 "Saturday 22nd December 2001 saw
Kendo's final match in a career spanning 38 years. The setting of the
Victoria Hall in Stoke On Trent bringing Nagasaki full circle for it was
in this very hall in 1966 that he defeated and unmasked Count Bartelli
which set him on the road to wrestling fame. The afternoon event was
attended by some 40 fans who had travelled from as far afield as Bath,
Edinburgh, Dorset and Hull. Lloyd Ryan was in very talkative mood as he
entertained those assembled with stories from his career in wrestling and
also showbusiness. Following a highly entertaining question-and-answer
session (with some great barracking from Mad Eli Collins) Lloyd went on to
sign copies of his new autobiography A View From The Rear.
Pictured: Kendo and manager, Lloyd Ryan
Pictured: Mike Furniss and Kendo.
Pictured: Ian Wilshaw, Rob Cope and Paul Douglas.
Nagasaki will be back !" |
Then the moment everyone had
waited for, to the sound of Lloyd Ryan's 70's single "Kendo's Theme" in
walked Nagasaki himself. Resplendent in black mask, he was presented on
behalf of his fans around the country with a special Kendo Nagasaki clock
and one of Kendo's fans, illustrator Mike Furniss, presented the
great man with a superb painting depicting moments from Nagasaki's unique
career. Although retaining his usual dignified silence, it was evident
that Kendo thoroughly appreciated the warm welcome from his most loyal
supporters. 
Later in the evening, Kendo
entered the wrestling arena for the last time looking very menacing in his
full Samurai outfit together with his entourage which included
representatives of the Keepers of the Salt, Nagasaki's official
followers. 
The final match was a four way
elimination table top contest. In the opposing corners were 2Xtreme,
"Anarchist" Doug Williams and popular James Mason. It would be folly to
suggest that Kendo's tactics were strictly legal all the way through, use
of the ceremonial salt to blind 2Xtreme in order to gain an elimination
fall caused controversy. In the final session of the contest it was
Nagasaki against Mason. Despite being one of Britain's brighest young
stars in the wrestling world, Mason's valiant efforts were no match for
Nagasaki who unleashed a devestating Kamakazi Crash before slamming Mason
through the table erected in the ring and gaining the winning fall.
The packed crowd at the Victoria
Hall saluted Nagasaki, the official Wrestler of the Millennium, as the
historic night drew to a close. It was a sad moment for those who had
followed Kendo Nagasaki's career over the years, but as Lloyd was at pains
to point out, although this might be the end of Nagasaki in the
ring, you certainly haven't seen the last of the masked Samurai.
No-one can ever predict where and when Nagasaki will appear, expect the
unexpected.