ALL STAR GRAPPLEVINE presented by RUSSELL PLUMMER
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19TH 2009
WRESTLING STARS PAST AND PRESENT WILL
SAY FAREWELL TO ORIG WILLIAMS ON FRIDAY
Former world title holders ‘Rollerball’ Mark Rocco, now resident in Tenerife, and Germany-based Tony St.Clair, will lead a large contingent of wrestling figures past and present paying their last respects when the funeral of Orig Williams takes place on Friday. The much respected Welshman, Britain’s longest established promoter whose association with the ring stretched back more than 45 years, died last week following a heart attack while in hospital for routine treatment.
Pall-bearers will include Barri Griffiths (Gladiator Goliath), James Mason, Boston Blackie and fellow promoter Brian Dixon from All Star, with wrestling also represented by familiar names from former years including Steve Taylor, Colin Joynson, Johnny Saint, Eddie Hamill, Mitzi Mueller, Klondyke Kate, Miss Lena, the Cherokee Princess and Ireland’s Pete McNulty, who is cutting short a holiday in Lanzarote.
Orig was also active in the ring for many years, campaigning as El Bandito until finally hanging up his boots in 1991 and his name was synonymous with summer bills at Rhyl in North Wales and, fittingly, his last presentation, at Porthmadog in Gwynedd, on October 26, featured his biggest find of recent times, Barri Griffiths who was first introduced as the Smackdown Warrior and is now best known to fans as heavyweight star Gladiator Goliath and who will be heading off to the WWE’s Ohio Valley Development Centre in the United States on January 1.
Soccer was another of Orig’s passions and he played professionally for Oldham Athletic and Shrewsbury Town before figuring as a player and manager for clubs in the Welsh League.
CHAMPIONS IN THE FIRING LINE AS ALL STAR’S
RUMBLE THROUGH NOVEMBER CONTINUES
Title holders ‘Bad News’ Brown and Mikey Whiplash will come under rumble pressure.
With more rumble action lined-up for All Star events this weekend, at least two major title holders will find themselves in the firing-line as 'open season’ for contenders to make an impression continues. Superslam British heavyweight number one ‘Bad News’ Brown and world heavy-middleweight champion Mikey Whiplash are both on the start list for a Friday presentation at Southampton Guildhall and a Saturday evening bill at the Northgate Arena in Chester, both beginning at 7.30pm - and there will be further over the top rope elimination events next week at Gravesend’s Woodville Hall on Wednesday (November 25) and Ipswich Corn Exchange on Friday (November 27).
Yorkshireman Brown caused one of the biggest upsets of 2009 when winning an eight man Hanley tournament to find a new champion after the then injured Robbie Brookside voluntarily gave up the belt. Now Robbie is back on the scene and looking to re-establish himself along with other former champions including James Mason, the 'Anarchist' Doug Williams and ‘Highlander’ Drew McDonald, and other determined challengers such as muscle machine Domino and Scotland's Lee Thomas.
Whiplash made the big step-up to championship status when defeating French title holder Thomas Le Rafffa at Croydon back in March and says he has no intention of relaxing his grip on the title once defended to blistering effect by 'Rollerball’ Rocco. There’s no lack of interest in this division either! ‘Xtreme’ Dean Allmark has long been a fierce rival for Whiplash, along with Kid Cool and emerging stars like North East force Tony Spitfire, Lancashire lad Ben Levy and Norfolk’s Zak Zodiac.
To book for Southampton call 02380-632601; the Chester number is 01244-380444 and for next week’s rumble at Gravesend call 01474-337774 or 01473-433100 for Ipswich. All Star also have an afternoon date at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, on Saturday week, November 29, with a completely different line-up from that at Gravesend. Start time is 3 o’clock and for Dartford bookings the number to call is: 01322-220000.
RING CLOWN ‘HAPPY MAC’ WASTES NO
TIME IN WINNING OVER FANS OF ALL AGES!
Humphrey MacDonald, photographed in action by Tony Knox
One of the biggest hits of the winter season so far is Humphrey MacDonald, the wrestling scene’s new ring clown who brings all the colour and humour of the circus to All Star events. But ‘Happy Mac’ has already demonstrated the knows the wrestling ropes as well and confirms he will be looking to enhance his already soaring reputations in the weekend’s Southampton and Chester bills this week.
And, as we reported last week, youngsters taking advantage of All Star’s popular ‘Back Stage Pass’ offer to meet their wrestling favourites at the end of programmes have started making a bee-line for Humphrey who is delighted to sign autographs and face the camera with young fans.
DANNY OUT TO GIVE ONE IN THE EYE
TO HEAVYWEIGHT RING RIVALS
Danny Driscoll, a new force in All Star action
Being based in a place called Battle is highly appropriate for someone bidding to hit the wrestling high spots, although new contender Danny Driscoll aims for winning results in contrast the principal combatant in the Battle of Hastings, fought nearby in the 11th century and from which the East Sussex town got its name! Danny has recently started appearing in All Star bills and is determined to seize every opportunity to establish himself through the coming winter.
Hailing originally from Tunbridge Wells, across the border in Kent, 25 year-old Danny first spent 18 months training with American ring legend Jake ’The Snake’ Roberts while still in his teens but then had to take a break from wrestling due to family reasons. Now he’s determined to make up for lost time and recently had a try-out for WWE during their last British tour.
Standing six-foot-three and weighing-in at 230 pounds, Danny has a lot going for him and in addition to an impressive fisherman’s suplex finishing move, he also likes to use the short arm clothes-line for so long favoured by his old trainer Jake the Snake!
NEW CHRISTMAS RANGE LINED-UP FOR
ALL STAR’S POPULAR E-BAY SHOP
Don’t forget that the All Star E-Bay shop is getting ready for Christmas with an exciting range of popular items and some eagerly awaited new ranges including the Ruthless Aggression 43 series figures and special edition WWE figures from pay-per-view events in stock from early December. With many High Street outlets now offering more limited selections of WWE and other noted leading wrestling gift items, the All Star shop is the place to go and all you have to do is click on the link below - or take a look at the sales table before All Star live events around the country.
NEED THAT SPECIAL GIFT?
