RE-POST: All-Star Wrestling, Croydon, March 2003 - Live Show Review

This past Tuesday I travelled down to Croydon for my first taste of Brian Dixon-brand wrestling, as his All-Star Wrestling promotion arrived in Croydon for their regular monthly show at the Fairfield Halls.

The evening would be highlighted the appearance of Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and the semi-finals in the tournament to crown a new World Mid-Heavyweight Champion. The evening began with ring announcer Lee Bamber, the spitting image of England football head coach Sven-Goran Eriksen, bringing the four wrestlers left in the tournament, James Mason, Robbie Dynamite, Dean 2 Xtreme and Flash Barker, to the ring so the audience, which numbered in the region of 300, could choose who would face who. Before this drawing took place, Mason was annoyed that Barker was in the tournament at all, claiming that he was too heavy.

With the draw complete, the first match began.

ROBBIE DYNAMITE v DEAN 2 XTREME
With much to compete for, Dynamite overpowered Dean at the beginning of the contest, but for the majority of the opening salvos, Dynamite was preoccupied with the reception he was getting from the crowd, which was in the negative most of the time.

Dean came back into the contest for a few moments with an arm wringer, which Dynamite countered after several twists and somersaults, so he was eventually in a position to put on an arm wringer of his own. Dean countered this by sweeping his man off his feet.

Dynamite was soon back onto his opponent with a headlock, which Dean powered out off by pushing Dynamite into the ropes. As he came off, Dynamite barged Dean down to the mat. Dean was soon back on his feet as both men began to run the ropes until Dean caught Dynamite with a heel kick. The match then went in the favour of Dynamite as he dominated his opponent for a number of minutes until Dean fought back with a good spinning back-breaker.

Dean turned it up a notch in his fight back, catching Dynamite with a head scissors. Then, with his opponent slumped in the corner, Dean climbed to the second rope and delivered ten clubbing blows to Dynamite's skull. The fight back didn't last long as Dynamite came back with a powerful clothesline.

Throughout the contest, Dynamite's underhanded tactics earned the wrath of referee Dave Marshall, to the point that he awarded Dynamite a public warning midway through the bout.

With the action having been thick and fast, it slowed down a little as Dynamite applied a reverse chin lock in the middle of the ring. The hold was applied for a number of minutes before Dean fought back with a series of elbows to the bread basket. Getting his second wind, Dean connected with a super kick. Then, with Dynamite lying prone on the mat, continued the attack with a leg drop off the middle rope. To Dean's dismay, the cover only earned a two count.

Dean was not a happy man, and began to argue with the ref, with gave Dynamite the opportunity he was looking for, as he floored Dean with a drop-kick. Dynamite's heel tactics then came to the fore again as he choked Dean a number of times, following this up with a leg drop of his own. Dynamite tried several covers, but no matter how many times he tried, he could only get the two count. The angered Dynamite, who took his frustrations out, verbally, on the referee. All this succeeded in doing was earn him a second public warning.

Just as Dean's argument with the ref had helped Dynamite, then Dynamite's argument with the ref did the same. Dean recovered a little. Dynamite had scored with a corner posting, but had missed the follow-up attack. Dean fought back with a drop-kick off the second rope, before eventually scoring with a five-star frog splash. This took a lot out of Dean though. He failed to go for the cover straight away, and only got the two count. Continuing the fight back, he scored with a reverse x-factor, which also only got a two.

Dynamite fought back, getting Dean in a half-Boston Crab. However, the referee failed to see Dynamite grab the ropes as he applied the hold. It wasn't long before Dean was tapping, and the referee called for the bell.

With the crowd roaring their disapproval, the referee confronted Dynamite, who protested his innocence. Dean also protested, but the referee informed him that his decision was final. Dynamite was through to the final.

JAMES MASON v FLASH BARKER
Before the contest began, Mason again complained of Barker's size, and seemed intimidated by Barker's obvious power advantage before the contest even began. The referee gave Mason an ultimatum - wrestle or get a public warning.

As the match began, Barker caught Mason with two hard blows to the Mason's ribs, which doubled him up. When they eventually locked up, neither man could gain an advantage, and as both men went into the ropes, Mason, despite having a shaven head, complained that Barker was pulling his hair. The referee was having none of this.

When the wrestling finally began, Barker's power advantage was plain for all to see as he tossed Mason over the top ropes not once, but twice. Frustrated, Mason went walkabouts around the ring, and soon went to return to the locker room, until the referee informed him that should he leave the arena, he would forfeit the match. As the count began, Mason returned to the ring when the referee reached nine.

