Spiros Arion

Here's a TVTimes listing for Wednesday night in June 1965

On the subject of the two World Heavyweight title belts, here is an angle from, I believe, 1983 on Reslo featuring the black belt and the red/white/blue belt together.

Orig gets in the ring and claims one title is the WWA title and the other is the WWF title - I doubt if actual WWF champion Bob Backlund would have been a happy bunny about that. Naughty old Orig.

Many a true word spoken in jest Bill.

These are the defeats I can find (so far):-

1979/10/24 @ Royal Albert Hall in London

Wayne Bridges defeated Spiros Arion

1979/11/10 @ Belle Vue King's Hall in Manchester

Tony St. Clair defeated Spiros Arion

1979/11/23 @ Picketts Lock Centre in Edmonton

Wayne Bridges and Dean Brisco defeated Spiros Arion and Bulk by disqualification (10:55 minutes)

1979/11/28 @ Bath Pavilion in Bath

Wayne Bridges defeated Spiros Arion by disqualification

1979/12/14 @ Sophia Gardens in Cardiff

Giant Haystacks defeated Spiros Arion by count out

1979/12/17 @ Cheltenham Town Hall in Cheltenham

Pat Roach defeated Spiros Arion by count out

1979/12/19 @ Royal Albert Hall in London

Wayne Bridges defeated Spiros Arion - TITLE CHANGE!!! [World Heavyweight Title (Europa-Version) - World Heavyweight Title Tournament, Final]

Wayne Bridges wasn't the only Brit to categorically defeat the Iron Greek as World Champion. In Tony Earnshaws's excellent latest tome "We Shall Not Be Moved" he states that Tony St Clair and i think Pat Roach both held 2-1 victories over World Champion Arion. Now whether Max Crabtree was edging his bets concerning a world title contest in case Bridges did the dirty/a u-turn on him or Roach was too strong and St.Clair too skilful for Arion is debateable.

If it helps, Wayne told me he and Arion were pretty good mates. Arion’s record in the UK was virtually unblemished other than DA’s and Wayne Bridges (eg Albert Hall meeting). So it would have been more than just a fellow wrestler cooking stuff up. It was a mate.

An interesting question about Wayne Bridges is - if he originally got the World title by being in the right place at the right time when a fellow wrestler decided he didn't want to be Daddied - then why was he so ridiculously possesive of the World Heavyweight title and belt thereafter? I'm thinking specifically of Bridges only agreeing to drop the title to Kendo in 1987 on condition that he get it back ASAP - at which point he retired! Kendo should have stayed as a defending champion for a good few years, taking on challengers. It would have been great if that was the world title on the line for the Kendo/Haystacks match from Masters Of The Canvas, instead of a tuppeny hapenny version of the CWA title (which as any fule kno was actually held by Luc "Rambo" Poirrier at the time.) Bridges just took his ball - or rather "his" red/white/blue belt - and went home with it. It was on display in his pub until he died a couple of years ago and may well still be on display in the pub now (anyone been there lately)

From the same edition of the above magazine - Shirley "Let the other lads sort out Arion."

Not Interested in chasing titles anymore.

Taken from Joint Promotions own magazine "Wrestling Scene" No.11 in 1979.

The title of the article reads "AN IRON CHAMPION."

Here's a wee bit more from "Ringsport" No.191

Here you go, a picture from a mid 6os Wrestling Review No 327. (no date unfortunately) of an early Spiros Arion on his first visit to the UK

Thanks chaps. There's a good chance that Spiros Arion didn't even know John Quinn as claimed in the article 😄 (although i could be wrong) It might be just clever marketing on Max Crabtree's part to throw in Quinn's name. Also i'm sure Arion wouldn't say "i weigh 17 stones," he'd be more likely to say i weigh 'X' amount of pounds or kilos.

Great read, thank you. I don't think he was wrestling for Greece in the Rome Olympics (Greece only sent 3 wrestlers, in total), or I am sure we would have heard a lot more about that.

In the article above, "Verre Gagre" would be Verne Gagne and "Bobby Buckland" would be Bob Backlund.

Thanks alan

Another article i forgot i had. Arion stated to be a more modest 6' 2" here rather than 6'6" as claimed in the early 1960s.

