All Star Promotions have thrown the rule book out of the window to give a complete re-vamp to one of wrestling’s most historic titles. The long established world heavy middleweight belt has become the All Star People’s Championship with no national or weight restrctions and options for members of the crowd at venues around the country to decide just who will challenge reigning champion.
Right now the first People’s Champion is Doug Williams. After returning in triumph from Germany and tournament success in Hannover’s Gilde Wrestling Fest event last month, the Surrey-based anarchist impressively established himself as first holder of the new title by defeating previous world heavy middleweight number one the American Dragon at Croydon on Tuesday 7th October.
News of the changes to the world title were announced at Croydon by All Star official in charge Frank Cullen following a parade of all contestants into the Fairfield Halls ring.
The new style championship opens up a whole string of possibilities and the changes were well-received by a Croydon crowd who saw the first holder decided in a 15 round clash when Williams won by the off fall of three after 12 highly competitive and entertaining rounds.
The 23 year-old Dragon, alias Bryan Danielson, who won the belt in the international knockout tournament at Croydon back in May, came through successful world title defences against James Mason at Hanley in June and last month over Johnny Storm at Bristol. He’s now into the final month of an extended first UK tour but says he has every intention of trying to gain the new belt and hopes fans will give him the necessary backing at All Star venues in the next three weeks.
Williams, who had faced the Dragon in the United States and successfully defended his FWA title against him in June, is now set to put his newly won status on the line in All Star bills at Aylesbury’s Reg Maxwell on Monday October 20th, the Victoria Hall, Hanley on Saturday 25th and when Allk Star turn to Southampton Guildhall on Monday 27th – and the fans will decide his opponent on each occasion..
Before then Doug also has a defence of his FWA title coming up in the British Uprising 2 bill at Bethnal Green on Saturday week October 18th when the challenger is rising stare James Tighe, the Sussex youngster who caused a major stir when he edged out Flash Barker in a final eliminator. Chichester-based Tighe made his All Star debut at Croydon when defeating Rajh Ghosh but is likely to find Williams a far sterner test.
The American Dragon has rejoined the formidable North American squad for appearances in All Star at Butlins bills at Bognor Regis, Skegness and Minehead, the line-up also featuring the New York Street Fighter, the two ton Avalanche P.N.Neusz, Canada’s Bad News Andy Anderson and the ‘Brooklyn Brawler’ Julio Torres.