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NWA-UK Hammerlock - 21st May 2011 Maidstone


captain

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in response to fish and chips. Devitt and Sabre JNR was the main event. I think they booked it like the old days. The Main event wasn't the last match of the night, it was the one people came to see. They'd put the main event on to get the crowd really hyper and going nuts, then they'd have one or two more just to bring them down and send them home happy

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in response to fish and chips. Devitt and Sabre JNR was the main event. I think they booked it like the old days. The Main event wasn't the last match of the night, it was the one people came to see. They'd put the main event on to get the crowd really hyper and going nuts, then they'd have one or two more just to bring them down and send them home happy

 

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

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To confirm (as I was filming for the night) this will be released on DVD.

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Just wanted to post on here and say how great it was to see so many of the Hammerlock crew (old and new) back together for this show at the Maidstone Leisure Centre on Saturday.

 

Having joined the company back in 1996 and given the chance to work as a referee, ring announcer, booker and in-ring manager......sorry, "Business Advisor to the Stars" ;) .....I made a lot of good friends and enjoyed some memorable experiences (being Gary Steele's travel partner for his NWA World Heavyweight Title win in 1999 was a particular highlight) during my 6 years involved with the company.

 

Like many others, last year's passing of Andre hit me hard and although we weren't in regular contact after I returned to my native Yorkshire it still feels hard to accept that he's no longer there to pick up a phone to or send the occasional email.

 

As for Saturday night.......the mood backstage, although a little sombre at times due to the nature of why we were all reuniting, was also one of pride that so many had made the effort.

 

A massive amount of praise should go to Tony McMillan and Dean Champion for pulling it off and reviving the Hammerlock name in Andre's memory and it was nice working in a venue that was always good to us back in the day - it was one of the venues for the Adam Bomb and Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart shows in 1996 as well as Andre's heel turn when he aligned with Jonny Storm in an angle that almost caused a riot.

 

It was great to see everyone giving their time and efforts on the show and the Prince Devitt/Zack Sabre Jr match was top notch which had most of us in the back finding a vantage point behind the curtain or big screen to watch it.

 

The ten bell salute and video tribute at the start of the show were both a nice touch and also a little emotional as was the end to the show which saw one of the Hammerlock success stories Gary Steele presenting another one of Andre's shining stars (and best friends) Johnny Moss with his trophy at the end of the night while Andre's music "Crazy Crazy Nights" played out.

 

On the subject of Gary, it was also fantastic to see him there and despite being officially retired with no intention of making a return to the ring again (so he says), he didn't seem to have missed a step when he made a surprise entrance in the Rumble.

 

From a personal point of view, having only made a handful of appearances as a referee on other wrestling shows since I left in 2001, it was a real buzz to reprise the "Business Advisor..." role for one night and work alongside Jon Ryan once more. We always had such great chemistry and it didn't feel like 10 years since we had worked together although admittedly I was nervous in case I'd lost a step and didn't do justice to either the show or the matches I was involved in. For that, I need to thank Jon, Mossy and Paul Tracey for helping me in that regard.

 

And to work an angle with one of my best friends (in or out of the business) Dean Ayass after all these years was also a lot of fun.....even if he did nearly embed me into one of the guardrails lol.

 

A couple of closing points or mentions......it was a shame Doug Williams couldn't make it and I know he wanted to be there but his commitments with TNA made it such that he was unable to attend.

 

A huge thanks to Justin Richards and the camera crew (Phil, Sarah etc) for helping out with the filming of the event at short notice after Tony & Dean had the rug pulled from under them at the 11th hour.

 

And finally.....thanks to all the fans who turned out to help us make the 1st Annual Andre Baker Memorial Show such a fitting tribute to a man many of us called simply 'friend'.

 

RIP. Andre "Sledgehammer" Baker.....hope we did you proud. :-)

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