Tom “The Headhunter” Higgins – Catch Wrestling and Irish Collar & Elbow Wrestling Seminar

By Ryan Smyth November 6, 2025Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Seminars

We finally got the opportunity to train with Catch Wrestling top dog – Tom “The Headhunter” Higgins – and it did not disappoint.

💪 3x Catch Wrestling World Champion
🇮🇪 Pioneer of the Irish Collar & Elbow Revival
🥋 Jiu Jitsu Black Belt

Tom is brought his “Catch Wrestling” and “Collar & Elbow” expertise to Atlantic Jiu Jitsu, Sligo for a one-night-only seminar!

Tom showed world-class technique, gritty grappling insights, and a gave a deep dive into Ireland’s original wrestling roots -known in Irish as Iomrascáil Coiléar Agus Uille na hÉireann (Irish Collar & Elbow Wrestling) 🇮🇪🤼‍♂️

We were joined on the night by local historian Paul Gunning. Paul’s research focuses on the cultural and social history of traditional Irish wrestling, particularly the Collar-and-Elbow style. In his 2016 article “Hardy Fingallians, Kildare Trippers and ‘The Divil Ye’ll Rise’ Scufflers: Wrestling in Modern Ireland”, published in Sport in Society and later included in A Social and Cultural History of Sport in Ireland, Gunning explores how wrestling was practiced, organised, and perceived within Irish communities. His work preserves knowledge of Ireland’s native grappling traditions and challenges earlier assumptions about their decline, offering fresh insight into how Collar-and-Elbow reflected broader patterns of Irish identity, class, and leisure.

Tom Higgins on the other hand has taken great inspiration from the work of Paul and others and gone to great lengths to bring the Irish Collar & Elbow style from the pages of history back to reality. We got to experience a taste of that at the seminar. After countless rounds of C&E our attendees were fully immersed in the traditional sport of Irelands past. Now alive and well, performed by modern day grapplers. Foot sweeps, throws and all sorts were on display. A fantastic night for grappling and Irish culture.