Results: Pro Wrestling in Limoges (1935-1939)

A collection of pro wrestling results from Limoges, France.

After Raoul Paoli started his promotion in September 1933 in Paris, pro wrestling (catch) quickly became very popular all throughout France. It wasn't long before wrestling events started taking place in other French cities and towns as well. One such city was Limoges, which is located in west-central France. Limoges was the home town of the former World Heavyweight champion and the top French pro wrestling star of the 1930s Henri Deglane.

The typical structure of the French pro wrestling shows in the 1930s was as follows:
- Five matches. The opener was with a 20 minute time limit, the next three matches were with a 30 minute time limit and the headline match was a 2 out of 3 falls match with a 60 minute time limit.
- The headline match never went on last. In the results below I've listed the headline match last, because this way it's easier to see what was the headline attraction, but in reality the shows ended with what would be considered a midcard match. The real main event went on right before that.
- The matches in France back then could be won in all the usual ways (pinfall, submission, countout, disqualification), but also on points. If two wrestlers wrestled to a time limit draw then a jury would judge the match on points and determine a winner (or call the match a draw).

I'm not claiming this is a full list of all wrestling shows in Limoges in the 1930s - there might have been others that I'm not aware of. I'm missing a few match results as well. All numbers and quotes describing the attendance are from the local Limoges press.

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All but one of the Limoges shows that I was able to find were held at Cirque Municipal (Municipal Circus). As best as I can tell, the venue was for about 3,000 people. The directors of the building, Mr. and Mrs. Cazautets, were the ones promoting the wrestling shows. A report in late 1937 identified the promoters as Mrs. Cazautets and her son Jean so based on that it would appear at first it was the wife and the husband, but then it became the wife and her son. They were working with Paoli and getting talent from his booking office. It's not explicitly stated in the local press, but the matchmaker (booker) for all of their shows must've been Paoli.

The most notable match to take place in Limoges in the 1930s was Ed "Strangler" Lewis wrestling his final match before he went back to the United States and announced his retirement.

1 February 1935
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
3,000 fans
1. Emile Pouveroux def. Leone Jacovacci (15:30)
2. Stan Karolyi def. Rudolphe Binacchi (23:26)
3. Bonnie Muir def. Charles Manougian (5:51)
4. Felix Miquet drew Charlie Santen (30:00)
5. Henri Deglane def. Manuel Fullaondo (24:33, 27:45)
= The first catch show ever in Limoges. 

22 February 1935
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"smaller crowd than the first show"
1. Alphonse Zwahlen drew Rene van Coppenolle (20:00)
2. Gabriel Martinville def. Stan Karolyi on points
3. Felix Miquet def. Dimitar Stoycheff (about 20)
4. Bonnie Muir drew Charlie Santen (30:00)
5. Rene Michot def. Sailor Arnold (Arnold won the 1st, Michot won the other two falls)

15 March 1935
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"the arena was full to capacity"
1. Emile Pouveroux def. Rene van Coppenolle (17:17)
2. Stan Karolyi def. Gabriel Martinville (23:40)
3. Jim Atlas def. Henry Stoeff (22)
4. Rene Michot drew Bonnie Muir (30:00)
5. Henri Deglane def. Stefan Novotny (two falls, combined duration 26:44)

17 April 1935
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"good crowd"
1. Louis Loew def. Dick Perron via disqualification (15:37)
2. Stan Karolyi drew Emile Pouveroux (30:00)
3. Felix Miquet def. Sailor Arnold (30:00) on points
4. Kola Kwariani def. Hank Oswald (19)
5. Bonnie Muir def. Charlie Santen (14 Muir, 4:45, 8)

8 May 1935
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"much smaller crowd than usual"
1. Albert Ben Chemoul def. Gabriel Laurier (15:09)
2. Michele Leone drew Stan Karolyi (30:00)
3. Ernest Cadine def. Dick Perron (about 15)
4. Kola Kwariani def. Felix Miquet (30:00) on points
5. Rene Michot def. Louis Loew (Michot won the 1st and 3rd falls)

18 October 1935
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
3,000 fans / "full to capacity"
1. Julien Depuichaffray def. Albert Ben Chemoul (14:12)
2. Charles Ulsemer drew Marcel Douvinet
3. Ali Hassan drew Mark Passmann (30:00)
4. Youssef Mahamut def. Rene Michot (30:00) on points
5. Henri Deglane def. Carlo Stringari (25:54, 12)
= Mahamut, listed in the report as Dinarly Mohamed Youssof, was busted open in his match.

