Where Wrestling's Regional History Lives!
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Where Wrestling's Regional History Lives! |
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- Arnold Schwartz Makhan Singh/Mike Shaw Both names struck fear into wrestlers and fans alike throughout Stampede's silver age. Singh never knew how to do a step over toe hold or a reverse moonsault off the top rope. Another thing he knew little about was defeat. At well over 300lbs,Singh's timing couldn't be more perfect. Stampede was going through a huge revolution in the mid 80's. The lightweights were bucking the big men trend that was taking wrestling by storm. Benoit, Blackman, Owen were all finding wins flying and flipping their way to titles. But one big man stood out and atop usually with his hand held in victory. Makhan Singh. The vilians before him knew the importance of a loud voice in interviews. He went toe to toe with Ed Whelan every week and seemed to always get the last word. Often accusing Ed of blindness when Makhan used ulterior methods to win. The difference with Makhan and other vilians was he could back up when he boasted about crushing the Harts. Singh entered Stampede as Mike Shaw wrestling as a vilian. From Saginaw, Michigan, Mike struggled in ring. I don't know exactly when Mike entered Stampede. I am positive he entered when Stampede restarted in the mid-80's but I have met fans who swear he was in the territory in the early 80's wrestling on cards with Bret, Dynamite, and Davey Boy. If any fans have info, please let me know ok? I do remember him struggling as Shaw in the mid-80's. Perhaps everyone saw just another big man? Ironically if this was the case then the fans are responsible for the carnage that would follow when Shaw changed names and methods. As often happens in wrestling, wrestlers change face to gain attention but not Shaw. He remained a villain though his entire run in Stampede both as Shaw and Singh and oddly I think he enjoyed every minute of it. The great Gama Singh after years of battling the Hart family under Foley's tutelage knew he needed not just a tag team but a group of wrestlers to even the odds. The deck was stacked against Gama with Pillman, Owen, Benoit, Bassarab, Blackman,and Bill Kazmeier carrying the white hat tradition. Gama inherited Foley's army and as proud as he was Gama asked Shaw to join... but with a twist. Gone was the Foley's Army moniker. Gone was the England connection. Gama replaced it with "Karachi Vice". Mike Shaw was indoctrined on TV into Gama's gang. Gone was the mid-carder Mike Shaw. Enter Makhan Singh. At first fans laughed at the vice angle but those laughs faded fast as Makhan emerged. More...
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