Results: Pro Wrestling in Saint-Étienne (1934-1937)

A collection of pro wrestling results from Saint-Étienne, 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 Saint-Étienne, which is located in east-central France.

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 Saint-Étienne in the 1930s - there might have been others that I'm not aware of. I only managed to find a few events. All quotes describing the attendance are from the local Saint-Étienne press.

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All the shows in Saint-Étienne were booked through Raoul Paoli's booking office.

13 December 1934
Saint-Étienne, France
Étoile-Théâtre
"a lot of fans"
1. Pierre Druelle drew Routouski (20:00)
2. Emile Pouveroux drew Gabriel Martinville (30:00)
3. Jim Atlas def. Ernest Cadine (14:26)
4. Len Hall def. Umberto Arpino (20:44)
5. Henri Deglane def. Hank Oswald (24:47, 12)
= The first catch show ever in Saint-Étienne.
= Routouski was a sub for Tomo Voukouchitch.

21 February 1935
Saint-Étienne, France
Étoile-Théâtre
"big crowd"
1. Armand Crausaz drew Tom Leveque (20:00)
2. Emile Pouveroux def. Michel Besseyre on points (30:00)
3. Jim Atlas def. Henry Stoeff (26)
4. Ernest Cadine def. George Wilson on points (30:00)
5. Kola Kwariani def. Stefan Novotny (2:0 falls)
= Hank Oswald was the advertised opponent for Kwariani, but the day of the show the advertised match was changed.

In 11 November 1935 there were some amateur wrestling matches in Saint-Étienne. Among the wrestlers were the brothers Nikolaos Mexis (known in France as Nicko Mexis) and Ioannis Mexis (known in France as Jean Mexis). He didn't wrestle that day, but they also had another brother Georgios Mexis (known in France as Geo Mexis). The Mexis brothers were of Greek descent and were living in Saint-Étienne. All three started as amateur wrestlers there and eventually all three became professional wrestlers.

the Mexis brothers

5 March 1936
Saint-Étienne, France
Étoile-Théâtre
"sold out, and 400 or 500 people had to be turned away"
1. Alphonse Zwahlen def. Jean Bianconi on points (20:00)
2. Michele Leone drew Charles Ulsemer (30:00)
3. Ernest Cadine def. Dick Perron (10)
4. Kola Kwariani drew Regis Siki (30:00)
5. Henri Deglane def. Jan Krumin (20:12, 11:03)
= The show was organized by Omnium Sportif Club Staphanois, which was the local club that was handling the local amateur wrestling scene.
= Frank Bronowicz vs. Jack Ganson was advertised, but the day of the show it got replaced in the advertised line-up by Kwariani vs. Siki. Similarly, at first Andre Trante had been Zwahlen's advertised opponent.

On 17 and 18 October 1936 Circus Pinder was in Saint-Étienne. The headline attractions were boxing exhibition matches with Marcel Thil and wrestling exhibition matches, which ended up being Kola Kwariani vs. Gabriel Martinville on both days. Originally, Charles Rigoulot and Umberto Arpino were the advertised wrestlers, but the line-up changed a few days prior to the circus coming to town.

12 December 1936
Saint-Étienne, France
Palais des Sports de Saint-Étienne
"big crowd"
1. Alexandre Poizat def. Roger Mollet on points (20:00)
2. French Middleweight Title: Emile Pouveroux (c) def. Jean Bianconi to retain his title (22:24)
3. Bonnie Muir def. Peter Konstantinoff (21:39)
4. Kola Kwariani def. Mark Passmann (18:28)
5. Henri Deglane def. Manuel Fullaondo (22:13, 11:07)

27 February 1937
Saint-Étienne, France
Palais des Sports de Saint-Étienne
1. Roger Mollet drew Robert Beglot (20:00)
2. Alexandre Poizat def. Michel Colinos (16:20)
3. Peter Konstantinoff def. Felix Kersic on points (30:00)
4. Al Pereira def. Manuel Fullaondo (17:31)
5. Dan Koloff def. Mehmet Arif (14:04, 5:23)
= Arif was a sub for Charles Rigoulot. Rigoulot was supposed to wrestle Koloff, but couldn't due to injury. Rigoulot was at the show and was presented to the crowd.

Newspaper advert for the 27 February 1937 show in Saint-Étienne

On 24 October 1937 Nicko Mexis, Geo Mexis and Tardy (with a win over Jean Mexis) won a local amateur freestyle wrestling tournament, which qualified them for the French national championship that was to be held in Paris later on.

6 November 1937
Saint-Étienne, France
Palais des Sports de Saint-Étienne
"big crowd"
1. Amateur: Nicko Mexis vs. Tardy
2. Roger Mollet drew Alexandre Poizat (20:00)
3. Emile Pouveroux def. Henry Stoeff (18)
4. Dick Perron def. George Krassavine (15:48)
5. Bull Komar def. Manuel Fullaondo (14:17)
6. Charles Rigoulot def. Joe Nawrocki (23:39, 10:27)
= Krassavine was a sub for Oscar Nygren.