All-Star Wrestling Report (03/08/08) Chester, United Kingdom

All-Star Wrestling Report: Saturday 8th March 2008
The Northgate Arena, Chester, United Kingdom
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter

One month on and All-Star wrestling was back in town. With the previous conversation I’d had with Robbie Brookside still in mind, I set off after a day at work with Chris Jericho’s “A Lion’s Tale” in hand. Eagerly anticipating some good quality wrestling, I was also looking forward to another chat with Robbie about some of his exploits with Jericho. The Arena in Chester is on a smaller scale to the Empire Theatre in Liverpool, and as soon as I got my ticket, I walked past catering and spotted Robbie just finishing his meal. Surely a positive omen I thought. Remembering the general rule of not interrupting wrestlers while eating, I checked he had finished and politely approached him. Luckily, he remembered me and we spent a good 15 minutes discussing the extracts from Jericho’s book aswell as Robbie’s WCW stint and work as an extra on past WWE tours. With showtime minutes away, Robbie left to go and get ready but said he’d look out for me after the show and get me backstage. With the evening off to a great start, I took my seat at the back, whilst looking forward to the matches. The arena was about 3/4 full, with mostly kids and families again. The show lasted two hours with a 15 minute intermission in-between. The announcer came out but her mic cut out. With a replacement sent, she then introduced the action. Five matches were on hand. A lot of the bigger names from Liverpool weren’t in attendance with some new faces and old ones returning. Apparently the roster changes month-by month. There were no dancers tonight as we got straight in to the action.

1)”Crybaby” Chad Collyer vs Extreme Dean (Deano)
This one was dubbed as an international challenge. Collyer was announced as part of the ‘World Riot Squad’ stable. Collyer reminds me a lot of Charlie Haas in terms of his look and style. There is another reason too, which came to light later in the night, when he returned under a mask as “The Metal Master.” I was looking forward to talking to him to see what he thought of my judgement after the show. The crowd gave Collyer major heat while Deano got a massive ovation and a ‘Deano’ chant. Deano spent as much time greeting fans as Collyer did ripping on them before the bell. Collyer refused a handshake to start. The match started on the mat, with Deano pulling off a handstand hammerlock and surfboard, as the two exchanged wristlocks and armbars. After Deano hit three quick armdrags, Collyer used gyration and chokes in the ropes to get more heat. Deano (who I heard calling some spots) sent Collyer outside with an enziguiri kick. Collyer used a sneak attack to gain control while Deano was with the referee. Deano came back with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors but missed a second enziguiri. Collyer took over with a suplex and chinlock. Deano made a brief comeback with a springboard cross body from the second rope, but Collyer regained control with a double underhook suplex and a succession of elbows. Deano managed to counter a suplex, but Collyer caught him in a powerslam for a very, near fall. Collyer headed to the second rope but wasted time gyrating and missed an elbow attempt. Deano made his comeback with an Irish whip and backbodydrop. Collyer reversed a second Irish whip, but Deano backflipped over a charge and connected with a superkick. Deano missed a springboard moonsault attempt and immediately favoured his leg. Like a shark smelling blood, Collyer took advantage by locking in a texas cloverleaf for the submission victory. A solid opener which went around 18 minutes. Deano got another good pop on his way to the back. Here is Your Winner: “CRYBABY” CHAD COLLYER.

