Mike Chapman: Pins in Catch Wrestling

We had the honor of speaking with author, wrestling historian, and multiple Hall of Fame inductee, Mike Chapman at the NCAA wrestling finals.

We discussed the significance of the pin throughout the history of wrestling.

[akumagouki]

It's interesting in one of the versions of wrestliana they talk about how there was different versions of pins in different areas, and it refers to different types of pins, not all of them involve the shoulders!!! It also mentions lancashire wrestling as a collar & elbow style and Cornish wrestling as a catch where you catch can style lmfao it talks about the ground fighting in cornish wrestling bfore dog falls were a thing and ground wrestling was banned but it's just a hint like "jones is the best ground wrestler in cornwal"

It mentions the actual spots you have to put to the ground as pins and it says some places in england you have to put 4 pins to the ground while others you only have to put 1. I haven't read it in a while so I'll have to check it out again but theres a few different versions with completely different contents so I hope I remember the right one lol

[theodorewurz]

I train in Cacc, but for MMA, not for the sport of Catch. I don't see why the pin should be emphasized over submissions. To me a win is a win, and it is better for MMA or self defense to be skilled at hooking as well as pinning. In fact my argument would be that the sub is more definitive because once you pin a guy, then you are working for a submission. A pin is also up to the ref, there is no better way to defeat someone than to have them admit it to you. As a fundamental it makes sense to emphasize the pin, because that is the basis of the sport, get someone on their back and never be on your back, it makes and defines the style. After that though, a win is a win and a great hooker is just as impressive as a great pinner. Submissions are what set Catch apart from Fokstyle, Freestyle and Greco.

[theodorewurz]

Also this isn't the early 20th century. Modern Catch is developing in a competitive environment that involves MMA and No gi and it should be applied to both, as well as the sport of Catch Wrestling. If it were not for MMA, specifically Pancrase, Shooto, the UWFi, and Pride, Catch Wrestling would be in much worse shape than it is. Without MMA, Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson would have been only known as Pro Wrestlers and their style would be just about extinct. MMA is responsible for Catch's rebirth and that is because it works so well for MMA fighting. In MMA, pins, while useful, do not end a fight.