MICK McMANUS: The Most Hated Man in Britain!! - Wrestle Me Review

Hear the FULL EPISODE AND MANY MORE at / wrestleme
Marc & Pete paint their scalp with printer ink as they dive into the hair-raising history of British wrestling legend MICK MCMANUS!!!
Hosted by Marc Haynes & Pete Donaldson; Edited by BanyaBat
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Follow Marc Haynes at: / marchaynes
Follow Pete Donaldson at: / petedonaldson
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wrestling, wwe, wwf, wcw, vince mcmahon, wrestle me, podcast, review, commentary, tnt, lord alfred hayes, raw, monday night wars, world championship wrestling, world wrestling entertainment, world wrestling federation, 90s, undertaker, paul bearer, wrestlemania, hogan, hulk, hulk hogan, 1986, roddy piper, hulkamania, jesse ventura, shoot match, shoot, wrestling shoot, rick rude, mark starr, ravishing rick rude, wcw champion, secret, secret shoot, 90's wrestling, goldberg, streak, 1997, 1998, wcw monday nitro, spiros arion, colin joynson, bruno sammartino, world of sport, british wrestling, itv, big daddy, wwwf, loch ness, giant haystacks, shirley crabtree, wembley, british wrestling, wembley, mississippi mauler, jim harris, big jim harris, kamala, memphis wrestling, mick mcmanus, jackie pallo, mr tv, fa cup final

[@burntreynolds1068]

My 70 year old Father insists that we watch this together during our weekend visit. 🤣

[@ifgwelf]

Comments like this is why I love WrestleMe

[@burntreynolds1068]

We even saw Summer Slam 92 & Big Daddy's final non-televised match together ; BD was signing teddy bears [still have mine somewhere] and I remember that he whiffed of microwaved spam.

[@jeyfromnowhere]

I love this so much.

[@AshRiot81]

Absolutely wholesome 💯 good on you

[@robrob9250]

Love this. I wish Wrestle Me was around when my grandparents were here, they used to tell me about these guys whenever I talked about WWF/WCW, and the more I watch WM the more I get why these guys were such a big deal in their day. Rollerball Rocco is the greatest wrestler I've ever seen, I'd have loved to ask about him had I known what I do now thanks to WM.

[@Blandalorian]

I love all of Wrestle Me’s content, but Pete and Mark talking about classic British wrestling is when they’re at their absolute best.

[@scpjack7856]

When my great grandmother’s dementia was as getting worse, she came on holiday with us. I had a PS2 with one of the SVR games and she always said “I remember when it was Jackie Pallo and Mick McManus” over and over again. Imagine her shock when I booted up Legends of Wrestling 2 and starting playing as McManus.

[@CaptianBastard7]

McManus is in L.O.W.2?? Is he a promoter??

[@irljesus9396]

The fact that Mick Mcmanus technically drew more than hulk hogan before an FA Cup Final is wild haha

[@philipglover3295]

Mick McManus looked like someone Fred Dinage would have interviewed for a documentary about the Krays

[@eddiecatflap3838]

Mick McManus was my favourite wrestler as a kid. I was in an arcade on Cleethorpes sea front with my mum when i spotted him. I pointed him out to my mum . She walked over and told him i was a fan of his and he laughed and shook my hand. He said something along the lines of "dont you like Big Daddy" and i told him no because he looks stupid ( i was only 7) .

[@ifgwelf]

😂 this is a great heel thing to say to a child

[@Anthony-fk7yn]

Mick McManus looks like the groundsman player and manager of every football team in England in 1955.

[@pendafen7405]

Haircut F.C.

[@chaosnexxus9255]

Also the man in a long white coat who brings a tray of pints in dimple jugs into the teams's changing room during half time.

[@footballhipster]

​@@pendafen7405 Probably spent a few seasons in either Isthmian League or Athenian League.