2)Iceman vs Smackdown Warrior
Like most of the heels on the night, Iceman came out carrying a black and white skull and crossbones flag. Iceman was dubbed as being hardcore 24/7 and the number one name in the pain game. His opponent was a 6″7, 265Ib green rookie with short black hair. Warrior acted and looked like a calmer version of Batista, sans the tattoos. The crowd were lukewarm to Warrior but eventually got behind him when they realized he was the good guy. In truth this was a slow, plodding match which didn’t go long. Around 8 minutes or so. Iceman attacked Warrior from behind but Warrior sent him to the outside on two occasions with a clothesline then a bulldog. Warrior made the mistake of chasing Iceman back inside where Iceman took control with a hard Irish whip. Iceman snapmared Warrior but missed a legdrop. Warrior came back with a shoulder tackle but Iceman cut him off again with a rake to the face. Warrior countered a suplex with a faceplant then continued the offence with a scoop slam and front first Irish whip. Warrior then rammed Iceman’s head into all four corners to the crowd’s delight. Iceman came back with a backelbow, clothesline and senton drop elbow (which clearly missed). Iceman then spent too long on the top rope, allowing Warrior to throw him off and hit a spear for the 1-2-3. Here is Your Winner: SMACKDOWN WARRIOR. Shades of Edge there with the finish.

3)Jetta & Tagorie (The Masked Mystery Man) vs Lisa Fury & Minx
This was a mixed tag match with a difference. One woman (Jetta) and a man (Tagorie) against two women. Tagorie reminded me a lot of Delirious, as he went about scaring the fans and trying to hit the ring announcer and referee at various points. He never demasked during the match. Fury and Minx hail from Liverpool and are a babyface tag team. Fury was trained by Robbie Brookside while Jetta has come out of the FWA training school. Jetta and Tagorie wanted silence before they’d start. They didn’t get it. Jetta started off by shoving Minx. Fury and Minx then isolated Jetta with a few holds. Tagorie was the recipient of armdrags and a double hiptoss. After some comedy involving the turnbuckle, Tagorie got serious and Minx was worked over. After getting the hot tag, Fury came in with a dropkick to Tagorie. When Tagorie thwarted a sunset flip, Fury pulled his pants down, revealing suspenders. Tagorie received a public warning for indecent exposure and fetched a belt to hold his pants up. Jetta then got a warning for an illegal choke. Minx was worked over some more via a chinlock and a couple of dominator type backbreakers. Minx finally slipped down from off of Tagorie’s shoulders, before sending him into Jetta. Fury and Minx double teamed their opponents before Irish whipping Tagorie into Jetta in the corner. Tagorie fell first with Jetta’s head then landing on Tagorie’s crotch. Minx then rolled back and Fury picked her up in a wheelbarrow position and splashed her on top of Tagorie for the 1-2-3. This was the same finish as Edge and Sable vs Marc Mero and Jacqueline from SummerSlam 1998. Here Are Your Winners: LISA FURY & MINX.

Intermission. Some really good wrestling on show, so far.

4)Robbie Brookside vs James Mason (Superslam British Heavyweight Title)
This was the scheduled Main Event. It’s champion vs former champion and face vs face. The crowd were confused by this and reacted as such. That all changed when Brookside worked the crowd and got a good pop going in the ring. Both men put on a mat based clinic and educated the crowd by telling a good story. The match never left the mat. Brookside started off, controlling the first few minutes with side headlocks and shoulder tackles. A couple of kids by me started a Robbie chant and he looked straight at us. Mason came back with armdrags before focusing on wristlocks and armbars. Brookside tried everything but couldn’t escape Mason’s hold. Attempts to counter via scisserlock, snapmare and roll through were all thwarted as Mason had an answer for everything that Brookside tried. Mason constantly switched from a wristlock, to an armdrag, to a double underhook facelock. When he finally wrestled him off, Brookside focused on Mason’s leg with a leg torque and single leg grapevine. He even pulled out an STF and Regal stretch (as an ode to good friend William Regal). Brookside twisted at the leg then hooked a single leg pin which sounded like a three count but the referee called it a nearfall. On we went. Mason finally established himself as the heel as he shoved Brookside and viciously clubbed, headbutted and slapped his head. Following a boot choke in the corner, and a nerve hold to the shoulder, Mason shoved Brookside into the corner. Mason missed a charge and went shoulder first into the ringpost. Brookside quickly took advantage, perching Mason on the top rope, before hitting the Scouse Trap (a double armthrow) for the 1-2-3. A successful title defence and great match for wrestling purists. Finish came out of nowhere. Both men received good ovations when leaving.
Here is Your Winner: ROBBIE BROOKSIDE.

