drop-kixx instructor biographies

Dropkixx founder Frankie Rimer was introduced to the world of wrestling and physical culture at the tender age of twelve when he was saved from drowning by former Mr. Universe and World weightlifting Champion Johnnie Yearsley (pictured below). Johnnie held over twenty world strength records, and was a household name as a TV wrestling superstar and arch villain of the ring.

	Having lost his own father in a car crash, Frankie was soon "adopted" by big John who took him under his wing, teaching him at his private gym in Bexley, Kent. Here, physique stars and famous wrestlers dropping by were a daily occurrence, which only served to fuel Frankie's ambition to join them. Names like another former Mr. Universe Sean Connery the actor (then a milkman), Wayne Bridges, (Heavyweight Champion of the world), a friend for the last forty-five years, Leon Fortuna, "Bad Boy" Bobby Barnes, and many more.
Johnnie Yearsley		Frank Rimer

Around this time, John persuaded the youngster to enter a local junior bodybuilding show, which he won outright. Further minor successes followed, culminating in taking the Junior Mr. South East England title at the Scala Theatre in 1959. Subsequently, the great Oscar Heidenstein made him a life member of the NABBA Health and Strength League at his offices in Camberwell.

Frankie was also being schooled in high board diving by European Champion Perry Blake, joining an aqua display team. His partner in the displays was Brian Phelps, who went on to win an Olympic gold medal. The lido at Danson Park, Bexley was a mecca for wrestlers and athletes to train, and Frankie often skipped school to hang out there with pals like Ronnie Carroll (pictured below) and, at fourteen, he enrolled as member of the ROFSA wrestling club in Woolwich, where he learnt the rudiments of amateur wrestling. This was followed by spells at the United and Viking Clubs.

	Later that year, Frankie joined the famous Sparta wrestling club in London, where under the guidance of former Olympic medallist Ken Irvine he won the Southern Area Championship in 1960. Following that success, he then turned his attention to his real goal of becoming a Professional wrestler. His final amateur bout being against the then reigning Champion and Captain of the National squad, Gordon Hill, to whom he lost in two rounds. This bout was the most memorable of his amateur career, although he broke his shoulder during the match.
Ronnie Carroll		Ken Irvine

Dale- Martin Promotions finally accepted Frankie as a trainee, where he was taught by the incomparable Mike Demitri, a former shoot wrestling Champion of the World. It was here that he befriended Ray Fury who was also beginning his illustrious career, which would culminate in being crowned the Light heavyweight Champion of Europe and to achieve shoot/submission skills that were to devastate any opponents that stood in his way, to the point where he was ranked in the top ten fighters in the world. The boys developed a friendship that is still firm after forty-two years.

Whilst learning, the teenager gathered valuable experience by working for Independent Promoters, with regular tours to the West Country, often working in fairground booths against all comers. His first outing for Dales was against the remarkable Rajendra Singh who gave the beginner five rounds of hell. During the following years, he worked constantly, gathering experience against most mat-men of the day including Stefan Milla, Jimmy Ryan, Peter Rann, Jimmy Sullivan, Billy Stock, Tommy Grant, Joe Murphy etc.

	By the late sixties, Frankie had met another rising star: "The Gay One" Vince Randell, with whom he formed both a tag partnership and friendship that still thrives today, with Vince being a senior Instructor at Dropkixx. Together they barn stormed the rings against opponents such as the Borg Twins, Harry Kendall and Duarmid Hegarty. He would occasionally be asked to wrestle up a weight division and be matched against men like former Heavyweight Champion of England: "Pretty boy" Mel Stuart, who was awesome opponent for the welterweight to tackle, but became a friend & senior Dropkixx Instructor
Frankie Rimer		Bob Archer O'Brien

In 1969, Ray Fury and Frank formed a new Promotions Company called Independent Joint Promotions, and having recruited over two hundred of the biggest stars in the UK, such as Joseph Zaranoff, the late Roger Wells, Jack Dempsey etc., travelled all over Britain putting on some of the most exciting displays ever seen. Simultaneously, the boys introduced security officers to the new popular pub disco scene, providing wrestlers to Watneys and others at venues in London. TV stars like Bill Verna, Sonny Collindos, Johnny Kincaid, Yuri Borienko could be found on their nights off guarding the doors of some of the most prestigious haunts in club land. Eventually, this sector of the business spread to the University campus gigs and another facet was born: Rock 'n'Roll revivals, featuring great names like Chuck Berry, Shakin Stevens, Bo Diddley etc.

The wrestling shows regularly attracted a thousand punters per outing, and even the BBC was negotiating a TV contract, interviewing Frankie on "Sportsnight with Coleman". The partnership continued to flourish through the eighties, but in 1981, Frankie was badly shaken by the sudden death of his mentor, the great Johnnie Yearsley, after-which he virtually retired from the business. He became interested in helping deprived children and began teaching wrestling and physical culture at the National Association of Boys Clubs, where he was made an Official Instructor.

	As a hobby, he took up Okinawan karate, under the auspices of Grand Master Tatsuo Suzuki, where he won several belts. Frankie continued to make sporadic wrestling appearances working for the Independent Promoters such as Max Crabtree and Brian Dixon, until the early nineties, when following a nasty back injury, decided to hang up his boots. These days Frankie is running a successful property development company and prefers to take a back seat although he can be found wrestling with the food and raffles at the Annual Wrestlers Reunion
Reg Trood		Frank Rimer

The Committee: "Bomber" Pat Roach, Wayne bridges Tony Scarlo and Joe D'Orazio organise these functions, attracting hundreds of wrestlers, actors and associated folks from all over the world, with great legendary performers such as Dave Prowse (Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies), Joe Robinson (star of James Bond films and Kid for two farthings), and do immense good in the cause of promoting the ring of friendship amongst former athletes. Frank now has a son, Frankie Rimer Junior, who although still a schoolboy, is ironically aspiring to become a grappler, following in Dad's footsteps, and the sole reason for Frank Senior creating the Dropkixx legend.


demo of an arm roll	Ken Shaw	demo of a neck drop

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