Jackie Pallo and Me

In February 2006, shortly after the death of British wrestling great Jackie Pallo, the Eastern Daily Press got in touch with me asking me to contribute to the article below.

It's the only time during my nearly 16 years as a wrestling blogger I've been asked to contribute something in this way, and even though I only get a brief mention it was nice to get a bit of recognition.

TV Review: UFC 196 McGregor vs Diaz

The Octagon is our next destination as we take a look at the recent happenings at UFC 196, shown live in the early hours of this past Sunday morning on BT Sport here in Britain.

DVD Review: WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2013

So what was WWE’s year like back in 2013? Can’t remember? Then maybe this will help as we take a look at the DVD release of WWE’s Best Pay Per View Matches 2013.

TV Review: WWE Fast Lane

It was the final pay-per-view stop on the Road to Wrestlemania, but did it deliver? That’s what I was hoping to find out by watching WWE’s Fast Lane, shown live in the early hours of this past Monday morning on Sky Box Office here in Britain.

My operation was a success!

A quick health update for you: this past Wednesday, about five months after being admitted to A&E, I went back into hospital for my heart operation. 

The procedure I underwent was a coronoary angiogram. The operation was a success. They discovered some minor damage to a couple of arteries which will be treated with medication, while another artery at the back of my heart was repaired with a stent. I was released from hospital the following day, with strict instructions to take it easy for a week or so.

RIP Sir Terry

A few years ago when I was on Seetec's work programme my advisor was a lady called Maggie-May Francis. She was by far the best advisor I'd ever had, a genuinely lovely lady who made the effort to get to know me as a person rather than as a job seeker. We became good friends, and I was genuinely sad when she left Seetec to move on to pastures new.

Our conversations would often stray into non-job seeking discussions, and she often spoke of her work as a singer (she's very good by the way). One of her gigs way back when saw her working as a backing singer for Terry Wogan on Children in Need.

TV Review: WWE Royal Rumble

Traditionally it’s the first stop on the road to Wrestlemania, a thirty man battle that carried even more significance this year. But did it deliver what it set out to do? That’s what I’m hoping to find out by watching WWE’s Royal Rumble, shown live in the early hours of this past Monday morning on Sky Box Office here in Britain.

TV Review: TNA One Night Only Live

It was the first wrestling pay per view of the year, but was it that good? That’s what I’m hoping to find out by watching TNA One Night Only Live, shown this past Wednesday on Challenge here in Britain.

Download Review: MCW Ballroom Brawl 2015

It’s debut time here again as we travel to the land down under to take a look at Australia’s Melbourne City Wrestling. We’re going back in time to May last year to see some new faces and some old friends from the Wrestlerock days as we take a look at Ballroom Brawl 2015.

Rest in peace Mr. Bowie

Back in the 1970’s when I was a young lad my Dad used to work as a bin man. It was an entirely different job back then. No simply putting wheelie bins on a lift to tip into the back of a truck back then.

One of his routes saw him collecting the rubbish from one of the local cafes here in Cromer. Every few weeks a man would go round and change the records in their jukebox, and rather than throw them away the owner used to give some of them to Dad, so when I first took an interest in music our family had a ready-made record collection.

Most of the songs I used to play a lot came from the glam rock era, so among the likes of Slade, Sweet, T-Rex, Suzi Quatro and David Essex were a few from a guy called David Bowie.

DVD Review: WWE The Beast in the East

In my last review of 2015 I took a look at WWE’s Elimination Chamber show, an event that fell under that radar for those of us who don’t subscribe to the WWE Network.

So for my first review of 2016 I’m going to continue in a similar vein by taking a look at another network-exclusive event that was subsequently released on DVD here in the UK, an event that saw Brock Lesnar returning to Japan for The Beast in the East.

DVD Review: WWE Elimination Chamber 2015

As we near the end of 2015 I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at a show that fell under the radar of those who don’t subscribe to the WWE Network, a show that was later released on DVD here in the UK. The show in question is Elimination Chamber.

Rest in peace Lemmy

I still have vivid memories of that day in the summer of 1981. My brother Jon called me into his bedroom so he could play some his records for me. He was really starting to become a metal head, thanks to his countless trips to the West Runton Pavillion.. Up until then I'd been a solid pop music fan. Adam and the Ants were my faveourite band at the time. I couldn't be doing with that heavy metal stuff.

TV Review: WWE TLC

It’s time for one of those better late than never reviews as we take a look back at WWE’s most recent pay per view offering, TLC, shown recently on Sky Box Office here in Britain.

TV Review: UFC 194 Aldo vs McGregor

It’s time for the second part of our Octagon double bill as we take a look at one of the biggest title fights in recent memory at UFC 194, shown this past weekend on BT Sport here in Britain.

TV Review: UFC The Ultimate Fighter Finale 22

It’s time to head into the Octagon for the first of a UFC double bill, beginning with a look back at the 22nd Ultimate Fighter Finale, shown live this past weekend on BT Sport here in Britain.

The date for my operation has been confirmed!

Another news update for you. Having had my test results back on Friday, today I had confirmation about my operation.

On Tuesday, February 2nd, I've got my pre-op tests. The operation itself will take place on Wednesday, February 10th, and all being well I should be released the following day.

Health update: I finally got my test results back!

So I finally got my test results back yesterday. The scans showed that I have sustained some damage to the arteries around my heart. They don't know the full extent of the damage yet, which means I'll have to go back into hospital for more tests.

The test itself is a coronary angiogram. (I've included a video below that explains it better than I could.) I don't have a date for it yet because I'm being put on medication that will prepare for the procedure, but at the moment it looks like I'll be going back into hospital around the end of January.

DVD Review: WWE Christmas Collection

We’re nearing the middle of December, which means that we can all start thinking about Christmas. Although with some television channels here in the UK having shown Christmas-themed movies for months now you’d be forgiven for thinking that Santa Claus did his rounds in October.

So without further ado let’s take a look at WWE’s attempt to convince us that it’s the season to be jolly by taking a look at the recent DVD hosted by self-confessed Christmas nut Mick Foley and his daughter Noelle, the WWE Christmas Collection.

DVD Review: Brothers of Destruction Greatest Matches

They recently came out on top against the Wyatt Family at the Survivor Series in what some say could be their last match together. If that’s the case then there’s no better time to take a look at WWE’s DVD tribute to the combined efforts of Kane and the Undertaker, The Brothers of Destruction Greatest Matches.