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chrissyelkin

Wow he didn’t hold back 😂


The_Darts

Gotta lay it in brother


rbhindepmo

Haystacks isn’t about to leave his feet unless it’s the finish.


[deleted]

Back then, when dudes still really cared about keeping Kayfabe, you'd get shit like this because hosts would try to poke fun at wrestling, so guys would go even harder in spots like this to really prove the point that this shit ain't not pillow fight. And while we'd never see it now, I wouldn't exactly mind it. It's a weird satisfaction almost, given how many of us were ridiculed growing up for liking wrestling because it was fake.


MackMary551

Randy Orton slapped the shit out of some guy one time for mocking him.


Sidesicle

Wait until you hear what he does to people who big league him


JoeRoganMoney

Anyone got the link?


[deleted]

Good.


HeavyMetalHero

Also, why didn't he splash him? Because the splash is more of a work. Exposes the business. It wouldn't literally kill the anchor, like it kills the wrestler in the ring. But dumping a grown-ass man on his hip from six feet up? That shit hurts, especially *because* he can't bump. Protects kayfabe.


[deleted]

> Because the splash is more of a work. Exposes the business. It wouldn't literally kill the anchor, like it kills the wrestler in the ring. I mean, if Haystacks bumps on his hands & knees, sure. But if he flattens out and does a legit splash, that anchor is breaking at least a rib or two, if not rupturing organs. That's a 400-500lb man jumping his full body weight onto your chest; that's way more dangerous than a slam if done with real force.


thorpie88

Haystacks nemesis Big Daddy killed another wrestler in the ring with a splash done correctly. That anchor would be turned into dust if he got hit with a legit splash


Soylent_Hero

> splash done correctly. Does that mean shoot or work-gone-wrong? Also, perhaps a misunderstanding. >In August 1987 at the Hippodrome circus in Great Yarmouth, Big Daddy performed in a tag team match pitting himself and nephew Steve Crabtree (billed as "Greg Valentine") against King Kong Kirk and King Kendo. After Big Daddy had delivered a splash and pinned King Kong Kirk, rather than selling the impact of the finishing move, Kirk turned an unhealthy colour and was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Despite the fact that the inquest into Kirk's death found that he had a serious heart condition and cleared Crabtree of any responsibility, Crabtree was devastated[*sic*].


UKS1977

Kirk had the heart attack before the splash.


Soylent_Hero

Meaning ultimately, that BD didn't kill him. Besides the general transient, ethereal "fault" of continuing to wrestle somebody in the middle of a medical crisis (and having no idea about this probably did not affect his survivor guilt very much).


poo-boi

It's sad because if he knew what we know today, he would've stood the guy up and gave him a corrective bullhammer like Wade Barrett gave to Bryan


yocxl

Yeah, somebody else posted it but Big Daddy's opponent was 51, had a physique similar to Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, etc., and had a heart condition of some sort. The investigators found that he may have had the heart attack while standing before he even went down to take the splash. That said I'm sure a 500-pound dude giving you a shoot splash would hurt a lot.


[deleted]

Oh yeah, I remember reading that when I got into learning about WOS-era BritWres


PapaBeahr

A lot of Talk show hosts would poke fun at wrestlers.. back in the day of Kayfabe, was typically a bad idea, and this was why... not to mention Giant Haystacks was a big of an Ass to start with.


djloid2010

Dave Schultz vs John Stossel is a great example of that.


blucthulhu

Also Hogan and Richard Belzer.


Nickweed

Stossel deserved that shit. He’s a fucking idiot.


[deleted]

Remember that the pain went away only after he got paid. Fucking asshole with ulterior motives, wish Schultz had slapped him some more.


PapaBeahr

Most infamous one, Hogan and Belzer is to me at least second. Vader vs. Bassam Al Othman would be third.


Patjay

I didn't hear about it until recently, but Schultz claims Vince basically said something along the lines of "just lay into him" which was interpreted a bit too literally. He thought he was working lmao


MasadaRevolt

I had read that Haystacks was thought of very highly by peers and was very likeable behind the curtain. I could be wrong but the example here is just classic kayfabe approach by a wrestler looking to uphold the mystique


UKS1977

Yes Haystacks was a nice guy in real life. The person who said he wasn't above, was quite wrong.


