It's The Twentieth Anniversary, But I Don't Feel Like Celebrating #Coronavirus #SpeakingOut

On June 19th 2000 The Two Sheds Review debuted online. This year marked it’s twentieth anniversary, but at the moment I really don’t feel like celebrating.

I could go on about everything I did from that day until I stopped reviewing wrestling shows a few years ago. There’s a lot I could mention, but going on about past achievements in this day and age just doesn’t seem right, especially with everything that’s gone on in the past few days.

#SpeakingOut hasn’t brought the professional wrestling business to it’s knees, but it’s certainly left it with life-changing injuries from which it may never recover. Men and women have spoken about being sexually, physically and emotionally abused by those in the business. Names are being thrown about left right and centre, and some of those volleys have been lobbied to some of those I used to work with, people that I myself have spoken out about in the past.

British Wrestling Continues in the Social Distancing Era

Bye Bye WWE!

Today is a big day for those who watch professional wrestling on television here in the United Kingdom, because today, December 31st, 2019, after over thirty years, Sky’s contract with World Wrestling Entertainment comes to an end. From tomorrow all WWE programming will be available on BT Sports. I don’t subscribe to BT Sports, or the WWE Network for that matter, so for the first time since the summer of 1989 I won’t have access to any new WWE material.

And you know what? I’m really not that bothered about it.

RE-POST: WAW Canvey Island & Fakenham Show Previews (2002)

It feels like it's been a long time since the Lowestoft show, but as I write this, it's just a few days before the Canvey Island and Fakenham shows.

Those of you who have been reading my wrestling columns will know that I used to preview WWF pay-per-views, giving my predictions on what might happen in the various match-ups. As I am now part of the WAW furniture, I thought that it would be a good idea to do that sort of thing for the upcoming WAW shows, in the somewhat vain hope that my rumblings here will somehow sell a few more tickets.

First, we will start with the show at The Paddocks in Canvey Island. Only two matches have been announced for this one. I will discuss the ladies match between Sweet Saraya & Angel later on, because this match will also take place in Fakenham.

RE-POST: The Future of British Wrestling (2001)

Is it me, or has it been rather a slow week for wrestling news?

Okay, WCW is shutting down, possibly for good. This really does not surprise me. All it means is that Vince McMahon's grip on the wrestling world will get tighter.

The WMX-7 hype continues, and to be honest, I still can't get that excited about it. I don't know why. But I do agree with Mr Russev over at TRN, about Kurt Angle not being in the main event.

No, for me, the main news story this week revolves around a certain man, Norwich native Ricky Knight.

Who? Ricky Knight is the owner of World Association Wrestling, a British indy fed. They are putting on a big show at the Norwich Sport Village on April 21st. NRG Films are filming the event, in an attempt to get something that hasn't been seen in this country for quite a while. A British-based wrestling programme on British television.

RE-POST: How Sweet is Saraya? (2001)

It was in the summer of 2000 when I first became aware of Julia Knight. This Norwich native was appearing on the UK edition of Jerry Springer, and it wasn't because her spouse had been caught playing away.

Her spouse, veteran pro wrestler "Rowdy" Ricky Knight, had come onto the show to bemoan the fact that, as an attractive woman, in a wrestling world that, as far as women were now concerned, relied heavily on doses of T&A, Julia earned more than him. This, despite the fact that Ricky had only trained her as a joke.

Whether this whole thing was a work or shoot I have yet to determine. But given what I would hear about them, my opinion leans heavily towards work.

RE-POST: My Top 10 Female Wrestlers from the Past 10 Years (2010)

An item doing the news rounds here in Britain about women’s wrestling in Bolivia reminded me that I hadn’t done a list of my ten favourite women’s wrestlers from the past ten years. Sadly, as I’ve never seen any of the aforementioned South American Knockout Divas I can’t list any of them, but the list does contain some of the best female grapplers from Japan, America, and merry old England.

As with my previous lists I haven’t used any kind of scientific formula or anything like that. These are women whose performances I’ve enjoyed over the past decade.
 

RE-POST: The 10 Worst Wrestlers from the Past 10 Years (2010)

It’s time to make another list to mark the ten years that The Two Sheds Review has been in existence, and following on from my list of ten worst MMA fighters, I’m now going to list the ten worst professional wrestlers whose performances haven’t exactly enthralled me over the past ten years. No science involved here!

Some of these you will know, and some you won’t, although I know them very well on a personal level. So let’s get started!

First, the honourable mentions, the bubbling unders who almost made the list. And these include;

RE-POST: Why Wrestlers Should Stay Away from the Internet (2011)

When Stu Allen went to the UK Fan Forum to promote his latest podcast he probably had no idea that he’d end up in a massive online argument.

