out of the ring and Cohen dropkicks Joel out to join him. Eventually the heels recover taking turns to work a leglock on Edery. Arbitre Martial at one point lifts Lagache away in a rear waistlock to stop his fouling. Joel has Cohen cornered for one of those beatdown where WWF fans would count the punches but Cohen slips out and dropkicks him out the ring. During an exchange of Manchettes, Joel leapfrogs Edery who takes him down from behind in a folding press for the equaliser. La Belle: Les Mechants corner and double team Edery with leglocks, often one on each leg.. Eventually Cohen runs in with a battery of Manchettes. Arbitre Martial grabs Lagache by the hair and throws him out of the ring. Edery nearly gets a pin with double knees, Lagache turns it over into the start of a surfboard but Edery tags George who ties Lagache in the ropes and repeatedly dropkicks him. Tags Edery who cross buttocks the heel a few times Cohen flips Joel into Lagache and ties Joel by the neck in the ropes as Edury pins Lagache for the winner. Typical fast paced half hour Catch A Quatre Francais. I think Rene Ben Chemouel's reputation relies more on his purist technical work in the 50s than his work as a Bon in Catch a Quatres in the 60s and early 70s anyway. Would Cohen be so impressive in a serious technical championship match with George Kidd? Still, horses for courses.

...this? I was going to review this originally but got caught by the temptation to review something OLD to follow Bock/Inoki. Another Germany Vs Japan battle of the former Axis Powers. (The geopolitics of Japanese heels in Germany never make any sense. And yes I know this is Austria and Alex is of British stock) This is from the same tournament as Alex versus Finlay - if it's up the that one ends with a Schuman run in and anyway that's not one of the two that turned up on the Marco's Catch channel Alex gets a big babyface pop coming down to ringside although the big blond girl sat right next to camera seems unimpressed by him. Alex offers a handshake but Hiro kicks it away. Hiro gets a legdrive but Alex sends hip flying with a beautiful toupee. He tries again and gets a leglock. Haumarkt looks really beautiful at night but these longshots make it hard to follow the action. Hiro continues to work on the leg, Alex counters with a cross face. very Old German. Hiro moves to a standing position, gets a kick in. The bell goes so he gets in a couple more. Some bad piano boogie Woogie between rounds. Round 2: Hiro gets the leg and eventually gets Alex down with it. He makes it into a single leg Boston Crab. Alex won't give so he stomps, releases and retakes the leg. Alex kicks him into the ropes, slingshots him into the opposite ropes and fires off a dropkick, some stomps of his own (retaliation) and a suplex which Hiro reverses and gets a two count. He stomps on, Alex rallies, gets some stomps. a dropkick and a toehold. By the end Hiro is back in charge with leg weaken til the bell goes. I think Hiro gets a yellow card but he reacts like he's scored something while the crowd catcalls. To be honest I'm not sure. Cue more boogie woogie piano jazz. Hiro paces around like Rollerball Rocco. Round 3 . Alex really goes into action, kicking Hiro on a finger interlock, backflipping in a wrist lever then armdragging the Japanese, leapfrogging and taking him down with a flying headscissors which sadly he does not manage to keep once down. He then corners and batters Yamamoto. Hiro whips him to the ropes but Alex comes back with a sunset flip and Hiro punches his way out (missed by the ref) and follows in with a Harley Race diving headbutt. He covers for a pin but the no follow down rule was clearly still in force in 1994, so no pin count. They get up, Hiro heatbutts Alex who tried the sunset flip again.Sensing another punch, he slips out behind, fires two dropkicks and corners Hiro, getting crowd approval to bash his head into the corner then punching him on the ropes until warned off by the ref. Hiro wants to make up and be friendly but Alex will have none of it. He drop toeholds Hiro and converts to a cross face into side headlock. Hiro wrenches into a headscissor. Alex tries a bridging escape but the bell goes before anything exciting could happen. Bright bouncy disco record during the interval. Round 5 Alex gets a hammerlock into armdrags to floor Hiro. Switches to straight armlock, Hiro gets up, forces it into the corner, gets a break then uses brawling tactics on Alex on the ropes. Alex bodychecks Hiro who replies with an excellent dropkick. He tries a piledriver but Alex makes it into a backdrop for a two.count, then a guillotine elbowsmash, then some stomps on the prone Hiro which earn him a yellow card. Hiro gets a reverse flying elbowsmash then locks on a scorpion leglock. Alex pushes up to flip Hiro off and covers him but Yamamoto puts a foot on the ropes. Alex stomps him til he falls out of the ring. Back in, they both headbutt each other. Alex gets the worst of it. In an unintentionally funny moment he falls down just as the bell goes - the resulting CLONG sounds in context like a cartoon comedy sound effect. DJ plays. Some classical set to a disco beat. Round 6 Hiro again tries the handshake and gets some kicks in. He forearm smashes Alex in the corner, snapmares and Hogan Legdrops him. Then he snapmares again and splashes him from the middle turnbuckle earning a Second And Final Yellow Card. He somersault splashes Alex but gets no pin count due to No Follow down, so next he slams Alex. tries the corner again and misses. Alex fires him into the ropes and dropkicks him on the rebound. He gets a suplex but Hiro counts out at 2. He flips over Hiro and gets a waistlock suplex but does not cover. He gets a roll up for 2. One minute to go, a frustrated Alex stomps Hiro and is warned by the MC. He tries a hold on the mat we can't see but the ref breaks it up. Hiro gets a piledriver but holds thecropes for leverage so the referee refuses to count the pin. They are both trying for finished when the final round ends. As far as I can tell it was a draw. Not really a technical masterpiece, Hiro works too American for that, but some nice little bits and plenty of action.

