'sDOA is set to end 2023 on a high as it heads back to the Drill House in Great Yarmouth on Saturday 9th December for its 100th show.  What a milestone this is, but lets not forget that the last time DOA was at the Drill House back in October, it was another milestone - the 10 year anniversary.  As usual that show was a roller coaster of emotions, but the lasting image for me was that one of Sunset Skip sat looking dejected in the ring as his time in DOA came to an end.  

Sunset Skip without doubt has been one of the most colorful and fun characters to ever step foot in DOA, or british wrestling as a whole it could be argued.  This is a man who has given everything to please the fans and has always had that cheeky look in his eyes.  Whenever Sunset Skip's music hit, you always knew some magic was going to be created.  This is a man who has seen and done it all, a man who learned his craft back in the old days of the territories. 

There's many a story he could tell, in fact too many to even detail in one article.  Lets not forget he is the only wrestler who has ever been offered the presidency of the United States, a chance he ended up declining, probably because he was so focused on wrestling.  Legend has it he even once wrestled Hulk Hogan at Maddison Square Garden for the old WWF title - a match he won but sadly it was never recognised in the history books.  I guess that moment of magic will only ever be remembered by the packed crowd who shuffled into the Garden that warm summers evening back in 1984.  Whilst visiting the states a few years back I did see some guy walking around wearing a T Shirt proclaiming 'I was there when Skip beat Hulk'.  Oh, and did you know he is the only wrestler in the world to wrestle inside of a volcano? That may explain his glowing tan.

With this kind of history, it hardly seems fair that Sunset Skip's time in DOA came to a crashing end in the manner that it did.  So who is the culprit or the culprits behind the demise of Sunset Skip? Lets take a little trip back to 2022 and look at how things escalated between Sunset Skip and the Farrell Family led by Lord Steven Farrell.  It is vital to know the history here to fully understand exactly what happened back in October. 

It is May 2022 and Sunset Skip has a little run in with the Beach City Blondes (Sam Santari and Jaiden Docwra) who at the time were aligned with Lord Steven Farrell.  It seems the Lord took some of Skip's comments personally and ended up costing Skip his match against Danny Darko that evening.  However, Skip was having none of it and made sure he had the last laugh as he downed Farrell with a trademark bionic elbow.  This was the perfect set up for a match between the pair in August of that year and on that hot summers night, everyone was behind Skip.  This was a turning point though as it was the night when the Farrell Family as we know it started to come together.  The brute Rexx Wylde caused a major distraction during the match which allowed Farrell to knock Skip out with the brass knuckles and get a very cheeky victory. A feud lasting over a year had begun.

Skip was not going to let things lie but his problems got bigger when the Family started to grow and Brad O'Brien was introduced as their new Jewell in the crown.  Whilst at another promotion, Skip was suddenly jumped backstage by a masked man and his prized Pan Arabian Championship was stolen.  It came as no surprise that O'Brien suddenly started to parade around with the belt and revealed he was the masked attacker.  It was getting all quite overwhelming for Skip, not only did he want revenge on Farrell for the match in August, he wanted his belt back from O'Brien.  At the 9 year anniversary show he had the opportunity to at least even the score with Lord Steven as they both featured in a big 6 man tag team match.  Again, Skip had the match won but whilst the referee was distracted, Brad O'Brien slid in the ring and nailed him with his own belt.  Skip had been cheated yet again and the feud had to continue as the Family really had become a thorn in his side. 

Skip had a huge chance in March 2023 to not only get one over on Brad O'Brien, but to finally get back his Pan Arabian title, a belt that O'Brien had since renamed the Social Media championship.  It appeared to be Skip's last chance and he went into that match with a score to settle, but further underhanded tactics made him fall short yet again.  O'Brien was able to parade around with the so called Social Media Championship, and Skip was a bit lost without it.  However, he started to fight back despite the numbers always being against him and finally defeated Farrell in a singles match which was appropriately a brass knuckles on a pole match.  All he then needed to do was finally get his hands on O'Brien to get that belt back. 

The veteran had to wait until the second half of 2023 though when DOA came to Bury St Edmunds.  O'Brien had been out injured and so Skip was the first man in the line to request a match with O'Brien for the championship once it was confirmed he would be back in action.  Prior to this, Sunset Skip had enjoyed a big victory as he had won the Go 4 Glory briefcase meaning he could cash in on any championship.  He intended to use this prize to get back what was his but it was not valid as the Social Media championship was not (is not) a recognised official DOA championship.  There was a Plan B though and O'Brien agreed to put the title on the line if Skip put the briefcase on the line.  There was no hesitation and it was all or nothing for Skip as the two men went head to head yet again, in a feud that had spanned over a year at this point.  

It was not to be and yet again the numbers game was too much for Skip and a distraction from old rival Lord Steven Farrell who was ringside with O'Brien cost him the match.  Everything had gone full circle and something had to give ahead of the 10 year anniversary show which is where Skip was set to battle Farrell yet again after the match was made by then Director of Authority Marc Lloyd.  At this point, Skip would still do anything to get back his prized belt and Farrell agreed to defend the Social Media championship on O'Brien's behalf, but yet again there was a catch.  This time Skip had to put his career on the line! 

Never one to back down, Skip agreed and the pressure was on when he walked out at the Drill House.  They say history never repeats but the way it all unfolded looked very familiar, Brad O'Brien yet again being involved in the downfall of Skip as Steven Farrell pinned him to bring down the curtain on his time in DOA.  As Farrell and O'Brien celebrated, the usual cheery figure of Skip sat in the ring attempting to come to terms with what had just happened.  It was a sad sight and even in his post match interview with AK, the glint in the eye of Sunset Skip had gone as he talked about now riding off into the sunset.    

So who really was responsible for this downfall? Both O'Brien and Farrell have been a thorn in the side, and probably as bad as each other.  However, lets look at the facts here, Brad O'Brien is the one who has taken everything from Skip - first his prized title, then his go 4 glory briefcase, and then finally, he caused the distraction for the big defeat.  Brad O'Brien has got a lot to answer for now because there is no denying that the absence of Skip is going to leave a large black hole in DOA.  There was a special bond between him and the fans, so lets pay tribute to the man himself - Sunset Skip. As he rides off into the sunset, his legacy remains and we will always look back with fondness when we think of Sunset Skip! Thank you Skip!