This is something that everyone can have a go at. What is the most unexpected, unusual, entertaining or different thing that you have ever seen happen in a wrestling ring? With a time span of up to 50 years we should get some wide ranging answers. I will start you off with 2 things that I remember from my youth. Please remember this was the early 1950's. Lord Mount-Evans rules had perhaps just started. The first was when The Ghoul was fighting an opponent ,who's name I can't remember. As usual in those days the referee got the wrestler in a corner facing the ropes. First he ran his hand over the soles of the boots to check that they were smooth, then he ran his hands down the wrestler's back to check for oil. When turned round he checked the chest, arms then hands. Les Kellett was the referee and he was always strict. When he got to The Ghoul's hands , something was said and the big man complained bitterly. The second was despatched to the dressing rooms and came back with the biggest pair of scissors that I remember having seen at that time. Les then proceeded to cut the fingernails, and you could see bits of nail flying off. No doubt it was all pre-arranged but to me it was unexpected and definitely unusual. The second time was from a bout between Abdul the Turk and Jack Pye. As usual Abdul came to the ring first with his prayer mat and compass. Set everything up ,facing towards Mecca, and Jack got into the ring went to his corner and lent back on the ropes. Abdul was on his knees, started his ritual and on the second time that his arms went into the air Jack flew across the ring and kicked the mat out of the ring onto the ground. The fight started there and then without waiting for the bell. Once again unexpected and unusual for those days. Right that's my two starters , now let's hear some of yours from later years.
top of page
bottom of page
From 1962 to 1972, aged 13-23, I lived as a teenager in Corby, Northants, where they used to have reasonable wrestling (Adrian Street, Steve Viedor) at the late, lamented Civic Centre.
Experience 1 (naff version): one night I was sitting in the audience when I heard a disembodied voice: the seats were separated by barriers formed from metal piping, doubtless from the local steelworks, and some cheeky kid had shouted down the hollow tube.
Experience 2 (not so naff); we were walking to town along a main road known colloquially as 'the bypass' when a worse-for-wear Jag screeched to a halt and a large, bearded driver asked “the way to the wrestling”. We easily told him the route, as we were headed there ourselves, but were quite surprised later that evening when one of the participants clambered into the ring for the third bout. My mate exclaimed: “Hey – it’s that bloke who asked directions!” None other than a young 'Bomber' Pat Roach, on his way up: I've always looked at wrestling as a way of seeing TV stars in the flesh!
I wasnt there, but saw a pic of Big Daddy wrestling on training mats. The ring hadn't arrived so they went ahead on gym mats.
One night in Preston all the lights went out mid match. Followed by emergency lighting and men with torches. Lighting restored after a few minutes and on with the show.
Jim Breaks versus Mick McManus at the Royal Albert Hall.
I had looked forward to this match-up of villains but such match-ups had a tendency to disappoint with an inconclusive ending, so I was a bit skeptical.
On this occasion I wasn't interested in the result, a DDQ, as the bout itself was so enthralling. They entered the ring and started bashing the hell out of each other. The bell rang for the start, and they continued. The bell rang for the end of the first round, and they continued wrestling right through the break Same thing at the end of Round Two. No break, just mayhem. By the time the bell rang for the third round to start, they had beeen going at it hammer and tongs literally non-stop for nigh on 15 minutes.
Eventually they were mercifully relieved to have a DDQ in the thrid.
A big surprise, great work rate ... and cynical skeptical me had to eat my own words. Never been so pleased to be wrong.
Thanks Power, will do.
The Mayfair was on Newgate St right at the end of the huge Coop store where the road split off onto Low Friar Street. The Mayfair was huge with a capacity of over 2500 and below ground, it held boxing, wrestling, dancing, concerts etc, it is worth searching on Google it became internationally known as a rock music venue and the place where Led Zepplin played their very first gig
Hi Power, very unusual. Whereabouts in Newcastle was The Mayfair Ballroom please?
A very poorly attended show at the Mayfair ballroom in Newcastle in the early 1990s Haystacks entered the ring and this punter started really giving him stick. Right through the intros and the bout started the guy was getting incredibly offensive the crowd were giving the heckler stick by now, when suddenly Haystacks picked up his opponent and launched him at the heckler. He connected and the cheer of the night went up and for one night on a cold night in Newcastle Haystacks was a hero.