Catch As Catch Can Wrestling

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Catch Wrestlers

Just a few a the worlds best catch wrestlers...

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<<<Frank Gotch
Frank Gotch was a famous catch westler who was taught by 'Farmer' Burns. Gotch first made a run at the big time when he challenged Tom Jenkins for the American Championship in 1903. His lack of experience was evident as Jenkins easily defeated him but one year later, Gotch secured the championship from Jenkins and began a title reign that would last for over eight years. The American Championship, however, was not the most coveted wrestling title of all. That honor would lie in the World Championship title and that title was held by the "Russian Lion" Georges Hackenschmidt.


In 1908, Gotch took on the great Hackenschmidt for the world free-style Heavyweight Championship. From the start, Gotch was the aggressor and defeated Hackenschmidt. Many fans and writers criticized Gotch claiming he had used unfair tactics to win the belt. Gotch responded by giving Hackenschmidt an opportunity to win back the title at Comisky Park in Chicago, Illinois in what was the most heavily anticipated match to that point in history. In this match, Gotch again defeated the injured former champion.

Frank Gotch is considered by many as the first great Professional Wrestling Champion - the N.W.A., in fact, still traces the roots of its organization as having begun with its recognition of Gotch as its champion.For more than 90 years, he has been the standard by which many have been judged.

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Martin "Farmer" Burns

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<<< Martin 'Farmer' Burns
1861-1937
He was born in Iowa. Due to his fathers death when Martin was only 11 he was forced to work hard labour. This was really a key to Martin's physical development as he and other athletes of that era developed their physical strength through performing hard labor rather than working out in gyms.
 
In his time Farmer Burns wrestled over 6,000 matches in every type of situation from grading camps to circuses and lost only 7. He won the World Wrestling Title in 1895 when he defeated Evan "Strangler" Lewis and retained the title until 1897 when he was defeated by Tom Jenkins. He later won and held the light heavy weight title until 1908. Burns weighed only 175 pound but defeated many of the great wrestlers of the day-some of which out weighed him by 50 or 100 pounds. He had a very strong neck that measured 20 inches and allowed him to perform one of his favorite stunts of doing a six foot hangmans drop which he performed many times.

<<<Karl Gotch (b. 1924)
 
Real Name : Karl Istaz
He used to wrestle as Karl Krauser, but in '60s, he started using the name "Gotch" after the legendary Frank Gotch. He was nicknamed the God of Pro Wrestling in Japan.
Born in 1924 in Hamburg, Germany
Debut : 1955
First Match in Japan : 45min time limit draw against Michiaki Yoshimura on May 1st, 1961 in Tokyo. Last Match : defeats Yoshiaki Fujiwara on January 1st, 1982 in Tokyo. Inducted to Puroresu Hall of Fame in May, 1996
 
Many people in Japan consider Karl Gotch as God of Pro-Wrestling. After being trained at the famous "Snake Pit" Billy Riley Gym in England, he won a number of big tournaments in Europe. In 1959, he moved to the United States where he was not treated well as a talent since he was simply a "shooter". In 1962, he is said to have attacked then NWA World Heavyweight champion Buddy Rogers, who had been "running away and refusing the title shot from Gotch", in a dressing room in Ohio. This uncrowned champion of pro-wrestling is also known as a great coach for training many Japanese stars such as Antonio Inoki, Hiro Matsuda, Tatsumi Fujinami, Osamu Kido, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Satoru Sayama (the legendary Tiger Mask), Masanobu Fuchi, Akira Maeda, and many others.
 
Gotch, who was considered as the uncrowned champion of the sport, didn't win many titles. Some of the titles he won during his career include:

AWA (Ohio) World Heavyweight Title 62/09 
WWA (Los Angeles) World Tag Team Title 67 w/ Mike DiBiase
WWWF World Tag Team Title 71/12/06 w/ Rene Goulet
"Real" World Heavyweight Title (New Japan) 72
 

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