The Snake Pit (Wigan)
53°33′57″N 2°35′12″W / 53.5658°N 2.5866°W
| Also known as | Riley's Riley's Gym 蛇の穴 / スネーク・ピット Aspull Olympic Wrestling Club Aspull Wrestling Club Wigan |
|---|---|
| Date founded | 1948 |
| Country of origin | England |
| Founder | Billy Riley |
| Current head | Roy Wood, Andrea Wood |
| Arts taught | Catch wrestling Freestyle wrestling |
| Ancestor arts | Lancashire wrestling |
| Practitioners | |
| Official website | snakepitwigan |
The Snake Pit, based in Aspull, Wigan Borough, England, is the gym and organisation regarded as the home of catch wrestling. Founded in 1948 by Billy Riley in the town of Wigan, it was originally known as Riley's Gym. Riley was succeeded by Roy Wood, one of his last living students. It hosts the Aspull Olympic Wrestling Club, which focuses on freestyle wrestling. Wood was recognised on the 2024 New Year Honours and awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) "for services to wrestling and young people" after coaching for almost 50 years. An exhibition about Riley and the gym began at the Leigh Town Hall in April 2024.
The gym has had a significant influence on the evolution of catch-as-catch-can (CACC), freestyle, and professional wrestling, as well as mixed martial arts (MMA), especially in Japan. Riley was the head coach for over 20 years, teaching Lancashire style catch wrestling, and the gym became known in Britain and internationally for producing skilled wrestlers. Riley closed the gym in the early 1970s due to the decline of legitimate skills in pro wrestling, but it was soon revived through a community effort with Roy Wood becoming head coach, assisted by Riley and other veteran wrestlers. The gym switched to freestyle wrestling, producing champions and international competitors, and hosting the Aspull Freestyle Wrestling International for over 35 years. The gym moved to Aspull during this time, establishing the Aspull Olympic Wrestling Club.
The gym continued to be one of the most essential sources for preserving catch wrestling and began to formally promote the style again in 2012 through competitions, training, and certification. The Snake Pit has organised the Catch Wrestling World Championships since 2018, and also organises the British Championships and other competitions. The 2025 British Championships are scheduled for June 21, followed by the 2025 World Championships on October 18.