Arion a World Champion in a fairly short period of time (The Wrestler March 1966).

Will you tell him …..?😀

It certainly sounds more plausible than not being bounced around by a superheavyweight in Britain after all Arion had done just that a few months earlier in the German tournaments by the likes of Wanz, Haystacks and Kirk, and again by Haystacks in blighty. Unfortunately as great a wrestler as he was much of what Street says has to be ingested with a large pinch of salt.

Thanks, John. That’s interesting. So the version Wayne related to me is closer to Tony Earnshaw’s version (although he said they saw Max together). it makes most sense …. If anything resembles sense when it comes down to it,

I don't think Spiros would have been short of money after headlining Madison Sq Garden etc in the USA,and his big name bouts in Australia,so his decision to do what he did was probably down to doing what he wanted to do,and stuff Max

Good debate. Quick question for John and/or alanapally … I haven’t read Adrian Street’s version of what happened. In brief, what does he say ?

Good debate. Quick question for John and/or alanapally … I haven’t read Adrian Street’s version of what happened. In brief, what does he say ?

Hi alanapaily, I also don't claim that my version of what happened in Arion's defeat to Bridges is the definitive answer. The vast majority of us contributors to this forum are just mere fans of the great sport of professional wrestling. I enjoy the debates on here as we try to piece together some sense of what may well have really happened. However, none of us can be sure.

I also look forward to debating with you again.

Looking at the Arion/Bridges contest from a different direction both John & Martin have made some good points and i would no way claim that my information or ideas are definitive answers (although i still don't believe much of what Mr.Street says lol) or that my ideas are more logical, after all this is professional wrestling we're talking about. Look forward to debating with you again fellas.

Spiros Arion, didn't retire after leaving the UK, as we all usually think he did. He wrestled at least one more time, in Australia in 1985.

I still prefer Wayne’s account of his win that he and Arion discussed the craziness of dropping the title to Daddy and then left it to the afternoon of the match-up to let Max know that it wasn’t going to happen and that Arion had had enough. (I’m guessing Arion didn’t realise quite how immobile Daddy had become before coming over in the first place - but that’s just my guess and not based on anything that Wayne told me).

MC

Hi alanapaily, yes, you have made some good points here.

I did use the wrong word when I said that Big Daddy challenged Arion on TV, I should maybe have said Daddy had a confrontation with Arion on TV.

However, something does smell a bit fishy to me. It is unusual for Joint Promotions to have such a confrontation on TV (Daddy and Arion) and then no follow up to it at all. Also Arion disappearing so suddenly after his defeat to Bridges. I find the story that Arion did not want to meet Daddy and lose to him quite believable.

We will probably never know for sure and I am quite possibly wrong in my suspicions and you are quite probably right alanapaily.

Although Arion looked a tall fella in the televised British contests i too found it difficult to believe he was 6' 6" myself.

John, much of what you say i've already mentioned in this thread. Except Daddy didn't challenge The Iron Greek when he jumped the ring at the end of the Arion/Joynson bout, he gave Arion a dig for his rule breaking style against Joynson. And possibly to get Arion out of the hall as the crowd was turning violent. It was Kent Walton who mentioned a possible Wembley showdown and that John Quinn was returning to form a possible tag alliance with Arion (This storyline may have been a fairytale to keep the public's interest).

I think Arion simply left a bit sooner than anticipated after doing his job with Bridges. You can't blame him after spending 4 months towards the end of the year in our climate and it's long dark nights lol. On the evening of the title contest Arion possibly took advantage of Max Crabtree's absence by demanding more money (aka Ultimate Warrior style) I wouldn't imagine Crabtree was best pleased about having to give in to Arion's demands, and subsequently not bothered by his slightly early departure.

Arion obviously didn't want to stay longer than he needed to, so perhaps in his eyes, on the brink of retirement, he ditched the return contest with Bridges and perhaps being finally sent packing in a possible contest with Shirley.

I have also read Tony Earnshaw's excellent new book 'We Shall Not Be Moved' which describes the bout between Spiros Arion and Wayne Bridges at the Royal Albert Hall, where the finish differs to Adrian Street's version of the bout.

