20 Pro Wrestling Firsts You Need To Know

20. First True Wrestling Promotion

It started as entertainment in 19th century and became a sideshow in the carnivals of North America, but by the 1920s certain influential individuals were already starting to monopolise professional wrestling. One trio in particular managed this better than most, and in doing so formed what is considered the first true professional wrestling promotion.

Ed 'Strangler' Lewis, Billy Sandow and Joseph 'Toots' Mondt were the trio, and it was these three who brought about a significant change in the way pro wrestling was organised and presented. Known as the 'Gold Dust Trio', they originated what was known as Slam-Bang Western-Style Wrestling, which incorporated greco-roman, grappling, boxing, and no small amount of theatre.

It was the first real example of wrestlers being signed to exclusive contracts, wiping out potential competition in the process. They paid their wrestlers well and on-time, and were bringing in the biggest crowds because of the monopoly. They were the first to book wrestling as an ongoing process too, with storylines coming into play instead of one-off showcase bouts.

It was also one of the first examples of booking individuals to 'go over' so to speak, in order to increase interest from crowds that might otherwise grow tired of the same champion all the time. The trio fell apart in 1928 thanks to business issues, but the groundwork was set. Professional wrestling had entered a different era.