French catch

[Phil Lions]

On 11/19/2024 at 1:54 PM, Phil Lions said:

Over the weekend I started researching the career of Gilbert Leduc more in-depth than I ever have in the past, because I want to help push his case for the WON HOF next year, and in doing so I ended up uncovering a bunch of new information on how catch worked in France on an organizational level in the post-WWII years through the mid 1950s. I became so intrigued by it that I've paused the Leduc research for now and have focused my efforts on the organizational stuff instead. Apparently, things were a lot more interesting and tumultuous back then than I realized (rival organizations, lawsuits, potential corruption...). So now I've decided to do a timeline/article chronicling all the important events in French catch history that I'm aware of. Haven't decided yet what year would be the cut-off point. I'll share the link here once it's ready, hopefully in the next few weeks.

And here it is. Part one of the catch timeline that I've been working on. It goes up to 1940 when all pro wrestling was banned in France. There will be a part two eventually which will cover the post-WWII period.

Link: Timeline - French catch

[David Mantell]

On 1/1/2025 at 2:57 PM, Phil Lions said:

 It goes up to 1940 when all pro wrestling was banned in France.

Quote

The end of catch (pro wrestling) in France… for now (October 5, 1940) - A few days prior a decision had been made by Commissariat General a l'Education Physique et aux Sports to put an end to all professional sports in France, including catch, and focus on amateur sports instead. Professional boxing and cycling were given a three-year grace period where certain limited events could still take place, but all other professional sports events had to stop effective immediately. When the decision was made there was already a scheduled catch show at Salle Wagram (a benefit show for the prisoners of war) and it was allowed to go on. The show was headlined by Albert Arnaud vs. Andre Trante. It was the final catch show in France, but not for long.

Looking at the date, I see this was into the phase of Nazi Occupation with the Vichy Regime to to the South.  I presume it was they who banned wrestling.

Probably this belongs on the German thread, but in .Joe Jares' book, Paul Bosch is quoted as participating in the German downfall and finding a school textbook in Germany with a picture of a ladies' mud match labelled "This is how the decadent Americans treat their women" and remarking to a fellow soldier "OMG it's ME who started the damn war!"

[Phil Lions]

16 minutes ago, David Mantell said:

Looking at the date, I see this was into the phase of Nazi Occupation with the Vichy Regime to to the South.  I presume it was they who banned wrestling.

Yes, it was them and actually this is a very good point that I didn't think to add to my write-up. I'll add some extra details now. Thanks!

[David Mantell]

What's the plan for an endpoint?  Will you just vaguely say that it "went into decline" in the 70s or will you go into the Flesh Gordon era, the more from A2 to .FR3 then back to TF1 for early New Catch then Eurosport New Catch, then Eurostars and the C21st Richard/Herve/(I)WS(F) versus Mercier/FFCP_revival promotional war?

[Phil Lions]

I haven't decided yet. I have about 160 pages worth of notes, articles, etc. and I'm still going through them trying to piece together the whole timeline and make it as coherent as possible. Plus, I'm also still looking into gathering additional information on top of that and trying to fill in some of the gaps. Most likely I'll end it at the end of the 1980s. And I don't see myself going into much detail past the mid 1960s. Not because I don't want to, but because I don't have enough info.

[David Mantell]

Maybe  how about a short roundup of 1990-present? As with British and German/Austrian wrestling, the survival to the present - at least at grassroots level -  is an important symptom of the success and cultural prominence of all three Stronghold Euro territories:  the trails are still in the sky even now, decades later.

Just as long as it isn't the French version of the British "It Died Out" myth.

