The British government kicked the women wrestlers out of London to kick off a 50-year battle against sexism in the wrestling world. In places like Japan, women’s wrestling was bigger than its male counterpart, with the stars of All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling proving to be the biggest draws in the country in the 1980s … Read more
King Kong Kirk was killed during a match with Big Daddy in 1987 after being hit with the infamous “Big Daddy Splash”.
Andre The Giant toured the United Kingdom in the 1960s before he broke out as a worldwide star with the WWE. Under the name Jean Ferré, he toured the UK and honed his craft against some of the best wrestlers of the day. He began wrestling in 1964 in Paris as an 18-year-old and was … Read more
There is no doubt that Johnny Saint is one of the greatest wrestlers to ever come out of the United Kingdom. Dubbed “the man of a thousand holds”, he was one of the biggest stars during the golden age of wrestling in Great Britain, appearing regularly alongside Big Daddy and Kendo Nagasaki on ‘World of … Read more
I just finished reading the self-penned autobiography of British wrestling legend “Judo” Al Marquette. Now, he wasn’t the only man to use the nickname “Judo”. He’s not even the only “Judo Al” (Lord Alfred Hayes also donned that name) but he certainly did have an interesting career during the golden era of British wrestling. When … Read more
If you ask about which gym produces the toughest pro wrestlers in history, the Snake Pit is always the first name given out. The run-down, freezing cold and dirty gym in Wigan has produced some of the finest wrestlers the world has ever seen. While they didn’t train anybody in the art of professional wrestling, … Read more
Few wrestling promotions have burned as brightly—and as chaotically—as 1 Pro Wrestling (1PW). From its inception in 2005, the UK-based company sought to make a splash in the wrestling world, but its ambition was often overshadowed by mismanagement, controversy, and financial turmoil. 1PW’s story is a cautionary tale of bold moves gone wrong, with memorable … Read more
While the French wrestling legend L’Ange Blanc is one of Europe’s most famous masked wrestler, his unmasking happened in a very curious place – Leeds! Yes, Frances superhero, their masked avenger in the battle against wrestling’s villains, was forced to unmask in front of a rabid Yorkshire crowd in 1962. While you may not have … Read more
In January 1967, Mick McManus was supposed to beat Peter Preston in a match by two falls to one at the Lime Grove Baths. This was meant to be a match like any other. McManus was one of the most popular wrestlers in the country and was known for rarely losing. 20 years into his … Read more
William Regal could have become a WWE Champion in the WWE, but ruined it all after winning the King of the Ring title in 2008.