[The Compendium] 18 February 1961 | Episode 7

Episode: 7
Original Broadcast Date: 18 February 1961 | Taped: 15 February 1961
Presented by: Cyrankiewicz Promotions on behalf of The Crown Collaborative
Bradley & Colne Bridge Assembly Rooms, Huddersfield, England
Attendance: 621

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

[1] ’The Silent Ones’ Skull Rodgers (260, Manchester, England) & Blackbeard Silver (240, Wigan, Lancashire) beat Liam O'Toole (201, Cardiff, Wales) & Steve Kidd (215, Birmingham, Warwickshire) in a Best of Three Falls Tag Team Match (Silver Guillotine Drop 7:15 Fall 1, Birmingham Bomb 8:30 Fall 2, Manchester Mauler Piledriver 10:42 Fall 3, 24:27 shown)

We joined the action in the opening fall, with Skull Rodgers and Blackbeard Silver already asserting their dominance. The crowd, eager to support the underdogs, booed as Rodgers tossed O'Toole into the corner with brute force. Rodgers and Silver used every dirty trick in the book, showing why they’re called The Silent Ones, quietly but effectively breaking their opponents down. Rodgers scored the first fall with a punishing Silver Guillotine Drop, pinning O'Toole in 7:15.

The second fall saw a surprising comeback from O'Toole and Kidd. Kidd, agile and quick, outmaneuvered Silver, pulling the crowd behind him as he dodged heavy strikes and used a series of arm drags to weaken his opponent. Kidd then landed his signature “Birmingham Bomb” on Blackbeard Silver, securing the equalizer in 8:30.

In the final fall, tension was high as Skull Rodgers and Steve Kidd squared off with everything to play for. Rodgers, notorious for his vicious Manchester Mauler, tried to end it with a closed fist, barely escaping disqualification. Kidd’s slick evasion and quick counters kept him in the fight, but a well-timed jawbreaker left him reeling. Rodgers then sent Kidd into the ropes for a crushing back body drop, before landing the Manchester Mauler Piledriver to secure victory in 10:42.

[2] Kilkenny Davison (180 lbs, Drewsbery, West Yorkshire) drew with Jack Senior (171 lbs, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire) in a Two Falls, Subs. Or K.O., Six 5-Minute Rounds Lightweight Match (No Falls Scored, 10:00 shown)

Davison immediately set a tone of precision, grounding Senior with a series of slick takedowns and wristlocks. Senior, embodying the power and aggression of a true catch wrestler, fought back, using his strength to escape holds and push Davison toward the ropes, forcing the referee to break the action.

As we moved into the third round, the crowd sensed they were witnessing a clinic in technical wrestling. Davison’s chain wrestling was flawless, his suplexes delivered with machine-like accuracy. He attempted an armbar, aiming to wear Senior down, but Senior countered with a sudden burst of energy, reversing into a brutal knee strike to Davison’s midsection, followed by a waistlock takedown. Senior, capitalizing on his advantage, attempted a Boston Crab, but Davison managed to wriggle free, showcasing his resilience.

Cutting to the third minute of the fifth round, the action intensified as both men exchanged near-submission attempts, with Davison applying a perfectly executed Cloverleaf. Senior clawed his way to the ropes, narrowly escaping. Senior then countered with a T-Bone suplex, leaving both men lying on the mat as the crowd erupted in applause. Both wrestlers struggled to their feet, but neither could capitalize, each now moving with visible fatigue.

The final round saw Davison and Senior pushing their limits. Davison tried to secure a victory with a single-leg takedown into a crossface, but Senior blocked it, using his last reserves of strength to muscle his way out. With only seconds left, Senior attempted a spinning spinebuster, only for Davison to roll through, both competitors tangled and exhausted as the bell rang to end the contest.

[3] British Empire Heavyweight Champion Count Garibaldi (224, Crewe, Cheshire) beat Dave Armstong (220, Ripon, Yorkshire) in a Two Falls, Subs. Or K.O., Six 5-Minute Rounds in a Non-Title Catchweight Match (KO, 4:25 of Rd 5, Full Match Shown)

Dave Armstrong surprises everyone runs wild on Count Garibaldi to start, with a barrage of punches. However, Garibaldi, ever the cunning pro, hits Armstrong with a shoulder to the stomach, turning the tide in his favor. Garibaldi follows up by delivering a devastating shoulder breaker before locking in a single leg crab, only for Armstong to be saved by the bell at the end of the round.

Armstrong looks to have injured his leg, staggering and showing the toll Garibaldi's hold throughout the second round. Garibaldi goes back to the single leg crab but this time his opponent makes the ropes. Armstrong eventually rallies, getting the crowd on their feet as he fights back, taking the Champion off his feet with a hiptoss and bodyslam for a near fall. Both men exchange powerful near falls, with each kick-out raising the stakes.

In the third Round Armstong attempts a sleeper hold on Garibaldi only to be thrown backwards into the corner. Armstrong tries to fight out but Garibaldi connects with a vicious elbow between the eyes of Armstrong and which cuts him open. The referee starts a count but Armtsrong is back on his feet at the count of seven.

Armstrong does duck a lariat and uses a school boy on the Count for a near fall only to eat a big boot and a snapmare into a pin to win the first fall and end the round.

In Round 4 Garibaldi hits Armstrong with a cutter, drawing gasps from the crowd. But Armstrong digs deep and kicks out at two, refusing to be defeated. Armstrong’s face is now a crimson red, Garibaldi executes an Irish whip, snapping Armstrong’s shoulder to the mat. The referee checks on him but ends the contest.

Post Match

As Dave Armstrong receives medical attention in the ring he is joined by Vic Pegasus who then starts to argue with Count Garibaldi. The referee and MC try to defuse the situation before Pegasus grabs the MC’s microphone and challenges Count Garibaldi to a match, which he accepts!