ALL STAR GRAPPLEVINE presented by RUSSELL PLUMMER
UPDATE MARCH 8TH 2006
BROOKSIDE VERSUS SONIC TITLE SHOWDOWN CONFIRMED FOR CROYDON ON SUNDAY 2ND APRIL
Everything is now set for the British Heavyweight Championship clash between Steve ‘Sonic’ Lewington and challenger Robbie Brookside at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, on Sunday April 2nd. Brookside is flying home early from action in Germany to step back into the ring where he slapped down a title challenge last month after coming to blows with Sonic, the man who had started the afternoon as his tag partner.
Reading-based Steve first had to get over the hurdle of a return match with former title holder ‘Highlander’ Drew McDonald which he duly accomplished at Hanley on Saturday February 25th and although Brookside was also in action on the same Victoria Hall bill, he made no attempt to return ringside to reinforce his own challenge. Like the Hanley clash when 23 year-old Sonic defeated the vastly more experienced McDonald in nine rounds, the Croydon contest will be over 10 rounds and decided by the traditional two falls, submissions or a single knockout.
Brookside, who reaches a 40th birthday milestone on Sunday and has been wrestling since his mid-teens, is desperate to regain the title he first won when defeating Doug Williams in front of a Liverpool home city crowd and then defended for over two years until beaten at Croydon by submission specialist McDonald in June 2005. McDonald triumphed again in controversial circumstances during a November re-match and Brookside was set to try again in January on the day when his enforced absence gave Sonic an unexpected title shot.
Although Croydon’s full ‘Super Sunday’ bill has yet to be confirmed, All Star have announced that the line-up will see ‘Highlander’ McDonald hitting the tag team trail partnering ring vampire Gangrel against the popular pairing of muscle machine Domino and South London’s own leading light, Bermondsey-born James Mason.
And there will be a return of fans’ favourite the fearless Flatliner for an international clash against the ‘Brooklyn Brawler’ Julio Torres. Seats can be booked at the Fairfield Halls box office or by telephone to 0208-688-9291.
HARRY SMITH, SON OF ‘BRITISH BULLDOG’DAVEY IS HEADING OUR WAY IN APRIL
Harry Smith, 20 year-old son of the late ‘British Bulldog’ Davey Smith, is embarking on a first extended British tour and will be featured in All Star events from early April, accompanied by his tag team partner, Calgary’s ‘Stampede Kid’ T.J.Wilson, the all action star who made a big impression when appearing here throughout the opening months of 2005.
Strapping Canada-born youngster Harry fulfilled an ambition of going into tag team action alongside his father shortly before Davey’s sudden death at 39 and while on holiday in British Columbia during 2002. Harry was then just 16, the age at which Davey made his own ring debut in the early 1980s before going on to take North America by storm when, with the then WWF, he became the UK’s biggest international star of the modern era.
After tag team success partnering ‘Dynamite Kid’ Tommy Billington as the ‘British Bulldogs,’ Davey’s greatest solo triumph came at the old Wembley Stadium in 1992 when an 80,000 capacity crowd saw him defeat Brett ‘Hit Man’ Hart to lift the WWF Inter-Continental crown. Now Harry wants to follow in Davey’s footsteps and appear at many of the British venues where his father learned the wrestling ropes while in his teens.
Brett Hart has kept a close eye on the progress made by Wilson since he emerged from the family’s famous Dungeon School in Calgary to make his solo mark before going on to achieve tag team honours in North America alongside Harry Smith. The pair also gained wide acclaim in Japan but the partnership was temporarily stopped last year after Harry picked-up a bad arm injury.
‘T.J’s’ fiancee Miss Nattie Neidhart, daughter of former WWF legend and ‘Hart Foundation’ member Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart, made a big impact during a British debut tour in 2004 and is also looking to pay us another visit in the coming summer. For details of Harry Smith-T.J.Hunter tag appearances keep checking the Calendar Section of this website or ring Wrestlecall on 09068-121884 (call cost 60p, per min).
TWO NEEDLE CLASHES LINED-UP FOR HANLEY’S VICTORIA HALL ON SATURDAY MARCH 18TH
Potteries fans can look forward to the prospect of not one but two needle clashes in during All Star’s next bill Hanley bill on Saturday March 18th. In addition to locally based Klondyke Kate’s bid to relieve American ladies wrestling icon Luna Vachon of her World Ladies Hardcore Championship Belt, there will also be a ‘no holds barred’ return clash between Robbie Dynamite and Dean Allmark, the pair who have been involved in some of the most ferocious action the historic venue has seen in recent years.
After months of rapidly intensifying rivalry, things came to a head when ‘Xtreme’ Dean won the British Mid-Heavyweight title and belt in a January clash before Robbie ‘The Body’ hit back last month, supported by Mikey Whiplash, to end the reign of Dean and UK Dream Team partner Kid Cool as British Tag Team Champions. To make matters worse, Dean ended up needing hospital treatment with nine stitches inserted in a head gash.
Things did not improve when Dean tried to return to action last weekend only for the wound to re-open. He had to go back to hospital for more treatment – and a few harsh words from the doctors – but is determined to be in action on March 18th. ‘I’ll be at the Victoria Hall for this match come hell or high water. There are no titles at stake and no side stakes. It’s simply me and Dynamite in what is a matter of tremendous personal pride.’ There will be a full supporting line-up, start time at the Victoria Hall is 7.30pm, and for advance bookings the number to call is 0870-0606649.
AMERICAN DISASTER HEADING FOR STATESIDE’S TNA NEXT MONTH
When he’s finished throwing his not inconsiderable weight around in our rings through the remainder of March, the American Disaster Brodie Steele will be going back across the Atlantic for a series of April appearance for leading east coast USA pay-per-view outfit TNA (Total Non-stop Action). The near seven foot tall globetrotter returned to Britain last month from Mexico and after taking time out to spend the best part of a week in Ireland, is currently mixing solo and tag team appearances on All Star spring tour dates around the country.
Steele has figured in explosive matches against home stars including Steve Sonic, Domino, James Mason and Robbie Brookside as well as appearing in a number of tag bouts partnered by white shirted hell raiser Gangrel. And next month, as Steele departs, All Star confirm that the lighter but now almost equally as controversial ‘Cincinatti Kid’ Chad Collyer will be coming in.
IT’S HERE AT LAST! ALL STAR TO START THEIR OWN OFFICIAL TRAINING SCHOOL
The weekend of April 1st/2nd will see the launch of what some would say is a long overdue official All Star Wrestling Training School. The facility will be based in Birkenhead on Merseyside with leading home and visiting North American stars regularly participating in a thorough and well structured programme. Although training outlets have mushroomed around the country in recent years, All Star has previously distanced itself from getting involved.
‘Now have decided the time is right and have set-up a regime where trainees benefit directly from the input of stars who have battled their way to the top and been featured in events around the world. Tuition fees will be highly competitive and we also have the advantage of being able to offer the incentive of try-out appearances in front of live audiences for all successful trainees,’ All Star’s Brian Dixon told Grapplevine.
To receive full details and an application form, e-mail your name and address to: admin@bigtimewrestlinguk.com