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French Catch

Based on what we have available to us, French wrestling was certainly the most exciting wrestling in the world for at least the 1950s and 1960s. Without getting too into specifics, procuring this footage from the INA archive was the virtual equivalent of me putting on a wig and mustache and checking into a hotel room under a pseudonym. We have seen footage of many great wrestlers about whom we likely wouldn’t have known with this stuff being unearthed, and the quality tends to range from fun to mind-blowing. Special thanks to the team at Segunda Caida for making sense of the footage, recommending the best matches and providing some much-needed context.

  1. French Catch #50 (December 1967-March 1968)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #50 (02:02:52) Matches from December 1967-March 1968 TEDDY BOY vs GERARD BOUVET (12/16/1967; French Catch; 00:07:20) JACKY CORN vs PIERRE ROINET (01/01/1968; French Catch; 00:14:50) JEAN FERRE vs SCARFACE (01/01/1968; French Catch; 00:21:49) LE PETIT PRINCE vs MICHEL SAULNIER (01/01/1968; French Catch; 00:10:36) JEAN FERRE vs FRANZ VAN BUYTEN (01/20/1968; French Catch; 00:16:42) LE PETIT PRINCE vs BOBBY GENELE (01/20/1968; French Catch; 00:07:06) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES vs INCA PERUANO & ANTON TEJERO (03/09/1968; French Catch; 00:38:15) …

    • 0 replies
    • 333 views
    Loss

  2. French Catch #51 (March-August 1968)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #51 (02:15:12) Matches from March-August 1968 ROGER DELAPORTE vs VASILIOS MANTOPOULOS (03/23/1968; French Catch; 00:31:54) BOB PLANTIN vs FRANCIS LOUIS (07/06/1968; French Catch; 00:32:07) ANDRE BOLLET vs JACKY WIECZ (08/24/1968; French Catch; 00:31:45) JACK DE LASARTESSE vs BERNARD VIGNAL (08/24/1968; French Catch; 00:03:35) PEDRO CABRERA & ALBERT SANNIEZ vs TONY MARTINO & BERNARD CACLARD (08/31/1968; French Catch; 00:35:51)

    • 0 replies
    • 295 views
    Loss

  3. French Catch #52 (September-December 1968)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #52 (02:22:17) Matches from September-December 1968 PIERRE BERNAERT vs MARCEL MONTREAL (09/07/1968; French Catch; 00:09:04) ROBERT DURANTON vs EDDIE WILLIAMS (09/07/1968; French Catch; 00:30:32) GEORGES COHEN & GHAZ DOUKHAN vs M’BOABA LES CONGOLAIS & KARL VON KRAMER (09/14/1968; French Catch; 00:08:19) PIERRE BERNAERT & PIERRE LA MAGOURO vs AMOR ZAFAR & HENRI LE MAO (11/23/1968; French Catch; 00:29:18) L’ANGE BLANC vs SCARFACE LA BALEFRE (12/07/1968; French Catch; 00:36:23) DANIEL BOUCARD vs GEORGES COHEN (12/26/1968; French Catch; 00:32:41)

    • 0 replies
    • 421 views
    Loss

  4. French Catch #53 (December 1968-January 1969)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #53 (02:00:52) Matches from December 1968-January 1969 RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES vs KAMIKAZE I & KAMIKAZE II (12/26/1968; French Catch; 00:40:17) ANDRE BOLLET vs FRANZ VAN BUYTEN (01/01/1969; French Catch; 00:38:42) ANDRE BOLLET vs JEAN FERRE (01/01/1969; French Catch; 00:41:53)

    • 0 replies
    • 267 views
    Loss

  5. French Catch #54 (January-April 1969)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #54 (02:23:04) Matches from January-April 1969 ANDRE BOLLET & ROGER DELAPORTE vs MARCEL MONTREAL & WARNIA DE ZARZECKI (01/25/1969; French Catch; 00:33:21) ABDEL KADER BOUSSADA vs JEAN LUC (02/01/1969; French Catch; 00:10:18) GUY CAVILLIER vs ALBERT SANNIEZ (02/01/1969; French Catch; 00:19:11) ROBERT GASTEL & FRED MAGNIER vs DON BARRETO & EDDIE WILLIAMS (03/08/1969; French Catch; 00:39:04) VASILIOS MANTOPOULOS & AMOR ZAFAR vs PIERRE BERNAERT & EMBABA LE CONGOLAIS (04/05/1969; French Catch; 00:41:10)

