ALL STAR GRAPPLEVINE presented by RUSSELL PLUMMER
UPDATE MONDAY FEBRUARY 13TH 2006
AMERICAN DISASTER TEAMING UP WITH RING VAMPIRE GANGREL FOR CROYDON CLASH
Towering just a shade under seven feet above the canvas, the heavyweight giant they call the American Disaster aims to make up for lost time when returning to British rings during the coming week as part of the build-up towards a main event tag team test in All Star’s Sunday afternoon spectacular at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, on February 19th. The 22 stones colossus, who campaigned as Brodie Steele when last on this side of the Atlantic, is set to line-up with ring vampire Gangrel in a Fairfield feature clash against new British heavyweight title holder Steve Sonic and Liverpool’s long haired favourite Robbie Brookside.
The Croydon action begins at 3pm and already big crowd seems assured as tickets are in brisk demand from the Fairfield Halls box office and through telephone bookings to 0208-688-9291. Brookside, who missed last month’s Croydon event after his wife was taken ill, is as anxious as ever to regain the heavyweight title but is happy to put these ambitions to one side to partner Sonic, the man who prospered in his absence on January 17th when taking the belt from the ‘Highlander’ Drew McDonald.
‘I can’t do anything on the title front until after Steve Sonic’s return match with McDonald at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, on February 25th and for the moment am more than happy to line-up with Steve against Gangrel and Steele, two men who take far too many liberties in the ring. They think they can get away with blue murder and I hope we can teach them something about British values,’ a determined Robbie told Grapplevine.
Since he was last here the American Disaster has seen action throughout North America as well as in Japan and Puerto Rico and comes direct from an extended stay in Mexico where, by all accounts, he had local talent running for cover. The Croydon programme also brings back another noted globetrotter with Pan Pacific world title holder Joe Legend facing the ever controversial battling ‘Barbarian’ Karl Kramer.
Gangrel has been back for almost a month and is now being joined by his wife, Stateside ladies wrestling icon Miss Luna Vachon, who will be making a Croydon debut in a solo clash against stunning home star Nikita. Often billed as the ‘Man Eater,’ Luna’s own tour begins on Tuesday at the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington when she partners Gangrel in a mixed tag main event against Steve Sonic and Nikita. The event has a 7.30 start and for bookings contact the Centre on 01976-334418.
TITLE AT STAKE IN FAIRFIELD TEAM FRENZY
Plus newcomers’ invitation rumble!
There will be a second tag event in Croydon’s Sunday special on February 19th and this time the British title will be at stake as popular champions the UK Dream team pairing of Dean Allmark and Kid Cool are challenged by the ever determined ‘Chippendale’ Mikey Whiplash and a fresh partner in the shape of Potteries powerhouse Robbie Dynamite. To say this is a needle battle would be the under-statement of the year as all four participants bring plenty of past history into the match, especially where one time training partners ‘Xtreme’ Dean and Robbie ‘The Body’ are concerned. After months of skirmishes it all came to a head in a January British title clash at Hanley when Dean ended Robbie’s lengthy run as middleweight title holder.
Another feature of the Croydon programme will be an invitation rumble with participation open to ambitious newcomers to wrestling. Already talent from the Dropkixx Academy is set to participate and anyone wanting to take advantage of a high profile platform on which to display their abilities should apply for places by e-mailing All Star at: admin@bigtimewrestlinguk.com giving details of name, age, height and weight.
Other training schools are expected to be represented and if you think you have what it takes to impress at Southern England’s number one wrestling venue, don’t hesitate, send in your application straight away.
SONIC STILL SOARING AS DOMINO TAKES HIS LEAVE
Reading fans’ favourite and new British heavyweight number one Steve Lewington had no difficulty choosing his Steve Sonic ring name. The son of an airline pilot, Steve was eager to follow in his father’s footsteps but found himself grounded after failing the rigorous sight test that was part of the induction process for training. Undeterred, the fanatical weight training devotee put all his energies into his second love, wrestling, and currently just seems to be going from strength to strength.
Steve is confident he can come through his first big title test, the return clash against former champion ‘Highlander’ Drew McDonald at Hanley on Saturday February 25th, and hopes to take on further challengers before heading for the United States later in the year to try and make his mark with the WWE. But while Steve is putting everything into wrestling, another fast emerging heavyweight force will be missing from the ring in the coming weeks.
Muscle machine Domino has combined wrestling with work as a DJ and presenter with independent radio stations including London’s Capital, Piccadilly in Manchester and a string of regional operations. Now he’s hanging up his wrestling boots for a couple of months to take on a new broadcasting challenge in Northern Ireland but hopes to be back in action during the summer.
Talking of heavyweight talent, All Star extended the debut run of appearances by Drew Galloway after the 20 year-old Scots contender impressed those on either side of the ropes. He came south to gain top level experience and we will almost certainly be seeing a lot more of this good looking six-footer from Ayr who was a big hit with fans at venues including Grimsby, Nottingham and Hastings. He had been making a 100 mile plus round trip to Glasgow for training three times, a clear indication of his determination to make the grade.
SHOWSTEALER SHANE HEADING FORTHE STATES TO BOLSTER FWA SQUAD
Stand-by for more All Star versus Frontier Wrestling Alliance team event rivalry, but not before FWA main man Alex Shane returns from a talent spotting mission on the other side of the Atlantic. The ‘Showstealer’ has headed to the United States to run the rule over stars from the East Coast TNA organisation with a view to bringing back top contenders to feature in future FWA teams.
The anarchist Doug Williams, a regular headliner for both All Star and the FWA, has more travels of his own, leaving on Tuesday February 14th for Japan to take part in an international tag team tournament series when his partner will be British-born, America-trained star Nigel McGuinness. Doug will be returning early in March and has a fresh run of All Star dates lined-up.