With both men now back in the ring, Barker refused Mason's offer of a handshake, before they eventually locked up with a test of strength. It was no surprise to anyone as Barker soon powered Mason down to the mat.

Mason was clearly intimidated by Barker, and was now taking out his frustrations on the fans, clearly angry at their "baldy" chant. His mood didn't help much when the referee offered him a curly wig that had been thrown into the ring, which a smiling Barker eventually wore himself for a few moments.

Mason was now an angry man as he connected with several forearms to Barker, before Barker countered with a posting. As Mason came staggering out of the corner, Barker planted him to the mat with a backdrop.

Barker began to dominate proceedings, following a snap mare with a super-stiff kick to Mason's back. Grabbing his opponent's legs, Barker threatened to kick Mason below the belt, but the referee stopped him. Getting to his feet, Mason used the countermove that heels have used for donkeys years - the poke to the eye - twice.

Mason began to get the upper hand with a series of underhanded tactics which earned the ire of the ref, who was clearly in no mood for any of Mason's tactics. These earned Mason his first public warning.

Mason soon applied a nerve hold to Barker's shoulder, but the Flash man soon powered out of the move. Whipping Mason into the ropes, Barker unleashed a spine buster. The devastating move only earned Barker a two count though.

Mason then changed tactics, trying to distract the ref on a number of occasions. This worked. With the ref distracted, Barker went for the pin with a backslide. This would have got the three count and the victory had the referee been paying attention. It only earned Barker a two though.

Mason fought back with a camel clutch, releasing and reapplying the hold when it probably would have been prudent to keep the hold applied. This lapse in concentration gave Barker the opportunity he needed, as a swift fist to Mason's lower regions caught him unawares.

With the crowd clearly behind him, Barker positioned Mason in the corner, ala Goldust, hoping to cause further damage to Mason's crown jewels. However, the ref stopped this attack, much to the dismay of almost everyone in attendance.

Now free from the corner, Mason went back on the attack, only to pause for a few moments so he could remove the corner pads while the ref checked on Barker's condition. When Mason pointed out that one of the corner pads was loose, Barker caught Mason in a small package. The referee was still repairing Mason's damage though. Once again, Barker could have attained victory had the ref been paying attention.

Having escaped with a two count, Mason slammed Barker to the mat, but hurt his back in the process. He then climbed to the second rope and came down with a clubbing blow on Barker, knocking him off his feet. He then went one higher as he climbed to the top rope and came down with another crashing blow.

Mason went to the well once too often, as Barker caught him as he climbed to the top rope a second time. Barker caught him as he perched on the top rope, and sent him flying across the ring. Then, showing great agility for a man of his size, he caught Mason with a hurricanrana, almost getting the three count, Mason escaping the pin attempt with a hand on the bottom rope.

Barker kept on the attack, launching Mason into the corner before connecting with a spinning neck breaker. This would have normally ended the match, but Mason kicked out on two.

The attack continued. A cross body block from Barker only got another two count. Barker then applied a leg lock, and Mason screamed out in pain. The pain was so much that for a moment Mason's shoulders fell to the mat, and Barker almost scored the pin fall victory. Mason eventually escaped the hold.

As the clock began to run down, Barker came back with a suplex as the time ran out. For a few moments the referee conferred with the ring announcer, and it was announced that another five minutes would be added to the contest. Mason was irate, and protested as he began to limp back to the locker room. Barker chased after him and brought him back to the ring. Once back between the ropes Barker delivered several clubbing blows and a spin kick before getting only a two count. Mason fought back, rolling Barker up, but with his feet on the ropes. Once again the referee was blind to this action as he counted three. Mason had cheated his way to the tournament final.

SWEET SARAYA and CHRIS DIAMOND v MISS DESTINY and JORGE CASTANO
Before the match even began, Saraya let it be known that she was not a happy woman. With her usual partner in mixed tags, Ricky Knight, in action elsewhere that night, she was not happy with Diamond as her partner. She warned him against not doing his share of the work.

Saraya attacked Destiny before the bell sounded, scoring with a body slam, then an arm wringer and a clothesline. Destiny ducked a second clothesline attempt while coming off the ropes, but Saraya managed to connect with an elbow.

Destiny fought back for a few moments, eventually catching Saraya with a good Samoan drop, and would have scored the victory had Diamond not broken up the count.

As Castano tried to enter the ring to complain about the treatment his partner was getting, Diamond and Saraya double-teamed Destiny. Diamond then tagged in and slammed Destiny down to the mat, following this up with a leg drop. It was then Castano's turn to break up the count.

