











The Great Gama (Ghulam Muhammad)



Born: (I found birthdates of 1878, 1880, 1882 and 1888 with either May 21st or May 22nd as

birthday, the birthplace of Amristar, Punjab, India was consistent))

Deceased: (I found dates ranging from 1960 through 1963, but the location of Lahore,

Pakistan stayed consistent)



In the wild world of professional wrestling only one holds the claim of being undefeated in

some 5,000 matches, the Great Gama. Also known as Gama Pehalvan ( a Pehlwan is an

Indian wrestler, with Pehlwani being Indian style catch wrestling) and “the Lion of The

Punjab”, Gama is perhaps the best known wrestling legend outside of North America.

Currently in 2014, there is a movie being made in India based on his life and times, with actor

John Abraham starring as Gama.



Some of the reported daily workouts included 5000 Hindu squats and 3000 Hindu pushups

with a 200 lb Gar Nal (Stone Ring) around his neck!



With his brother, Imam Baksh, Gama left India searching for other competition and they

ended up in London. Gama astonished crowds by disposing of American wrestler Dr

Benjamin Roller in record time. Gama demanded a match with George Hackenschmidt, who

was conspicuous by his absence, and never did reply to the challenge. However, September

10, 1910, Stanislaus Zbysko of Poland took up the challenge in front of 100,000 spectators

with hundreds turned away(!), in the Stadium at White City London, in a grueling two and a

half hour bout that ended in a draw with both wrestlers agreeing to resume the match the

next day. The next day came and went without sight or sound from Zbysko and Gama was

awarded the money and another notch in his remarkable legend.



The Prince of Wales presented Gama with a silver mace in 1922. Great Gama had

popularized the mace with his strength training routines. Years later, the Iron Sheik would

recreate a glimpse of the sheer power with his heavy clubs, but Gama’s feats have inspired

everybody from Bruce Lee to modern MMA purists.



The Great Gama is also the inspiration for the concept and character of Darun Mister in the

Streetfighter EX Videogame series.



A famed rematch with Zbysko came 18 years later, in 1928, drawing 60,000 in an event put

together by the Mahrajah of Patiala. Many dignitaries were on hand for the occasion, and

Gama remained undefeated.



An old Wrestling As You Like It clip quoted,

“The Gama recipe for becoming a champion wrestler is: “Take 4,000 baithaks (knee bends or

Hindu squats as they are more widely known now) before breakfast, run three or four miles

after dinner, and wrestle three or four hours after that.”



Biography by Robert Murillo

