Classical Catch wrestling will still view the pin as a method of victory. Traditionally, Catch would look to get on top and stay on top; submissions, while they existed, were secondary to putting a guy on his shoulders. If you look at the Catch manuals written before the 1940's, the majority of them simply look like modern amateur/Olympic wrestling. Even the subs back in the day seemed to be more about putting or keeping a guy on his shoulders; Frank Gotch, for example, used his toe holds to force "turtled" opponents to roll over or face a broken ankle. Chokes were also barred in many places. Classic Catch didn't include as extensive a bottom/guard game as modern submission wrestling due to the threat of the pin.
Modern Catch, what I often refer to as Shoot Wrestling, has some roots in the English Catch scene, but originated in Japan. There, pro wrestlers searching for more realistic techniques brought in old-time Catch guys and blended those methods together with the Judo and Sambo they knew. Modern Catch is, on a technical level, essentially identical to "submission wrestling". The difference is that it has a specific lineage.
Submission wrestling is more of a format or activity as opposed to a specific martial art. Unlike Judo or BJJ, it's done without a gi. There may be a points system derived from BJJ, like the Abu Dabhi Combat Club (ADCC) competitions. If something is called "submission wrestling" than it likely does not have a single lineage, and techniques from Catch, BJJ, Sambo, Judo, amateur wrestling, Luta Livre, and more may be used.
If you're interested in a submission wrestling class that does takedowns, I'd say go for it. Many submission-heavy classes only focus on the ground game, but takedowns are more valuable overall, as someone skilled in those will be able to determine where the fight takes place.
Submission wrestling is a blanket term for grappling which is even broader when the word is shortened to just "submissions." Catch Wrestling, on the other hand, was a sport popular in North America and Europe from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. When Catch Wrestling was brought to Japan it was called Shooto, shoot wrestling, or shoot boxing, and later the Pancrase shootfighting organization was formed in Japan. In 1996, Pancrase shootfighter Ken Shamrock began calling his system "Submissions" which only further blurred the differences between Catch Wrestling, and all of its descendant systems.
The difference is mostly semantics.
Submission wrestling is usually guys who have been doing No Gi BJJ or Submission wrestling for a while, but it doesn't come from a clearly defined lineage, and it is a more collaborative atmosphere.
Basically guys learning from each other, rolling and working techniques. They learn new techniques from videos, from fights, from seminars, and they try new things out with each other. Some guys might have some legit BJJ background, some might have some legit scholastic wrestling background.
All in all think of it as No Gi Jiu-Jitsu, without any sort of ranking system or clearly defined parentage.
Catch Wrestling is submission wrestling with a lineage, or at least an attempt to. You will work the same things with the exception that Catch probably has more torture holds and pain compliance type techniques. i.e. things that hurt, but aren't it real danger of injuring someone.
Mind you I have tapped PLENTY of people using Catch holds.
But Catch essentially wants to tie back to old Carnival Hookers... (not that type of hookers) but essentially guys that travelled all over the country inviting anybody to come in the ring and last a certain amount of time to get money. The pain compliance and torture holds caused a lot of people to give up and allowed catch as can wrestlers an opportunity to defeat some corn fed farm boy without damaging him.
A lot of Catch traces back to guys like Frank Gotch, Karl Gotch, Farmer Burns and Ad Santel. Usually a catch school has ties to guys like Tony Cecchine, Erik Paulsen, or Billy Robinson, basically guys who want to spread what they feel was the art form of Catch as catch can Wrestling.
I use a TON of Catch wrestling and its principles in a lot of my grappling, mainly because it can be foreign to a lot of people, they are moves that most BJJ and Judo players, and Sub wrestlers aren't aware of.
When you get to a certain level of grappling it is just a chess game, so if I am able to break out something that most other people aren't aware of, it is an advantage.
In general Catch is going to do takedowns, and going to do a lot of ground work. The class is going to be slightly more structured, because it is trying to tie in and be part of an actual lineage. So some of that structure is going to be learning and working moves that you probably wouldn't work in Sub wrestling.
Most Sub wrestling places are a bit looser, as such can be a lot more carefree of an attitude which can be great. It can also be sucky if you have guys just getting into and going 100% before fully understanding the techniques. (A buddy of mine just got a spiral fracture in his humerus due to an overly aggressive new guy cranking on a submission). That is the sort of downside of a less structure more free class, is that though the teachers have been doing sub wrestling for years, or MMA, or BJJ. That doesn't necessarily mean that they are the most aware of teachers. Generally they are rolling when you are.
Whereas a Catch instructor might be watching a little more closely and has some experience in ensure new guys are reigned in some.
There is a caveat to this... sometimes people are claiming Catch Wrestling just because it is different, they can have no formal ties to any of the Catch guys out there. Basically a dude who watched a ton of Tony Cecchine videos. However, you are asking from UK, Catch was INVENTED there, chances are there is probably a very legit instructor there. (There are a ton of them in the UK).
Hope that helps!
They look pretty similar asking as the submission wrestling club does takedowns.