[@mezmanmerrill7412]

Absolutely love the British wrestling videos. Its honestly like looking back to a lost world one that my nana and grandad often mentioned but I couldn’t comprehend. Keep it up.

[@ifgwelf]

Marc referencing old British society and culture always makes me chuckle. 😭

[@grahammcdonald]

I’ve been telling people about jack’s f-ing creation for years but forgot his name was Jack so I had zero evidence. Nice one! Love you guys

[@jasonwalsh74]

Hello Gents I just popped in to tell you that I absolutely love your podcasts they’ve really helped me learn about British wrestling in such an entertaining way. So hello from Canada and I very much look forward to more episodes. Also Pete I also am a fan of yours because I’m a gigantic Abroad in Japan. So cheers blokes and keep up the great work

[@brandonfields613]

I so enjoy learning all about British wrestling from you guys. As someone from the Southern United States I didn't even know who Big Daddy was until I tuned into Wrestle Me! Now I'm quite the afficionado lol

[@davek.1186]

it's wild that so many guys wrestling on TV in the most widely-known era of World of Sport were in their 50s at the time. there's definitely a benefit to that lower-impact style.

[@fattiger6957]

This channel has become my looking glass into the 1980s UK.

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

The ref in the first match fought the Soviets in the Hungarian uprising in 1958 and was able to escape

[@footballhipster]

You mean 1956?

[@bowdenproductions]

It’s weird to see McManus without hearing the organ now

[@jennybates]

Mick McManus booked the Big Daddy Vs Giant Haystacks match, at Wembley, where Stax went through a table.

[@blackterren34]

Not the Shoji Tabuchi reference 😂

[@geraintgriffiths9435]

He looks like the bloke that lives in the bookies

[@davidlevy706]

You forgot to mention the singing duo that Jackie Pallo formed with Paul Simon.

[@GodLovesYou828]

Thats my my great uncle and i have tons of his footage, i have to get it on KZbin

[@ifgwelf]

The people need the vintage McManus

[@Ceaseless_Watcher]

Please?

[@Vast3.14]

They're always saying on thos podcast that they want to know about any old footage so they can help keep it from getting lost to history

[@WrestleMe]

Please please do! It's so easy for British wrestlers to slip through the cracks and Mick deserves to have his legacy preserved as best as we can. I would LOVE to see that footage like you wouldn't believe!

[@mathiansim8573]

We'll all keep begging until you do.

[@ifgwelf]

The fact I knew immediately who this was from the last video outro, with the Count Dracula organ music and jet black dyed dome. Love when you guys delve into the old British scene. It's so interesting.

[@cjmarren86]

I popped so hard when that appeared!

[@Stonehopper1067HMG]

I’m glad you chaps have this channel. Without it, me and many other casual fans wouldn’t know how rich the history is in British wrestling.

[@ainsleygaming8547]

Cat weasel and McManus… “ you think you’re special…..”🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@vaudevillian7]

Absolutely love it when you cover British wrestling, pure gold I need that Being Mick McManus poster now, that whole segment was incredible, and spot on

[@hurricanebtvs]

Mick McManus being compared to Shoji Tabuchi was not something I was prepared for.

[@HereIsRick]

I love it when you guys have videos about old British wrestlers. These are people I've mostly never heard of so it's fun to lean about wrestling on the other side of the pond

[@jeanlongsden1696]

I hope they do a video of Leon Arras, better known outside of wrestling as Brian Glover.

[@londonEnglishVideos]

Kent Walton really knew how to push the likes of MM. "He really does not need to indulge in these dirty tricks, he does have significant wrestling skills" Interesting video - didn't know MM had the printing background, so would have good biz advantages for promotion.

[@L_Train]

Im glad you made this into a video. Its not the same when I'm listening and googling images. Then I'll stop for a bit and try to watch a match then listen some more. Its a lot of work, thanks lol

[@pendafen7405]

17:30 is a lovely illustration in practise of how someone doesn't need higher education or experience in 'high' art & performance to understand, utilise and impart complex dramatic concepts such as catharsis. McManus was evidently very intelligent.

