No! That's the mistake the Yanks made in the 50s with idiots like Buddy Rogers and Antonio Rocca. It sent the US game down the path to the sorry state it's in nowadays. I for one would much rather watch serious technical wrestling and to achieve that, it helps if the wrestlers are shooters.
What the hell does it matter if the guys are shooters. You don't need to be a shooter and a "hard man" to put on a good wrestling match. I bet theirs a ton of "hard men" out there that couldn't put on a decent wrestling match to save themselves. What you said is absoulutly irrelivant. Its to late to try and get people to belive that wrestling is "real" Vince McMahon has already royaly fucked up the wrestling business as far as that is concerned. Still doesn't mean you can't have fine technical matches just because your not a "hard man."

There is a great difference between being a ‘hard man’ and a convincing looking wrestler. I thoroughly believe that people (and I really mean adults) want to see wrestlers that look as if they could knock the crap out of anyone wither they are the biggest coward in real life or not. Not some spotty 17/18 year old that has never been near a gym in their life and can do a few gymnastic moves.

Now this is not to say that they have to be 6ft 6 and built like a body building champion, but as I have already said in previous posts it is about respect to the wrestling business that a wrestler will train and improve his body, not just learn how to climb up on the top rope and jump.

Rob, you keep using the WWF/E as an example. British wrestling is not WWF and what I would like to see is that the British wrestling industry says Yes there is a WWF/E, but we offer something completely different. To use another analogy, in the music industry there are several forms of musicians/singers each with there own _style_ and fan _base_.

I do believe that given time and commitment, British wrestling can establish itself again. There will have to be some major changes in the industry for this to happen and I would like to suggest some of the ones I think should happen:


1. Independent Wrestling Commission (IWC) to be set up with a representative of every promotion that wanted to join and representatives of past wrestlers.
2. Licensing of wrestlers through this commission.
3. Agreement not to use unlicensed wrestlers on shows
4. Training establishments to be licensed and monitored by the IWC

I know that these may sound unrealistic and in all truth will never happen but this could be one of the first steps to bringing British wrestling back to some respect.

The IWC could vet new wrestlers that each promotion wants to bring into the business or the country to ensure that a standard is maintained and license them. This would ensure that the quality of British wrestling was always top notch.

To be taken seriously, licensing or qualifications are the only measuring stick that the world has recognized for centurys. And before you mock me, there are counties in the world that have licensing for professional wrestlers and commissions that they have to appear before before they can wrestle.

Obviously you will still have the rouge promotions trying to run shows, but if the IWC and the promoters could agree, halls can be tied to agreements so no other rouge promotion would have access to venues.

Go on then shoot me down !!

Rob, you keep using the WWF/E as an example. British wrestling is not WWF
Wrong! I'm afriad it is. Just a really really poor looking version. The wrestlers of today grew up adolising all the WWF "Superstars." There wasn't any British Wrestling on tv for them to relate to. Obviously there gonna try and wrestle the _style_ they grew up watching. Now I'm not sticking up for the WWF I hate it but I mean c'mon on the allstar site it says "UK #1 In Sports Entertainment" and if Allstar want to name their product in the same catagory as the WWF then all is lost I'm afriad. If allstar said UK #1 In British Wrestling then maybe there is hope.

Not some spotty 17/18 year old that has never been near a gym in their life and can do a few gymnastic moves.
I'm not spotty I have a fantastic complection for a teenager. As for gym work I could pound some dumbells for 4 hours a day eat like a bastard and I would still be a skinny wee fuck. Unless theirs some marvelous _meta_bolism altering drugs out their I'm screwed. I'm in the same boat as most of the young guys on the scene. Nor can I afford steriods and I'm already and angry wee bastard as it is without "roid rage." When it boils down to it I would rather watch a skinny spotty 18 year old put on a good wrestling match than some 250lbs oaf bore me to tears. The wee guy might look like he couldn't boot the shit out of me but wrestling isn't supposed to resemble a real fight.

Now this is not to say that they have to be 6ft 6 and built like a body building champion, but as I have already said in previous posts it is about respect to the wrestling business that a wrestler will train and improve his body, not just learn how to climb up on the top rope and jump.
Quite clearly you are! As for my experiance with training. I might not be able to learn "old school" but I don't see why I should give up my dreams because I cannot. Nevertheless since I've started training I've not even yet learned how to jump off the top rope. Of course I intend to learn alot of top rope moves but I would still love to learn the 30 odd variations on a nelson hold. Who teaches it? Chic Cullen? He lives in Liverpool. Drew McDonald? He's in Leeds. Where am I? Glasgow.

No! That's the mistake the Yanks made in the 50s with idiots like Buddy Rogers and Antonio Rocca. It sent the US game down the path to the sorry state it's in nowadays. I for one would much rather watch serious technical wrestling and to achieve that, it helps if the wrestlers are shooters.
What the hell does it matter if the guys are shooters. You don't need to be a shooter and a "hard man" to put on a good wrestling match. I bet theirs a ton of "hard men" out there that couldn't put on a decent wrestling match to save themselves. What you said is absoulutly irrelivant.

I said nothing about "hard men" I said shooters. That was always the philosophy of British-_style_ wrestling - two good wrestlers using and adapting their legit skills in order to put on a good show. An Exhibition of wrestling skill which could be taken seriously.

The British public were basically fairly aware that wrestling was worked (even though, unlike today, they were not informed of the politics of why specific bouts were worked one way or the other) but that didn't stop great wrestlers like Mike Marino and George Kidd getting genuine respect for their mat skills.

With your talk of all pro wrestlers should become shooters I'm starting to think you're working for Inoki!

David, please define what you mean as a ‘shooter’. I think your meaning of the word differs from what I understand as a ‘Shooter’ in pro wrestling.