Pro Wrestling History Research by Phil Lions

The leading French catch promoters and the public debate whether catch is sport or show live on TV.

The history of French catch (pro wrestling). Up to 1962.

A detailed look at the career of one of the major European pro wrestling stars.

Details about the USSR Professional Wrestling Association and RAMB'S.

A women's wrestling show in Russia in 1991-1992 that Jackie Stallone was associated with.

Olympic medalist Andrzej Supron gives the Soviet Union its first taste of American style pro wrestling.

Soviet athletes wrestle for NJPW and NJPW comes to Russia in 1989. The story told from the Soviet perspective.

An early 1900s French ring announcer reveals behind the scenes wrestling details.

The story of the masked wrestler(s) of Paris in 1867.

Lineages of the championship titles in Spanish pro wrestling from 1943 to 1984.

A list of luchas de apuestas that took place in Spain in 1960-1984.

The life and career of the promoter who made catch (pro wrestling) popular in France.

The history of pro wrestling in Havana, Cuba.

Primo Carnera's claim to the World (Super) Heavyweight Championship in Europe.

Tales of Russian pro wrestling and the most famous Russian pro wrestling promoter of all time.

A behind the scenes split reshapes the French pro wrestling scene in 1905.

Dr. Adolf Kaiser's run in Barcelona in 1958.

The first female pro wrestling promoter?

Appolina and the women's pro wrestling tournaments in Belgium in 1901-1902.

An overview of the top European territory for pro wrestling in 1909.

Details of Jim Londos' matches in Alexandria, Port Said and Cairo.

One of the all time great pro wrestling stars tells his story.

One of the legendary French pro wrestling stars tells his story.

The story of Hercules Cortez being sentenced to six years in prison.

The most prestigious tournaments in European pro wrestling at one time.

One big wrestling star takes another to court for unfair competition and defamation of character.

Information about pro wrestling on TV in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Monaco and Germany in the 1950s-1970s.

12,000 people show up for the big match in 1937, and the wrestlers are nowhere to be found. 

On the trail of Jim Londos vs. Dan Koloff in Europe.

 A collection of pro wrestling results from Algiers and Tunis in the 1930s.

A collection of pro wrestling results from India and Sri Lanka in the early 1890s.

The opposition to the establishment in 1930s French pro wrestling.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Marseille, France.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Bordeaux, France.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Limoges, France.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Saint-Étienne, France.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Troyes, France.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Dijon, France.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Chalon-sur-Saône, France.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Nancy, France.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Lille, France.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Toulouse, France.

Results from Primo Carnera's first Italian wrestling tour in the 1950s.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Budapest, Hungary.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Istanbul, Turkey.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Cartagena, Spain.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Murcia, Spain.

An example of what the pro wrestling schedule in Paris looked like in its prime years.

The story of Nicolai Petroff dominating eager young George Hackenschmidt on the mat.

The only wrestling show ever held at Stade Roland-Garros (one of the most famous tennis stadiums in the world).

An interesting incident from Budapest, Hungary, in 1926.

Three notable pro wrestlers wrestle in Budapest and ultimately get pro wrestling banned in the city.

Some details about Turkey's only female professional wrestler in the 1920s and 1930s.

Mike Brendel's interesting touring plan.

French promoter Raoul Paoli sends his wrestlers to wrestle in Portugal for the first time.

A fun little story with Vasil Colev from Bucharest in 1926.

A glimpse into the history of pro wrestling at the Amphitheatre of Nîmes. From the pioneers of pro wrestling all the way to WWE.

Lineages of all the notable championship titles in French pro wrestling from 1922 to 1988.

"Iron Head" Jose Tarres and the big wrestling crowds that he drew in Valencia in 1948-1949.

Some of the biggest crowds in the history of European pro wrestling to this day.

The first major international matches in British wrestling history and the big crowds that they attracted.

Champion wrestler loses a shoot match to a preliminary wrestler in St. Petersburg and how that exposed the business of pro wrestling.

Probably the most famous, or rather infamous, match in Russian pro wrestling history.

Denmark's biggest wrestling star and his major matches with Pons, Hackenschmidt, Roeber, Pierri, and others.

Carl Norbeck, the biggest Norwegian pro wrestling star, and his matches in Norway in 1895-1906.

Complete details of the major "Championship of Champions" catch-as-catch-can tournament that was held in Paris in 1913.

Information about Stanislaus Zbyszko and Bull Komar's visit of Turkey in 1937.

Details of Andre the Giant's wrestling tours of Spain in 1970 and 1971.

A collection of pro wrestling results from the United Kingdom (1880-1900).

Results from Waverley Market in Edinburgh, Scotland, where a lot of the biggest pre-WWI European wrestling crowds gathered.

A collection of pro wrestling results from Glasgow, Scotland.

A detailed look at the pro wrestling career of the 1920 Olympic freestyle gold medalist Robert Roth.

A list of over 110 big European pro wrestling crowds from the 1880-1914 period.

The story of how women's professional wrestling took over London by storm in 1902.

In the span of a week a reported total audience of 38,000 people watches four pro wrestling events in Belgium.

Match results and general information on Alex Munro, who was the top British wrestling star in the early 1900s.

Lost early European pro wrestling footage.

A list of all the Olympic gold medalists (from various sports) who've had at least one pro wrestling match.