15 November 1935
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"full to capacity"
1. Gabriel Martinville def. Henri Lefebvre (14:13)
2. Dick Perron drew Charles Ulsemer
3. Stan Karolyi def. Leone Jacovacci (17:23)
4. European Heavyweight Title tournament quarter-final: Felix Miquet drew Manuel Fullaondo (30:00)
5. Henri Deglane def. Leo Lefebvre (2 Lefebvre, Deglane won the 2nd and 3rd)
= The European Heavyweight Title tournament started and finished in Paris, but some of the matches from it were held outside of Paris.

6 December 1935
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"the bleachers were full"
1. Emile Pouveroux drew Jean Bianconi (20:00)
2. Charles Ulsemer def. Stan Karolyi (21)
3. Manuel Fullaondo def. Mark Passmann (11)
4. Jan Krumin def. Carlo Stringari (18:38)
5. Rene Michot def. Jim Atlas (14:27 Atlas, 8:20, 8:38)

27 December 1935
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"record crowd"
1. Lucien Malezieux def. Alexandre Poizat (19:52)
2. Oscar Nygren def. Dick Perron (15:28)
3. Michele Leone drew Louis Loew (30:00)
4. Kola Kwariani drew Jan Krumin (30:00)
5. Henri Deglane def. Regis Siki (23:56, 11)

31 January 1936
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"packed to capacity, a record crowd"
1. Rene van Coppenolle def. Jean Bianconi
2. Charles Ulsemer drew Gabriel Martinville
3. Louis Loew def. Marcel Douvinet
4. Kola Kwariani def. Regis Siki
5. French Heavyweight Title: Henri Deglane (c) def. Felix Miquet to retain his title (16 Deglane, 5:38, 10:47)

18 February 1936
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"average attendance, smaller crowd than usual"
1. Emile Pouvereoux vs. Rene van Coppenolle
2. Julien Depuichaffray vs. Parisot
3. Jack Ganson vs. Frank Judson
4. Frank Bronowicz def. Rene Michot (less than 20)
5. Dan Koloff def. Jan Krumin (18:30, 3:15)
= The report attributed the lower attendance to the show's proximity to a few other big sporting events (soccer & rugby), a carnival coming into town and perhaps the absence of Deglane on the card too.

19 March 1936
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
2,000 fans
1. Alphonse Zwahlen def. Leone Jacovacci
2. Oscar Nygren drew Louis Loew (20:00)
3. Michele Leone def. Henry Stoeff (less than 15)
4. Frank Judson def. Leo Lefebvre (20)
5. Henri Deglane def. Frank Bronowicz (21:22 Deglane, 0:50, Deglane won the 3rd)

9 April 1936
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"smaller crowd than usual"
1. Oscar Nygren def. Charles Ulsemer on points (20:00)
2. Emile Pouveroux def. Alphonse Zwahlen (17:12)
3. Gabriel Martinville def. Dick Perron
4. Regis Siki drew Leo Lefebvre
5. Dan Koloff def. Frank Judson (2:1 falls)
= The main event was supposed to be Deglane vs. Judson, but a couple of days prior to the show Deglane pulled out of the match claiming an injury after his recent loss to Koloff in Paris.

30 April 1936
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
1,000 fans
1. Charles Ulsemer def. Michele Leone on points
2. Louis Loew drew Gabriel Martinville
3. Dick Perron vs. Emile Pouveroux
4. Leo Lefebvre def. Stefan Novotny
5. Henri Deglane def. Mark Passmann

16 October 1936
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"large crowd"
1. Jean Bianconi drew Albert Arnaud (20:00)
2. Alexandre Poizat def. Armand Crausaz (less than 15)
3. Peter Konstantinoff def. Henri Lefebvre (23:24)
4. Felix Miquet drew Rube Wright (30:00)
5. Henri Deglane def. Len Hall (2:0 falls, combined duration 35 minutes)

13 November 1936
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"fairly small crowd"
1. Alexandre Poizat def. Georges Freymond (18:12)
2. Emile Pouveroux def. Gaston Navailles
3. Bonnie Muir drew Peter Konstantinoff (30:00)
4. Felix Miquet def. Nazareth Sarkissian (15:12)
5. Henri Deglane def. Mehmet Arif (22:26, 8:34)

11 December 1936
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"large crowd"
1. Alexandre Froid drew Robert Maixent
2. Gabriel Martinville def. Rudolphe Binacchi (18:24)
3. Felix Miquet drew Mehmet Arif (30:00)
4. Michele Leone def. John Malmberg
5. Dan Koloff def. Frank Bronowicz (28:20, 5)
= The day of the show it was announced Leone would be replacing Rene Michot, who was injured.