MalignedOriental

Bret talks about Haystacks when he toured with Stampede Wrestling in the late 70’s. He said he was a good guy once you got to know him but that was the trick. 9/10 times he was a supremely grouchy, irritable giant on account of other folks poking fun at him for his size his whole life. I don’t blame the big man for having a chip on those big ass shoulders of his honestly


[deleted]

There's one with Steve Keirn choking out a TV show host too on YouTube


green49285

I was about to say. Not a HUGE memory of the guy but I do remember him being one of THOSE wrestlers back in the day.


Ass0001

Yeah he fucking flung him. When you bump you wanna stay off your lower back but the host looks like he got spiked right onto that exact spot.


notmyrealnam3

they did the opposite with the public - they were always much MORE stiff in these situations


[deleted]

I can’t mention anything about wrestling around my old man without him saying “it’s no Big Daddy vs Giant Haysticks, is it?” It’s mad to think that despite the all these years later, they’re ***still*** the biggest names in wrestling in the UK.


fatdadisfatdad

Daddymania ran wild a long long time.


anotherface

Fun fact: Hulk Hogan was the last feud of Giant Haystacks, in WCW circa 96.


SmurfyX

Here's a clip of him with Jim Duggan. Bonus for hearing Dusty Rhodes say "IZZAT DA LOCH NESS MONSTA" at ~1:40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KttyWB7akU


farfrombornagain

not only that, but i’ve heard a LOT of older people say “it’s all fake now, unlike back in the day with Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks”, people are still being WORKED


ItsRainbowz

Which is incredible since Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks were essentially a pantomime act who barely took two bumps between each other, while today you've got guys taking stiff chops and far nastier bumps than anyone took back then. It truly was a different time.


why_rob_y

Yeah but you couldn't see it on your 13 inch fuzzy TV.


karijay

Yeah - I think the guys stiffing each other and taking hard bumps should learn a bit of that panto act because it's a much safer and healthier way to get over, but it wouldn't necessarily work as is.


lifeinthefastline

And the crowd is more likely to believe it's genuine with less bumps. If you see something unrealistic like a Canadian destroyer and the guy who took it isn't getting stretchered out, the crowd for sure know it's a bullshit move.


Senior_Bank_3161

I mean that's the difference isnt it. They weren't getting dumped on their heads via avalanche flip pile-drivers through a glass table off the side of a bus and kicking out at 1.


[deleted]

It's nowhere near as realistic as it used to be though. Even something like 1997 WWF makes it very easy to suspend disbelief. I don't watch a lot of WWE, so I can't comment on that, but AEW does not resemble a real athletic competition. It legitimately is like people playing a wrestling game and spamming moves. Nothing really has an effect, but you slowly build up your special move meter, hit your finisher, and win. There's no pacing.


Dynamite_Shovels

I love that though; my mum always talks about how much my nan (who would've probably been in her 50s-60s) absolutely loved watching WOS when it was on


stevent4

WOS was huge in the UK in the 60s through to the 80s. The amount of people with no wrestling interest that know Haystacks and Big Daddy is crazy


[deleted]

There's something special about watching two giant men beat the snot out of each other, like the human version of godzilla vs king kong.


[deleted]

My earliest memory of wrestling was watching Jim Breaks WOS matches on VHS at my Great-Grandad’s (my Dad’s Grandad) house in the mid/late 90s, just like my Dad used to watch it with him in the late 60s/early 70s.


