Sir Atholl Oakeley presided over the creation of the All-In Wrestling rules.

The rules were codified in 1930, after the sport of professional wrestling almost died in the UK.

All-In Wrestling had a number of rules in place, with twelve different fouls a wrestler could commit.

These could lead to warnings, points deductions or even disqualification. It was Oakeley’s way to try and codify wrestling, and make it a more professional sport.

Here are the rules of All-In Wrestling.

Complete Rules Of All-In Wrestling

The full ruleset of the All-In Wrestling was published in 1932.

It is as follows:

1. The word “All-In” will Mean only the amalgamation of the leading styles of Wrestling now in vogue, namely Judo (Ju-Jitsu), Catch-as-Catch-Can and Graeco-Roman.  To these will be added all moves and blows allowed in boxing, with the exception of a direct punch to the face and with the addition of the Ju-Jitsu, Rabbit and chop punches, nerve knuckling (on the body and neck only), and the use of the forearms and flat of the hands to the face.
   
   
2. The ring shall have not less than three ropes and not more than four.
   
   
3. Corner posts must be covered, and rope bound
   
   
4. Seconds :-
   
   a. Seconds are responsible that their man is prevented from falling on the floor outside the ring.
   b. Seconds are not allowed to give their man cocaine, strychnine, alcohol or any other drug or stimulant.
   
   
5. Referees :-
   
   a. Has sole charge of the contest and any question that may arise in regard to the ring.
   
   b. Can give a decision against a man only.
   
      1 – When that man’s shoulders are flat for three consecutive seconds, (Flat Fall).
      2 – He calls our “Enough” (tapping means nothing), submission fall.
      3 – He is disqualified
     4 – Knocked-out and in the opinion of the referee unable to continue when the new round begins,
           i.e. when the gong sounds.
      5 – Fails to rise (when knocked down only by a blow) before a count of ten, or fails to re-enter the ring before a
           count of ten.
   
   
6. Timekeeper :-
   
   a.   Calls out each minute until a fall.
   
   b.   Announces the gross time of each fall after each fall.
   
   c.   Ends each round after, every ten minutes wrestling and gives 1 & 1/2 minutes rest, such rest not to be included in the gross time for a fall.
   
   d.   A fall or K.O. ends a round; two minutes rest and new round begins.
   
   
7. Classes :-
   
   Heavyweight over 191 lbs.
   Light-Heavyweight 174 – 191 lbs
   Middleweight 158 – 174 lbs
   Welter 146 – 158 lbs
   Lightweight 135 – 146 lbs
   Feather 124 – 135 lbs
   Bantam under 124 lbs
   
   
8. Group “A” Fouls :-
   
   1    Abdomen (below belt punching).
   2    Direct Knuckle Punch in face.
   3    Kidney Punch.
   4    Breaking a limb deliberately.
   5    Kicking – except to get free from holds.
   6    Gouging, Scratching, Biting, Hair-pulling, Ear-Twisting.
   7    Butting in the face.
   8    Strangling.
   9    Striking an opponent when he is on the mat, felled from a blow.
   
   
9. Group “B” Fouls :-
   
   1    Oil or grease on the body is forbidden.
   2    Soft soled boots or shoes must be worn without studs or nails.
   3    Finger nails must be cut short.
   
   
10. A man is defeated when :-
    
    1    His shoulders are held fault for three consecutive seconds.
    2    He calls “Enough” (Submission Fall”).
    3    He fails to rise when knocked down by a blow or fails to return to the ring when thrown out, before a count of Ten seconds.
    4    He is disqualified for a Foul under “Group A”
    

Note :-

When a man has been felled by a blow his opponent must retire to a neutral corner while a man is counted out.  This constitutes a knock-out and counts as a fall.

Referee’s decision is Final.

While All-In Wrestling Was A Good Idea, It Quickly Descended Into Anarchy

The rules that defined All-In wrestling were quickly thrown to the wayside.

Punches, kicks and even weopanry became commonplace. With no overarching governing body to enforce the rules, promoters did whatever they wanted.

To draw fans in, bouts became more bloody and violent.

“All-In” became the synonym for “anything goes”. Matches were more akin to hardcore matches in the WWE than the technical classics you expect from British wrestling.

They were so violent that wrestling was banned in London, to stop the bloodshed.

It would take until 1947 until the Mountevans Rules shaped wrestling as we know it today in Britain.

Examine the evolution of All-In Wrestling and how it almost ended wrestling in Britain.