30 December 1936
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
1,800 fans
1. Roger Mollet drew Lucien Malezieux (20:00)
2. Louis Loew drew Gabriel Martinville (30:00)
3. Bonnie Muir def. Peter Konstantinoff
4. Felix Miquet def. Michele Leone (18)
5. Henri Deglane def. Kola Kwariani (54 Deglane, no one won the 2nd fall)

5 February 1937
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"large crowd"
1. Albert Ben Chemoul drew Alexandre Lageat (20:00)
2. Alexandre Poizat vs. Pierre Dannic
3. Dimitri Karayanoff def. Fred Ebert (16:24)
4. Al Pereira def. Michele Leone (21)
5. Charles Rigoulot def. Regis Siki

9 April 1937
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
1, Felix Flody drew Albert Ben Chemoul (20:00)
2, Nemeth Sandor def. Leone Jacovacci (17)
3. George Krassavine def. Henry Stoeff (27)
4. Kola Kwariani def. Mehmet Arif (21)
5. Henri Deglane def. Joe Nawrocki (2:0 falls)
= The day of the show it was announced Arif would be replacing Regis Siki.

4 May 1937
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"smaller crowd than usual"
1. Rino Deon drew Armand Crausaz (20:00)
2. Alphonse Zwahlen def. Nemeth Sandor via disqualification
3. Regis Siki drew Bonnie Muir (30:00)
4. Felix Miquet def. Manuel Fullaondo
5. Al Pereira def. Joe Nawrocki (2:0 falls)
= Crausaz was a sub for Lucien Malezieux.

2 June 1937
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
1. Otto Muller drew Marcel Nonest (20:00)
2. Nemeth Sandor vs. Felix Clody
3. Oscar Nygren def. George Krassavine (20:04)
4. Charles Rigoulot def. Mehmet Arif (18:25)
5. Al Pereira def. Al Sparks

6 October 1937
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
2,000 or 3,000 fans
1. Gabriel Laurier def. Albert Ben Chemoul on points (20:00)
2. Albert Arnaud def. Robert Beglot (19:37)
3. Louis Loew def. George Krassavine (20:20)
4. Karol Nowina drew Oscar Nygren (30:00)
5. Henri Deglane def. Al Sparks (27:08 Deglane, 3:05, 34:15)

3 November 1937
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"full house"
1. Julien Depuichaffray def. Parisot (14)
2. Rene van Coppenolle def. Louis Rudelle (20)
3. Harry Mamos drew George Krassavine (30:00)
4. Peter Konstantinoff drew Felix Kersic (30:00)
5. Henri Deglane def. Bull Komar (25, 30)

1 December 1937
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
3,500 fans - "sold out, record crowd"
1. Emile Pouveroux drew Rudolphe Binacchi (20:00)
2. Alphonse Zwahlen def. Rene van Coppenolle (23:15)
3. Harry Mamos drew Louis Loew (30:00)
4. Peter Konstantinoff def. Marcel Douvinet (13:15)
5. Dan Koloff def. Ed Lewis (18:32 Lewis, 4:20, 3:43)
= Originally it was supposed to be Koloff vs. Al Pereira, but then Pereira left France so Ed "Strangler" Lewis was announced as a replacement a few days before the show. This was Lewis' final match in France. After this match Lewis went back to the United States and announced his retirement from wrestling (the retirement didn't last long, he later returned to the ring).

Newspaper headline about Koloff vs. Lewis: "Never before has such a crowd entered the Circus. Strangler Lewis is finished."

12 January 1938
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"small crowd"
1. Albert Arnaud def. Marcel Nonest on points (20:00)
2. Robert Beglot def. Alexandre Poizat (19)
3. Mark Passmann drew George Krassavine (30:00)
4. Karol Nowina vs. Pablo Gardiazabal
5. Henri Deglane def. Sandor Vary
= The potential reasons for the small crowd that were mentioned in the press were: January never being a good month for live events, most people not having money left because of Christmas and because they get paid every two weeks (so they hadn't been paid just yet), and finally a local factory closing so a number of people were left without a job. The disappointing performance of Ed Lewis at the last show was also listed as a potential reason for the smaller crowd.

