Feature Articles

In 1941, legendary wrestler Ed 'Strangler' Lewis set out to revive 'real' wrestling—no scripts, no gimmicks, just pure competition. But could his vision survive in the world of pro wrestling? Discover the fascinating story behind his bold experiment!... keep reading

Before Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and modern MMA, the brutal world of 19th-century catch-as-catch-can wrestling was shaping the future of submission fighting. Discover the fierce battles, bone-breaking holds, and no-holds-barred fights of Greek George and his legendary opponents!... keep reading

From medieval collar wrestling to the rise and fall of London Catch-Hold, England's wrestling history is filled with fierce battles, legendary champions, and unique styles lost to time. Dive into the rich tradition of British wrestling and discover how these brutal contests shaped the sport we know today!... keep reading

Lancashire Catch-as-Catch-Can wrestling was more than just a sport—it was a fierce, no-holds-barred battle that shaped modern grappling. From pub brawls to world championships, discover the brutal history and lasting legacy of this legendary English wrestling style!... keep reading

Long before modern wrestling took center stage, the Side-Hold style dominated the Midwest, shaping the legacies of Abraham Lincoln, Joseph Smith, and legendary grapplers like Farmer Burns. Discover the forgotten wrestling tradition that once defined America's heartland!... keep reading

THE ROOTS OF MODERN WRESTLING - Evolution of the Catch-Hold Wrestling on the Continent. Folk wrestling styles of Frankish heritage.... keep reading

If I could pick just one combat sports contest to travel back in time and witness live, it would be the side bet shoot- match between Tigerman John Pesek, the policeman- of the Sandow/Lewis camp and the Olympic hero Nat Pendleton which took place in Boston in 1923. These two grapplers represented two schools of early 19th century catch-as-catch-can wrestling. Pendleton practiced the highly competitive catch wrestling that emerged in the northeastern United States under such master grapplers as Hugh Leonard and George Bothner. The Tigerman sprang up from the mid-western rough and ready school, which was just a step or two removed from all-out frontier brawling. They also represented rival promotional groups that were vying to control the developing professional wrestling game.... keep reading

Later Olson offered some comments about jiu-jitsu. He told a reporter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I have seen the Japanese system of wrestling, the widely heralded jiu-jitsu, tried out pretty thoroughly a good many times and my conclusion is that it is a false alarm. In my opinion jiu-jitsu got its vogue while the Japanese were in the limelight during the war with Russia and there is a great deal of superstition about it. I have seen the Japanese go up against some of the best catch as catch can wrestlers in America and in no instance have I seen the Jap make good or even make a creditable showing against the ordinary method of wrestling. As a means of getting the best of an ordinary man who is not a trained wrestler the famed jiu-jitsu may be all right; but try it out with a man who knows the game and the Japanese is quite out of the running.... keep reading

Goates went on to quote McCullough as stating, "Wrestling is the most scientific as well as the best self-defense sport known to mankind"... keep reading

I have long known that wrestling (in particular the catch-as-catch-can style with its complimentary toolkit of surgical takedowns, pins, and submissions) is the single best style of Close Quarter Combat (CQC) for law enforcement officers (LEO).... keep reading

Suffice it to say that without catch wrestling there would be no mixed martial arts. Catch wrestling's influence in the American amateur circuit and its profound effect on the Japanese pro wrestling scene have helped shape the development of MMA into what it is today. And while catch wrestling may have become something of a niche style today, it's still going strong thanks to the likes of Scientific Wrestling's Jake Shannon, and in 2014 has had one of its more noteworthy years of late. In a conversation with MMAWeekly.com, Shannon discussed the influence he sees catch wrestling having in MMA, the year the sport has had and the future of the Scientific Wrestling community.... keep reading

From brutal side-bets in English coal mines to shaping the foundations of modern MMA, catch-as-catch-can wrestling has a history as fierce as the sport itself. Discover the legendary figures, controversial rules, and lasting impact of this forgotten combat style!... keep reading