[@br0wnd]

So glad you didn't show Shoju Tabuchi's violin. NASA's gotta be 10x worse with takedowns than WWE to deal with.

[@Kaltagstar96]

This is what I love about this channel, seeing the old British wrestlers and people like McManus, Jackie Pallo and all them; part of me thinks that current BritWres needs a Mick McManus type figure, just a mean, old bugger who'll tie you in knots and kick your teeth down your throat for fun.

[@Ceaseless_Watcher]

Doug Williams

[@Kaltagstar96]

@@Ceaseless_Watcher Ooh, that's a really good shout, I actually wasn't sure if Williams was still active on the scene, it feels like he's been working forever.

[@ggenie7489]

My mum hated mick Mcmanus, in one of the times i was brave enough to go to see wrestling with her, which was twice by the way. I saw her stick her hand through the ropes and pinch his calf , i don't think he felt it. But never again mother I'll stay at home. I was about 7ish at the time. It never stopped her she was taking my niece to go and see it until she was to ill to go anymore.

[@josephchaparro1037]

I give zero shits about British wrestling but some how you guy pull me in with fun facts and entertaining side stories 😎👍

[@NegotiableHemingway]

He’s no Tom Thumb 👍🏻

[@SteelSunday]

He remembered by even people who were not wrestling fans, "Who the old guy that had hair that was ridiculous jet black like shoe polish?" asked my relative, Mick McManus? That's the guy.

[@stevenc123]

Jack Taylor was the name of the fat man with the odd hair in case anyone is wondering.

[@dsriggs]

8:24 YEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! SHOOOJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@RyKells]

Good to see a few clips of his long running feud with Rick Wakeman in there. Great stuff as always! I hope Pete gets money from the Vantablack guy, he’s kept it front of mind for me for what must be the best part of a decade 😂

[@cutekanjii]

I see Conrad Thomson's dad was featured in this video

[@Independentfellow]

Hed wear a rolex, but itd be dodgy. “Fauxlex”

[@WrestleMe]

One with only 10 hours on it, perfect!

[@dingledonk8027]

the original dracula flow!

[@LeslieMorris]

I loooooooooove these episodes. Could you do more about the bookers and organisational structures.

[@WallyTony]

My grandmother would talk about him all the time.

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

“NOT THE EARS!”

[@AshRiot81]

Oh man, this guy in Johnny saint are probably my favorite British wrestlers, McManus was a genius heel! I'd love it if you guys could ever cover the WAW and specifically Jimmy Ocean and Ricky Knight the Super Flies!

[@jonavr1]

The man who made my Nan swear

[@andrewmettler2228]

Mick McManus vs. Mick McMichael is the most aggressively British wrestling match imaginable.

[@pendafen7405]

1:08 people were tiny back then. I'm 5'7 and 11 stone. I'm female. And I'm not ripped nor overweight, and not even the tallest or heaviest in my family or on my street by a long shot.

[@r9eaper]

Mick hair looks like it's been coating in "Black Jack" bitumen xD lol

[@samspurgeon4222]

Where's the Dracula organ music intro? You used to always make me pop when he showed up!

[@craigcharlesworth1538]

McManus's hair is made out of dark matter. It's well known that physicists studied him back in the 80s.

[@danishhald]

Ha!

[@kurtvanderbogarde8402]

Granada TV has films of LOTS of 1960s wrestling under lock and key. They charge stupid money to look through it, The footage of McManus Vs Pallo in this video comes from the Granada archive - the match cost serious money to find. It was screened in full at a Wrestlers Reunion a few years ago.

[@kurtvanderbogarde8402]

There is also a lot of footage of many 1960s UK Stars from French TV which is up on YT.

