There shouldn't be a Wrestling Fan anywhere who hasn't heard of BERT ASSIRATI!-
There can't be Anyone connected with the Sport who doesn't know of his Name!
Hardly Anyone WANTED to Fight this Powerhouse of a Wrestler! ASSIRATI is a Legendary
Name in the Sport!
What is much less known is that BERT Appeared on the First EVER Wrestling Show at
KINGS HALL BELLE VUE MANCHESTER!!-on 15TH DECEMBER 1930!! when he Battled
ATHOLL OAKELEY-the then BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!-ASSIRATI was beaten
in 23 Minutes-A Rare Defeat for him but a Sporting Match with Both Men hugging after the
Contest!
BELLE VUE was to become a Venue of Great Significance for this Top Heavyweight!
It was in this Iconic Arena on SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY in 1945 that the BRITISH
HEAVYWEIGHT Title was Contested in a Match made over 6 x 10 Minute Rounds.
BERT ASSIRATI-The Challenger Billed from LONDON and Weighing 16 Stone 3 Pounds
was taking on the Champion-GEORGE GREGORY Billed from BOLTON and Weighing
15 Stone 2 Pounds(just about a Heavyweight!!)-The Match had a £500.00 Sidestake-a
veritable Fortune in those days and with the War still on!!
This Show was one of the first Major Tournaments Staged by the New BELLE VUE
Promoting Team of Husband and Wife JESSIE and DICK ROGERS who had taken over
from KATHLEEN LOOK!
A Future Lord Mountevans BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION ALSO Appeared on
this Bill??
Sitting with Pride of Place within my (BELLE VUE) Archives I have the Official Souvenir
Programme for this Event priced at 6 old pence and in great condition-To Follow!
Not long after BERT ASSIRATI-The Undisputed BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
was taking on and beating All-Comers in a long and Phenomenal Unbeaten Run!
For 15 Years after the above BELLE VUE Showdown there was No-one to touch BERT
ASSIRATI-He had laid the Ghost of that Defeat at the hands of OAKELEY from the very
Origins of Wrestling at The KINGS HALL!
MAIN MASK
The website is back up now Bernard. It wouldn't have answered your question. I believe Alf was heavyweight champion for a few weeks in 1953. He won it in Newcastle - maybe you were there?
Hi Mm. You said in your first posting a future Lord MountEvans British heavyweight champion was on the bill.
I think that it was 2. Alf Rawlings ,I believe held the title for a little while.
I tried to check on wrestlers in Heritage, but they say they have trouble on that site.
https://www.wrestlingheritage.com/1930
Whatever Assirati became we can hardly judge him by this December 1930 match. Both Oakeley and Assirati were setting out on their professional careers.
Here's what must be one of Main Mask's most treasured possessions, the programme from the Gregory - Assirati title match in January, 1945. Watch out Main Mask, Anglo and I will be round at your house in the middle of the night; Bernard will be revving up the getaway car.
A detailed report of the match is in A Year of Wrestling 1945
https://www.wrestlingheritage.com/1945
Another from Main Mask ...
Assirati and Oakley were good friends in 1930, I am assuming their friendship started at London based Ashdowne Athletic Club which was many good amateur's alma mater. That sporting club produced quite a few members of British Amateur Wrestling Team which toured Continental Europe in the late 1920s. More likely Oakley gave him start as a pro.
The Gregory v Assirati Title Change is a good one.
Does anyone know when/where/from whom Gregory won his title and which title it actually was, was it, all-in, modern or XX century CACC, or may be it was pro freestyle wrestling. Any info is highly appreciated.
Yes but how many of you actually met and spoke to the man?
Very brutal man in the ring.