Ancient Greek wrestlers (Pankratiasts)

Wrestling is the act of physical engagement between two unarmed persons, in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over or control of their opponent. Pankration (Παγκράτιο(ν Pagkratio(n,) is a Martial arts sport introduced to the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC and Physical techniques which embody the style of wrestling are clinching, holding, locking, and leverage. Clinch fighting (also referred to as clinch work) is the part of Stand-up fighting where the combatants are Grappling in a clinch, typically A joint lock is a Grappling technique involving manipulation of an opponent's Joints in such a way that the joints reach their maximal degree of motion Avoiding techniques likely to lead to serious injury, ritual fighting, but its basic principles are closely related to those of military hand-to-hand combat or self-defence systems. Endemic warfare is the state of continual low-threshold Warfare in a tribal Warrior society Hand-to-hand combat (sometimes abbreviated as HTH or H2H is a generic term for Close quarters fighting, particularly when the outcome is potentially fatal as in Melee Self-defense (or self-defence &mdash see spelling differences) is the act of defending oneself one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm Many styles of wrestling are known all over the world and have long histories, and sport wrestling (particularly amateur wrestling) has been an Olympic sport for over one hundred years. Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport Wrestling. The Olympic sports comprise all the Sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

History

Ancient

Jacob Wrestling with the Angel; illustration by Gustave Doré (1855)

Middle and Far East

The Epic of Gilgamesh in Sumerian literature features its hero Gilgamesh establishing his credibility as a leader after wrestling Enkidu. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction. Sumerian literature is the oldest literature in the worldThe Sumerians invented the first writing system beginning with cuneiform Logograms Gilgamesh was the son of Lugalbanda and the fifth king of Uruk (Early Dynastic II first dynasty of Uruk ruling circa 2600 BC according to the Sumerian king First Tablet Enkidu is the quintessential savage person in the beginning of the epic The whole of his body was hairy and his (uncut locks were like a woman's or the hair of Other sculptures and literature from ancient Mesopotamia show that wrestling was held in popularity. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding ^[1] One other early (probably circa 1500 BC) description of wrestling appears in the Old Testament book of Genesis 32:22-32. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. The passage depicts the patriarch Jacob wrestling with the Angel, for which Jacob was subsequently renamed Israel. Jacob Wrestling with the Angel is a biblical story commonly depicted in art Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard   Yaʿaqov Tiberian   Yaʿăqōḇ; For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. (Israel translates to "wrestles (or strives) with God". )^[2]

The Mahabharata, one of the major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, describes the encounter between the accomplished wrestlers Bhima and Jarasandha; "grasping each other in various ways by means of their arms, and kicking each other with such violence as to affect the innermost nerves, they struck at each other's breasts with clenched fists. In the Mahābhārata, Bhima ( Sanskrit: भीम IAST: Bhīma was the second of the Pandava brothers Jarasandha ( Sanskrit: जरासंध the king of Magadha, is a character of the epic Mahābhārata. With bare arms as their only weapons roaring like clouds they grasped and struck each other like two mad elephants encountering each other with their trunks". ^[3] The popular folk wrestling style of India performed on a mud surface called the akhara follows the Indian tradition. Akhara means literally the place for practice (Greek word academy has similar meaning and is in fact cognate for the protection of Sanatana Dharma.

Shuai Jiao, a wrestling style originating in China, is arguably the most ancient of all Chinese martial arts, with a reported history of over 4,000 years. Shuai jiao ( is the modern Chinese term for Wrestling. In a Western context the term refers specifically to Chinese and Mongolian styles China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National (The date may be legendary, but wrestling was reportedly used by the Yellow Emperor during his fight against the rebel Chih Yiu and his army in 2697 BC. Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, is a Legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is considered in Chinese mythology to be the ) During these matches, the combatants reportedly wore horned helmets that they used to gore their opponents while using a primitive form of grappling. Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds This early style of combat was first called Jiao Ti (butting with horns). Throughout the centuries, the hands and arms replaced the horns while the techniques increased and improved. The name Jiao Ti also changed over time, both through common usage and government decree. ^[4]

