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The Specialists
UK WORLD: Another slice of the history of pro wrestling in the United Kingdom including Lock Ness/Giant Haystacks Aug 25, 2008 - 11:19:10 AM
Welcome again my American cousins. I retain the 25 year retro this week, but may punt back a little further next week.
This week we are up north to Bridlington, August 29, 1983.
Gil Singh defeated Johnny South
Alan Dennison wrestled Andy Blair to a no contest
Ray Steele defeated King Kong Kirk
Big Daddy & Mick McMichael defeated Giant Haystacks & Scrubber Daley
-Gil Singh was the first real positive Asian role model we had. A big, mobile heavyweight, he was eventually awarded the British title. Johnny South, at this point, was a generic heel jobber, but would, in the late 80's become a bill topper as Legion of Doom, a one man copy of the American duo.
-Andy Blair, welterweight jobber, with the gimmick he was Scottish.
-Alan Dennison, one of my all time favourites. Bald, muscular, and a known psycho.
-You just waited for the point in the match when Alan's eyes got bigger, and he flexed his muscles and got DQ'd. Always worth watching.
-Ray Steel, the King of Bland. Tall, blonde, clean and soooo boring. Technician with no gimmicks. Yawn.
-King King Kirk, another of my favourites. Mucky Mal had come over from rugby league in the early-'70s, and was always a heel, always bald, always big. But they upped his weight so he could scrap with Daddy. By now he didn't win much, but always entertained.
-Okay, Ive gone for a Daddy match, but against Haystacks to open up that feud.
-Mick McMichael was a heavy middleweight, so not the usual lightweight high flyer. A good worker, been around for years, but never going to make a mark.
-Scrubber Daley. Off the conveyor belt of big heavyweight heels for Daddy to beat. No talent, no ability, but could growl and wind up a crowd.
-And Giant Haystacks. The one man who could, and should, have beaten Daddy. He was around 6-10, and weighed over 400 lbs. He was a one man wrecking machine. He went to the States right at the end of his career, just before the cancer got him. As "Lock Ness" he wrestled a handful of dreadful bouts for WCW, but was well out of form by then. The '70s Haystacks would have given Big Show a much better bout.
Next week we will plunder the 70's and take a look at some of the old style British heroes.
And so to today.
Its August and the overall scene is thin.
Two promotions work the summer period. Premier and WAW.
Premier continue to do what they always do. An "old style" promotion, for whom the last 20 years haven't happened. Its an interesting experience to go to their shows, as you do get a feel for the old '60s and '70s way of the world, but it can become boring.
WAW are having a good summer, with the Knight family all wrestling. Roy "Zebra Kid" Bevis picked up a European title the other week, whilst his father Ricky continues to cause carnage, and his younger brother Zak Zodiac gets taller and better, picking up a win over Jonny Storm recently.
Otherwise we are hearing rumours of Americans touring. Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black are due to be at Wolverhampton in September, together with Nigel McGuiness and Austin Aries.
I hope you have enjoyed this. If you want more or different, email me at andrewjoyce@live.com, I'll be happy to help.
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