Wrestling Holds

Permitted under the rules of
Admiral Lord Mount-Evans

The following text and pictures are taken from a book entitled Wrestling - The Admiral Lord Mount-Evans Style. This book was published by Wrestling News and Views Ltd., Halifax, and printed by Fawcett Greenwood & Co. Ltd., Halifax. The date of publication is not stated.
(Many thanks to Russell for the loan of his copy of this book, thereby enabling this item to be added to the Wrestling Furnace website.)


The Rules of the Admiral Lord Mount-Evans Style of Wrestling, with demonstrated holds and explanatory text. Also the rules of contest, illegal holds, championship weights and other information for those wishing to understand this style.

     The Admiral Lord Mount-Evans Rules have been adopted by the British Wrestling Promoters' Association for all Championship contests. This Association controls at least 95 per cent of all wrestling in Great Britain, and it is intended to establish national champions at all weights in this style.

     In 1946 the state of wrestling in Britain was given careful study by a committee including Admiral Lord Mount-Evans, K.C.B., D.S.O., LL.D.; Commander Campbell of B.B.C fame; Norman Morrell, Olympic Games Wrestler; Maurice Webb, M.P; sitting in committee at the Houses of Parliament, and the rules of professional wrestling were drawn up to be known hereafter as "The Admiral Lord Mount-Evans Style."

The basic holds

Hold 1
Hold 2
  • Standing quarter nelson
Hold 3
  • Ground half nelson
Hold 4
  • Further half nelson
Hold 5
  • Standing threequarter nelson
Hold 6
  • Ground threequarter nelson
Hold 7
  • Standing full nelson
Hold 8
  • Ground full nelson
Hold 9
  • 'Bolton threequarter' nelson
Hold 10
  • Quarter nelson
Hold 11
  • Standing half nelson
Hold 12
  • Half nelson successfully countered
Hold 13
  • Side head chancery
Hold 14
  • Front head chancery
Hold 15
  • Side head chancery countered by a crotch hold
Hold 16
  • Head halch as a counter to the arm up the back
Hold 17
  • Ground head chancery
Hold 18
  • Head chancery from the rear
Hold 19
  • Double front head chancery
Hold 20
  • Rear head chancery from the ground
Hold 21
  • Waist hold (countered by face claw)
Hold 22
  • Waist hold (countered by ankle grab)
Hold 23
  • Waist hold (lifting opponent off his feet)
Hold 24
  • Waist hold from the rear
Hold 25
  • Reverse waist hold followed by overhead snatch (by Sandy Orford of Wales)
Hold 26
  • Waist hold leading to fall (by Ernest Baldwin)
Hold 27
  • Counter to reverse waist hold (Dave Armstrong counters Mike Byrnes)
Hold 28
  • Backhammer (arm up the back)
Hold 29
  • Backhammer with bar
Hold 30
  • Backhammer with wrist hold and elbow press
Hold 31
  • Backhammer from ground wrestling
Hold 32
  • Single arm lever (start of move)
Hold 33
  • Single arm lever (finish of move)
Hold 34
  • Jim Hussey moving in for an arm lever
Hold 35
  • Deglane armlocks Martinsen
Hold 36
  • Ken Davies applies pressure with an arm lever
Hold 37
  • Lord Blears relieving pressure from a back hammer
Hold 38
  • Arm lever helped by using sole of foot
Hold 39
  • Ground arm lever
Hold 40
  • Double arm lever
    (from poor quality original photo)
Hold 41
  • Spinning arm lock by Jim Hussey
Hold 42
  • Double arm lever, with foot on back
Hold 43
  • Swinging crotch hold
Hold 44
  • Headspin out of a crotch hold
Hold 45
  • Back-heel from a leg hold
Hold 46
  • Alf Rawlings takes a double leg hold
Hold 47
  • Figure four leg hold
Hold 48
  • Another figure four leg hold
Hold 49
  • Ankle hold over leg bar
Hold 50
  • Step over leg lock
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FORMALITIES