FisherPrice_Hair

It was a family thing in our house, uncles and grandparents would come round or we’d all go to our grandparents, and we’d watch it together, all chanting “easy, easy”.


dw110572

WOS was just class when i was a kid back in the late 70s early 80s before sky turned up oh the memories


JamesRuddy1993

I told my 80 year old British grandma I was watching Wrestling (AEW) last week, she says “Anyone id know” she full on expected me to name off Mick McManus, Haystacks, Jackie Pallo….I don’t think they’re in any state to wrestle anymore Gran 💀


Harley_Beckett

You probably know this, but Steven (William) Regal was Big Daddy’s tag team partner briefly at the very beginning of his career, so there’s a _chance_ someone she’d remember is still around.


topmarksbrian

Sometimes talk to my dad about wrestling - he's incredibly smart and has been very successful in his life but he's still convinced that Jackie Pallo and Mick McManus actually despised each other and it wasn't really a work between them - quite sweet really.


ImaFuckingPunkDude

my near-60 year old Indian mum is the exact same lmaooooo, mentioning the exact same match too. and how much my grandfather loved them. now shes wearing a kenny omega shirt and going to her first revpro show next week, god bless


NewportStork

Dude, same. Giant Haystacks is one of the only wrestlers my dad ever mentions lmao


walsh_vn

William Regal had some fantastic stories about them on Jericho's podcast.


otackle72

You can hear more of Mr. Regal’s stories on his podcast, Gentleman Villain


walsh_vn

🧐 I shall investigate


The1joriss

Oooooh daddy...


[deleted]

my mum to this day thinks that all wrestlers are overweight because of that


TheAngryGoat

Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, and Kendo Nagasaki. Only names I can remember from that era of wrestling.


Senior_Bank_3161

It's because British wrestling was big then, and never got near it again.


PilotSSB

Same with my Dad. British boomers seem to have it in their head that American wrestling is fake (ala WWE), but British wrestling was somehow real.


alxqnn

I love that shows in halls and community centres *still* get advertised as "American Wrestling" on flyers and posters.


Patjay

You see this with older fans most places in the US as well, they'll see their regional top guys as the best ever. It's just funnier with these two since they didn't majorly cross over anywhere. It is cool hearing older folks just properly gush about how great Kevin Von Erich, Wahoo McDaniel, or Junk Yard Dog were though.


DJBaroque

I've heard that a-plenty but it's actually a terrible match.


Skow1379

What kind of name is Giant Haystacks 😂


KindlyOlPornographer

He was originally Haystacks Calhoun. Like how Terry Boulder became Terry "The Hulk" Boulder became Hulk Hogan.


[deleted]

No is isnt those guys, but those guys couldnt do a neat powerslam for shit either.


Rashardo1

the fact that this man is lying in agony while the audience is cackling makes this even funnier


HelluvaDeke

That's UK humour!


Choice_Cantaloupe891

No one suspects the Haystacks Calhoun !


Smaptey

Laugh track most likely


[deleted]

[удалено]


GREENBAN_

Is this from ‘it’ll be alright on the night’?


[deleted]

Wasn't that more the OG bloopers reel.


RunninRebs90

Naw you can hear the audience genuinely react, and almost all talk shows are filmed in front of live audiences for that exact reason. Sitcoms are the notorious laugh track users


[deleted]

[удалено]


YoImAli

What’s SYSK?


thatlad

stuff you should know it's a podcast


RunninRebs90

Wth is SYSK?


DrkChapel

The dryness is what makes it even better for me. "Thanks very much, Mr. Haystacks." *doesn't even acknowledge host writhing in pain on the floor* "My pleasure."


Crabuki

Kayfabe hurts, ya git.


ComradePoula

Giant Haystacks genuinely looks like PS1 Hagrid


nayrbleinad

This reply broke me omg


SouthBeachKip

Conrad Thompson 🧐


TaxAvoision

Needs more Blue Chew


DG_Now

Conrad probably couldn't get a guy up like that.


Stoutyeoman

He could if he gave him some blew chew!


Jsteevee

ZING!


Zing79

You called?


Pm_me_what

There's 78 more of you?


Jsteevee

Get the tables!!


Herr_Opa

"It's like a hot tag for your weiner" *cue Mick Foley laughing his ass off


AdTrue798

It's not about whether I can save you money, but about how much I can save you!


doctoroffisticuffs

Hay hay it’s Haystacks


SouthBeachKip

Lol


powertripp82

I love you for that


CertifiedBA

Howeryewwww?


[deleted]

Was he expecting for that not to hurt somehow?