However, I still feel that this was not what Max Crabtree had planned for this bout. In Spiros Arion's last bout on ITV he took on Colin Joynson and at the end of the bout Big Daddy came into the ring to challenge him, which suggests that Max Crabtree had plans for a bout between the two.

The book also says that Arion left the country after his bout against Wayne Bridges, without fulfiiling his planned future bouts that Max Crabtree had booked for him. If Max Crabtree had planned for this defeat to Wayne Bridges why had he made these future bookings for Spiros Arion?

It seems to me that Max Crabtree was planning for Arion to stay in this country and later face Big Daddy but Arion decided to lose to Wayne Bridges instead and go home.

Adrian Street's version of the finish to the bout may be wrong but his theory that it was Arion's idea to lose this bout against Bridges may be right?

What do other Heritage forum followers think?

6ft 6in is huge, there is no way that Spiros Arion was that tall. I am not even sure he was 6ft 3in, as he was billed in later years.

Great article though, thanks!

The following is an article taken from "The Wrestler" dated July 1965 advertising a young Spiros Arion/Arion Manossakis initial tour of Great Britain in that year. Billed at 6' 6" and over 21 stone. He certainly looks heavier and more powerful

than he was in 1979.

Tony Earnshaw in his latest wrestling tome "We Shall Not Be Moved" appears to have solved the riddle of what actually occurred during the Arion/Bridges World Title contest. He states that on that evening Arion asked for more money to face Bridges, as Max Crabtree was elsewhere at a television recording a panicked promoter phoned Max and Arion got what he asked for. Following the contest The Iron Greek did leave the country without fulfilling further commitments, but! the contest went nothing like Adrian Street described it (perhaps another piece of anti Crabtree propaganda on Streets part). Arion gained the first submission via his abdominal stretch, later Bridges equalised with a fall. Bridges won not by being hauled on top of Arion but by Wayne Bridges placing Arion in his own speciality the abdominal stretch and gaining the winning submission. Apparently Spiros Arion took the microphone at the end of the bout and congratulated Wayne Bridges.

A younger stockier Spiros Arion

Personally I never found Catweazle "Hilarious",and as for Pete Roberts.........Tough and Skillfull suited him much better than Superdestroyer....(Never called that in Japan)

Nicely advertised even in the newspapers.

Of course, Alan, it's difficult to think he'd back down. However ... If Wayne Bridges is sitting in front of you and tells you something .... who's going to question it?? 🙂

You could well be right Martin as none of us were there lol. Just couldn't see Max backing down.

I take the point. But I got the impression that the conversation with Max took place only shortly before the match was due to start ... leaving him with little option and no time to re-book. But, hey ho ... it is wrestling, after all ...

The Bridges / Quinn article i uploaded was around 5-6 months after Bridges defeated Arion and states Shirley was to challenge the winner of the Bridges/Quinn rematch whether this was actually going to happen or as i previously mentioned was just a publicity stunt i don't know. Whether Bridges and Arion had the necessary clout to demand not facing Shirley is debateable as Max Crabtree was not a person to give into threats as eventually he allowed 2 World Heavyweight Champions and a British Heavyweight Champion to defect to the opposition. It really didn't matter to Arion if Shirley was on the cards for a world title shot as he was on the verge of retiring anyway. And if Bridges demanded not to face Shirley prior to being champion Max could easily have decided Bridges isn't the man for me to be champion after all and given the title shot to say the British Heavyweight Champion Tony St.Clair.

Just to put in my two-penneth. In his last interview (which you can access under the Wayne Bridhes heritage link, and called "You Can't Spend Your Medals at Sainsburys) Wayne told me he and Arion discussed things before the match and went to the office together threatening to pull out if either were required to job to Daddy. So Max had to let it go on.

MC

Well done and thanks alanapally for mastering the uploading of the images. I've read and enjoyed this thread, though the events are of a time I couldn't add anything other than anything I've heard second, third or fourth time. So I've kept quiet. But I do think everything written by alanapally is more plausible than anything I've heard or read elsewhere. You've made a good good contribution.

Spiros was a Big Name in Australia,and held The Belt whilst he was there, he was a Fan Favourite in Australia,known as The Golden Greek.He had 3 contests with Bruno Sammartino,and won 1 of them.

