Wrestling Styles Part 2: Catch As Catch Can

From the official Real Pro Wrestling website www.rpw.tv

When European settlers first came to North America, they brought with them all their native forms of folkstyle wrestling. Sometimes these styles varied not just by country of origin, but even by regions within these countries.

But wrestling was not an European invention. The Native American Indians also wrestled as have most cultures around the world. In fact, wrestling is maybe the only sport every culture has always done. In most of these cultures, wrestling was, and in many still is, one of the top sports.

What was unique to the New World was that so many cultures mixed together to create a big melting pot, as it has been frequently called. Wrestling was no exception. Out of this amalgamation came two main forms of American wrestling; amateur and professional.

(For more information on this history, check out the History of Wrestling articles here on RPW’s website written by Mike Chapman.)

The main professional style that came to dominate was known as “Catch as Catch Can”, or simply “Catch”. It differed from the amateur styles in that it allowed submission holds. The object of Catch was for a wrestler to dominate his opponent by either pinning his shoulders to the ground for a fall, or making him submit with some type of hold

There were few restrictions in Catch, though they usually forbid such things as eye gouging, biting, and striking. There were also no time limits and no point systems. Wrestling was simple, tough, and intuitive. It was also quite frequently long and boring.

It was also dangerous. Even today, most top wrestlers in our country have to have surgery at least once, usually on their knees. Imagine what it was like before there were rubber mats or orthoscopic surgery. It is easy to see why many styles around the world wrestle mostly on their feet instead.

Catch was usually wrestled in a ring, similar to boxing rings of today. Wrestlers had to be careful
not to fall off the edge, between the ropes, or hit their head on a corner post. Even college wrestling meets were held in rings up through the late 1920s. Otherwise, catch wrestling looked very similar to today’s wrestling as it is practiced in colleges and most schools.

While submissions were allowed in Catch, most good wrestlers learned to counter them or limit their effectiveness. Submissions were very hard to get from the standing position and even if a wrestler got a go behind — what is commonly called a takedown today — the top wrestler had to work hard to keep the bottom wrestler from escaping.

When pro wrestling turned fake, Catch wrestling almost became a lost science. The amateur world did not use submissions so very few people knew how to use or counter them. It was not until the introduction of the modern mixed martial arts competition that brought the knowledge of submissions back into the mainstream American wrestling community. In fact many wrestlers
and coaches still look down upon the use of submissions as too dangerous and always unlawful.

Although Catch had mostly become a lost art, many non-American styles of wrestling continued to use and teach submissions. Jujitsu and Judo are but two styles that allow and teach their use.

With the rise of mixed martial arts competitions the last decade of the twentieth century, there has come about a second great mixing of various disciplines and styles of wrestling. This has led to a renewed interest in Catch. Competitions and organizations have been formed and people are teaching and selling books and video technique on the secrets of the past.

RealProWrestling is also looking into this lost art and evaluating whether we will allow submissions like they did in the real professional wrestling of the past. As of now, RPW has no plans to include submissions but we agree they are a valid way to show dominance and have a proper place and time. Given time, the nation’s top wrestlers could easily learn and might embrace Catch, and RPW could indeed return full circle to the style of yesteryear.

However, the same issue that faced wrestling in the early 1900s faces us still today, that is the safety of the athletes. Wrestling without the submissions is dangerous enough and at some point a sport becomes too violent. If pro wrestling were to return to Catch, we feel it should be reserved for professionals only and stay out of the school systems.

There are good wrestlers who do successfully teach submissions to children and have a good safety record. Probably the most successful is Team Quest with Randy Couture, Matt Lindland, Dan Henderson, and others.

One of the newest wrestlers to cross over is two-time Olympian, gold medalist, and RPW commentator Rulon Gardner. Like these other wrestlers, Rulon has made the switch to submissions pretty quickly and successfully. He has shown wrestlers can integrate Catch techniques into their arsenal without too much hassle.

Who knows what the future holds? Maybe someday Catch wrestling will return to its prominence of old and maybe even under the RPW banner. Only time will tell. but two styles that allow and teach their use.

With the rise of mixed martial arts competitions the last decade of the twentieth century, there has come about a second great mixing of various disciplines and styles of wrestling. This has led to a renewed interest in Catch. Competitions and organizations have been formed and people are teaching and selling books and video technique on the secrets of the past.

RealProWrestling is also looking into this lost art and evaluating whether we will allow submissions like they did in the real professional wrestling of the past. As of now, RPW has no plans to include submissions but we agree they are a valid way to show dominance and have a proper place and time. Given time, the nation’s top wrestlers could easily learn and might embrace Catch, and RPW could indeed return full circle to the style of yesteryear.

However, the same issue that faced wrestling in the early 1900s faces us still today, that is the safety of the athletes. Wrestling without the submissions is dangerous enough and at some point a sport becomes too violent. If pro wrestling were to return to Catch, we feel it should be reserved for professionals only and stay out of the school systems.

There are good wrestlers who do successfully teach submissions to children and have a good safety record. Probably the most successful is Team Quest with Randy Couture, Matt Lindland, Dan Henderson, and others.

One of the newest wrestlers to cross over is two-time Olympian, gold medalist, and RPW commentator Rulon Gardner. Like these other wrestlers, Rulon has made the switch to submissions pretty quickly and successfully. He has shown wrestlers can integrate Catch techniques into their arsenal without too much hassle.

Who knows what the future holds? Maybe someday Catch wrestling will return to its prominence of old and maybe even under the RPW banner. Only time will tell.

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