Description

Billy Riley (1896–1977) was an English catch wrestler and coach. He founded Riley's Gym, later known as the Snake Pit, in Wigan in 1948. He trained Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson, and other wrestlers who became foundational figures in catch wrestling, professional wrestling, and modern MMA.

Teachers (3)

• person
  Willie Charnock

  sports_martial_artsCatch Wrestling Probable

  Probable

  Riley trained under Willie Charnock, Peter Burns, and Waino Ketonen; documented in wrestling history but details are sparse

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Riley trained under Willie Charnock, Peter Burns, and Waino Ketonen; documented in wrestling history but details are sparse

  “Trainer: Willie Charnock”

  — Billy Riley (Wikipedia EN)link history info
• person
  Peter Burns

  sports_martial_artsCatch Wrestling Probable

  Probable

  Riley trained under Willie Charnock, Peter Burns, and Waino Ketonen; documented in wrestling history but details are sparse

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Riley trained under Willie Charnock, Peter Burns, and Waino Ketonen; documented in wrestling history but details are sparse

  “Trained by [...] Peter Burns”

  — Billy Riley (Wikipedia EN)link history info
• person
  Waino Ketonen

  sports_martial_artsCatch Wrestling Probable

  Probable

  Riley trained under Willie Charnock, Peter Burns, and Waino Ketonen; documented in wrestling history but details are sparse

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Riley trained under Willie Charnock, Peter Burns, and Waino Ketonen; documented in wrestling history but details are sparse

  “Trained by [...] Vaino Ketonen”

  — Billy Riley (Wikipedia EN)link history info

Students (1)

• 
  Karl Gotch

  sports_martial_artsCatch Wrestling Probable

  Probable

  Gotch trained at Billy Riley's Snake Pit in Wigan, acknowledged as the center of catch wrestling; well-documented in wrestling history

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  location_onThe Snake Pit badge (1955–1960)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Gotch trained at Billy Riley's Snake Pit in Wigan, acknowledged as the center of catch wrestling; well-documented in wrestling history

  “He learned catch-as-catch-can and professional wrestling at the Snake Pit under Billy Riley and Billy Joyce”

  — Karl Gotch (Wikipedia EN)link history info

Sources

Identifiers