Glad to see Im not the only one who found Adrian Street's books totally ridiculas. Absolutely brilliant wrestler but clearly lived in a world of fantasy.

One year before hitting our shores, he was being interviewed on TV by Vince McMahon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wZs6AmO8Oc

1979 SPIROS ARION (The very man himself).

Good point concerning the DQ 1978 Kid. Also valid is Shirley challenging the winner of the Quinn/Bridges return contest, it may have just been hype on Max Crabtree's part milking Shirley's popularity. I think it makes more sense that Arion did as he was asked, ran for a while as world champion before dropping the title to Bridges, then retiring.

Surely it was in Max's interests to have two different types of heavyweight interest - Big Daddy as the popular winner of tag matches that didn't need to be technical or last long and that appealed to the children and casual fans. Daddy didn't need a World Title to make and keep him popular.

- John Quinn/Wayne Bridges as the Heavyweight Champion who could contest longer matches with more traditional heavyweight action.

If Max had wanted Big Daddy as World Heavyweight Champion he could have had him winning that world series that culminated at the Wembley Arena show in 1981. Instead, he had Big Daddy vs Haystacks as one bill topper and the World Heavyweight Championship between Bridges and Harris as the other.

Back to Arion, I think that the idea of one last tour of the UK before retiring, along with a World Title to tour with, would have been a very nice way to end your long career. If what happened with Bridges was against the plan, surely the referee could have called for the bell and DQ'd Bridges.

Also if Arion was so bothered about his reputation and/or lack of respect for Shirley why would he allow the Yorkshireman to enter the ring at the end of his bout against Joynson and smack him in the jaw with a forearm smash knowing fine well that bout was being televised! Arion may have planned to bow out once he dropped the title. At the end of the day it was business, if Arion had pulled Bridges onto him for the winning fall. Joint could easily have not paid him for sabotaging the outcome, and with Quinn returning in the New Year could even Joint afford to pay 2 big stars on their books like Arion & Quinn at the same time.

Not necessarily true Adrian if your source was a certain Mr.Street.

Look at the venue ticket prices 1979 at Cardiff compared to The Royal Albert Hall prices of 1977. Cardiff £1.80 - £1.00, The Royal Albert Hall £5, £3 ....... Perhaps justified by the venue and more bouts at the Albert Hall but still expensive.

Firstly my thanks to Saxonwolf for informing me of the item uploading procedure. The above 2 pages i've had in my collection for 40 years now. The Quinn/Bridges article was taken from the TV Times magazine in 1980. The article appeared just as Quinn joined the Independent circuit and both of the stated bouts Quinn .v. Stewart and Bridges .v. Steele were pulled and never aired (if they existed).It clearly states that at the time Max had plans for Shirley to challenge the winner of the Quinn/Bridges rematch. With Quinn's departure Joint were left in a state of limbo with the world heavyweight title scene and MJQ was never mentioned again until many years later.

Below that article are advertisements featuring the appearance of Spiros Arion at Sophia Gardens Pavilion, Cardiff. The lower caption doesn't state Arion's opponent on November 16th and isn't in the Ray Plunkett listings either. According to Kent Walton's comments at the time Arion was going to form a tag allegiance with MJQ when Quinn returned to the U.K in 1980. That was possibly baloney on Joint's part as Arion retired after dropping the title to Bridges. Following Quinn's departure in the summer of 1979 Joint continued to milk Quinn's name by having his name mentioned months later by Arion when he grabbed the microphone from the MC. Selling seats by stirring up anti Quinn anger.

That's brilliant Saxonwolf, many thanks, i'll try that over the weekend 😉

It would look like this (below) as you were doing it.

Unfortunately as brilliant a wrestler as Adrian was some of what he states can't be relied upon. He got a hiding backstage from Johnny Kincaid once and many years later wrote in one of his books the reverse happened. His dislike of the Crabtrees is evident by the amount of interviews he's taken part in and continued to bad mouth them.

When Mighty John Quinn defeated Wayne Bridges for the world title there was a plan for Shirley to challenge the winner of the rematch but Quinn departed to the Independents before the rematch occurred, taking the title with him so that plan went down the drain. I do have a cutting from TV Times from that era stating the afore mentioned plan but not being gifted in the knowledge of uploading items i'm unable to do it.