Diamond continued his attack on Destiny, but only for a few moments. After Diamond missed a corner attack, Destiny scooped him up into a sidewalk slam. She followed this up by whipping him into the corner, then back dropping him as he staggered out.

Castano soon tagged in, but Diamond didn't want anything to do with him, and went walkabout on the outside. As Castano chased after him, Saraya attacked.

Back in the ring, Diamond suddenly found a set of balls by wanting to go against the now weary Castano. A body slam was followed by a slightly-sloppy looking elbow. Castano was soon on the comeback trail though with a flying head scissors and a monkey flip out of the corner. The Colombian then followed this up by clotheslining Diamond over the top rope. Saraya was not happy with her partner, and boy did she let him have it.

It was only when Saraya distracted Castano that Diamond got the upper hand yet again. After her distraction, Diamond attacked from behind and scored with a couple of suplexes. After each of these he went for the cover but only got a two count both times. Diamond went for a third suplex, but Castano countered with a suplex of his own. Getting another second wind, Castano connected with a cross body block off the ropes, and would have probably scored the victory had Saraya not broken the count. This constant interference earned Saraya a public warning.

Castano was not a happy man as he left the ring to confront Saraya. He was about to attack when Diamond made the save. As Diamond returned to the ring at the insistence of the referee, Saraya kicked Castano below the belt, and with Diamond continuing to distract the referee, Saraya continued her attack.

Back in the ring, Diamond whipped Castano into the corner, and caught the Colombian with a power slam as he came staggering away from the corner. After only getting a two count, Diamond dropped his guard a little as Castano was able to execute a neck breaker. Castano then whipped Diamond into the corner, but Saraya showed that she was thinking a few steps ahead of her opponent. As Castano charged in, Saraya pulled Diamond out of the way, and Castano went crashing into the corner post.

With her partner groggy, Saraya tagged in and began to unload on Castano, scoring with a hurricanrana from the top rope. Castano wasn't out of it though, as she only got the two count on the following cover.

Castano then began to fight back with a reverse x-factor. But this only got a two count as Diamond came back into the ring to break up the count.

Saraya then posted Castano and caught him with two follow-up attacks. A third posting was reversed by Castano, who scored with a rolling shoulder barge.

Having been in the ring for a number of minutes, Castano tagged Destiny back in, holding Saraya upside down for a few moments before bringing her down in a suplex, following this up with a big splash on the mat. She would have secured the win had Diamond not come back into the ring to break up the count.

Destiny continued on the attack with a sidewalk slam. Again, the following cover was broken up by Diamond.

Saraya began to fight back, scoring with a suplex, a slam, and then a splash off the top rope. The rookie showed some resilience as she kicked out on two. Diamond then tagged back in and slammed Destiny down to the mat. He then climbed to the middle rope and came down with a knee drop. Destiny again kicked out on two.

After Diamond sent Destiny crashing into the corner post, Castano came in to complain, but this once again played right into the hands of the heels as Saraya and Diamond double-teamed Destiny once again, Diamond eventually scoring with a DDT on Destiny.

A groggy Destiny soon fought back with a clothesline on Diamond, before Castano tagged in and continued the attack with a suplex. Covering Diamond, he only got the two count.

Castano stayed on the attack, scoring with an enziguri. Saraya came back into the ring to break up the pin. Diamond then began to distract the ref as Saraya attacked Castano from behind.

Once order had been restored again, Diamond posted Castano, but missed the follow-up, Castano planting Diamond into the mat with a DDT. Diamond fought back for a few moments before both parties tagged in their respective partners.

It wasn't long before Saraya had the upper hand. Lifting Destiny onto the top rope, she then scored with her devastating power bomb to get the pin and the victory.

SGT. SLAUGHTER v RICK MASTERS
I had seen these two compete against each other before on video, so for those who don't know, the Sgt. Slaughter in this match is not the former WWF Champion, and Rick Masters, who looks like and wrestles like the Undertaker during his Lord of Darkness phase, used to compete on the British circuit as the UK Undertaker.

Before the match began, Slaughter complained about the reception he was getting from the crowd, and as the match began, he tried to attack Masters from behind, only for the British Dead Man to backdrop him over the top rope. Slaughter wasn't given much time to rest while on the outside, as Masters dragged him back into the ring.

Masters followed up this attack with a big boot, and then a corner posting and a powerful looking clothesline. The fight back began soon afterwards as Slaughter scored with a chin breaker, following this up with a clothesline of his own, and then using the top rope to choke his opponent.

