Johnny Saint vs. Mick McManus - World of Sport

December 4, 1976's edition of World of Sport saw Johnny Saint take on Mick McManus.

[@jenk1612]

Saturday afternoon, Mum in the kitchen cooking dinner. My dad and me in the living room watching the wrestling. Happy days, fond memories. I'm 66 years old now and this takes me right back. Mick McManus, most hated man in Britain on a Saturday afternoon.

[@MichaelCampin]

I disagree most hated man was the Canadian John Quinn

[@andrewburgess-linden9612]

Disagree, it was none other than the Iron Greek Spiros Arion

[@chris22326]

Love this on a Saturday afternoon. We all know it's fake but such good fun. My granny loved it she would shout at the telly and go mad if she saw any cheating. Those were the days, innocent and carefree.

[@daviddevine1030]

You are so right. Now we are talking wrestling 😊and fun! Cruel sadistic heel rule. Jobbers in pain selling the moves and more. Great job 👏🎉👌

[@smilodontiger5675]

I met Mick McManus at the Middlesex 7's one year. He was there as part of the Lord's Taverners charity. He was incredibly charming to the lady I was with without being creepy. A true Gentleman.

[@albertg63]

The British were truly the best at chain wrestling. Technically unbelievable.

[@acsysin]

Learnt about Saint from his match in Michinoku Pro, had to check out his work. Wholly different from what you see today

[@andrewmatthews6861]

Great days now very very sadly missed 😢😢😢😢😢

[@birdlanddj]

As an American, I knew the name Johnny Saint, but before KZbin had not seen any of his matches - or any British wrestling period. I love the technical skill here, the heavy emphasis on psychology, and how the rounds system makes it seem like a series of mini-matches. Yes, the pace is slower and the performers are smaller, but this is far more believable than most American TV wrestling, and is a jolt to watch.

[@deankeith830]

birdlanddj it's still an act though

[@Taylorslade123]

Really?!?!?

[@peterfenton2750]

Pantomine with pain..

[@DJT7362]

One match johnny saint had against Jim Breaks it is well worth watching. Jim Breaks spent the whole of round 4 or 5 having his nose spread over his face. Jim Breaks is approximately 85 and is in a mental asylum after murdering him ex girlfriend/ carer. If you watch that match you will see the skill of Johnny Saint. I won't spoil it for you and tell you the winner. We know it is all staged but there was a lot of skill in their day where as in America it is more of a brawl.

[@earache_barker]

@@DJT7362 That particular match with Breaks was flat-out amazing.

[@chlordet]

Despite having moved away from England in the 70s, I still remember Mick McManus. He was the heel before it became popular

[@honoredutrey]

Excellent acting from all concerned.

[@TheDarkWarlords]

man i love this. i am an American, and i was born April 12, 1981. this, to me, was a classic matchup between greats at their field. pure technical wrestling at its finest. i wish morn day wrestling was as straight forward as this.

[@daviddevine1030]

You are so right. Now we are talking wrestling 😊

[@johnweir4811]

Two of my favourites. Mcmanus was such a good heel, where as Johnny Saint, for lack of a better term was just 'cool'. Much better than Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks in my opinion.

[@WeTheStrange]

I reckon Johnny Saint is one of Britain's greatest ever wrestlers, along with George Kidd of course.

[@jamessim1858]

No surprise as the great Mr Kidd trained him up in Dundee like George a dedicated trainer

[@daviddevine1030]

You are so right. Now we are talking wrestling 😊 Great job 👏🎉👏

[@Mike-m4c]

real pity that there are so few if any videos of Kidd in action .@@daviddevine1030

[@ICHIBANDIPPER]

I miss sat afternoons so much, carefree, fish n chips, saying good morning to strangers, picking ip litter, helping each other, when wrestlers were heros, what's happened to this country.

[@digiman47]

McManus getting some of his own medicine. Does anyone have a video of Peter Preston beating McManus? Now that would also be great to see.

[@dennisisaacs6978]

No only London weekend television it was recorded on the 14th January 1977 mcmanus vs Peter Preston

[@RaymondJowett]

My father seldom watched TV dead of bone cancer now❤🎉🎉😢😮😮😅

[@michaeltovar9451]

sorry for your lost

[@JimmyFlame]

Incredible all-in wrestling. I love this stuff.

[@michaelorick2065]

Me too jimmy

[@willnicklen4196]

Two of the best

[@markcassidy1617]

One of the only times I can remember Saint “cheating” to win but as Kent Walton said he could probably beat him any time he wanted

[@earache_barker]

I read your comment before watching the finish and simply could not believe it. Johnny Saint… cheater? No way. And then, the finish. 😃

[@BackToTheBlues]

Mick McManus's hair always looked like it had been drawn on with a felt-tip pen. Two great atcion wrestlers, wrestling always made a very enjoyable precursor to Doctor Who...