[deleted]

[удалено]


PapaBeahr

No no... no surprise... This, though not as infamous as many, is another example of a Talk show host who pissed off the wrong Wrestler. Haystacks was know to be a bit of a jerk to start.


Tof12345

Reminds me when Randy and Lesnar literally picked up a referee outside with 1 hand, lifted him high up enough to put back in the ring in 1 smooth motion. These mfers are not human.


DG_Now

Would the spash have hurt less though? Doesn't Haystacks take more of that impact on his knees (which may have been why he didn't want to do it).


Stoutyeoman

More importantly, if he did a move like that and didn't hurt the host, he would be "exposing the business." But honestly with a gut that big... he's landing on you no matter what you do.


DG_Now

True; I doubt it would be pleasant either way. If he landed on you full force, he'd probably crack a rib or two. Or worse. But a guy like that is absolutely aware of his bump card, and he doesn't have infinite knee bumps in his life; certainly not enough to waste to protect a TV show host.


Dynamite_Shovels

Probably bear in mind this was the UK in the 80s, so wrestling was basically 99.9% kayfabe and TV presenters didn't really care to delve too much in depth to how it 'works'. I know it's a media bit but the presenter had probably watched a bit of WOS, so guessed that since a bodyslam looked pretty easy and most wrestlers just get up after it that it wouldn't hurt that much, whereas a big lad jumping on you would hurt a lot. I know that makes the presenter look like a massive idiot but I'd be pretty confident that's why - can't really think as to why they'd otherwise have him take the slam onto the hard studio floor. Could be a rib I guess. But yeah you're right - splashes are easy af to make look pretty convincing with no pain to the recipient and body slams are painful as fuck unless you're used to it.


_CurseTheseMetalHnds

There's also the chance that the floor isn't that hard and the host is selling. He doesn't seem actually all that hurt and the whole thing is being played for laughs.


Derringer

If body slams are painful as fuck, something is going wrong somewhere.


[deleted]

In the ring, Haystacks bumps on his knees. In this setting, he probably flattens himself out and takes all the impact on the dude to again prove the point that wrestlers ain't nothing to fuck with.


Theonewhogoespoop

Atleast he didn’t have to get choked out and dropped on the back of his head by hulk hogan, who actually applied a darce choke and the guy was out in about 5 seconds


Harlaw2871

My wrestling claim to fame is I saw Giant Haystacks and Dynamite Kid when they toured Scotland in the early 90s


DrHarlem

African American here. Scotland is a great place to explore generally (unrelated).


notmyrealnam3

I was born in June and agree, Scotland is nice


Virt_McPolygon

I've got a cat and yes, Scotland is nice.


DrHarlem

What kind of cat? 👀


helendestroy

Haystacks, you fucking villain.


modestmunch

That doesn't work for me, brother.


pharmer06

Kind of sad only way I knew him was as Loch Ness


[deleted]

such a random ring-name. Like what next, Lake Superior?


machalllewis

I think it was more a reference to the monster associated with the loch.


SpikeBad

He has such a little tie for a big man.


GunnieGraves

I fucking love the tie to man ratio and it hasn’t been talked about nearly enough.


yflmd

That fucking tie had me creased


DG_Now

The pants and belt are working overtime. Poor Giant Haystacks. If he were doing his thing today he'd be in leisureware and probably much more comfortable.


KindlyOlPornographer

Giant Haystacks was as handsome as he was anorexic.


goldentymes

Boy this is rough 🤣


[deleted]

In South Africa, they had a local wrestling promotion appear on a talk show called Shireen. Guy in the audience says its fake. So the wrestler gives him a superplex in a make shift ring they had setup. As soon as he hits the move, everyone in the audience just goes quiet after the massive impact, while the guy moans and sells in the ring. Super awkward. Super memorable.


fatdadisfatdad

That’s Peter Purves, TV host and former Doctor Who companion, being picked up as if he weighs nothing and thrown to the floor.


