German Mat Club
| German Mat Club | |
|---|---|
 Rita @German Mat Club (GMC) | |
| Location | Munich Germany |
| Years active | 1985 - 1989? |
| Website | various (see below) |
Amazonen Sport (AS Film) is a female/mixed wrestling and boxing video production company founded in Elmshorn, Germany. It was the main vehicle for the sale and distribution of videos of the German Mat Club (GMC) events (see below for further details of GMC) and also produced its own material.
This company has had a complicated history since it was founded as Beka-Film by Andreas Miltkau with a partner (Dieter B.) in 1986. By 1999 the two partners were in dispute over ownership, causing a brief hiatus before a new version of the company emerged with a new-look website. By around 2003 Andreas had relaunched the company, which was now known as Amazonen Sports, and which operated for around another 10 years in this guise before it was incorporated into the Kontex network. Here it retained the previous website address but acquired the standard Kontex webpage design for promotion of the original AS and GMC catalogue. Some GMC Matches are also available for sale at www.catfight.com. Andreas still maintains his own separate vending operation for original material from his and several other German production companies via the Clips4Sale site. All these sites now promote and sell old material only - no new events or matches have been produced since early 2014.
According to information supplied by 'Arbie' (AKA ''Count-Herout)'', German Mat Club (GMC) was formed by Erich Klinger and other people who had had connections with LGIS in the 1970's and who then tried to resurrect the original concept in 1985, the result being the German Mat Club. Well-known referee Jeff Long was associated with the group from the beginning and was frequently to be seen officiating in wrestling and boxing matches - the major difference between the new group and its predecessor was that wrestling was of equal importance to boxing. This group switched the focus from live events to videos (though it still held live events in front of small audiences, much like DWW). In 1986 one of the original founders withdrew due to ill-health and his place was taken by Dieter B. who subsequently was involved in the set-up of Beka-Film - this company provided an outlet for the sale and distribution of GMC products. Some kind of dispute later arose over these distribution rights and the group fell apart in the late 80s. GMC had a roster of mostly German fighters, many of whom took part in numerous bouts. The best known name in the company roster was Susanne but other regular competitors from this group were Crys, Petra, Petsi, Rita, Sandra and Vera. There were also occasional visiting fighters including Susan and Sally from England. Some GMC fighters, particularly those who preferred boxing to wrestling, were later to join the New LGIS group formed in 1993 by Erich Langer with assistance from Cassia - for example Christiane, Ira and Silke became regulars in this group.
This is a (roughly translated) quote from the earliest version of the Beka-Film website :-
German Mat Club was established in autumn of 1985. Lots of young girls applied for membership spontaneously. They wanted to learn about and practise this fascinating combat–sport. The girls were determined to enter fully into it, and show their will to win by engaging themselves with all their hearts and minds. Thus developed a way in which young girls, though inexperienced but all the more enthusiastic, are able to demonstrate fights of refreshing and natural intensity.
Site details for GMC products
https://www.asfilm.de/en/?searchString=gm
https://www.catfight.com/download/german-mat-club
https://www.lscottsales.eu/en/?searchString=gm
Gallery
GMC 1986 Event Line-up with visiting ref. Jeff Long