[@krazyhorse448]

Great drop kicks from Saint

[@peterfenton2750]

Micks right saint layed down to fool ref..bizzare..

[@wolflupus788]

Good match time.!

[@christophersargeant6291]

My old dad loved mick McManus

[@chrisshaw5815]

Johny saint simply the best

[@davidedwards3361]

Well, it's certainly not WWE. But, back in the 70's in England, I used to love the wrestling, and remember Mick McManus well. I have since been trained with several wrestlers and been involved involved with 2 wrestling associations. 1 as a roadie/driver and the other as a referee. But I still enjoy the old matches.

[@Toracube]

Johnny Saint is our Lou Thesz.

[@huflungdung8252]

Toracube lmao

[@richardsharpe2966]

Could someone help me out with a question was Johnny Saint one of the few wrestlers to beat Mick McManus on TV

[@martinpygott3609]

Richard Sharpe yes he was. He also lost to Kung fu before he had the de-masking bout and also to Sammy Lee where he walked off. He also lost two tags to Kendo and George Gillette and also to Big daddy and a jobber.

[@m0rtrg]

Richard Sharpe I believe McManus wasn't 'beaten' by anyone on TV. His contract stridulate that. He did get disqualified here though. I thank Mal Saunders actually defeated him but that was not on telly.

[@jafar4marva]

Saint DID lie down ha ha

[@peteraustin370]

Peter Preston beat him on TV Mcmanus ended up throwing illegal punches to get himself disqualified! Preston had no intention of allowing Mcmanus to win! Mcmanus couldn't beat Preston!!

[@Isleofskye]

Blatantly but because it was fake , the TV crew never showed the obvious truth on the replay which we all can clearly see :)

[@garethbramley1]

And then when McManus retired he became a referee - lol. I thought refs were supposed to know the rules - not how to bend them.

[@criceto]

How were big those guys? Like 5'6' 160 pounds at best

[@arghydoodles1921]

Okay.

[@Taylorslade123]

They had weight classes, so size didn't really come into it. Also, take a guy like Adrian Street, who was about 5'8 or 5'9 and about 200lbs at best, yet he could legitimately stretch any 300lb guy he wanted to.

[@Dad-Gad]

My Nan hated Mick McManus and would shout at the telly how dirty he was , great times 👍

[@patrickmoler8025]

Johnny Saint was like his eras Bryan Danielson.

[@RealJustinCrow]

Want to see Johnny Saint in action? This Saturday, August 30th 2014, he will be in tag team action against another British Legend, Marty Jones, at Scottish Wrestling Entertainments Hell For Lycra XI at The Bonar Hall, Dundee! For more information on the promotion and event, check out facebook.com/sweonline and www.sweonline.co.uk

[@deankeith830]

RealJustinCrow how old is he ?

[@RichardFraser-mn5pe]

Eddie would have been proud!

[@scorpiochris3635]

Very strange how Johnny Saint laid down "weird"

[@leenwctv1]

Hilarious but great theatre

[@Isleofskye]

I may be wrong but I never EVER remember a "Best Of 3" ending 1/0 which, logically, should have happened every so often :). Also, it was very rare to see any contest end 2/0, and yet, obviously, if a wrestler has hurt his opponent and is leading he should be more likely to get the next fall or submission but only 5% of them ever did :)

[@gorgeousgeorge3947]

Kent Walton smoking Capstans at ring side.

[@Mike-m4c]

Nice bit of theatre.

[@KeithDeley]

Mick McManus always won , cauliflower ears

[@erniescullion8452]

That so fixed its hilarious.Evident the fall got Saint to equalise it was easier for mcmanus to fall forward. 😂😂😂

[@epicmasta400000000]

Huh?

[@Isleofskye]

I may be wrong but I never EVER remember a "Best Of 3" ending 1/0 which, logically, should have happened every so often :). Also, it was very rare to see any contest end 2/0 and yet, obviously, if a wrestler has hurt his opponent and is leading he should be more likely to get the next fall or submission but only 5% of them ever did :)

[@drewanderson2892]

Strange end - can it be that Saint cheated?

[@deankeith920]

IT'S ALL AN ACT !!!!

[@johnstrika9170]

Dean Keith Yet your dumbass keeps commenting

[@AldershotDave]

Odd that Kent Walton didn’t remark on the uncharacteristic fakery by Johnny Saint.

[@georgestott9645]

Xx

[@gordonbyatt7846]

Need wrestling back on TV proper wrestling not this American rubbish

[@RaymondJowett]

Totally agree with you 100 percent ❤

[@RaymondJowett]

Wrestler professional sweat for a reason not rocket science is iit?¿¤♤□♤♡♧♧¥€}}||\~

[@DanDgl01]

Not a fan, of this sport!

[@jaymythxxxx]

Yet here you are...

[@erniescullion8452]

Cheating Saint all staged.