[The Compendium] 14 January 1961 | Episode 2

Episode: 2
Original Broadcast Date: 14 January 1961 | Taped: 4 January 1961
Presented by: Cyrankiewicz Promotions on behalf of The Crown Collaborative
Majestic Skating Rink, Preston, England
Attendance: 794

Commentator Harold William-Walker, MC was Sylvester Rice, while the referee was Derek Whitehead.

Welcome

Harold William-Walker welcomed us to the show, featuring three action packed bouts. With the feature bout a match for the British Welterweight Championship and Belt as Gareth Hughes puts his Championship on the line against Lemmington Spa’s Dan Mcpherson.

[1] Sunny Boy Gay (205 lbs, Grenada, West Indies) beat Edward Balfour (197 lbs, Glasgow, Scotland) in a Two Falls, Subs. Or K.O. Six 5-Minute Rounds Heavy-Middleweight match (Sunset Flip 3:53 Rd 4, full match shown).

Sunny Boy Gay immediately took control, darting around Balfour and locking on a side headlock, although Balfour briefly escaped Gay was quick to counter into a waist lock. Balfour was only able to escape by making it to the ropes. Gay once again locked on a headlock and it wasn't until the final seconds of the round Balfour managed to escape and hit Sunny Boy Gay with a shoulder tackle.

In the second round, Balfour came out more aggressive, pushing Gay into the ropes and unleashing a flurry of forearms. But Gay ducked and weaved, showcasing his footwork. Suddenly, Gay seized an opening, executing a breathtaking flying knee strike that caught Balfour squarely on the chin, knocking him down. The referee began the count, and Balfour struggled to rise, once on his feet Gay took his opponent down with a bodyslam and pin combination to secure the first fall.

Determined, Balfour rallied in the third round, showing incredible heart as he battled back. He executed a series of arm drag takedowns, catching Gay off guard and managing to secure a fall with a perfectly timed roll-up pin. The crowd erupted in applause, sensing a comeback.

With the match tied at one fall each going into the third round Gay knew he needed to finish strong. He intensified his offense, using his speed to outmaneuver Balfour. As the round progressed, Gay landed a devastating dropkick that sent Balfour crashing to the mat. Seizing the moment, Gay quickly followed up with a powerful knee drop and then locked in a Boston Crab only for Balfour to be saved by the end of the round.

In the fourth round it was Balfour who quickly took the advantage posting Gay to the corner and following up with a big backdrop and crosspress only for Gay to kick out. Gay fired back with a big elbow and uppercut but once again Balfour went on the offense with a big bodyslam, unable to get a pin. When both men were back to their feet Gay was sent across the ring only for Balfour to attempt another backdrop, this time Gay executed a sunset flip to win his second fall and the contest.

Next Week It’s Great Britain v The World

Harold William-Walker informs us that next week will be the first of two special episodes from Bridlington, Spa Royal Hall pitting a team of five British wrestlers again five foreign wrestlers in a series of matches.

[2] Giant Ben Nevis (600 lbs, Brixton, London) beat Tommy Wilson (226 lbs, Bedlington, Northumberland) in a Two Falls, Subs. Or K.O. Six 5-Minute Rounds Heavyweight match (Knockout 4:32 Rd 1, full match shown).

This was the television debut of Giant Ben Nevis. We joined the action as the bell rang for the first round, with the crowd booing Nevis mercilessly. Nevis immediately asserted his physicality, using his immense size to push Wilson into the corner, landing heavy body blows that left the smaller wrestler reeling.

Wilson tried to respond with quick strikes, but Nevis’s strength proved overwhelming. Midway through the round, as Nevis cornered Wilson again, the referee Derek Whitehead issued a public warning to Nevis for using excessive force, much to the delight of the audience. Undeterred, Nevis continued to unleash his power, displaying a series of punishing moves, including a thunderous body slam that sent shockwaves through the arena.

As the round progressed, Wilson attempted to escape, but Nevis caught him with a devastating clothesline that knocked him to the mat. Seizing the moment, Nevis quickly followed up with a massive corner splash, crushing Wilson against the turnbuckle.

With Wilson visibly shaken and struggling to rise, Nevis stepped back and delivered a powerful boot to the midsection much to the dislike of the referee. The referee immediately stepped in, counting to ten before declaring the match in favor of Giant Ben Nevis.

As Nevis received the boos from the audience in Preston, the referee, MC and two members of the St Johns Ambulance quickly attended to young Tommy Wilson in the ring.


[3] British Welterweight Champion & Belt Holder Gareth Hughes (150 lbs, Cardiff, Wales) and Dan McPherson (152 lbs, Leamington Spa, England) fought to a draw in a Two Falls, Subs. Or K.O. Twelve 5-Minute Rounds match for the British Welterweight Championship & Belt (Draw, 18:05 minutes of highlights shown).

We joined the match in the first round with the scores 0-0, Gareth Hughes, the reigning champion, immediately showcased his agility, darting around McPherson locking to take control of his opponents leg. McPherson, however, remained composed, absorbing the takedown attempts and countering with a solid hip toss that sent Hughes to the mat to end the round.

In the second round, McPherson took control, pushing Hughes into the corner and unleashing a flurry of forearms. Gareth replied with a nasty headbut, but McPherson seized an opening with a powerful vertical suplex, earning a count from the referee. Hughes managed to escape just before the three, but it was clear that McPherson was building momentum.

We rejoined the action in the fifth round, scores still 0-0. McPherson was looking to damage Hughes’s neck, twisting his opponent’s head as far as it would turn. With careful precision, he locked in a chin lock, applying pressure as the referee checked for a submission. Gareth escaped valiantly, reaching the ropes to break the hold, but McPherson remained relentless. He secured the first fall with a reverse quarter-nelson hold forcing the Champion Hughes to submit.

Determined not to let the match slip away, Hughes intensified his efforts in the sixth round. He landed a devastating dropkick that sent McPherson crashing through the ropes to the outside, landing on the laps of a number of excitable pensioners who helped the challenger back into the ring. Seizing the moment, Hughes quickly followed up with a flying body press, but McPherson rolled through and Hughes was lucky to kick out at two.

We cut to the tenth round, Hughes found his rhythm, executing a series of high-flying moves that had the crowd on their feet. He landed a spectacular flying mare and then attempted a monkey flip, but McPherson countered slamming his opponent down to the mat, he covered Hughes but was only able to gain a two count.

Both men were visibly tiring from fifty minutes of wrestling as the match went into the eleventh round, both wrestlers exchanged fierce blows, trading uppercuts and hard forearms to the body. McPherson targeted Hughes’s legs with strong kicks, while Hughes relied on his speed to outmaneuver McPherson, keeping the contest unpredictable. Both men at one point ran at each other and collied with a double clothesline. The referee counted and just seconds before it looked like the match would end in a double knockout, both Hughes and McPherson managed to get to their feet.

In the twelfth and final round, the intensity reached its peak. With time running out, Hughes unleashed a bodyslam and cross press, but McPherson kicked out. McPherson then executed a powerful spinebuster out of nowhere that shook the ring. As the final seconds ticked away, both men exchanged pin attempts using roll-ups and folding presses only for the bell to ring at the end of the twelfth found with McPherson leading 1 fall to 0 over the champion.

The audience erupted in applause and the two men shook hands. Gareth Hughes retained his British Welterweight Championship, but McPherson’s performance left no doubt that he would be a formidable challenger in future bouts.