Throughout the annals of wrestling history, only a select few have risen to be the very top stars of their respective eras. Before the likes of Cena, Austin, Hogan, Flair, or even Sammartino, there was George Hackenschmidt, who today is best known for being recognized as the first wrestling world champion. This week, a video surfaced online of Hackenschmidt in action from over a century ago during a 1908 match from London, England.
Born in August 1877 in what is today known as Tartu, Estonia, Hackenschmidt entered the wrestling industry at the age of 12. It was in May 1905 that Hackneschmidt was officially recognized as the World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion after a victory in New York City over Tom Jenkins. Hackenshmidt held the title for just shy of three years before losing the gold in April 1908 to longtime rival Frank Gotch.
The video above may be the most complete footage of Hackenschmidt in the ring that’s been publicly shared and serves as a window into a much different form of professional wrestling. While the industry may be a lot more theatrical than what Hackenschmidt experienced in his heyday, it was his fundamentals and popularity that would play a role in making the wrestling business the entertainment juggernaut it is today, over a century after this match.