In the 1960s and 1970s British wrestling experienced a Golden Era. There were initially several regional promotions, however Joint Promotions was able to create a monopoly. Some of the main stars that were built were Mick McManus, Shirley Crabtree (Bid Daddy), Kendo Nagasaki, Johnny Saint and Giant Haystacks (who would go on to appear as Loch Ness Monster in WCW). Joint Promotions had a regular slot on the ITV television channel with World of Sport. Many members of the roster crossed over into TV and other appearances as British wrestling became more mainstream.
However British wrestling entered a decline and was ultimately replaced almost entirely by its American counterpart.
The WWF followed a similar path with a Golden Era in the 1980s. One of several regional promotion, it grew to create a monopoly. It gained TV exposure and stars crossed over into other media as wrestling became more mainstream. Some of the main stars in the promotion included Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant.
Both promotion were built largely on the dominance of big men. The WWF had the baby face Hulk Hogan cutting through dastardly heels, finishing them with a leg drop, before a confrontation with the biggest big man available: Andre the Giant. In the UK, Big Daddy faced men such as Mick McManus, finishing them with a splash, before confronting Giant Haystacks, who would go on to become his nemesis. In U.S.A. talent was coming through such as Scott Hall and Shawn Michaels. In Britain talent was coming through such as Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith, Dave Taylor and William Regal.
History shows that the WWF became the most dominant wrestling promotion in history; a hugely profitable company which has successfully diversified into other forms of media. My question is this: if British wrestling had its boom in the 1980s, whilst the WWFs boom had occurred in the 1960s and 1970s, would wrestling be a very different industry today? Would we have a dominant British company instead of a dominant American company? Would Big Daddy (or any of the other stars) have been a British equivalent of Hulk Hogan? Could British wrestling become the global phenomenon that the WWF has become?
However British wrestling entered a decline and was ultimately replaced almost entirely by its American counterpart.
The WWF followed a similar path with a Golden Era in the 1980s. One of several regional promotion, it grew to create a monopoly. It gained TV exposure and stars crossed over into other media as wrestling became more mainstream. Some of the main stars in the promotion included Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant.
Both promotion were built largely on the dominance of big men. The WWF had the baby face Hulk Hogan cutting through dastardly heels, finishing them with a leg drop, before a confrontation with the biggest big man available: Andre the Giant. In the UK, Big Daddy faced men such as Mick McManus, finishing them with a splash, before confronting Giant Haystacks, who would go on to become his nemesis. In U.S.A. talent was coming through such as Scott Hall and Shawn Michaels. In Britain talent was coming through such as Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith, Dave Taylor and William Regal.
History shows that the WWF became the most dominant wrestling promotion in history; a hugely profitable company which has successfully diversified into other forms of media. My question is this: if British wrestling had its boom in the 1980s, whilst the WWFs boom had occurred in the 1960s and 1970s, would wrestling be a very different industry today? Would we have a dominant British company instead of a dominant American company? Would Big Daddy (or any of the other stars) have been a British equivalent of Hulk Hogan? Could British wrestling become the global phenomenon that the WWF has become?
