Catch Wrestling

Last updated: April 24, 2026

What is catch wrestling?

Catch wrestling, also called catch-as-catch-can, grew out of Lancashire wrestling in England during the 1800s. The name translates roughly to “catch a hold anywhere you can,” which describes the style’s permissive approach: unlike Greco-Roman or freestyle wrestling, catch allows attacks to any part of the body, including submissions that target joints and the spine.

The style spread through travelling carnival shows, where catch wrestlers would challenge locals for cash prizes. To end fights quickly against unknown opponents, these wrestlers developed an aggressive arsenal of “hooks” (their term for submission holds) and “stretches” that targeted the arms, legs, and neck. Pins and submissions are the only ways to win. There are no points and no decisions.

Catch wrestling influenced several martial arts that followed it. Freestyle wrestling was created in the early 1900s when governing bodies removed submissions from the catch ruleset to make the sport safer for amateur competition. Professional wrestling started as legitimate catch wrestling before evolving into scripted entertainment. In Japan, catch wrestling laid the groundwork for shoot wrestling, Pancrase, and eventually the MMA boom of the 1990s through organizations like Pride FC.

How catch wrestling works

Catch wrestling prioritizes top pressure and an aggressive pace. The philosophy is often described as “submission before position,” meaning catch wrestlers attack for finishes immediately rather than waiting to secure a dominant position first.

Matches can be won by submission or by pinning the opponent’s shoulders to the mat for a three count. Because pins count as victories, playing guard from the bottom (a common tactic in Brazilian jiu-jitsu) is risky in catch wrestling. Landing on your back can end the match.

The submission toolkit is built around joint locks, neck cranks, and leg attacks. The double wrist lock (known as the Kimura in BJJ and MMA) has been a staple of catch wrestling for well over a century. Toe holds, heel hooks, and various ankle locks make up the leg attack game. Neck cranks apply pressure to the spine and force movement or surrender. Chokes were historically restricted in many catch rulesets, though some “all-in” or “no holds barred” contests permitted them.

Conditioning matters in catch wrestling. Historical matches could last for hours, and the style rewards physical endurance alongside technical skill.

Catch wrestling vs BJJ

Both catch wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu aim to submit opponents, but their philosophies sit at opposite ends of the grappling spectrum. BJJ follows a “position before submission” model. Practitioners work methodically through guard retention and positional hierarchy to set up attacks from dominant spots. Catch wrestling inverts that entirely, hunting for submissions from anywhere and using pain compliance and relentless pressure to force openings rather than waiting for the perfect position.

Pins create another difference. BJJ competition has no pin rule, so fighters spend considerable time working from their backs. In catch wrestling, being on your back means losing. This shifts the entire ground game toward top pressure and control.

In MMA, both styles have produced successful fighters. Kazushi Sakuraba used catch wrestling to defeat four members of the Gracie family in Pride FC. Josh Barnett, a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, has argued that MMA’s evolution toward wrestling-up and avoiding guard play mirrors what catch wrestlers have done for decades. On the BJJ side, the guard game that once defined early MMA has become less common at the highest levels, partly because of the threat of ground strikes.

A practical difference between the two is accessibility. BJJ gyms operate in most cities around the world. Authentic catch wrestling instruction is much harder to find, though organizations like Scientific Wrestling, the Snake Pit USA, and the American Catch Wrestling Association (ACWA) have worked to expand access since the mid-2000s.

Catch wrestling vs freestyle wrestling

Freestyle wrestling descended directly from catch-as-catch-can. In the early 1900s, international governing bodies stripped submissions out of the catch ruleset and introduced a point system, creating freestyle wrestling as a safer format for amateur and Olympic competition.

The two styles share takedown techniques like single legs, double legs, and throws. The split happens on the mat. Freestyle wrestlers score through exposure (turning the opponent’s back toward the mat) and pins. Catch wrestlers use that same top control to set up joint locks, cranks, and other submissions.

According to data from FloWrestling and a study by NCAA wrestler Sebastian Rivera, roughly 40% of all-time UFC champions had a wrestling base. Catch wrestling’s addition of submissions to the wrestling control game is one reason the style has attracted renewed interest from MMA fighters and coaches looking for an edge on the ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does catch wrestling include striking?

No. Catch wrestling is a pure grappling system. Striking was added later in derivative styles like shootfighting, which blended catch wrestling with open-hand palm strikes and kicks. Pancrase, the Japanese promotion that helped launch MMA, operated under shootfighting rules.

Who are the most well-known catch wrestlers in MMA?

Kazushi Sakuraba, Josh Barnett, Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, and Erik Paulson are among the most recognized. Billy Robinson and Karl Gotch are considered two of the style’s most important coaches, having trained multiple fighters who competed in Japan’s early MMA scene.

Is catch wrestling making a comeback?

Organizations like Scientific Wrestling, the Snake Pit USA, and the ACWA have been running competitions and certification programs since the mid-2000s. CATCHCON, an annual training camp and tournament held in Las Vegas, drew coaches including UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich and five-time UFC champion Frank Shamrock for its 2025 and 2026 editions.

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Sources

1. Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Catch-as-catch-can wrestling.” Accessed April 2026.
2. Wikipedia. “Catch wrestling.” Accessed April 2026.
3. FloWrestling. “Wrestling Produces The Most UFC Champions Of Any Fighting Discipline.” Published 2019.
4. Skillset Magazine. “Boxing, Muay Thai or Wrestling: Which Produces More UFC Champions?” Published 2025.
5. BJJEE. “Josh Barnett: Catch Wrestling Is More Effective Than BJJ In Modern MMA.” Published 2025.
6. Scientific Wrestling. “CATCHCON 2026.” Accessed April 2026.
7. American Catch Wrestling Association (ACWA). “About.” Accessed April 2026.

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