    • 0 replies
    • 366 views
    Loss

  6. French Catch #55 (April-October 1969)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #55 (02:16:57) Matches from April-October 1969 ROBERT GASTEL & ROGER DELAPORTE vs WARNIA DE ZARZECKI & GIACOMO GUGULIEMETTI (04/19/1969; French Catch; 00:33:01) INCA PERUANO & ANTON TEJERO vs RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES (04/21/1969; French Catch; 00:33:27) ROBERT CASTEL & FRED MAGNIER vs EDDIE WILLIAMS & DON BARETHU (04/26/1969; French Catch; 00:34:41) LE PETIT PRINCE vs MICHEL SAULNIER (10/04/1969; French Catch; 00:35:48)

    • 0 replies
    • 277 views
    Loss

  7. French Catch #56 (October-December 1969)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #56 (02:02:06) Matches from October-December 1969 JEAN FERRE vs ROBERT DURANTON (10/25/1969; French Catch; 00:06:55) VASILIOS MANTOPOULOS & UNKNOWN WRESTLER vs PIERRE BERNAERT & PIERRE LAMAGOROU (10/25/1969; French Catch; 00:32:38) JEAN CORNE & MICHEL FALEMPIN vs INCA VIRACOCHA & STEVE EGG (11/08/1969; French Catch; 00:30:37) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES vs ANTON TEJERO & INCA VIRACOCHA (12/13/1969; French Catch; 00:33:24) BATMAN vs INCA VIRACOCHA (12/20/1969; French Catch; 00:18:32)

    • 0 replies
    • 351 views
    Loss

  8. French Catch #57 (December 1969-February 1970)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #57 (02:18:15) Matches from December 1969-February 1970 GILBERT LEDUC vs GONZALEZ (12/20/1969; French Catch; 00:16:44) L’HOMME MASQUE vs L’ANGE BLANC (12/23/1969; French Catch; 00:32:48) JACKY CORN & GUY MERCIER vs TED LAMARRE & JO MARSALO (01/01/1970; French Catch; 00:32:27) GUY MERCIER vs ALLEN LE FOUDRE (01/24/1970; French Catch; 00:29:26) KURT KAISER vs REMY BAYLE (02/01/1970; French Catch; 00:03:38) RENE LASARTESSE vs GABY CALDERON (02/01/1970; French Catch; 00:23:12)

    • 0 replies
    • 259 views
    Loss

  9. French Catch #58 (April-August 1970)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #58 (02:01:38) Matches from April-August 1970 GUY MERCIER vs KIYOMIGAWA (04/11/1970; French Catch; 00:36:40) PETER KAYSER vs GUY MERCIER (05/02/1970; French Catch; 00:22:09) LE HIPPY DU RING vs GILBERT BERNAERT (06/29/1970; French Catch; 00:14:22) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES vs BLACK SHADOW & EL ARZ (07/25/1970; French Catch; 00:30:20) GUY MERCIER vs PETER KAYSER (08/22/1970; French Catch; 00:18:07)

    • 0 replies
    • 280 views
    Loss

  10. French Catch #59 (October 1970-January 1971)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #59 (02:19:28) Matches from October 1970-January 1971 JEAN FERRE vs FRANCK VALOIS (10/31/1970; French Catch; 00:28:45) JEAN CORNE & MICHEL FALEMPIN vs JEFF KAYE & IAN GILMOUR (11/14/1970; French Catch; 00:33:15) DER HENKER vs JACKY CORN (12/12/1970; French Catch; 00:18:39) GILBERT LEDUC vs BERT MYCHEL (12/12/1970; French Catch; 00:27:03) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES vs UNKNOWN WRESTLERS (01/02/1971; French Catch; 00:31:46)

    • 0 replies
    • 252 views
    Loss

  11. French Catch #60 (January-April 1971)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #60 (02:24:12) Matches from January-April 1971 LES BLOUSONS NOIRS vs GILBERT CESCA & BRUNO ASQUINI (01/25/1971; French Catch; 00:28:20) JACKY MONTALLIER vs LA BETE HUMAINE (02/08/1971; French Catch; 00:23:54) LE PETIT PRINCE & FRANCIS LOUIS vs JACKY RICHARD & DANIEL NOCED (02/22/1971; French Catch; 00:32:33) BILLY CATANZARO & GILBERT LEMAGOUROU vs ALBERT SANNIEZ & BOB REMY (03/12/1971; French Catch; 00:32:20) GILBERT LEDUC vs BERT MYCHEL (04/12/1971; French Catch; 00:27:05)

