Episode 116 – Fake! But It Isn’t
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In this episode, I discuss a two-match series between Yusuf Ismail and Ernest Roeber from New York City in March-April, 1898.
Update
John Moxley versus Josh Alexander on AEW New Year’s Smash was one of the best matches I saw in 2025.
Artist rendering of Yusuf Ismail, who was billed Yousouf, the Terrible Turk in the US (Public Domain)
I am starting on the next wrestling book about 19th Century pioneer professional wrestlers.
UFC is debuting on Paramount Plus this month. UFC has already put up matches to attract fan interest on their new home.
Main Content
Yusuf Ismail arrived in the United States in March 1898. His first match was a two-out-of-three-falls match with Ernest Roeber, a Greco-Roman wrestling specialist.
Ismail and Roeber wrestled in front of 15,000 fans at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 25, 1898. The result proved controversial and sent the fans home angry.
Due to the controversial finish, Ismail and Roeber wrestled again as a smaller venue on April 30, 1898. The result of the second match was just as controversial.
Recommendations
Babylon Berlin television series (affiliate link)
Gereon Rath book series (affiliate link)
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