Masters fought back by sending Slaughter over the top rope with a clothesline. The fight then spilled out to the ringside area for a few moments before returning to the ring. This brief hiatus meant that Slaughter could begin to mount a comeback of his own, using underhanded tactics such as eye rakes to gain the upper hand.

Slaughter then applied an arm wringer, only to have it reversed by Masters as, moments later, he climbed to the top rope, still holding on to the limb, and came down with a clubbing blow to Slaughter's shoulder. Following up this attack, Masters tried for a choke slam, but Slaughter countered with another eye rake. Slaughter fought back with a body slam and then a leg drop off the ropes. This wasn't enough to keep Masters down as the ensuing pin onlygot a two count.

Masters soon fought back, reversing an Irish whip and slamming Slaughter to the mat. Masters missed the following top rope attack, which gave Slaughter the opportunity to score with a back elbow off the ropes. Grabbing Masters from behind, Slaughter then planted Masters into the mat with a "Bubba Bomb". With his opponent lying prone in the middle of the ring, Slaughter then climbed to the top rope and came down on Masters with a leg drop. Then Slaughter made a big mistake. Instead of going for the cover, he played to the crowd. Had he not done this, he would have surely secured the victory.

But Slaughter kept his wits about him. While still kneeling on the mat. Slaughter began to argue with the ref about the supposed slow count, while keeping one leg over Masters's throat.

Slaughter then went for plan be. Having worn camouflages to the ring, which meant that he had several pockets about his person, Slaughter had brought a foreign object with him to the ring, and used this whenever he could to choke Masters. Slaughter became quite adept at hiding this from the referee, although it was plainly obvious what he was doing to everyone else in the building. Several times the ref checked Slaughter, and on each of these occasions the ref found nothing.

Slaughter then used a tactic that James Mason had used earlier in the evening. After removing one of the corner pads, Slaughter again used his special took to attack Masters as the referee repaired the damaged ring. Slaughter used this tactic again, and afterwards, checked Slaughter over as the crowd yelled at the referee for letting Slaughter use a foreign object on Masters.

Masters soon began the fight back, and came up with a plan to show that Slaughter had been cheating. Tying Slaughter's arms in the top and the middle rope, Masters checked each and every one of Slaughter's many pockets, eventually finding the offending item and using it himself as Slaughter remained tied in the ropes.

It wasn't long before Slaughter managed to free himself, coming back with a powerful clothesline and a power slam before climbing to the middle rope. However, there was no one at home as he came crashing down to the mat with a missed leg drop.

Masters then tried to go for another choke slam, but Slaughter went below the belt. Slaughter then returned to the top rope and came down with a couple of clubbing blows. Masters caught him a second time, and once again tried to go for the choke slam, but once again Slaughter broke free of his opponent's grip.

It wasn't long before Masters was finally able to do what he had been looking for, as after several attempts, Masters choke slammed Slaughter to the mat for the three count and the victory. Slaughter was not a happy man, claiming that his foot had been on the ropes. The referee was having none of it.

MIKEY WHIPLASH v JAKE "THE SNAKE" ROBERTS
It had been some time since I had seen Jake Roberts in a wrestling ring, but after this contest, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

The contest began with a lockup. Roberts went for an arm wringer, but Whiplash escaped by going to the ropes. A second lockup resulted in both men going to the ropes as the referee had no choice but to pull them both apart.

With the crowd roaring their disapproval at him, Whiplash began to verbally taunt the fans, only for Roberts to sneak up on him from behind. The Snake Man startled him with his approach.

This continued for a couple of moments until Roberts got Whiplash into the corner. Unloading with a couple of chops, Roberts pulled Whiplash out of the corner and knocked him down with a short-arm clothesline. Seconds later Roberts planted his opponent into the mat with his patented DDT. Three seconds later the Snake Man had the victory.

In conclusion - my first taste of an All-Star Wrestling show wasn't a bad experience. Although it wasn't the best show I've seen in all of my years of watching wrestling, it certainly wasn't the worst, and I would like to see more of this company in the future.

The two major criticisms I would have though concerned the title tournament and the feature match. Both heels in the semi finals, Robbie Dynamite and James Mason, won their contests, which means that at the next Croydon show in just over a week, one of them will have to turn face. Also the feature match was a little too short in my opinion. It was obvious that Mikey Whiplash was there for one reason. Granted, he did the job he was meant to, but it would have been nice if the main course had had a bit more meat on it's bones.

Match of the night goes to the James Mason/Flash Barker contest. A good bout from two of Britain's best grapplers at the moment.