2 February 1938
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"large crowd"
1. Emile Rochez def. Krum Petroff (16:34)
2. Roger Mollet def. Otto Muller (14:25)
3. Gaston Navailles def. Dick Perron via disqualification (12:30)
4. Sandor Vary def. Mehmet Arif (13)
5. Charles Rigoulot drew Kola Kwariani (45:30 Kwariani, 8:40, no one won the 3rd)

9 March 1938
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
2,000 fans
1. Otto Muller def. Louis Rudelle (14:36)
2. Albert Arnaud def. Krum Petroff
3. Manuel Fullaondo drew George Krassavine (30:00)
4. Peter Konstantinoff def. Rudolphe Binacchi (24:24)
5. Joe Savoldi def. Sandor Vary (2:1 falls, Savoldi won the 2nd and 3rd)

22 May 1938
Limoges, France
Champ de Juillet park
"big crowd"
1. Lucien Malezieux def. Felix Clody (18)
2. Roger Mollet def. Desire van der Sipp (18:17)
3. Manuel Fullaondo def. George Krassavine
4. Stan Karolyi def. Dick Perron (17:22)
5. Henri Deglane def. Kola Kwariani (27, 5:30)
= An open-air show run in conjunction with the local Limoges fair. The organizers were listed as Lachaud, Voisin and Lefebvre.

5 October 1938
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"large crowd"
1. Otto Muller drew Desire van der Sipp (20:00)
2. Emile Rochez def. Robert Beglot (21)
3. Cliff Olson def. Hank Oswald
4. Oscar Nygren def. Stan Karolyi on points (30:00)
5. Henri Deglane def. Mark Hoesley

9 November 1938
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"large crowd"
1. Georges Huard def. Paul Klaytch (15:25)
2. Gaston Navailles def. Louis Rudelle
3. Stan Karolyi drew Emile Pouveroux (30:00)
4. Mike Brendel def. Marcel Douvinet (12:28)
5. Felix Miquet drew Yvar Martinson (21:21 Miquet, 20:27, no one won the 3rd)
= Rudelle was a sub for Leone Jacovacci, who had an injured foot.

7 December 1938
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
1. Robert Maixent def. Alexandre Lageat (15:20)
2. Gabriel Laurier def. Robert Beglot
3. Roger Mollet def. Emile Rochez
4. Sandor Vary drew Arthur Ghevaert (30:00)
5. Charles Rigoulot def. Frank Bronowicz (22 Rigoulot, 0:50, 12:10)

18 January 1939
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"great crowd"
1. Otto Muller def. Desire van der Sipp (17:15)
2. Karol Nowina drew George Krassavine (30:00)
3. Mike Brendel def. Louis Loew (18:30)
4. Milo Steinborn def. Mark Passmann
5. Henri Deglane def. George Clark (22 Clark, 12, short 3rd fall which Deglane won)

9 February 1939
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"large crowd"
1. Chebaly def. Parisot (15:20)
2. Stan Karolyi def. Bukovac (17:12)
3. Desire van der Sipp def. Louis Rudelle
4. Frank Bronowicz drew Mike Brendel (30:00)
5. Charles Rigoulot def. George Clark (30 Clark, 10, 5:10)
= It's not clear which one of the four Bukovac brothers this was.

10 March 1939
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"more than 2,000 fans - record crowd"
1. Emile Rochez def. Gabriel Laurier (13)
2. Albert Arnaud def. Nemeth Sandor (20)
3. Wladimir Kirilenko def. Peter Konstantinoff (10:40)
4. Bonnie Muir def. Rene Bukovac (21)
5. Yvon Robert def. Milo Steinborn (21 Robert, 5, 8)

5 April 1939
Limoges, France
Cirque Municipal
"not as full as usual"
1. Andre Piroue def. Parisot (10:54)
2. Georges Huard def. Albert Ben Chemoul (22:03)
3. Albert Arnaud def. Jean Saenen
4. Yvar Martinson def. Romeo Bukovac (15:21)
5. Yvon Robert drew Wladimir Kirilenko (60:00, no falls)