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

In remembrance of my friend and mentor Karl Gotch (aka "The God of Wrestling") I am sharing a handful of my conversations with this respected catch-as-catch-can wrestler and MMA founding father with the world, enjoy!... 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

An exclusive film compilation honoring the memory of Scientific Wrestling's Head Coach of seven years, Billy Robinson.... keep reading