KATAN WINS LIVELY WRESTLING BOUT

Camp News, Volume 1, Issue 21, 3 May 1940, Page 4

KATAN WINS LIVELY WRESTLING BOUT

Fall Taken From Blomfield TORPEDO TACTICS DECIDE CONTEST John Katan beat Lofty Blomfield by one fall in a lively professional wrestling bout in the Wellington Town Hall Monday aright. The Ibout iwasi very even ; Blomfield took the initiative much of the time, and three times-strove to apply an octopus clamp, but, on each occasion Katan wriggled through the ropes. Katan obtained his fall in the fifth round, when he broke out of a full-nelson by climbing the ropes, and projected himself head-first at Blomfield, torpedoing him in the face and sending him to the mat, where he pressed him. There was a packed house. Sergeant Blomfield was greeted with an enthusiastic reception by a crowd whose temper had been whetted by a lively professional preliminary. He was seconded by another army sergeant, in uniform. He appeared in better physical trim than for some seasons, bronzed and fit. Katan at IGs’t. 101 b. had an advantage of 21b.' He stripped magnificently, and set about Blomfield in workmanlike style. The bout was distinguished by plenty of straight wrestling with only intermittent outbursts of rough play. There was a brief exchange of jolts in the first round, but for the rest the wrestlers ex; changed grips in lively style, Blomfield making an initial attempt at an octopus clamp without success. Katan shaped a manual deathlock, but relaxed when Blomfield pulled his ears smartly. He complained, and tin referee, Mr. Alf Jenkins, warned Blom field for lodging some hearty fisticuffs Blomfield repeatedly massaged Katan’s features with his knuckles, till checked by a rap on the nose. “Watch his shoulders,” ’suggested Katan, holding Blomfield down with an arm-bar. “I'm watching his throat,” retorted the referee. Katan shifted his knee from Blomfield's Adam’s apple to his ear, only to replace it on his victim’s windpipe as soon as opportunity offered. It was in the third round that tin bout became lively, when Blomfield delivered a fusillade of jolts, and sent Katan bouncing and slithering across

(he mat with hard head lock throws. Katan picked Blomfield up in a crutchhold, but the referee prevented him pitching the New Zealander into the crowd. While the altercation was proceeding Blomfield took advantage of it to tumble Katan in among the ringsiders. Karan floored Blomfield with a powerful and impressive throat-hold in the fourth session. Blomfield tied Ku tan s leg m. the ropes, and pulled it; Katan sought a ruling from the referee on this gambit. Blomfield frog-marched Katan 111 a full-nelson, driving his knee into the base of Katan's spine. He belaboured Katan with forearm blows, hunting him around the ring. Katan fastened . a crucifix, ' and whenever Blomfield tried to rise sent him crashing backward to

the mat. . Katan opened the fifth round with jolts and smart flying-mares; tossing Blomfield heavily. Blomfield obtained a head-scissors, and Katan bellowed as Blomfield bumped his head on the mat. Blomfield battered Katan - with forearm blows, tossed him with a headlock, hauled him backward by the ears, and, applying a full-nelson, forced him violently to the mat. He lifted him to his feet to repeat the'manoeuvre, but when lie lifted Katan for a third bump on the mat, Katan suddenly planted both feet on the top rope and precipitated himself -headlong at Blomfield, at point-blank range. His head took Blomfield in the face, and sent him to the mat underneath his assailant; there Katan briskly pinned him.

Blomfield-appeared little the worse for the fall, but he soon fell victim to Katan's hammerlock. ‘‘Ask him, or I'll break it off,” said Katan to the referee, in a stage whisper. But somehow the arm adhered to its owner, and Blomfield turned the tables on Katan with , a hammerlock of his own.

Both matmen were warned for doing forbidden things to one another's face. Blomfield took Katan into a corner, am! climbed the ropes to get at him from a better angle; the referee pulled him down to earth again. Katan protested to the referee when he stopped a bunny ■punch.

Blomfield now took the initiative strongly. He tripped Katan and shaped ■the first convolutions of an octopus •clamp, but- Katan slipped under the ropes. Blomfield was disentangled by the referee; he promptly jumped on Katan, who still lay prone. Then he endeavoured to form another octopus-hold Again the referee separated them in the ropes. Blomfield applied an excruciating toehold, of the step-over variety, but Katan declined to submit.

The final round was marked by a last, and equally fruitless, effort by Blomfield to entwine. Katan. who again wriggled into'sanctuary. The bout ended thou I further fall.