Ian Dean (3 July 1970 – 13 August 2018) was an English

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

, best known as Doc Dean. He worked for

All Star Wrestling All Star Wrestling (ASW) is a British professional wrestling promotion operated by Brian Dixon and based in Birkenhead, England. Founded as Wrestling Enterprises of Birkenhead in October 1970, it has also been known over the years as All Star P ...

, often teaming with

Robbie Brookside Robert Edward Brooks (born 11 March 1966), better known by his ring name Robbie Brookside, is an English retired professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he works as a trainer/producer for the NXT brand. He has toured all ov ...

as The Liverpool Lads. In 1997, he participated on

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...

Best of the Super Juniors The Best of the Super Juniors (often abbreviated BOSJ) is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), typically in May or June. Originally known as Top of the Super Juniors, the first tournament was held in ...

tournament, defeating

Jushin Thunder Liger , better known as and later , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is the longest-tenured member of the NJPW roster, having wrestled for the company since h ...

. He also worked televised matches for

World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...

in the late 1990s.

Professional wrestling career

Dean made his debut at the age of 14 in 1984 for

(ASW). He worked for the promotion throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He teamed with

to form The Liverpool Lads, a successful

tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

. Together, they held the ASW British Tag Team Championship twice. They team disbanded after Dean turned on partner Brookside, setting up a feud between the two. They were the subject of a BBC2 video diary that captured matches, backstage footage, and details about life on the road. On occasions, Dean teamed up with the third member of The Liverpool Lads, Frankie Sloan. The three toured Africa, Asia, and Europe. As a singles wrestler, Dean also held the ASW British Welterweight Championship twice. In 1997, Dean attended the

tournament for

, during which he defeated

and Chavo Guerrero Jr. He met

Chris Jericho Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler and singer. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of the Jerich ...

in Japan, who later recounted their time together in his autobiography ''A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex''. Later that year, he signed a contract with

(WCW) and appeared on ''

WCW Saturday Night ''WCW Saturday Night'' is an American weekly Saturday night television show on TBS that was produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Launched in 1971 initially by Georgia Championship Wrestling, the program existed through various incarn ...

'' and ''

WCW Main Event ''WCW Main Event'' is an American televised wrestling program of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) that aired from April 3, 1988 to January 3, 1998. For most of its run, it was the promotion's secondary show and aired on Sunday evenings on TBS. ...

'' as enhancement talent. Dean worked for WCW until July 1998, when he decided to retire from wrestling due to injuries.

Personal life

Dean set up his own

plumbing Plumbing is any system that conveys fluids for a wide range of applications. Plumbing uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids. Heating and cooling (HVAC), waste removal, and potable water deliv ...

business in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

shortly after retiring. He later had to quit his job due to neck and back injuries. He had three children. His had his son Adam with female wrestler

Klondyke Kate Jayne Porter is an English female professional wrestler known by her ring name Klondyke Kate. She wrestled for All Star Wrestling, holding their British Women's Championship, which she won in a match featured in a BBC2 documentary. She also ...

. On 13 August 2018, Dean died from a heart attack at his home in Orlando, Florida; he was 48 years old. After his death, Klondyke Kate opened a fundraising page to raise money to send Dean's body across the Atlantic to be buried in his hometown of Liverpool.

Championships and accomplishments

:* ASW British Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with

:* ASW British Welterweight Championship (2 times) *

European Wrestling Union European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

:*EWU European Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Robbie Brookside *Other Championships :*

British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship The British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship that although being created in England, it gained its biggest notoriety in Japan. Not long after its creation the title made its way to Michinoku Pro ...

( 1 time)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dean, Ian 1970 births 2018 deaths English male professional wrestlers Sportspeople from Liverpool English emigrants to the United States British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Champions