A lot has happened since I last posted in September. The Snake Pit in Wigan, England has re-opened. Cain Velasquez lost his Heavyweight title in his first fight back in more than a year. Josh Barnett still hasn’t fought Daniel Cormier in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Fighters with lineage through the likes of Matt Hume and Frank Shamrock have been having mixed results. There’s even been the first ever ‘North American Throwdown’ Catch Wrestling and Freestyle Sambo competition meet.
There’s been various reasons for not updating as much as I could have, but I won’t make excuses and will try to update a bit more frequently.
KJ
Poster for Gotch vs Hackenschmid 2
100 years ago today perhaps the most important match in American Catch Wrestling and Amateur Wrestling history took place in the now long gone Comiskey Ball Park, Chicago, Illinois. A rematch between ‘The Russian Lion‘ George Hackenschmidt and ‘The Iowa Plowboy‘ Frank Gotch who had beaten Hack previously for the World Heavyweight Championship that was also contested in The Windy City.
The first match would last over 2 hours before Gotch was able to catch Hack in a submission, a huge upset at the time comparable to Rulon Gardner beating Alexander Karelin at the 2000 Summer Olympics. No one thought a svelt farmer in Gotch could ever best the chiseled, hulking frame of Hack who had body measurements similar to that of Brock Lesnar in his College days, and had a rib crushing bearhug that had made many a man submit themselves.
The second match was over far more quickly as Hack appeared out of shape and would later reveal he came into the bout injured causing speculation that someone had been planted in his training camp to injure him prior to the match. Ad Santel claimed responsibility though many believe he was putting on a facade and trying to work people as there was no mention of him by Hack in any accounts he gave. According to Hack it was in fact his training partner Dr Roller that injured him (presumably by accident) and Roller mentions it in an account as well. Still, Hack succumbed to Gotch’s famous toehold and gave up with little resistance. It was a big win again for Gotch but not one without controversy and an ever increasing atmosphere of cynicism and doubt from the paying public that eventually lead to Professional Wrestling’s collapse as a legitimate competitive sport in an era where other sports such as Baseball fell victim to the criminal element such as the infamous fixing of the World Series.
Over at the Examiner, Mark Palmer who covers College Wrestling has a more in depth look at the match and why it was important for spearheading the interest and growth in American Amateur Wrestling – back then known as Amateur Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling. Definitely worth a read.
UFC Champion Cain Velasquez
Today a huge announcement was made on a UFC press call stating Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez – a two time All American Division 1 Wrestler for Arizona State University – would defend his title and undefeated Mixed Martial Arts record against dangerous Brazilian striker Junior Dos Santos who has won all of his UFC fights thus far.
The one hour special on the Fox Network is scheduled for November 12 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Velasquez last fought over a year ago beating then champion Brock Lesnar but sustaining a 90% rotator cuff tear during the bout which has had him sidelined and recovering all this time. The bout was originally thought to be the main event of the Pay Per View card UFC 139 a week later at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA.
Velasquez trains out of the American Kickboxing Academy that was co-founded by Frank Shamrock with his role taken over by his student Bob Cook and has become a go-to destination for many collegiate and Olympic wrestlers wishing to make the transition to MMA.
For full coverage of the UFC announcement, check out Bloody Elbow.
This classic piece of film from the 1930′s has some of the theatrics and silliness associated with Pro Wrestling, but shows a strong backbone of legitimate Catch Wrestling technique demonstrated underneath it. It’s a shame actual competitive bouts were rarely if ever caught on film as the majority of them since the first world war happened behind closed doors and in private for the benefit of the upper class spectators who would fund and bet on the match where the worked exhibition form was saved for the masses. Sometimes the outcome of worked matches was determined by the result of a legitimate, private match several days prior and other times wrestlers did what was best for business and followed the direction of the booker and promoter to make the most money possible.
There are some neat moves and transitions in this match between Vic Hill and Jack Gacek, but my favourite part would have to be the Far / Further Nelson into a pin attempt.
Leg locks come in all shapes and sizes. Not all leg locks are created equally or pose the same threat of damage. The inverted heel-hook however is serious business as it goes after those useful knee ligaments that help hold the joint between your lower and upper leg in place. Yeah – you need that.
