Ian Dean
Encyclopedia
Ian Dean is a retired professional wrestler
, best known as Doc Dean.
. He later teamed up with Robbie Brookside
to form The Liverpool Lads, a successful tag team
in Britain. Foreign Tours of Japan, Africa and Asia would arrive in the 1990s, along with a heel
turn on partner Brookside, setting up an exciting feud
between the two. On occasions, Dean would team up with the third member of The Liverpool Lads, Liverpool-born Frankie Sloan
.
In 1997, Dean was invited to attend the Super J Tournament in Japan
for New Japan Pro Wrestling
. In what could be considered the apex of his career, he was allowed to get a rub by being allowed to defeat Jushin "Thunder" Liger because of his potential to become a spectacular junior heavyweight. Later that year, he would sign a contract with World Championship Wrestling
(WCW). In what might be considered ironic to some and sardonic to others after his success and support in Japan, he was made an immediate jobber with all of his matches being squashes. One of his more infamous jobs
involved him being dominated and manhandled by female wrestler Jacqueline Moore
. He would work for them until 1998, when he decided to retire from wrestling as "His head was battered" from the business. Dean would use his US Green Card
to his advantage and set up his own plumbing
business in Florida
shortly after retiring.
In 2000, it was reported he was working occasional events for a local wrestling promotion in Florida. Brian Dixon of All Star Promotions has often tried to bring the Dean back to the United Kingdom
for a series of Liverpool Lads reunion tours but so far has been unsuccessful.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, best known as Doc Dean.
Career
Dean made his debut at the age of 14 in 1984 for All Star PromotionsAll Star Wrestling
All Star Wrestling is a British Professional wrestling promotion also known as All Star Promotions, Superslam Wrestling and Big Time Wrestling and originally known as Wrestling Enterprises , run by Brian Dixon and based in Liverpool, England...
. He later teamed up with Robbie Brookside
Robbie Brookside
Robert Edward Brooks , better known by his ring name Robbie Brookside, is a British professional wrestler. He has toured all over the world during his career including such countries as the United States, Japan, Germany, and Mexico...
to form The Liverpool Lads, a successful tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
in Britain. Foreign Tours of Japan, Africa and Asia would arrive in the 1990s, along with a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
turn on partner Brookside, setting up an exciting feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
between the two. On occasions, Dean would team up with the third member of The Liverpool Lads, Liverpool-born Frankie Sloan
Frankie Sloan
Frankie Sloan is an English professional wrestler from Liverpool. He appeared under his wrestling name on BBC quiz show The Weakest Link broadcast on 3 May 2011.-Total Nonstop Action Wrestling:...
.
In 1997, Dean was invited to attend the Super J Tournament in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
. In what could be considered the apex of his career, he was allowed to get a rub by being allowed to defeat Jushin "Thunder" Liger because of his potential to become a spectacular junior heavyweight. Later that year, he would sign a contract with World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW). In what might be considered ironic to some and sardonic to others after his success and support in Japan, he was made an immediate jobber with all of his matches being squashes. One of his more infamous jobs
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
involved him being dominated and manhandled by female wrestler Jacqueline Moore
Jacqueline Moore
Jacqueline DeLois Moore is an inactive American professional wrestler, who was most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. He would work for them until 1998, when he decided to retire from wrestling as "His head was battered" from the business. Dean would use his US Green Card
United States Permanent Resident Card
United States lawful permanent residency refers to a person's immigration status: the person is authorized to live and work in the United States of America on a permanent basis....
to his advantage and set up his own plumbing
Plumbing
Plumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...
business in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
shortly after retiring.
In 2000, it was reported he was working occasional events for a local wrestling promotion in Florida. Brian Dixon of All Star Promotions has often tried to bring the Dean back to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for a series of Liverpool Lads reunion tours but so far has been unsuccessful.
Championships and accomplishments
- All Star WrestlingAll Star WrestlingAll Star Wrestling is a British Professional wrestling promotion also known as All Star Promotions, Superslam Wrestling and Big Time Wrestling and originally known as Wrestling Enterprises , run by Brian Dixon and based in Liverpool, England...
- ASW British Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Robbie BrooksideRobbie BrooksideRobert Edward Brooks , better known by his ring name Robbie Brookside, is a British professional wrestler. He has toured all over the world during his career including such countries as the United States, Japan, Germany, and Mexico...
- ASW British Welterweight Championship (2 times)
- European Wrestling Union
- EWU European Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Robbie Brookside
- Other Championships
- British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipBritish Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship that although being created in England, it gained its biggest notoriety in Japan...