After the World War I, markets for UK wrestling declined rapidly, and attempts to re-launch the business in 1947 failed miserably. Adding fuel to bonfire, were the comments of some journalists, who called the show “fake”. This led to the formation of a committee, consisting of Admiral Lord Mountevans, Commander Campbell, Maurice Webb and wrestler Norman Morell. This committee planned on creating a set of rules to govern UK wrestling. These set of rules were drawn up in the year 1946, under the chairmanship of Lord Mountevans.

The recognized set of standard holds, throws and modes of defence and attack were characterized by a combination of grips, with one or both hands, or one or both legs. This enabled the attacker to pin the other person, or gain a submission fall. For offensive and defensive purposes, the use of forearm and shoulder charge and leg dive was permitted. If the referee completed a count of three, and the opponent’s arms were pinned to the ground by the attacker, a fall was said to be obtained. If the opponent submitted to the attacker’s submission move, a fall was awarded to him.

The outcome of the match was favourable to the person who won the most number of falls in the match. If the opponent failed to beat the referee’s count of ten when thrown out of the ring, Or if the opponent was declared as unfit to continue wrestling in the ring, the attacker was declared the winner. In UK wrestling, the referee was given full power to decide the outcome of a match, and that his decisions at all times were to be final. He was given entire charge of the contest. A few of the principal holds used in UK wrestling were: the standing and ground Nelsons, waist holds, wrestler’s bridge, scissors, and the flying mare.