The Inverted Toe Lock as shown by Erik Paulson CSW affiliate coach Brain Yamasaki on willing victim and fellow affiliate coach Eddie Abney is a sneaky variant of this which can give opponents the false sense of security in believing “Yo’ got nothin‘” until they’re writhing around on the ground in agony a split second later requiring a rush to hospital and a minimum 6 month lay off. Yamasaki also shows a good takedown set-up from the clinch to get them into the danger zone. Somewhere in the world, Rousimar Palhares just got aroused.
Listen to Yamasaki describe his best practice for safely working the move in a compliant drill situation, advice on not doing it in sparring but use it to wreck a guy in competition no problem. Even then only use it on your opponent if he’s committed some crime against humanity like genocide or willingly wearing TapouT or Affliction without being sponsored by them.
Co-founder of Pancrase and student to Yoshiaki Fujiwara and Karl Gotch, a Masakatsu Funaki in his prime showcasing his Catch Wrestling skills was a joy to watch. Many might only remember him in his more recent one sided losses of the last decade but even starting with his loss to legendary Brazilian Jiu Jitsu player Rickson Gracie, Funaki was several years past his prime and battle damaged. Funaki would not fight again until seven years later in 2007 losing to Billy Robinson trained catch wrestlers Kiyoshi Tamura and Kazushi Sakuraba before ending his career with a win over Ikuhisa Minowa in 2008.
This video demo was from the early 1990′s at a Martial Arts expo in Europe where Funaki shows his blend of takedowns, transitions and submissions that showcase how dynamic and visually aesthetic Catch Wrestling can look in our modern era. (HT: Magnifico)
- Photos by Al Bello/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Disappointing. One word that sums up Yushin Okami’s performance. Okami is the latest fighter to fall into the trap of being hyptnotised by Anderson Silva’s snake like movement only to eventually fall to venomous strikes. Mixed Martial Arts’ pound for pound best fighter in the world and perhaps the best fighter of all time had his way once again as Okami, like many others, failed to pressure Silva for fear of being countered. Okami made no attempt to change levels and shoot on Silva, instead opting for a plodding yet hesitant one-two combo before attempting to engage in the clinch against the fence only never really pummeling for an advantage, content to land ineffectual shots from a single collar tie and limited elbow control. Silva wasn’t fazed one bit and the couple of times Okami tried to change levels from the clinch Anderson easily shrugged the attempt off with underhooks.
Okami just wasn’t there last night. Okami just seemed like he was waiting for it to the end as soon as the fight started.
Who can stop Anderson Silva? For as good as he undoubtedly is he’s benefited from competing in a division devoid of powerhouse wrestlers that can get in his face, pressure him and get him to the ground. Of the two genuine wrestlers he has faced he lost the first round to Dan Henderson and came back to finish in the second (after Henderson got into a standing exchange as he often does) and he lost 4 out of 5 rounds to Chael Sonnen, which could have been all 5 had Sonnen’s lack of submission defense not reared its ugly head.
Sonnen’s come the closest, and while a rematch was all the buzz as soon as the first fight finished the aftermath of his questionable Testosterone Replacement Therapy and not having his paperwork and therapeutic use exemption sorted before the most important fight of his career diminishes his first performance and causes doubt on whether his in ring skill will ever be given credibility because of the alleged Hormone Imbalanced Elephant in the room. Sonnen fights the tough, improving former Marine Brian Stann at UFC 136 in Houston, Texas – a state with one of the most lax Athletic Commissions in North America.
After the jump official ESPN video highlights of the fight.
- Sakuraba vs Royce Gracie in their legendary first fight
Legend of Japanese Catch Wrestling and student of British Legend Billy Robinson, Kazushi Sakuraba is set to return to MMA competition for the first time since his horrific ear injury last December when he faced Welterweight Champion Marius Zaromskis.
Set to take on undefeated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter Yan Cabral on September 24th, the Gracie Hunter will be looking to break a 3 fight skid.
Also on the card Leglock King Masakazu Imanari continues his run in the Bantamweight Grand Prix tournament taking on Abel Cullum. Also in the tournament Hideo Tokoro takes on WEC veteran Antonio Banuelos while at Lightweight Satoru Kitaoka takes on Williamy Freire.
Incase you needed any reminding of what made Sakuraba great, here’s a highlight video of him at work. Full Dream card after the break.
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