Personally I preferred rounds because I felt it gave the heel more scope,that is,failing to release on the bell,an extra strike or not hearing the bell.This,for me,added extra needle to the bout.Further,does anybody know if rounds were exclusive to the UK or were they used by other countries?Also,were rounds in fashion during the 'All in' years. I remember them trying no rounds during mid/late eighties but it did nothing for me.Your opinions please.
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I always much preferred pro wrestling matches with timed rounds, and still do, although it's increasingly uncommon with live shows now. I grew up watching World of Sport wrestling in the early 1970s and rounds was the norm. I liked watching the wrestlers going back to their corners to assess the match, recover from a bruising hold and take stock of their opponent.
So it was rounds until the time limit system crept in.Thanks for your reply Ed.
Romeo asked "does anybody know if rounds were exclusive to the UK or were they used by other countries?"
Australian promotions used the European system of rounds until American promoters Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle debuted their World Championship Wrestling promotion in Sydney on 23 October 1964.
Previously, Aussie promotions had only used the time limit system as a gimmick generally in main event matches on relatively rare occasions. Barnett and Doyle instituted entire cards of matches with time limits.
While the Australian promotions utilised the European system of rounds, the headline wrestlers themselves were, in the main, imported from North America. North American wrestlers including World Champions such as Ted Thye, Walter Miller, Clarence Eklund, Ad Santel, Joe Stecher, Ed "Strangler" Lewis, John Pesek, Jim Browning, Dean Detton, Dave Levin, Bill Longson and Lou Thesz all wrestled in matches contested over rounds in Australia pre-1964.
Cheers!
Rounds, rounds and rounds!
It's got to be rounds. Five minutes, Occasionally saw three minutes, but they weren't long enough to build the story. And even ten rounds meant only 30 minutes of wrestling. Never saw the dreaded ten minute rounds. But with out any rounds there is no end of round drama saving some luckless so and so from punishment or robbing us of the submission about to come, our anticipated comeback for our hero, watching Peter Maivia on the ropes, or jeer Steve Haggetty for just the way he stood there.
Yes, rounds every time for me without a single doubt.
Like many of us on this site I am a traditionalist, and when we lost ITV World of Sport Wrestling way back in 1985 I had to look for alternative wrestling entertainment, and what did I find?
World Championship Wrestling (WCW) which I watched with my Dad once a week on a Friday night.
We sure did enjoy watching the American athletes battling it out with each other in the ring but what was missing - rounds.
After all, the very nature of the sport of Wrestling should automatically include at least a 1 minute break within a match. So, 1 fall contents are definitely not for me, but sadly that seems to be what the younger generation of today are looking for as was demonstrated in a wrestling show that I recently attended in my home town of Beverley. Steve.
Definitely rounds for me,and 5 minute ones at that. I once did a 3 ten minute rounds contest,and I was more than ready for a one minute break i said "never again". yet when we were training at St Lukes matmen we would train on the mat for 20 minutes at a time,but we could pause for a time while we maybe tried out new holds etc, and you couldn't very well do that in front of an audience. 🙊 regards Les 💪
Rounds without a doubt. Gave the wrestlers a break, and a chance to give thought to tactics.
It's years since I saw a show with rounds nonetheless I preferred them, less rest holds, quite often a lot of wind up from the heels. And less gaps in the action as the round breaks seemed more natural back then. I found the build up more exciting too especially just after a fall. There's still some very good matches out there and will continue to be so but just a little bit of magic went when we lost the rounds format
No rounds was certainly the form in USA but this was way back to the fifties and probably earlier.
Rounds definitely gave the aura of a legitimate sport
Rounds for me, no rounds to me is the American influence !
This is more about the later years and post TV years, but (tag matches/battle royales aside), I always felt the worst thing was mixing rounds and non-rounds matches on the same show. It always seemed to confuse the audience.
I must admit that when I was wrestling in the sixties, I only wrestled with rounds. Never heard of wrestling without any rounds.
After a hard 5 minutes round (time yourself for 5 minutes!), you really needed the break, or at least I did!
It would be nice to hear what other ex-wrestlers think on this point?
Cheers
Five minute rounds, two falls, two submissions or a knockout to decide the winner, much better than no rounds and one fall to decide the winner.
I was brought up in an era when all bouts had rounds.
As Anglo said rounds enabled the participants(including the referee and seconds)
to build a story.
The bouts with no rounds that I have seen on youtube had sessions where there was a lot of struggling and matwork to enable the wrestlers to get a rest and work out new ideas.
Absolutely rounds. The very sound of the bell, the seconds, the water bucket. Even giving the audience a pause for breath. And allowing the wrestlers to pause and think of a few ideas for the next round.