The standard assessment of Frank Gotch between 1908 and his death in 1917 is that he
was the one and only rightful World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, and that everyone
else was secondary to him.  That is a true statement because he was never defeated.  
However, through those years, there were numerous times in which Gotch retired from
wrestling, and proclaimed another person the heavyweight champion - either of the "world"
or of "America." Gotch's simple support of another wrestler gave the latter credibility in the
sports world.  It didn't matter that everyone knew Gotch was still the man to beat.

Trying to find a proper lineage is like working to figure out an unsolvable puzzle.  At
different points, Charles Cutler, Americus, Fred Beell, Mahmout, and others were in the
mix, claiming various championships, and some getting the official nod from Gotch himself.

This is a WORK IN PROGRESS.




In the January 29, 1910 edition of the Mansfield News, Mansfield, Ohio, Gotch was quoted
as saying the following regarding Charles Cutler, a man he had been spending time in
Chicago training:  “Ideas are all the Chicago boy lacks.  He cannot see ten things at once.  
He gets one idea into his head while working on the mat, and he cannot move it to one side
for another.  Cutler and I have matched strength in our arms and shoulders.  He is my
superior from the waist up.  He is also fast on his feet, but not quiet as fast as I am.  He is
not quiet as strong in the legs as I am, but otherwise, he is fully as good.  In my opinion
there is not an American wrestler of today who can throw Cutler and I think the next time he
meets Zbysco (sic) he will turn the fat man on his back.”


The Salt Lake Tribune on January 4, 1911 stated that Frank Gotch "tonight" turned over
honors of World Wrestling Champion "to Youset Mahmout," and was going to back
Mahmout against George Hackenschmidt for $20,000 - part of which was posted "tonight,"
January 3 in Omaha.  Gotch was retiring from the business before his fiancee was against
professional wrestling.  Mahmout was managed by Dr. John Krone of Chicago and Dr. J.G.
Messamo of Kansas City.  Only a handful of days later, on January 11, Gotch got married
to Gladys Oestrich in Humboldt, Iowa.  Newspapers still referred to him as the "World's
champion wrestler."




In 1921, Emil Klank, who managed Gotch, was the manager of Yousiff Mahmout.
Frank Gotch and the World Heavyweight Title