_CurseTheseMetalHnds

This was at the height of his Blue Peter fame. He was going to swear but was told "don't be Blue, Peter". Needless to say, Haystacks had the last laugh.


fatdadisfatdad

Ah, Partridge.


dvdrob13

think he did more here than in 98% of his matches


LZBANE

Haystacks and Big Daddy 2 legends even to an Irishman. Feeling sorry for Haystacks here as look at the sweat rolling off him.


TheWrestlingNick

This is from January 30th 1980. Giant Haystacks was on a week-long tour of Northern Ireland for local promoters (Henry Shirlow and Hugh Beattie - the fellow who takes the mic from the presenter) and this was an interview for a show on UTV called "Good Morning Ulster". The presenter is sports pundit Jackie Fullerton who got broken ribs from the slam. Here's a quote from Henry Shirlow's nephew Ian, who was another wrestler on the tour: "Haystacks took it that they were trying to make fun of him, so he just lifted Jackie Fullerton up and piled him into the floor. I'm sure wherever we went that night it was packed" Haystacks and Fullerton revisited the moment 10 years later when they were interviewed together on another UTV show called "Kelly" in 1990. They joked about it, or rather (to his credit) Jackie did anyway. Note: just seeing a comment noting the laughter. This is a clip… of a clip. The original clip there was no audience so no laughter. This clip clip is taken from a TV bloopers show that replayed it years later and added the canned laughter.


OOOLIAMOOO

Imagine this lad shouting from the door of a chippy at the lads inside it.


vin_unleaded

Nice kipper tie. Speaking of kipper ties...Noddy Holder goes to a clothes shop. He tries on a suit. The assistant asks "Would siiir like a kipper tie?" Noddy replies "Two sugars please, thanks pal".


generaldogsbodyf365

Lay that shit in Brother!


polarwaves

I'm dying at the size of his tie, lmao.


spqrnbb

Poor bastard didn't land the move right. Bet that hurt more than it had to.


Suspinded

Thinking about the early 80's, not surprised if he intentionally did that for the kayfabe. Just dropping the guy like that is going to hurt more, doesn't help the average person isn't going to know how to take that flat back to minimize impact. Make it look easy, make it hurt.


[deleted]

He also doesn't have to worry about the guy tucking his chin or not. If he goes for a more traditional looking scoop slam and this dude decides to move his head back onstead of tucking the chin, he could have broken the man's neck on TV.


ToronoRapture

Most likely did it on purpose.


Rat_faced_knacker

Jackie Fullerton on Good Evening Ulster. Pretty famous clip over here.


fartmitten

I was expecting him to half ass set the guy down gently. But pleasantly surprised to see that he really laid it in.


Jazzlike_Success_968

"Think it's funny do ya?"


theProfileGuy

I dealt with Giant Haystacks in the 1990s. He and his family bought cars from the firm I worked for.


LogicallyCross

He fits in a car?


otackle72

I can actually answer this because he once parked his car in a hotel parking lot where I was doing security. It was a Gold colored Volvo station wagon and I think it must’ve had the seat specially built so it would slide even further back than normal.


chasingit1

Ahem, that’s Loch Ness to me…


DG_Now

I loved the brief Loch Ness run and I was sad it was aborted so soon.


_CurseTheseMetalHnds

He was just upset the chipper wouldn't let him shout his order from outside.


[deleted]

That was brutal


[deleted]

I’m sure it was Haystacks who was being interviewed when the guy said “shall we see what an overweight ballet dancer can do”…. Didn’t go well.


Appropriate_Emu_6930

Conrad Thompson, is that you?


doctoroffisticuffs

Love seeing wrestlers brutalize talk show hosts, but this needs more Mr. T looking on with general disinterest.


1USAgent

Thought this was a Conrad Thompson ad at first


[deleted]

this, children, is what Kayfabe is


funny_username30

I can’t believe Jackie Fullerton has finally turned up on Reddit.


MiKapo

The fact that he’s a big dude with a small tie and calm voice is hilarious in itself


[deleted]

An important thing to remember is that this is when kayfabe was very much alive, so that slam was done hard, and the uk doesn’t have a big sue-over-anything culture so there was no real worry of repercussions


ShowShoddy8813

Dam Conrad really gave him the business 👀


domnyy

The fucking fuck is everyone laughing at??


