I'm pretty new to pro wrestling and am most interested in its early days, when it was (at least in theory) still competitive. Recently I came across these rules of "all-in" wrestling dated 1932:
https://www.allinwrestling.co.uk/rules/index.html
Really interesting to me, for a number of reasons, but particularly the bit in rule 1. where boxing blows (and indeed "moves"!) are not only not illegal, but are positively encouraged! So I'm now picturing a sport more like MMA than modern wrestling. Does anyone have any insights into all-in wrestling in this early era, and what was and wasn't allowed?
Also, I'm struggling to interpret the rather tortured syntax in rule 1. I'm guessing the "additions" at the end of the rule are other banned strikes; but then they aren't legal in boxing either; so it rather reads like they're in fact being added in, even though they're banned in boxing. "Nerve knuckling (on the body and neck only)" would seem to indicate that these are things that are being ruled in (knuckling to the head being out). Again, does anyone know for certain?
Squashlad (243 )
2023-01-15 10:56I'm pretty new to pro wrestling and am most interested in its early days, when it was (at least in theory) still competitive. Recently I came across these rules of "all-in" wrestling dated 1932:
https://www.allinwrestling.co.uk/rules/index.html
Really interesting to me, for a number of reasons, but particularly the bit in rule 1. where boxing blows (and indeed "moves"!) are not only not illegal, but are positively encouraged! So I'm now picturing a sport more like MMA than modern wrestling. Does anyone have any insights into all-in wrestling in this early era, and what was and wasn't allowed?
Also, I'm struggling to interpret the rather tortured syntax in rule 1. I'm guessing the "additions" at the end of the rule are other banned strikes; but then they aren't legal in boxing either; so it rather reads like they're in fact being added in, even though they're banned in boxing. "Nerve knuckling (on the body and neck only)" would seem to indicate that these are things that are being ruled in (knuckling to the head being out). Again, does anyone know for certain?