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Karl Gotch

Nickname: The God of Pro Wrestling

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 245 lbs.

From: Antwerp, Belgium

Birthday: Aug 3rd

Pro Debut: 1956

Aliases: Karel Istaz, Karl Krauser, Karol Krauser, Pierre LaMarin, Pierre Le Marin, Pierre Le Marine

Feds Worked For: TSW, AWA, NWA, WWWF, Al Haft Sports (IL/OH), All Star Wrestling (Canada), American Wrestling Alliance (OH), Atlantic Athletic Commission (MA), Big Time Wrestling (Canada), Big Time Wrestling (MI), Capitol Wretling Corporation, Championship Wrestling from Florida (FL), Fred Kohler Enterprises (IL), Gulas Wrestling Enterprises (TN), Grand Prix Wrestling (Canada), International Wrestling (Canada), International Wrestling Enterprise (Canada), Internationale Berufsringkämpfer Verband (Germany), Japan Wrestling Association (Japan), Kola Kwariani Booking Office (NY), M & M Promotions (NM/TX), Maple Leaf Wrestling (Canada), Mid-Pacific Promotions (HI), Mike London Sports (AZ/CO/NM), National Wrestling Federation (NJ/NY/OH/PA), New Japan Pro Wrestling (Japan), NWA Chicago (IL), NWA Detroit (MI), NWA Hollywood (CA), Pacific Coast Athletic Club (CA), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), World Championship Wrestling (Australia), World Wrestling Alliance (CA)

Finisher: German Suplex

Signature Moves: Gotch Piledriver (Cradle piledriver), Bow & Arrow Backbreaker, Cross Armbar, Cross Kneelock, Crossface Chickenwing, Gotch Special (Chickenwing with Headscissors), Underhook Suplex, Atomic Suplex

Career Highlights: -AWA (Indiana/Ohio) World Champion
-Eastern States Champion
-IWA Champion
-NJPW Real World Champion (2x)
-NWA Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
-Ohio Champion
-WWA Tag Team Champion (w/ Mike DiBiase)
-WWWF World Tag Team Champion (w/ Rene Goulet)

Affiliates: Mike DiBiase, Rene Goulet

Notable Feuds: Buddy Rogers, Michiaki Yoshimura, Roy Heffernan, Otto Von Krupp/Great Malenko/Boris Malenko

Other Facts: -Real name was Karl Charles Istaz
-Father-in-law of pro wrestler Masami Soranaka, who he trained for pro wrestling
-The German suplex is named for him.
-Credited with inventing the Cradle Piledriver as well as the Kneeling Belly-to-Belly Piledriver (Commonly referred to today as a Tombstone Piledriver)
-Was a Holocaust survivor
-Billed from Germany, but was actually born in Antwerp, Belgium
-Only had 4 fingers on one hand as the result of an accident when he was young.
-Competed in in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1948 Olympics for Belgium under the name "Charles Istaz". He finished 7th and 8th respectively.
-Trained in Pehlwahni martial arts.
-Took the last name of Gotch in honor of Frank Gotch
-For a brief time, Joe Malenko used the name Karl Gotch, Jr.
-Had a notorious behind-the-scenes feud with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, starting when Gotch asked for a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Rogers wanted to avoid getting into the ring with a wrestler he feared would shoot on him and legitimately "steal" his championship. This led to a locker room fist fight between the two, ending when Gotch broke Rogers' hand; incapacitating Rogers for several weeks. These events only served to alienate Gotch from the American promoters, who already felt there was no place for his style in the world of American pro wrestling.
-Wrestled in the main event of the very first New Japan Pro Wrestling event, defeating Antonio Inoki.
-Trained Hiro Matsuda, Killer Khan, Kim Duk, Seiji Sakaguchi, Tatsumi Fujinami, and Barry Darsow for pro wrestling, among others.
-Inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996
-Passed away July 28, 2007
-Posthumously inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007
-Posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009
-Was featured in the 2007 book "Say Uncle!: Catch-As-Catch Can Wrestling and the Roots of Ultimate Fighting, Pro Wrestling & Modern Grappling"