Hi there. I read about this forum in one of Greg Lambert's book Ropes and Glory. Nice to meet you all. I was looking through some of the belt posts; were belts a big part of British Wrestling pre-1988? I can't really remember seeing them showcased on World of Sport when I watched in on the Wrestling Channel back in the back. Google doesn't return much either. I saw a British belt dating back to the Victorian era went up for auction a while back. But if you search the big stars of yesteryear, I can't find them wearing the belts. The lineage of belts is easily accessible like the American championships.
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As has been said, Ruslan is your man, when it comes to the history of Wrestling belts.
With regard to belts being held in high regard. The original Mountevans belts (which were controlled by Joint Promotions) had probably the best, "legitimate" regard, in the UK Wrestling business (others may disagree). Other belts that had "World", "European" or "Commonwealth" titles attached to them, are a little more sketchy. The nature of certain belts has been speculated upon, on this web site, for many years, particularly when someone holds a belt for 20 years or so.......
Thanks The Ost. Very interesting. The different lineages will make my quest tricky. I'd love to find out if there were any belts that were held in particular esteem. 'The Big Gold Belt' in the US being an example, being uses across promotions and lineages, and the NWA title. I would image the the belts help by the biggest, household names would qualify - for example, Big Daddy 'making' the belt (rather than the other way around).
You will find lots of discussion on belts here.
Belts were used in British wrestling throughout the centuries.
The issue you will find, especially in the 20th century, is that belts were often re-used, repurposed, or represented multiple titles (or championships) at the same time. It can get confusing.
Some of the belts introduced in the 1960's (the second lot of Mountevans belts) are still the most well-known today. Some originals of these are in the hands of private collectors, and some replicas have been made by other collectors.
Brian Dixon has passed away.
Your best bet will be the Heritage Belts Supremo, Ruslan. You appear to have much in common. I'm sure he will jump in here soon.
Nice! I'd really love to know what happened to such belts. I'll have to see if I can find out who made them, and follow that thread. All Star wrestling has been going for donkey's years, maybe I can contact Brian Dixon. Think I might order The Wrestling by Simon Garfield and see if they crop up at all.
This photo , we think 1961 also recently discussed.
Hi, it's hard to say if belts were a "big" part of British Wrestling, but they were certainly used often.
Some wrestlers simply didn't need a belt to draw a crowd, Big Daddy for one (love him or hate him), Kendo Nagasaki another (although he won a belt towards the end of the TV days), Adrian Street didn't need a belt, but he won a few.
Most of the big names from the World of Sport TV era held belts at one time or another; Mick McManus, Jackie Pallo, Dynamite Kid, Mike Marino, Brian Maxine, Marty Jones, Mark Rocco, Dave "Fit" Finlay, Jim Breaks, Danny Collins, George Kidd, Steve Grey, Vic Faulkner, Tony St. Clair, Pat Roach, Billy Robinson, Johnny Saint, Wayne Bridges, Ian Campbell, Billy Joyce, Alan Kilby, etc.