Catch wrestling is a classical hybrid
grappling style that was developed in Britain circa 1870 by J. G. Chambers, then later refined and popularised by the wrestlers of
travelling funfairs who developed their own
submission holds, or "hooks", into their wrestling to increase their effectiveness against their opponents. Catch wrestling derives from a number of different styles, the English styles of
Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling,
Cornwall and
Devon wrestling,
Lancashire wrestling, Irish
collar-and-elbow wrestling,
Greco-Roman, , styles of the Indian subcontinent such as
Pehlwani and Iranian styles such as
Varzesh-e Pahlavani. The training of some modern
submission wrestlers,
professional wrestlers and
mixed martial artists is founded in catch wrestling.