[David Mantell]

Final minutes of Italian Bon in red Vs Spanish Mechant in black, both balding badly.  Michel Saulnier the Chiotte Arbitre himself in charge, good old Couderc on the commentary.   Trujillo levers out of a headscissors nicely and does some rope assisted hip tosses that Kid McCoy would have approved of.  He reverse front chanceries Asquini then drops and stomps him, just the one so within the rules. Asquini reverse snapmares his way onto the ring apron, ducks a Trujillo uppercut then strikes with his own. They take turns to dodge each others' diving moves.  Trujillo takes his time taking a count. Asquini tries another reverse snapmares but Trujillo sinks a closed fist in his stomach, Saulnier lets it by, possibly because he is a heel ref.  A TT kick to the grounded Asquini does get him a private warning however.  Asquini wins a war of Manchettes, TT gets angry and stompy but Asquini goes through his legs and chest chops him from behind.  TT again takes his time getting up.TT goes down a couple more times. Saulnier starts to kick in his heel routine when Asquini questions the slowness of he counts. Asquini reverses a rear waistlock, folds down to let TT jump over him then kips up to knee height to catch him with a snapmares then a dropkick out of the ring, again infuriating Saulnier. Each time TT tries to return, Asquini charges over but Saulnier stops him (so why doesn't he then get in while the going is good?). In the end, Bruno lifts Saulnier out the way and gets his Manchette in on Trujillo.  This appears to earn the good guy un premier Avertisement.  He protests but to no avail.  TT benefits from another slow count. He uses various dirty tactics while Saulnier stands there., eventually putting Asquini's neck on the rope.  Saulnier calmly asks TT to back off then, himself!!! - pulls the rope up against Asquini's throat and letting him drop. A bit later, Saulnier does his rope trick again, this time using both hands to shoot Asquini, cranium first. to the mat.  TT posts Asquini, he attacks from behind but Asquini knocks him back then uses his legs to slingshot TT into the post then splash him as he falls.  TT kicks out at two and Asquini land on Saulnier sending him flying.  Saulnier is furious. TaT gets a posting and a sunset flip for a two count, as quini gets 2 for a German suplex into a roll up. TT finally gets the pin with a folding press.  Saulnier makes a big show of parading around Trujillo as winner.

Basically a vehicle for Michel Saulnier and his heel referee antics but there are some nice pinfall attempt too.

 

[David Mantell]

And talking of Michel Saulnier, look who he has to referee next:

 

Only Guy Mercier with whom he spent much of this time feuding. . Officially at least, Guy is facing  gypsy Jo Gonzalez.  Jo gets several good throws in.  Guy does his own throw and sends Jo into the front row on someone's lap!   He gets back and gets Guy in a side chancery and throw.for a number of 2 counts, many of them suspiciously fast. Guy tries to stand up in the hold but Jo forces him back down on the mat.  He eventually gets out by widening the angle between himself and Jo, then spins round (to confuse Jo presumably), drops down and catches Jo's leg, takes him down, lifts the leg up and jumps into a sitting leglock.  Jo tries unsuccessfully to grab a countering cross face but Guy stand and twists the leg like a spinning toehold or the start of an American Figure Four Leglock.  He jumps one last time into the sitting position leaving Jo selling the leg, limping badly and making desperately for the ropes. They start over in the middle of the ring and Guy gets the leg back with the same spin and drop motion but Jo reaches the ropes.  Guy jumps back into the down position as Jo gets up and leans on the ropes. Guy wants to go after him but Saulnier, who is counting Jo VERY slowly,  orders him to stand back. Guy edges closer but Jo grabs him in a similar leglock of his own, still holding the top rope. Guy points this out but Saulnier is more interested in trying to count down Guy's shoulders.   When Saulnier looks up, Jo releases the top rope but then grabs it again when Saulnier looks down.  Guy grabs the ropes to make his point but Saulnier takes this as a rope break request and refuses it, kicking Mercier's hands off the ropes. Gonzalez continues to hide his grabbing the top rope. Eventually he does see what is going on and forces Jo mto let go the top rope, allowing Guy to take control of the leglock.  When Jo grabs the bottom rope, Saulnier this time agrees to a break and demands Guy relinquish. A disgusted Guy WALLOPS Saulnier, sending him sprawling and gets a first Avertisement. Jo gets the leglock and forces Guy into the corner, Saulnier lets him do this despite the ropes. Jo lifts Guy up by the leg, Guy bashes him over he head with the spare foot, Jo pitches forward head first into Saulnier's stomach.  Heel and heel ref lay on the mat as Guy steps forward contemplating his next move.  He gets a Second And Final (Deuxieme et Derniere) Avertisement, despite his protests.  

