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ASW: All Star Grapplevine – Christmas/New Year Update

ALL STAR GRAPPLEVINE presented by RUSSELL PLUMMER
SPECIAL CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR UPDATE


TRIPLE TITLE CHALLENGE FOR HIGHLANDER McDONALD AT CROYDON ON JANUARY 17TH
‘Highlander’ Drew McDonald’s British heavyweight title will be on the line in a unique three part championship test involving leading challenger and former champion Robbie Brookside during All Star’s 2006 curtain raising spectacular at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, on Tuesday January 17th. The two men have signed contracts to return to the ring where they last met in October and this time the series will even include a tag team segment.


McDonald, the one-time Scots Guardsman from Perth, ended Brookside’s reign as champion in a gruelling Croydon clash back in June and succeeded in retaining the belt when the Fairfield Halls also staged the autumn return contest. Now the pair are ready to go head to head again, first in a ‘falls count anywhere’ clash that will be followed by tag action with McDonald nominating the ‘Barbarian’ Karl Kramer as his partner while Brookside will be joined by his regular ‘Liverpool Lads’ team mate Frankie Sloan.


Points will be awarded for each of the two opening segments and if a third and decisive meeting is needed it will take the form a ‘Ladder Match’ with the belt suspended a dozen feet above the Fairfield Halls canvas. This was the type of test demanded by Brookside after the October contest and he insists that this time he will be the wrestler leaving the ring with the belt in his possession.


The Croydon bill starts at 7.45pm and after top solo and tag action will finish with a 10 man rumble that brings another challenge from FWA talent in the shape of ‘Anarchist’ Doug Williams, ‘Wonder Kid’ Jonny Storm and, now back in action and returning to the Fairfield after a lengthy absence, ‘The Phoenix’ Jody Fleisch. Also on view will be South London’s own James Mason, the fearless Flatliner, Frankie Sloan, Barbarian Karl Kramer and the UK Dream Team, Kid Cool and ‘Xtreme’ Dean Allmark. Doors open at 7.15 and tickets are now on sale at the Fairfield Halls Box Office, telephone: 0208-688-9291.
                          
JOE LEGEND TO LAUNCH NORTH AMERICAN CHALLENGE AT DARTFORD
As already announced, team event action will be a headline attraction in many of All Star’s 2006 bills and starting as early the opening New Year event, a Saturday afternoon sizzler at Dartford’s Orchard Theatre on January 14th when two teams of five visiting and home stars battle for supremacy in a series of tag and solo matches followed by an every man for himself Battle Royal.

On one side Pan Pacific title holder Joe Legend will be joined by returning North American hard-hitter the Canadian Widowmaker, the ever unpredictable ‘Brooklyn Brawler’ Julio Torres, the ‘Barbarian’ Karl Kramer and the soon WWE-bound Steve Sonic. Robbie Brookside leads the opposition supported by fellow Liverpudlian Frankie Sloan, the UK Dream team’s Dean Allmark and Kid Cool, and the irrepressible Flatliner.  For bookings call the Orchard Theatre box office on 01322-220000.


TIME RUNNING OUT FOR YOUR WRESTLER OF THE YEAR VOTE!
Time is running out to have your say in All Star’s 2005 popularity poll with voting for ‘Wrestler of the Year,’ ‘Best Newcomer’ and the ‘Match of the Year’ closing at midnight on Saturday December 31st. The winners will be announced during the big bill at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, on Tuesday January 17th.

Robbie  Brookside,  James Mason, Drew McDonald, Doug Williams, the fearless Flatliner and international visitors including Joe Legend and Canada’s T.J.Wilson are all picking-up ‘Wrestler of the Year’ votes with Steve Sonic a popular choice in the newcomer category along with Humbersider Ade Johnson and West Country teenager Chris Andrews.

As for the year’s top match, a lot of people are still talking about Croydon’s June clash when Drew McDonald defeated Robbie Brookside to lift the British title while many others are going for the October meeting, also at Croydon, that ended with triple tag success for All Star’s Joe Legend, Steve Sonic and Kid Cool over the FWA’s Alex Shane, Doug Williams and Charlie Rage.

But if you saw a better match at your local venue, vote for it by going to the Contact Details page of this website, enter the category and wrestlers’ names (or the match) and press submit!
 
GANGREL RETURNS WITH LUNA TO BEGIN 2006 UK TOUR AT ASHTON UNDER LYNE
Notorious ring vampire Gangrel will be back in Britain to begin an exclusive 2006 tour for All Star Wrestling at the Hippodrome Theatre in Ashton under Lyne, Greater Manchester, on Saturday January 21st – and the white shirted, sabre toothed hell-raiser will not be alone.


Joining Gangrel this time will be his wife, American ladies wrestling legend Luna Vachon, and they will be aiming to make an immediate impression when opposed by Frankie Sloan and the luscious Miss Lisa Fury in a mixed tag main event. The action begins at 7.30pm and tickets for a full programme set to wind-up with a rumble including more international stars can be booked by calling the Hippodrome box office on 0161-308-3223.


The same night also brings local flavour needle in the Potteries when All Star’s bill at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, Stoke on Trent, includes a British championship contest as ‘Xtreme’ Dean Allmark finally gets a crack at bitter rival and title holder Robbie ‘The Body’ Dynamite. Although power-lifter Robbie actually introduced Dean to wrestling, he was less than impressed when his own tag partner Kid Cool was enticed away by Dean to form the UK Dream Team and the animosity between them has become more intense by the month ever since. The remainder of the Hanley bill, for which bookings can be made via 0870-0606649, will be announced soon so watch this website or ring Wrestlecall on 09068-121884 where the call cost remains at 60p. per minute.


BIGGER AND EVEN BETTER PRESENTATION AT BUTLINS
Butlins have already signed-up All Star to continue providing top international wrestling action at their Skegness, Bognor Regis and Minehead holiday centres through 2006 with the main emphasis on a six events a week schedule from April right through into November.  All Star are currently in the middle of a 15 date festive season run and Butlins admit that wrestling remains one of the main entertainment features that pulls families back to the atmospheric Skyline Arenas of the three centres year after year.


Butlins say there will be even more spectacular presentation of the evening  wrestling bouts with several new features. Although discussions are only just starting, one of these could be the creation of Butlins Championship with the holder regularly putting the title, and a trophy to be provided by Butlins, on the line at the different centres.  All Star have also started booking overseas talent for the new Butlins season starting in April with Canada’s ‘Stampede Kid’ T.J.Wilson and ladies star Miss Nattie Neidhart the first to be contracted.