In the American version of pro wrestling, you usually knew who was going to win a match even before it began, especially during the under-card on the weekly taped broadcast. Nine out of ten matches featured a “squash” where a top-name star would unmercifully torture some weak, unknown jobber for 10 minutes, then finish him off with his patented kill move, which was shocking to no one. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy these humiliating whoopings, I’m just saying the outcome was often predictable.
I’ve noticed that one very different type of match featured in British pro wrestling during the same era was what I call the Lad vs. Lad contest. This is where two lean, fit young rookies (the most popular Make and Model of British wrestler) would be pitted against one another for a back-and-forth display of holds, where the ultimate winner was in question until the last moment. The images shown here feature young Nipper Riley rolling around with young Ian McGregor, giving the fans a nice, clean Lad vs. Lad exhibition.
Some of the features of the classic Brit Pro Lad vs. Lad match include:
- Complex, interesting holds with no shortage of real wrestling down on the mat
- No cheating, with both young heroes remaining honest, law-abiding, and beloved
- Tight, colorful outfits that keep your attention on their bodies and postures
- A back-and-forth competition with neither wrestler dominating the match
Obviously, nothing beats a display of ruthless, unrelenting, back-breaking, dirty cheating, but a good, clean Lad vs. Lad show can be a refreshing change, and not knowing the outcome from the moment the wrestlers enter the arena can be a nice surprise.