[@krenwregget7667]

he really looks like actor Tom Wilkinson.

[@WorldCupWillie]

I imagine McManus had a jaguar and could get hold of pirate videos. He didn't sell them or anything. You'd just see a VHS tape with "ROCKY 3" written on it, go "wow, it that really the new Rocky?" and he hand it to you and say "yeah, not bad. You can have it" You couldn't understand how he could give away something so valuable 😂

[@hjdoom3485]

Love McManus. I'd give anything to see a heel get that kind of heat in 2024. Generally when a crowd hates a wrestler that much these days it's because they want them to just go away. I can't think of the last wrestler who I just wanted to see get their storyline comeuppance with every fibre of my being. Part of it is that the rhythms of the pro-wrestling calendar have changed. Roman Reigns did some great heel work and I think the audience was very invested in him losing but was he going to lose the title outside of wrestlemania? Very unlikely. Even in the later footage which is all we have to go on McManus is so good at making it look like the challenger has a chance. I also love his ear business and how Walton always chuckles at his shennanigans.

[@marcgoodall89]

Mick reminds me of Barry out of Time Gentlemen Please.

[@stutheironman]

My nana HATED McManus. When Wrestling Channel showed all of the reruns of World of Sport, I'd watch it with her. She'd be simmering in her seat the whole time before she'd burst out with him being a dirty man with shoe polish hair. The hair comment was one of the funniest things I'd ever heard her say. What wrestling is really missing these days is the angry grannies in the front row picking fights with the wrestlers.

[@flatliner3802]

Jack Taylor … brilliant 😂😂

[@granpastreetz]

Shoji Tabuchi! 8:22

[@RazorChampion99]

Oh my god, he looks so much like Frank Butcher from Eastenders. In all seriousness, watching World Of Sport on the old TWC Fight channel and Men & Movies (yeah, I'm showing my age here) introduced me to lot of the old timey 70s and 80s British wrestlers like Johnny Saint, Johnny Kwango, Kendo Nagasaki, Robbie Brookside, and also Mick McManus who was a fantastic heel.

[@bigrigjoe5130]

My dad was a wrestling fan when he was a kid and McManus + Les Kellett were the two he remembers. Despite hating them and wanting them to lose at the time He told me McManus was always billed as "The Man You Loved To Hate." and one time was advertised as celebrity particpant in a charity cricket match my dad went to. McManus turned up severeal hours late, in street clothes, refused to play, sat at the sidelines watching for less than an hour, spoke to no one and then left. Pissing off everyone involved. Heel heat or just being a douchebag? Who knows.

[@dildonius]

I _think_ that was just him keeping up kayfabe. Imagine the heat he'd have gotten the next time he wrestled in that area.

[@coffeefan]

Heat, for sure

[@danielcraig4974]

More World Of Sport goodness lads. How about Fit Finlay?

[@lewisb85]

Mick trained raf regiment troops during the war. The raf regiment being responsible for base security etc.

[@jamesmaclennan4525]

He had a long running feud with the great George Kydd

[@WrestleMe]

Another chap who's there not really any footage of him in his prime - there's footage of them towards the end of their careers, but we've all missed out on the golden years

[@jamesmaclennan4525]

Yeah he only ever wrestled 22 times on TV when he was in his late 30's and early 40's..I met Kidd once as small boy when he was wrestling at the Empire Theatre in Inverness as World Lightweight Champion a belt he held for 24 years(Let's see you beat that Gunther!!)..McManus was on the Bill too but I cannot recall if I met him.

[@StillABigKid]

I was always under the impression McManus picked his name because it sounded Irish, for cheap heel heat.

[@jimmyjarrett-ws2iz]

Dutch mantell is legit. He was in Vietnam. "Charlie were coming out the trees man,"

[@SuperFunkmachine]

Same with Jesse Ventura, Mr.T. (not at war) and Road Dogg. (not at war) but they did there time in the US military.