The trouble was if Shirley had become champion surely he would have had to return to a style where he wrestled more, which he was capable of, than just being the human wrecking ball in 3 minute contests.

Just been thinking about Max Crabtree, Shirley, Spiros Arion and what Adrian Street said in his book, about the title change.

As far as we know, Max created his own World title (WWA), and decided on Spiros Arion coming in as the fictional World Champion, from the USA. I can't remember (old age!) if we ever worked out why Arion, who had not wrestled here since the early 60's, was chosen?, was it a recommendation from another Wrestler (in 1977 he had wrestled extensively in the German tournaments and had worked with Barry Douglas, Pete Roberts, Dave Morgan, Giant Haystacks, Mal Kirk, and others), or was it that he was simply retiring from Wrestling and returning home, and wrote to a few European promoters, to see if he could "work his passage", so to speak, and pick up some money on his travels.

If so, then maybe the chance to play a villainous world champ, in the UK, appealed, along with three months worth of bookings/money.

Now comes the part I still haven't worked out; in his books, Adrian Street mentioned that it was the plan for Spiros Arion to meet Big Daddy, with Big Daddy winning, taking the title and belt, and Arion disappears, never to be seen again.

Instead, in Adrian's book, Arion decides to double cross and pull Wayne Bridges onto him, for the winning pin fall, giving the title to Bridges.

Now, as a company man, wouldn't it be likely that Bridges would explain what had happened, to Max Crabtree, who would then arrange for Wayne to lose the belt to some villain, a few months later, and then arrange for the villain to lose to Big D, giving Big Daddy the title?

I do realize that this is Professional Wrestling, and it's not meant to make common sense!, but if the plan was that Max really wanted his brother to have a World title, why would he abandon the plan after one incident with Arion and Bridges? Max was the boss, it was up to him what happened, so why go to the expense of Arion and the WWA belt, only to walk from the chance of his brother being a Champ?

Here he is on his first trip to the uk

Ron that's incredible, many thanks. i would never have been able to trace those contests. It appears Arion wrestled in the U.K. for quite a months before retiring following his World Title loss to Wayne Bridges. Bridges tagging with his son the late Dean Briscoe too. Shame only 2 of Arion's bouts were ever aired as the only thing we got see him do was brawl!

As always, a thorough summary from Mr. Historyo, The only televised appearances I recall were v Riley and a DQ loss to Joynson, prior to which he announced "This man is one of your best.....Two rounds". He was right: he was disqualified at the end of the second. There was a thread a while back where it was mentioned that Adrian had stated in one of his books that Arion's "UK tour" was basically him picking up some extra cash en route to Greece and retirement.

The World title loss to Bridges would have presumably marked the end of his "career" with the Crabtrees, having gone "off-script".

This little lot reveals the true repeatability of wrestling.

October 1979

1st Beat Riley at Catford (TV)

2nd Beat Elijah at Hemel Hempstead

3rd Lost by DQ to Bridges at Leicester

4th beat Cox at Leeds

5th beat Strong at Blackburn

6th beat Rowlands at Hanley

8th beat Bridges at Greys

9th beat Roberts at Chelmsford

10th 1-1 with Bridges at Woking

11th Lost by DQ to Bridges at Bristol

12th lost by DQ to Joynson at Norwich

13th beat Roberts at Northampton

15th beat bronson at Tunbridge Wells

17 Double DQ with Bridges at Walthamstow

18th beat Rowlands at Preston

19th Steele at Edinburgh

20th Double KO with Hurst at Salisbury

22nd beat Joynson at Harogate

23rd beat Elijah 2-0 at Wolverhampton

24th Lost to Bridges at Royal Albert Hall

25th Jones at Glasgow

29th Joynson at Rotherham

30th beat Riley at Guildford (TV)

31st Bridges at Bath match abandoned

November 1979

1st Lost to Jones at Birmingham DQ

2nd Lost to Roberts at Bedworth DQ

5th Lost to Veidor at Catford DQ

6th Arion v Roberts at Cheltenham

7th Bridges beat Arion DQ at Banbury

8th beat Zimba at Nottingham

9th Bridges beat Arion DQ St Albans

10th St Clair beat Arion at Belle Vue

12th Arion beat Bridges at Reading

13th Joynson beat Arion at Leicester (TV)

