Karl Gotch

Karl Gotch — born Karl Istaz — was a Belgian-born catch wrestler who became one of the most revered technical grapplers in the history of the sport. Trained in the European catch tradition and later connected to the North American lineage through Val Childs, Gotch brought a ferocious intensity to his wrestling that earned him the nickname "The God of Wrestling" in Japan.

Gotch's influence on Japanese professional wrestling cannot be overstated. He trained Antonio Inoki and Tiger Mask, among others, and his emphasis on legitimate grappling technique shaped the entire trajectory of Japanese strong-style wrestling and, by extension, the development of mixed martial arts in Japan.

His conditioning methods — particularly his use of Hindu squats and pushups — became legendary in their own right, adopted by wrestlers and fighters worldwide as a benchmark of physical preparation.