I never really said down and reviewed this one properly. It's very slug and punch, so don't worry you won't be getting complex, the nature of the action simply doesn't merit it. Otto still hasn't fully bulked up to the Obese Otto of the mid/late 80s, he is closer to the more compact Otto of the 1980 Don Leo bout. Slaughter is slap bang in the era of the Cobra Corps and the Alley fight match. It's supposed to be an American Rules match but the ring announcer keeps telling off Slaughter in particular for rule infractions "Remus ..NO!!!" Wrestle Only inside ... STOPPIT REMUS!! REMUS NOT THE CHAIR" "MISTER REMUS!". I bet this guy was a school teacher by day. There is a large crowd of guys in white t-shirts/baseball caps wandering around at ringside for some mysterious reason, like Sarge has flown his local team over to cheer him on. Oddly enough there is one little chain sequence and it's done badly but it goes like this. Sarge has the Cobra Clutch on Otto but after a good long while he slips out the back with no real effort (Even Mike Marino's spinning escape from a side headlock had some sense of tugging and levering free.) Otto fails to take the arm with him but still grabs it and puts a hammerlock on. Then releases it. I think Slaughter grabs the ropes but the crowd are at such fever pitch they don't have time to give heat for such cowardice. Somewhere along the line Otto has done a blade job and is juicing away merrily. I don't think Sarge is bleeding, it's hard to see in the murk. The end comes when Sarge misses a Superfly Splash off the top (Suma must have been partway through training him when he split from Albano and turned face in late 82.) They battle on a bit then Wanz manages a flying tackle for the win. If you like a good brawl you'll probably love this. Me. I need an antidote.How about ..

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.

From the French Catch thread: And from just above here. 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.

Interesting. CIC was also the initials of the main Spanish promotion Corporacion Internacional de Catch which closed its doors in 1975 after having scaled down to just Madrid and Barcelona circa 1965. French promoters including Delaporte regularly invaded Spain over the next 15 years until the WWF properly revived the territory in 1990 with TV show "Pressing Catch" on Telecinco. I think Bob Plantin posted some stuff on FB about wrestling in Algeria. Before the Algerian War, a generation of French school kids grew up heavily indoctrinated to think of Algeria as part of France. Obviously it would have been a prime market for overseas sales of Le Catch kinescope prints, perhaps bicycled on to other Arab North African countries such as Morocco, (c.f. your mention of Casablanca - the Spanish CIC also regularly toured Morocco.)