The Evolution of Pro Wrestling is in itself a very wild ride we are taking in the Time Tunnel. The morphing and changing of a mixture of sport, athleticism, creativity, theater and psychology.
The Evolution of Pro Wrestling is a series for our Premium Subscribers designed to track the historical changes and paradigms in the art form and creative aspects of the sport through Professional Wrestling’s History.
The Introduction and Evolution of the Dropkick
The dropkick is one of the oldest and most fundamental aerial maneuvers in professional wrestling, involving a wrestler jumping into the air and striking an opponent with the soles of both feet before landing on their side or front. Its earliest recorded use dates back to the early 1900s, during an era when pro wrestling was primarily grounded in catch-as-catch-can grappling styles with limited high-flying elements. However, as the sport began transitioning toward more theatrical and athletic displays, the dropkick emerged as a way to highlight performers' agility.
1930s
The move's modern form is often credited to two key figures in the 1930s. In 1930, Abe Coleman (billed as "Hebrew Hercules" or "Jewish Cougar") toured Australia and claimed inspiration from observing kangaroos, dubbing his version the "Kangaroo Kick"—a feet-first dive targeting an opponent's waist.
Abe Coleman: The Jewish Tarzan (1928-1948)
Abe Coleman, born Abba Kelmer on September 20, 1905, in Żychlin, Congress Poland (then part of the Russian Empire, now Poland), came from a Jewish family with 15 older siblings; his father was a coal seller, and several family members were later killed in the Holocaust. He immigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in 1923 before relocating to New York City. Coleman's professional wrestling career began in the late 1920s, with a possible debut match on March 19, 1928, at Madison Square Garden. By 1929, promoter Rudy Miller spotted him in a Brooklyn gym and offered him $25 (about $460 today) for his first paid bout.