The match changes tack. Mercier makes out like he is going to box Gonzalez, Jo takes a haymaker swing well wide of Guy, spins round and is taken down in a bodyscissors.  Guy does the old "Ah .. Ouais!!!" routine, slamming Gonzalez spine first into the mat. Strangely, Saulnier refuses to allow heel Jo a rope break.  The ref tries to kick Guy in the pants as he lifts Jo but Guy seems unaffected. Eventually Jo lands feet first to break the bodyscissors. He comes off the ropes and Guy flips him but he lands feet first by the opposite ropes and starts to brag about it.  Guy dropkicks him out the ring then dropkicks Saulnier too for good measure.  Gonzalez gets back in, goes down on one knee and begs for mercy from Mercier.  He gets a wrist lever then kicks Guy down before he can counter, then brags some more, flexing a bicep. Jo snapmares Guy and gets in several stomps which Saulnier lets go despite being flagrant follow downs on the mat.  Eventually Guy gets up. Jo slaps on a side headlock and Guy counters by grabbing Jo's thigh.  Jo bashes and stomps Guy back down.  Jo traps Guy's head in the ropes and bashes him in the back. Saulnier orders him off and Jo, now clearly getting the score, winks conspiratorially at the ref. Saulnier pulls the ropes apart but can't get Mercier out. He eventually puts his foot in and gets stuck while Jo is off, tying Guy up in a different set of ropes.  Jo does so and Saulnier falls down and gives Jo a first Avertisement.  Not bothered, Jo snapmares and kneedrops Guy.  He stomps him on the mat once more, chokes him on another top rope and slingshots Guy back on the mat on his back.  He ties Guy up in the ropes, chops at him and comes bouncing back from the opposite ropes to charge Mercier who escapes and dodges, allowing Gonzalez to catch his own head in the ropes!  Saulnier tries desperately to free Jo.  Guy wants to beat up the trapped Jo but Saulnier says no. So Guy drags him off and ties him in the opposite ropes the gives the ref's mose a hearty tweak before hurrying back and elbowsmashing Gonzalez out of the rope tourniquet and down to ringside. He then turns to the ref and leaves him there.  Jo staggers back, Saulnier unties himself and the two wrestlers trade Manchettes.  Gonzalez feigns being Manchette-drunk then jumps back to fire more at Guy but Mercier bashes him back down.  Guy slingshots Jo who grabs the rope to resist but Saulnier breaks the grab and Jo is slung across the ring and butter in the stomach down on the mat.  They do the Ref Breaks The Rope Grab routine once more but this time Gonzalez comes back with a surprise sunset flip for a two count.  Guy the cross buttocks and presses Jo for a pin which remarkably Saulnier counts.  Mercier has won!  Saulnier raises Guy's hand and for a moment it looks like they might shake hands but Mercier turns away and shakes the MC's hand instead.

So far that's half an hour of action in one evening of Michel Saulnier's heel ref antics. Delaporte obviously felt he was on to a winner with this as other referees started acting suspiciously but not Delaporte himself who remained a hard nosed unimpeachable Sheriff of the ring.

[David Mantell]

On 7/14/2020 at 3:26 PM, ohtani's jacket said:

Daniel Schmid vs. Mammouth Siki (aired 8/28/78)

Schmid his best here, but Mammouth Siki sucks the life out of any match he's in. It's crazy how much time he spends in control of a bout given how shitty he is. I suppose Schmid could have sold more, but Siki is probably the worst worker in the archives. Shitty finish too. 

Things don't get any better for relations between referees and babyfaces on the next TV taping.   Siki ends up clobbering a referee and getting DQd.  It was getting contagious.  Or maybe it plugged into a certain anti petty authority sentiment in the French psyche.

No I'm not posting another blow by blow account. I've posted this bout and talked a bit about it before.

Siki was basically a 1970s French version of Junkyard Dog- but that's JYD in his WWF/TBS years. Just as charismatic though. Same funky streetwise vibe.  (Well it WAS the late seventies). You can see why la publique liked him.

It's odd though that British Wrestling never produced a black blue-eye funkster/soulman character like Thunderbolt Patterson or Rufus R Jones. We were as much into disco and funk as the Americans or the French.