FULL MATCH: Here Is What Professional Wrestling Looked Like 116 Years Ago

It’s where things started. Professional wrestling has been around for a very long time and it has evolved in a variety of ways over the decades. There are all kinds of historical sources out there to help learn about the journey that the sport has taken, but unfortunately there is only so much that can actually be seen. Now we have something else to watch and it is probably the oldest you have ever seen.

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A wrestling match from 1908 has made its way to Twitter, showing original World Heavyweight Champion George Hackenschmidt wrestling an unnamed opponent (likely Joe Rogers on January 30, 1908) in London, England. Hackendschmidt poses before the match, which takes place in a mat rather than a ring with no ropes. The match was 2/3 falls, and another match between unnamed wrestlers from another shown is shown between falls. The video would be about 116 years old, making it one of, if not the oldest wrestling matches ever filmed.

This is something else. Check out the match, plus more very old school legends:

Opinion: I know this isn’t going to be for everyone but there is something fascinating about seeing what eventually evolved into the wrestling that we have today. Hackenschmidt is the definition of a pioneer, as this match was taking place fifty years before Bruno Sammartino won what would become the WWE Title. That’s an entirely different era but it is great to get to see it, if nothing else for the historical aspect.

What do you think of the match? Who is your favorite old school wrestler? Let us know in the comments below.

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You can find more from Thomas Hall at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his- Amazon author page with 30 wrestling books.

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