Allen, well known in British wrestling circles as a presenter, commentator and writer was promoting his Women of Wrestling podcast, in which he interviewed the mother and daughter duo of Sweet Saraya and Britani Knight before their debut in Shimmer this past weekend.

Almost as soon as the topic was posted the comments started, mainly regarding Saraya’s appearance. While several commented about how “nubile” Britani looked, one poster said Saraya looked like a “saggy gypo”. In case you don’t know gypo is slang for gypsy, a person from Romany stock, a pikey. (I’m allowed to use the term pikey by the way, because I’m one quarter Romany.)

RE-POST: It's Official! I'm a "Professional" Wrestling Referee! (2011)

There’s an interesting topic on that doyen of information that is the UK Fan Forum at the moment. The discussion centres on what the term “professional wrestler” actually means.

The questions that are being asked are simple. Are you a professional wrestler if you make a living as a wrestler? Can you call yourself a professional wrestler if it isn’t your sole form of income?, and so on and so forth.

This got me thinking of my own time in the professional wrestling business, working for the World Association of Wrestling from 2001-05.

I would hardly say that I worked as a professional for WAW, mainly because I was very rarely paid. In fact it was more like volunteer work. I would get the occasional note here and there, and also a few free DVDs, but there was no way I could have made a living working for “Rowdy” Ricky Knight and his band of merry men.

RE-POST: Never Meet Your Heroes: Encounters with Jake "The Snake" Roberts (2011)

A few days ago news broke of Scott Hall’s rather shambolic performance at the Top Rope Promotions 30th anniversary show. While the great and the good have commented about this it brought back memories of another wrestling great who has gone off the rails too many times to mention. That man is Jake “The Snake” Roberts.

When I first got into the American wrestling scene back in 1989 Jake was one of those guys who just grabbed my attention. He may not have been the most powerful or the most skilled but he was certainly the most charismatic.

I got the opportunity to speak and work with Jake during my time with the World Association of Wrestling. Jake had relocated here to Britain in 2001 and had been doing the rounds on the wrestling circuit. I’d read quite a few reviews about his apparent poor performances. I remember one said that he’d actually fallen asleep leaning against the corner post during a tag team match.

So it was with some trepidation that I watched his first match for WAW that December in Lowestoft. Jake was teaming with local here “The Tattooed Warrior” (this nickname © Julian Radbourne) Steve Quintain against the U.K. Pitbulls.

RE-POST: The Importance of the Internet to Professional Wrestling (2008)

Ever since The Two Sheds Review made it’s debut way back in the year 2000 (yes, it’s been that long) I’ve often wondered just how important the internet is to the professional wrestling industry. I’ve wondered how important it is for some wrestlers that they’re portrayed in a positive light amongst the faithful on the fan forums. At the moment a bank manager from Wales is compiling a list of the fifty worst British wrestlers. It’s a list which some have taken in good humour, while others have gone on a verbal rampage against those who voted for them.

This list got me thinking about an event way back in May 2002. It was at Sheringham High School that Mike and Dave Waters, otherwise known as the U.K. Pitbulls, held their first show under the DAM Promotions banner, gathering together a vast array of wrestlers from the various promotions they had worked for.

The second match of the evening featured Mr. Total Xtreme against Chris Fury. Jem Brown, the man behind the MTX persona, is a hell of a guy, one of the nicest guys I met during my time in the British wrestling business. One slight problem though - he’s actually not a very good wrestler. I’ve only ever seen him in one good match, against “Rowdy” Ricky Knight.

RE-POST: Goodbye For Now (2001)

It is with a slight sense of sadness that I must make the following announcement.

For a number of reasons, I must announce my (sort of) retirement from Internet wrestling journalism. However, don't worry! I'm not going away entirely! Far from it!

In recent months, things have become rather difficult for me writing wise. As I previously stated, writing about the American wrestling industry when you are an ocean away is not the easiest of past-times, and ever since the World Wrestling Federation gained a virtual monopoly on the national market, things have become a little more difficult.

I never thought I would say this, but I do miss World Championship Wrestling, and I definitely miss Extreme Championship Wrestling. Since these two entities ceased to be, I have very often found it difficult to find inspiration. An example of this is the fact that in the past two months, I think I've only written two columns on American wrestling.

RE-POST: Washed Up? Come to the UK! (2001)

I would like to start this column by sharing with you an excerpt from a show review by Chad Mayne, who wrote about a show in Bristol on November 27th. The full report can be seen by logging onto www.geocities.com/wawwrestling2001, and going to the newsboard.

"The big draw was the main event appearance of former WWF legend Jake 'The Snake' Roberts who put in one of the poorest and most embarrassing performances that I have ever seen in a wrestling ring. He was falling asleep on the tag rope and when he did get in the ring he was flat on his back selling."

