Wrestler versus ref matches

There was a rumour that Max was going to have "popular" referee Brian take on Haystacks,but Brian refused to put Stax over so it never happened😌

I came close to one such match.

At the time when Jackie Pallo was promoting at Ryde (IW) Town Hall, although I was going through a phase of minimal interest, JJ Pallo was advertised as top of bill against one Tarantula, so I decided to go along to see what Junior was like.

Needless to say, Tarantula was the heel in the match, although I felt he was fairly lightweight in the role. However, at one point the ref got fed up with his dirty deeds and removed his t-shirt, ready to take on the evil one. Thus a bout was set ip for 2 or 3 weeks later. And I do mean "set up"!

I didn't go!!

There is a match on You Tube from Vienna in 1995 with McMicheal in one of his final matches versus Dirty Dan Collins

Danny Collins had several matches versus Mick Mcmicheal following controversal refereeing decisions

Kendo and George versus Battling Guardsman Shirley and Referee Brian in 1973. Arguably the earliest manifestation of the Big Daddy Tag Match.

Occasionally a Big Daddy Triple Tag Match with Kung Fu on the Crabtrees' team and a "Referee" Karl Kramer (too young for the recently late Carl Davis, possibly either Jack Land or Michel Laurent) would team with Naggers and George.

Shirley and Brian didn't always get along so well - Brian would ref the Battling Guardsman as a heel and there have been reports on here of the two of them doing "comedy" wiping their noses on each others' clothing! Yuk.

>Mike Bennett who was denied a title following one of Kayes decisions.

What exactly was Kaye's problem with Bennett kneeing Danny Collins in the ribs like that?

Ron just shared this in a differnt context, but "The Ref" caught my eye:

Max Ward pitted againt Syd Cooper was quite a regular occurance but earlier in the 1960's I saw Max take on "Docker" Don Steadman who was an extremely powerful "heel" at the Brixton Granada. It was probably fortunate for Max that Don Steadman was disqualified. Max was also brought in to challenge Dr Death (Paul Lincoln) which confirms my favourite referee was game for a challenge.

From the Year of Wrestling 1973 on this site:

I remember quite a few matches between referee Les Kellett and wrestler Norman Walsh at St. James Hall. As an addition to the topic title ,I would like to ask does anyone else remember a referee v wrestler match that was top of the bill?

Some of my examples were. But of course both contestants were top favourites at Newcastle.

I remember around 1976 at Liverpool Stadium Bryan Crabtee versus Tallyho Peter Kaye.If I recall correctly Kaye winning on a piledriver KO. Also Carl Dane in a tag vs Les Kellett quite a few years before that.

Jackie Pallo vs Stan Stone

Syd v Max did the rounds as a (cheap) main event.