    • 0 replies
    • 327 views
    Loss

  12. French Catch #61 (April-June 1971)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #61 (02:13:16) Matches from April-June 1971 JIMMY DULA vs ANDRE DRAPP (04/26/1971; French Catch; 00:33:16) BOBBY JENERE & GUY RENAULT vs MICHEL SAULNIER & PEDRO CABRERA (05/03/1971; French Catch; 00:35:49) BATMAN & PACO RAMIREZ vs INCA VIRACOCHA & DON GONZALEZ (05/17/1971; French Catch; 00:28:32) DER HENKER & KAMIKAZE vs JACKY CORN & GILBERT LEDUC (06/14/1971; French Catch; 00:35:59)

    • 0 replies
    • 320 views
    Loss

  13. French Catch #62 (June-July 1971)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #62 (02:26:54) Matches from June-July 1971 MOTA DOS SANTOS & ANTONIO PEREIRA vs FRANCIS LOUIS & PIERRE PAYEN (06/19/1971; French Catch; 00:26:04) JACKY RICHARD vs ANGELITO (06/29/1971; French Catch; 00:21:31) ROBERT DURANTON vs L’ANGE BLANC (07/05/1971; French Catch; 00:08:14) BATMAN & PACO RAMIREZ vs JO GONZALEZ & INCA VIRACOCHA (07/17/1971; French Catch; 00:30:46) MAURICE DUMEZ vs INCA PERUANO (07/24/1971; French Catch; 00:27:21) GILBERT LEDUC vs DER HENKER (07/31/1971; French Catch; 00:32:58)

    • 0 replies
    • 281 views
    Loss

  14. French Catch #63 (August-September 1971)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #63 (02:01:04) Matches from August-September 1971 BRUNO ASQUINI vs MARCEL MANNEVEAU (08/14/1971; French Catch; 00:12:30) MICHEL SAULNIER vs RICARDO TORRES (08/14/1971; French Catch; 00:15:41) MAMMOTH SIKI vs L’HOMME MASQUE (08/21/1971; French Catch; 00:26:47) DAN AUBRIOT vs LA BETE HUMAINE (09/03/1971; French Catch; 00:20:59) TIBOR SZAKACS vs JOHN HENRY YEASLEY (09/11/1971; Joint Promotions; 00:17:52) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES vs ANTON TEJERO & ANTONIO MONTORO (09/20/1971; French Catch; 00:27:15)

    • 0 replies
    • 310 views
    Loss

  15. French Catch #64 (October-November 1971)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #64 (02:19:14) Matches from October-November 1971 GUY MERCIER vs KAMIKAZE (10/04/1971; French Catch; 00:33:02) M’BOABA LES CONGOLAIS & PIERRE BERNAERT vs VASILIOS MANTOPOULOS & JEAN CLAUDE TRIJO (10/08/1971; French Catch; 00:40:57) MARCEL MANNEVEAU & CLAUDE GESSAT vs JACKY CORN & GHAS DOUKHAN (11/01/1971; French Catch; 00:32:20) MAURICE DUMEZ & UNKNOWN WRESTLER vs KAMIKAZE I & KAMIKAZE II (11/15/1971; French Catch; 00:32:55)

    • 0 replies
    • 295 views
    Loss

  16. French Catch #65 (January-February 1972)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #65 (02:20:58) Matches from January-February 1972 DON CALOT vs LESAGE (01/03/1972; French Catch; 00:09:23) FRANZ VAN BUYTEN vs JACQUES DE LASARTESSE (01/17/1972; French Catch; 00:34:42) MARCEL MANNEVEAU vs LE SAMURAI (01/31/1972; French Catch; 00:23:30) TRAMPOLINE WRESTLING (01/31/1972; French Catch; 00:09:47) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES vs LES LIBANESE JOSEF EL ARZ & BLACK SHADOW (02/14/1972; French Catch; 00:34:04) GUY MERCIER & MICHEL FALEMPIN vs INCA VIRACOCHA & JO GONZALEZ (02/28/1972; French Catch; 00:29:32)

    • 0 replies
    • 331 views
    Loss

  17. French Catch #66 (March-May 1972)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #66 (02:06:26) Matches from March-May 1972 ABDUL KHAN vs BATMAN (03/27/1972; French Catch; 00:15:15) MAMMOTH SIKI vs MR. X (03/27/1972; French Catch; 00:15:51) FRANCIS LOUIS & JEAN CLAUDE BOURDEAUX vs ANTONION PEREIRA & MOTA DOS SANTOS (04/24/1972; French Catch; 00:31:03) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES vs GOLDEN FALCONS (05/13/1972; French Catch; 00:36:42) JEAN MENARD & ALAN MITCHELL vs JEAN CORNE & MICHEL FALEMPIN (05/22/1972; French Catch; 00:09:28) KAMIKAZE vs NICOLAS PRIORE (05/22/1972; French Catch; 00:18:07)

    • 0 replies
    • 1.3k views
    Loss

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