It was while reading this that I began to see that there is perhaps a new trend in British wrestling. The ageing, has-been, washed-up former WWF or WCW superstar who, not being able to find work in the good old USA, decides to ply his trade here in good old Blighty. But the moment they get here, they decide to try and throw their weight around, making demand after demand. Then, when they get into the ring, they put in a piss poor performance.

RE-POST: Foley, Flair, Lawler, Nash & Vince (2001)

This week has been a rather interesting one in the world of sports entertainment. Old friends have apparently left, while other old friends have returned, with a little unexpected help from others. And in one aspect, it reminds me just how money hungry another old friend is.

The Survivor Series seems to be the end of the InVasion angle. Those who did not acquire "immunity" vanished from the television, although I'm sure that the most talented, the most over, will soon regain a spot on WWF television. It does make you wonder what will happen to the likes of Hugh Morrus, Lance Storm and Mike Awesome, when the likes of DDP, Booker T and Hurricane Helms return to WWF television.

This week saw the "departure" of our old friend Mick Foley. When Mick was brought back as WWF commissioner, I immediately found myself asking, "why?". For some reason, he just didn't seem to fit into the story line. Mick put in perfectly himself last Sunday, speaking to the pay-per-view audience from WWF New York, the commissionership was a joke, and everyone watching knew it.
Nash seems to think the WWF are desperate to sign him. (WCW)

RE-POST: The Death of the Wrestling E-Zine (2001)

The lives of Internet wrestling journalists have become rather difficult in recent months, and when you are an Internet wrestling journalist based in the UK, and you are seemingly one of the few who are, life is very hard.

When you have chosen to follow the world of American wrestling, being based some 6,000 miles away is somewhat of a handicap. Attending shows and television tapings is impossible for monetary purposes, and watching TV shows days after your US counterparts also makes things difficult. You find that you are unable to offer a first hand, cutting view on the proceedings.

And in the first few months of this year, life got even harder.

RE-POST: WWF Backlash Predictions (2001)

Welcome to this special issue of The Two Sheds Review, previewing tomorrow's WWF pay-per-view, Backlash.

To be completely honest, I only really decided to do this special issue at the last minute, which is why it wasn't advertised in previous issues. Anyway, hope you enjoy it, and on with the show!

RE-POST: WAW October Outrage 99 - Video Review

June 19th, 2010 is the tenth anniversary of The Two Sheds Review, so to mark this momentous occasion I’m going back in time to take another look at a few “firsts”. Coming up will be another look at the first pay-per-view I ever reviewed (WWF Summerslam 2000), the first MMA show I saw (UFC 38), and the first Supercard Sunday show I saw on the now defunct Wrestling Channel (MLW Reload).

But to kick things off I’m taking another look at the first ever wrestling video I reviewed, and for that I must return to my old stomping ground, the World Association of Wrestling. October Outrage 1999 was the title, headline by “Rowdy” Ricky Knight taking on “Big” Dave Waters in a hardcore match for the British title, with Sweet Saraya and Michael Mann handling commentary duties.

RE-POST: 1 Stop Wrestling 17th November 2003

Recently, wrestling fans were treated to the site of Team FWA competing on the Challenge TV show Fort Boyard. The show, hosted by Jodie Penfold, featured Doug Williams, Paul Birchall, James Tighe, Nikita & Sweet Saraya undergoing a number of physical tasks in order to win the big prize.

The appearance of Saraya on the team has met with a great deal of debate among the FWA faithful on the Internet, leading many to ask the question - is Saraya headed to the FWA to feud with their one and only active female wrestler? The fact of the matter is that this feud has already taken place, and in this writer's opinion was woefully underbooked by the powers-that-be.

Cast your mind back to June 2002. At the FWA's Carpe Diem show in Walthamstow, Nikita came to the ring as a guest announcer for an upcoming match. As she was about to speak, the Sweet Saraya stormed the ring from the crowd, and battered her rival, taking her down with her trademark power bomb, before taking the microphone and lambasting Nikita's claim to be the best female wrestler in Britain.

RE-POST: 1 Stop Wrestling 14th September 2003

One of the saddest stories I had to report on happened on this very website, and was sad because the person thestory was about was, at the time, a good friend of mine.

Chris Bullard was one of the first people in WAW who actually took the time to come up to me and to introduce themselves. I met Chris in Lowestoft in December 2001, the first show I covered for WAW as their official reporter.

Chris was a really kind and nice bloke, and was actually a wrestler who had been trying to make it in the wrestling business for quite some time. In fact, he began his training at the same time as Mike and Dave Waters, who went on to achieve great success, of course.