17th Arion beat Hurst Salisbury

19th Arion v Davies Double DQ Bradford

20th Roach ko'd Arion at Wolverhampton

22nd Roach beat Arion (walk out) Birmingham

23rd Bridges /Briscoe beat Arion and Bulk DQ at Pickets Lock

24th Arion v Steele no contest

26th Arion v Bridges Doube DQ Tunbridge Wells

27th Arion beat Joynson Solihull

28th Bridges beat Arion DQ at Bath

29th Roach V Arion Double DQ at Peterborough

30th Bridges beat Arion at Maidenhead

December 1979

1st Arion beat Bruno ko at Luton

3rd Arion beat Bronson (TV) Aylesbury

4th Veidor v Arion at Chelmsford

5th Arion v Bridges at Folkstone

6th Bridges /Brisco beat Arion/Yearsley at Portsmouth

7th Arion beat Bronson at Staines

8th Arion beat Elijah at Bletchley

11th Roach beat Arion DQ at Croydon

12 Arion beat Haystacks DQ at Southend

13 Arion beat Draper at Malvern

14th Haystacks beat Arion (walked out) Cardiff

15th Arion/Walsh beat Joynson /B. Ryan at Hanley

16th Haystacks v Arion at Walthamstow

17th Roach beat Arion (walk out) Cheltenham

18th Roach beat Arion ko Wolverhampton

19th Bridges beat Arion Royal Albert hall

The final match was for World title and it seems that this was the last time here although I have not looked too much further.

With thanks to the late Ray P.

Concerning Arion popping up at Royal Albert Hall 26th September 1979 with Tony St Clair I have traced his run up to that bout.

12th Sept at Oldham he beat Pete Roberts (televised I think)

14th Ray Steele at Edmonton

15th beat Joynson at Belle Vue

17th Lost to St Clair on a DQ at Bradford

18th beat Lennie Hurst at Croydon

19th Double DQ with Bridges at Bath

20th beat Roberts at Peterborough

21th Lennie Hurst at Bedworth

22nd beat Joynson KO at Hanley

24th Lost by DQ to Hurst at Portsmouth.

A few extra Arion titbits. It appears that Spiros Arion took part in some of the German Tournaments circa 1977. He fought quite a few draws against Otto Wanz, Billy Samson and Pete Roberts. Wanz eventually defeated Arion on a few occasions. Our own Giant Haystacks defeated Arion each time they met even in a handicap tag match 1 .v. 2 bout which saw Arion team with Bobby Gaetano against Stax who was probably at the time between the 31-33 stones. The Giant was again victorious.

The result of the Arion .v. Roach contest in the U.K. during 1979 was a win for Roach, Arion being counted out. The Iron Greek also registers a win and a loss against Tony St. Clair.

It would be interesting to read if anyone else out there also saw Arion wrestle in Blighty, and who was the opponent. So far during his tour of 1979 his opposition was Riley, Johnson, St.Clair, Roach, Haystacks and of course Wayne Bridges. Were there any others???

Thanks Tom. I know what you're saying Saxonwolf but there's some Youtube footage of Arion .v. The Spoiler allegedly from the 60s where he's announced at 283 lbs. in weight, he certainly looks stockier in build than his later 260 Ilbs.

Wrestler's heights and weights are not always accurate!

During Arion's tour of Blighty in late 1979 his weight was said to be around 17 & a half stone and he appeared lithe in frame, but in the early 70s he was stockier around the 20 stone mark, was he stockier when you saw him in the 60s Tom?

I saw him at West Ham baths in the 1960s. He was Arion Manousakis then and he lost by a KO to the Zebra Kid.

Whoops, that should have read Sophia Garden's Pavilion, Cardiff.

His first televised bout was against Baz Romany Riley, who couldn't continue after submitting to Arion's abdominal stretch. i did read somewhere he faced Pat Roach who around that era was switching between heel & fan favourite, Arion also faced Giant Haystacks as Sophia Gardens Pavilion where he was counted out after being thrown out of the ring.