WRESTLING BOUT AT WANGANUI ENDS IN A DRAW

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 June 1948, Page 6

WRESTLING BOUT AT WANGANUI ENDS IN A DRAW

In a bout marked by good solid wrestling mixed with a fair measure of showmanship, Joe Pazandak drew with Bill Kuusisto in a heavyweight wrest.ing contest in the Opera House last night. Both men secured a fall. Kuusisto scored the first fall in the sixth round when Pazandak submitted to a painful wristlock, and Pazandak equalised in the last round with a fall from a press following an exchange of jolts and two dumps. The following were the results of the amateur bouts: — T. Hogg (6.6) v. N. Bing (6.0). Matters were even in the first round, but in the second round Hogg was the aggressor and was eventuailv rewarded with a fall. Hogg was on top in the third round and secured a well-earned win. G. Sherratt (9.11) v. A. Higgs (9.10). —Higgs scored a fall halfway through the first round. Matters were fairly even in the next two rounds. E. Rohloff (8.12) v. P. Hopkins (10.2).—There was not much excitement in this bout, which failed to arouse much enthusiasm among the crowd. Rohloff, however, took Hopkins to the mat early In the final round to secure a fall. W. Fore (8.12) v. J. Bing (8.10). Fore started off at a great pace. However, he got into trouble and a fall was given against him. Both worked hard in the second round, which was evenly contested. Bing trapped Fore early* in the next round for another fall. A three-round exhibition contest was wrestled between D. Anderson and W. Anderson. Both provided a good range of holds used by the heavyweights. They ( added a measure of showmanship to their wrestling ahd aroused the enthusiasm of the fans. HEAVYWEIGHT CONTEST Pazandak was announced as 16st 111 b and Kuusisto as 16st 71b. Kuusisto opened the round with an arm clutch. There soon ensued a friendly exchange of jolts to the face and other forms of facial massage to warm up the enthusiasm of the crowd. The round was marked by fisticuffs and at the end Pazandak threw his seat from the ring. Kuusisto opened the second round with a headlock. He came off the ropes for a shoulder rush and applied another headlock. Pazandak broke out but Kuusisto caught him in another headlock. Pazandak got. out for a hammerlock. Kuusisto missed with two Hying tackles off the ropes.

The third round started with an exchange of hugs, Kuusisto securing the advantage with a jolt to the jaw. Pazandak applied an arm stretch, Kuusisto retaliating in a similar manner. Pazandak came out with a wristlock to which Kuusisto countered with a shortarm scissors. Pazandak used his feet in Kuusisto’s stomach to break loose and apply a headlock. Kuusisto took Pazandak to the mat with a leg trip at the start of the fourth and applied a toehold. Kuusisto kept up the pressure and tried for a splits, but Pazandak caught him in a toehold. Using his hand on Pazandak’s face, Kuusisto was soon out. Pazandak got another toehold, but Kuusisto changed it to an arm scissors and then added an arm stretch. He then applied a hammerlock. Kuusisto at the start of the fifth took Pazandak to the mat with a headlock for the latter to secure a toehold. They were parted by the referee and exchanged a few jolts, after which Pazandak worked on Kuusisto’s right wrist. Getting out, Kuusisto got a good headlock and then a body scissors. Pazandak tried to wriggle out, only to be caught In a wristlock. They were broken under the ropes. At the gong Pazandak and Kuusisto were arguing about open fists and trouble looked like brewing. Pazandak concentrated on a muscle roll in the early stages of the sixth round. He jumped on his opponent’s arm with his knees, but missed the second time he essayed to do it for Kuusisto moved suddenly away. Kuusisto took his opponent to the mat with an arm bar. but was trapped in a headlock. However, he turned the tables on Pazandak momentarily but was caught in a sei ere arm bar. He came out with a severe wristlock with Pazandak’s arm through his legs and secured considerable pressure. Pazandak cried out. “Don’t break it,” and a few seconds later told the referee to give Kuusisto a fall. This was awarded with only two seconds of the round left. When the gong sounded for the seventh round Kuusisto went for Pazandak’s right wrist and secured an arm scissors. Pazandak came out with an arm stretch and then a wristlock. Kuusisto got a head scissors near the ropes and they were ordered to break. Another exchange of blows ensued. Kuusisto applied another head scissors in the middle of the ring and had Pazandak in the hold at the gong. There was no shaking hands when the last round started. Jolts were exchanged in the ring and the bout developed a donnybrook. Pazandak got the better of the encounter and dumped Kuusisto twice to secure a fall with a press at lmin. JGsec. Mr. G. Matson was the referee.