Pro-Wrestling in Central Europe

This video is a little overview of pro-wrestling as it has risen, peaked and fallen in Central Europe, specifically Germany, Austria and France. Popular throughout Europe in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Greco-Roman wrestling led to the rise of many legendary grapplers, most famous George Hackenschmidt. As the entertainment aspects bled into the sport, it continued to be popular with many famous and skilled homegrown stars throughout Europe before and after World War II. By the late 1970s, a unique "tour" system developed and men like Otto Wanz, Axel Dieter and Rene Lasartesse brought in the best talent from around the world to come to a town for an extended period of tournament wrestling. When British wrestling nearly died and the WWF began touring in the late 1980s, there was a boom period for the domestic product. There was even an attempt at a televised product that would promote the best talent throughout Europe. Eventually though, the influence of American wrestling, lack of domestic talent and aging promoters saw pro-wrestling fade out. Although pro-wrestling still exists on a small scale throughout Europe, it has never reached the popularity it enjoyed years ago.

The opening video features tournament stars going into the ring: kilted referee Mick McMichael, Franz Schumann, Steven Wright, Klaus Kauroff, Axel Dieter & John Quinn.

Music is "Wind of Change" by The Scorpions.

Henri DeGlane armbarring Rigoulot; Bela Barothy vs Bruno Mosig; Stangler Lewis ties up Rigoulot; Grüneisen vs. Kley; 1954 Catchen poster; Primo Carnera is grounded; Rene Ben Chemoul demonstrates a dropkick; Rene Lasartesse with an armbar; 1962 Catchen poster; tournament's end - Axel Dieter, Behrens & Lasartesse; Chall & Otto Wanz; another Catchen poster; Chemoul in action; Le Geant Ferre (Andre the Giant) in the 1960s. Tournament opening introductions; Klaus Wallas; Karl Gotch salutes; Dave Taylor, Tony St. Clair & Mile Zrno get ready; Giant Haystacks bad mouths fans; Texas Hawk (JBL) & Fit Finley; Lasartesse gets heat with a fascist salute; Taylor heads to the ring; Sgt. Slaughter dumps Otto; Samurai Shiro (Koshinaka) chokes Steven Wright; St. Clair counter; Road Warrior Hawk & Rambo (Luc Poirer); Finley jumps Otto; Drew McDonald & Billy Samson exchange uppercutts; Franz Schumann's counter snap mare on Lasartesse; Zrno-Wright sequence; Don Leo Jonathan counters Otto's armbar; Schumann superplexes Takayuki Izuka; Hawk lariats Steve Casey; Wright outsmarts Finley; Haystacks squashes Taylor; Gotch vs. Billy Robinson; Taylor counters Klaus Kauroff; Wright counters Col. Brodey; Hiroyoshi Tenzan misses a moonsault; Chris Benoit missile dropkicks Brodey; Wanz bodyslams Bull Power (Vader); Wright's son Alex (of future WCW fame) training amongst the tournament trailers; Taylor tosses Schumann onto Brodey; Finley counters Zrno's counter; St. Clair lariats Rambo; Shinya Hashimoto's jump back kick on Taylor; Otto Wanz with his belt; Kauroff smacks an intruding fan; Masahiro Chono singing; Taylor turns the tables on Texas Scott (Hall); Otto dumps Big Bad Bobby Duncum; lariats and barrel rolls Kokina (Yokozuna); hits a head scissors on AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel; decks Andre the Giant; armdrags Ed Leslie (Brutus Beefcake); tosses Finley out; Bull Power batters Axel Dieter; Hashimoto misses an elbowdrop; Izuka's spin wheel kick; Finley tombstones Eddie Gilbert; great sequence between Jushin Liger and Franz Schumann; Brodey waylays Steve Regal; Chall head scissors Kauroff; classic Johnny Saint sequence against Rasputin; Zrno's over-the-back armdrag; Axel's head scissors on Rasputin; Otto blasts Sailor White; Chaal mulekicks Kauroff; St. Clair hangs on to the armbar; Finley proclaims his superiority; "Young, Strong & Healthy" music video (featuring a host of CWA stars)

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• european
• pro-wrestling
• wrestling
• catchen
• wanz
• cwa
• germany
• france
• austria
• europe
• finley

[PWHwrestling]

Amazing video.

[DefLeppardVanHalen]

European wrestling is the purest wrestling ever seen.

[lakecumberland]

Nice job.

[JKTube]

I liked this a lot.