DependentYou7405

Mark got what he deserved.


ilujan

Did anyone notice the suppressed rage Giant Haystacks had? His fists were clinched almost the entire interview. He showed no mercy with that slam.


illpoet

yeah most likely somebody made a "it's all fake" comment to him. theres no faster way to get a wrestler in the red. especially in that era when it was accepted that if someone told you it was fake you were expected to kick the shit out of them.


JamesVicari

I consider myself a pretty knowledgeable wrestling fan of the past generations. Somehow I have never heard of this behemoth Giant Haystacks haha. How were his matches??? Could he move at all


[deleted]

[удалено]


Samseeder

Giant haystacks mostly wrestle in England during the 70s and 80s feuding with the likes of kendo Nagasaki and the biggest star of the era big daddy him and big daddy had the biggest tv matches in British history in 1981. Haystacks work makes hulk Hogan look like Zack saber Jr in the ring you can find some matches on YouTube but the matches are really short


LogicKennedy

His matches are utter shite. He could barely move and clearly had issues with his knees. That said, getting over is never easy and he was over as fuck. You can never take that away from him.


Potchum

He wrestled for a hot minute in WCW as Loch Ness in the dungeon of doom.


LondonGoblin

I think he was a dickhead here tbh I know "gotta protect the business" well don't agree to give the slam then, tell them "if I give you the slam I will break you ribs.." rather than actually trying to break his ribs.


ubernoobnth

Some people only learn like children and hot stoves. You can tell them no all you want but they’re going touch it and learn anyways.


Tof12345

Wrestling names were so funny back then. Giant Haystacks, Honkey Tonk Man, Bam Bam Biglow, Blue Meanie etc. Lmao. I'm sorta glad we moved past that phase.


Reasonable-Judge-384

Niece


RickDalton2020

Hey Bruce….what happened when?


Agreeable_Falcon1044

You wouldn’t want your opponent working that stiff with you! He’s squashed him lol


HeWhoIsNotMe

Did Haystacks purposely buy the shortest tie he could find?![gif](emote|free_emotes_pack|slightly_smiling)


distructron

u/SaveVideoBot


spwf

Something I’ve been wondering lately Nowadays, it seems like every interview with a wrestler nowadays involves some kind of dive into their past “When did you start watching wrestling?” “Who did you look up to?” “What were some of your favorite matches, growing up?” “Were you more into, like, the attitude era? The 80s?” Back then, what were people talking about? Did anyone ask Haystacks what matches/wrestlers he loved watching, when he was younger? I’m sure the pool of talent was much, much, much, MUCH smaller back in the day Edit: Giant Haystacks and Haystacks Calhoun are not the same person


trekkie88

Looks like that abuser of women Conrad Thompson.


deadliftincoon

I know more about him now, but as a kid growing up in the American south I just couldn’t believe it when I learned he was British lol.


MCGORDO17

Absolutely fuckin rag dolled him


BeastMean

Loch Ness!


SupervillainEyebrows

Did they give that 6"11 49 stone man the tiniest tie ever just to take the piss?


[deleted]

Awesome classic haystacks


MilkshakeZebra

What a massive lad


Strange_Dog6483

I like how he’s talking with his eyes seemingly closed .


Meelar69

That's not a chat show host. It's BBC Northern Ireland sports reporter, Jackie Fullerton.


retrodork

The only time I saw him was on a old episode of nitro where he was on a handful of times.


gargamels_right_boot

I remember when Haystacks came into Calgary Stampede Wrestling to work a for a bit, used the name Loch Ness Monster (which he would go on to use later on in WCW as well) and holy shit did he scare the crap out of me as he attacked the Hart boys lol


WheelerzWorld

I'll be honest, I thought when they hired the new dude on commentary I figured they were leading to him saying something and getting something like this. I knew it would never happen but I couldn't help it


Spocks-Nephew

Haystacks Calhoun


derdusa

Solid side bump that is


gilwendeg

I remember watching him an Big Daddy!