5)The World Riot Squad (TNT, Clinton Steel & Metal Master) vs British Allstars (Tommy Spitfire, Lightning Kid Adam Davies & Ben Levy)
(Over The Top Rope Elimination Match)
This match was similar to the eight man I witnessed in Liverpool last month. As soon as you were thrown over the top rope you were out. The heels went to the back when they were eliminated, while the faces stayed out to support their teammates. Metal Master is Chad Collyer for anyone wondering. Pulling double duty tonight. The Brits were the faces and the match was very fast paced. The format was two men squaring off in the ring with a referee stationed outside. Lightning Kid was the first to be worked over. TNT hit a slam, legdrop and catatonic, but Kid came back with some very unique offense. A whirlybird hurricanrana, handstand mushroom stomp and springboard tornado DDT from the top rope were amongst the highlights. After some back and forth action and quick tags, the Brits gave all the heels double hiptosses and stereo mounted punches in the corners. The first elimination came when Spitfire leapfrogged Metal Master and slingshot him over the top rope. Spitfire was next out. He uppercut Steel into the ropes, but missed a charge and Steel backdropped him out. TNT and Steel worked over Levy as the large TNT hit a big splash. Steel foolishly went for a cover as he forgot the rules. Levy came back with a codebreaker. Straight out of the Chris Jericho playbook. Steel cheapshotted Levy from the apron and TNT botched a clothesline attempt over the top rope. TNT quickly tossed Levy out from the other side to leave the Lightning Kid all alone and surrounded. Kid got double teamed, Irish whipped and splashed in the corner by TNT. Steel then worked over Kid with chokes and a face rake across the top rope. After receiving a double clothesline, Kid flipped over a double backbodydrop attempt, landed on his feet and took Steel by surprise by tossing him out. We’re down to Kid and TNT. Kid tried to wear down TNT with a chinlock but TNT got Kid on his back and fell back to the mat. The crowd chanted ‘fat pig’ at TNT who then hit a black hole slam. Kid managed to duck under a backelbow attempt and hit a headscissors and 619. Kid sprung back in, pulling down the top rope, as TNT charged and TNT went over and out. Crowd popped big for the finish. Great ending to the show. Here is Your Winner: ‘LIGHTNING KID’ ADAM DAVIES.

Best Match: “Crybaby” Chad Collyer vs Extreme Dean.
Worst Match: Iceman vs Smackdown Warrior.

After the show I went backstage and congratulated the winning Main Event trio on an excellent match. I tried to get confirmation that Metal Master and Chad Collyer were one of the same but he was a bit grumpy and didn’t seem up for talking. There went my conversation and subsequent comparison with Charlie Haas. Looking around, Robbie Brookside was conspicuous by his absence. I then turned around and saw Robbie usher me outside. I noticed he was hobbling. Robbie had aggravated a ligament injury during his match and wasn’t going to come out but I think he did so for me and I’ll never, ever forget the sentiment. I spent a few minutes talking with Robbie about the show and he helped me get some details in which to finish this report. During our chat, a horde of kids came out and Robbie signed for everyone while taking pictures and interacting with them, making sure they all left with smiles on their faces. I’ve said this before but he’s a class guy and I appreciate all that he does for his fans. After wrapping up our chat, I too left with a smile on my face. Also, seeing an injury up close only made me appreciate what all wrestlers put themselves through in terms of entertainment. I thank you and tip my hat to you all. In closing, this was by far the best All-Star show I’ve been to. They’re moving away from the carnival, cartoony type of show and are starting to present serious wrestling and an education to a new crop of younger fans which can only be seen as a positive. I’ll be in attendance when All-Star swings into my region next month in Birkenhead on 5th April. Until then, don’t forget to support the indies. Shaun.

If anyone wants to sound off, chew the fat or talk wrestling get in touch. Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to [email protected].

For more information on All-Star Wrestling visit: www.bigtimewrestlinguk.com