[@jimmyjarrett-ws2iz]

@@SuperFunkmachine Ventura was in Vietnam and Road Dogg was in the first Iraq war. Not sure about Mr T

[@rhysdenisnorton7311]

Jackie Pallo lived near my hometown and genuinely was q great guy. Told all the kids how wrestling worked.

[@-th1rty3-]

Thought the UK's fattest man footage was a Little Britain skit.

[@sonanderson6351]

Think Pallo and McManus first wrestled on BBC1

[@Awes0max13]

Popped hard for Shoji Tabuchi

[@andrewhead6267]

Mick McManus was a working class man from a different era. Devoted to his wife, and when she died, he basically starved himself to death in grief.

[@GeordieJamie84]

British wrestling problem is the back stage drama was much better than the in the ring stuff 😂

[@Ceej_MM]

Mick McManus was our Harley Race. Didn't look like a wrestler, just looked like some old dude with wierd hair, but he would kick the absolute shit out of you.

[@rott3nappl3s]

good good shit, as alway,s thanks banyabat, forrest whitaker made me laugh my ass off when he popped up last time, and i learned today on the podcast that apparently louis theroux has fans that are as obnoxious as he is? well well well i find all of this very hard to believe ; D

[@Drunkytron]

Yay, more British Wrestling!

[@maykesantana9532]

every time i watch a video about British Wrestling i wonder how and why brazilian wrestling adopted a very similar style in the 60s

[@arthurj.downeyjr.2013]

👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@GeordieJamie84]

As my grandad always said McManus did a good turn 😂😂😂😂🧛🏻 even if he did use duburn for brilcream, my grandad was a funny Fu*a

[@horgh_japan]

I strongly suggest you watch World of Wrestling, a short movie from 2007 paying homage to World of Sports' greats. It's a hoot.

[@kellylewis8087]

Anyone else remember what X rated thing happened in a bout v Len Hurst on TV. I couldn't believe my eyes.

[@drail37]

Can you tell that BanyaBat is a huge fan of RedLetterMedia?

[@keironhiggspoet]

The bela lugosi of pro wrestling. his clone with the similar name looks like one of the boot boy/suedeheads of the early 70s. i believe the the fattest man was from Bradford, can't say with from kellet from there also they knew how to breed em.

[@genericanamesworthiv8359]

Was that voice off camera around 10:08 Louis Theroux?

[@Rocketboy1313]

William Matthews? Even his real name is generic English man's name.

[@EgoCityGamingUK]

He looks like he used shoe polish on his head, I remember my grandad has some stuff that black.

[@user-lc9zj6zl1e]

do video about john elijah

[@1alsturgeon]

Jack Taylor was his name. Wasn't the fattest man in Britain and became very pissed off about it in the documentary lol.

[@VisualTedium]

You guys ever have a Camberwell Carrot?

[@ozzythecats]

Carrot shaped and made in camberwell

[@itswilbur3747]

What is the music at the end of these videos?

[@DavysFlicks]

"He was born in 1920 so was in his early 20s when the war started" - guys, don't give up the wrestling for either a history or maths pod!

[@VillaFanDan92]

He was referring to the Cold War, obviously.

[@RexMundi_UTC]

Is those McManus related to the McManus promoters from Australia?

[@WrestleMe]

Don't believe so!

[@rtctchr]

I'm 7 minutes in and no organ burst yet, very disappointed haha

[@jammiebooker6489]

Eddie Munster all grown up

[@hatchetmouth8211]

I doubt anyone is more hated than Jimmy Saville there.

[@nailmcnugget9284]

My grandad was Mick McLoughlin and I assure you he wasn't a wrestler

[@juliodepierola297]

🕵‍♂

[@superfly781]

Dave courtney went to collect a debt from mick McManus he banged the door m ick opened the door told him fuck off n courtney walked away classic mick was all man n a yard wide

[@therealblackpope]

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