Wrestling has existed for over a century and was popularized in the United States—it actually began in the late 1800s, right after the Civil War. Wrestling was a sort of enjoyment that could be seen at carnivals and other traveling performances during the difficult postwar years. The majority were collegiate wrestlers seeking a fast buck. Pro wrestling would eventually develop into a highly popular social function. Soon enough, the sport became as popular as boxing, and we get to entertain ourselves with matches on 22Bet.
The Beginnings
The primary event of wrestling matches were Frank Gotch and Martin Burns, and things were going great until they started to quickly deteriorate. It wouldn’t be long before news got out that wrestling was in trouble. While it was never proved, it was commonly assumed that the boxing commission disseminated the news at the time. Wrestling was becoming more popular at the time and drew a larger crowd than boxing.
Wrestling would be in jeopardy, whether it was because of sour apples or because the spectators had smartened up. Fans were abandoning the once-popular attraction in droves, and things were only about to get worse with Gotch’s retirement. Things were looking bleak for our beloved sport, with no public face to promote it and a sharp drop in attendance. However, just as a dying tree wilts and dies, its seeds are typically dispersed and new trees are produced.
Billy Sandow, Ed Lewis, and Toots Mondt would be the new faces that would save professional wrestling. Fans went on to call them the Goldust Trio. They would permanently change the way the public saw wrestling. Not only that, but they’d be the first to put time limitations and DQs in place. Realizing that wrestling was a job, the trio began to use dishonest techniques even when the referee was not looking. Nevertheless, these are only a handful of the modifications that might be made to wrestling. Signature holds and tag team wrestling would also be introduced by the three to the sports world.
However, the commencement of promotions was their most original and significant achievement. Unlike in the past, when events were made up of hired talent from all around, these three opted to employ and retain a core of wrestlers for a long time. This risky strategy would reward off in a variety of ways. The fans would be more familiar with the brand if the wrestlers stayed the same. It would also enable them to establish a new fan base by promoting the same wrestlers everywhere they went.
The ability to perform angles and stories was perhaps the most important factor in maintaining the same wrestlers. They were able to keep feuds running for lengthy periods of time without having to send their fighters to other areas to wrestle. For over a decade, this formula would maintain them at the peak of the wrestling world. They are, nevertheless, frequently replicated, as are most success tales. For the three, the outcome would be the same.
Local promotions began to appear all throughout the country. The Goldust Trio was quickly feeling the strain of their newfound rivalry. They were now up against local promotions around the country. Their reign of terror would come to an end in the late 1920s. But it wasn’t the competitors that became their biggest stumbling block. Their reign as wrestling monarchs ended at the hands of Stanislaus Zybyzko.
The Transition
What was meant to be a simple title drop went horribly downhill. Wayne Munn, a newcomer, was slated to receive the belt from Zybysko. In an effort to keep, Zybysco would go against the odds and overcome Munn. To add insult to injury, out of spite, Zybysko would return a short time later and hand the title to Lewis’ rival, Joe Stecher. By repeatedly evading Lewis, Stecher would only make it tougher.
This whole ordeal would inflict so much harm that the belt would be useless by the time they got it back. It would eventually lead to the three’s supremacy in the wrestling business crumbling. The world of pro wrestling was significantly different in the 1930s and 1940s. Wrestling at carnies and farms was a thing of the past. We were about to enter a new business, the realm of wrestling.
Wrestling producers were generating more money as the sport grew in popularity. The term “Raiding Talent” was coined during this time period. As the industry expanded, the promoters began to see dollar signs. They would frequently destroy and plunder other local marketers of their talent in order to keep ahead of their competitors. As you can expect, this resulted in a number of heated battles between businesses.
To make matters worse, many names were losing their credibility. The reason for this is that many champion wrestlers would move to different promotions. Even the most opportunistic promoters recognized that it was a huge issue. The NWA was created in 1948 when all of the local promoters signed a vague pact.
It’s also worth mentioning that some wrestling purists think the NWA began in the late 1920s. Since the NWA was founded in the late 1920s, there is some validity to this. It’s also incorrect because the NWA attempted to unite local promoters in 1929.