Mediterranean

The first documented evidence of wrestling in Egypt appeared circa 2300 BC, on the tomb of the Old Kingdom philosopher Ptahhotep. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Old Kingdom is the name commonly given to that period in the 3rd millennium BCE when Egypt attained its first continuous peak of civilization in complexity and achievement Ptahhotep, sometimes known as Ptahhotpe or Ptah-Hotep, was an ancient Egyptian official during the 24th century BC. During the period of the New Kingdom (2000-1085 BC), additional Egyptian artwork (often on friezes), depicted Egyptian and Nubian wrestlers competing. The New Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in Ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and Carroll notes striking similarities between these ancient depictions and those of the modern Nuba wrestlers. Nuba fighting is a game played by people of the Kurdufan hill country of central Sudan, involving both Stick fighting and Wrestling. ^[5] On the 406 wrestling pairs found in the Middle Kingdom tombs at Beni Hasan in the Nile valley, nearly all of the techniques seen in modern freestyle wrestling could be found. Freestyle wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world ^[6] During the period of Ancient Greece (about 1100 to 146 BC), Greek wrestling was a popular form of martial art in which points were awarded for pinning a competitor by stretching the opponent prone to the ground or touching his back to the ground, forcing a competitor to submit or by forcing a competitor out of bounds (arena). The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Greek wrestling or Ancient Greek wrestling -- Pale (πάλη was the most popular organized sport in Ancient Greece. Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. ^[7] Three falls determined the winner. It was at least featured as a sport since the eighteenth Olympiad in 704 BC. An Olympiad is a period of four years associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. Wrestling is described in the earliest celebrated works of Greek literature, the Iliad and the Odyssey. Greek literature refers to those writings autochthonic to the areas of Greek influence typically though not necessarily in one of the Greek dialects throughout the The Iliad ( Greek: Ἰλιάς (Ancient Ιλιάδα (Modern is together with the Odyssey, one of two ancient The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. ^[8] Wrestlers were also depicted in action on many vases, sculptures, and coins, as well as in other literature. Other cultures featured wrestling at royal or religious celebrations, but the ancient Greeks structured their style of wrestling as part of a tournament where a single winner emerged from a pool of competitors. ^[6] Greek mythology celebrates the rise of Zeus as ruler of the earth after a wrestling match with his father, Cronus. Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology Cronus or Kronos, ( Ancient Greek Κρόνος Krónos) was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants Both Heracles and Theseus were famous for their wrestling against man and beast. In Greek mythology, Heracles or Herakles ("glory of Hera " or For other uses see Theseus (disambiguation Theseus (Θησεύς was a Legendary king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered Late Greek tradition also stated that Plato was known for wrestling in the Isthmian games. Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece The Isthmian Games or Isthmia ( Ancient Greek Ἴσθμια were one of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, and were named after the ^[9]

This continued into the Hellenistic period. Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III of Egypt were both depicted in art as victorious wrestlers. Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( Greek:, Ptolemaĩos Philádelphos, 309 BC&ndash246 BC was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 BC to 246 BC Ptolemy III Euergetes, ( Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Εὐεργέτης, Ptolemaĩos Euergétēs, reigned 246 BC&ndash222 BC was the third ruler After the Roman conquest of the Greeks, Greek wrestling was absorbed by the Roman culture and became Roman wrestling during the period of the Roman Empire (510 BC to AD 500). Greek wrestling or Ancient Greek wrestling -- Pale (πάλη was the most popular organized sport in Ancient Greece. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Arabic literature depicted Muhammad as a skilled wrestler, defeating a skeptic in a match at one point. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics By the eighth century, the Byzantine emperor Basil I, according to court historians, won in wrestling against a boastful wrestler from Bulgaria. For the Russian ruler see Basil I of Russia Basil I, called the Macedonian ( Greek: Βασίλειος Α΄ο Μακεδών The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian ^[9]

Middle Ages

Michiel Sweerts, Wrestling Match, 1649. Michiel Sweerts (September 29 1618 - 1664 also known as Michael Sweerts, was a Flemish painter of the Baroque period active in Rome (1645-1656

In 1520 at the Field of the Cloth of Gold pageant, Francis I of France threw Henry VIII of England in a wrestling match. The Field of Cloth of Gold, also known as the Field of Golden Cloth ( French: Le Camp du Drap d'Or) is the name given to a place in Balinghem Francis I (September 12 1494 &ndash March 31 1547 was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547 This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ^[9] In Henry VIII's kingdom, folk wrestling in many places was widely popular and had a long history. In particular, the Lancashire style may have formed the basis for Catch wrestling also known as "catch as catch can. Catch wrestling is a style of Wrestling. Catch wrestling is arguably the ancestor of modern Grappling, Professional wrestling, Mixed martial arts " The Scots later formed a variant of this style, and the Irish developed the "collar-and-elbow" style which later found its way into the United States. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[10] The French developed the modern Greco-Roman style which was finalized by the 19th century and by then, wrestling was featured in many fairs and festivals. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world ^[11]

Modern

Because of that and the rise of gymnasiums and athletic clubs, Greco-Roman wrestling and modern freestyle wrestling were soon regulated in formal competitions. A gymnasium (pronounced with ɡ- in several languages is a type of school providing Secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar A sports club, athletics club or sports association is an eclectic institution oriented to multiple Sports which fields many Teams and in several On continental Europe, prize money was offered in large sums to the winners of Greco-Roman tournaments, and freestyle wrestling spread rapidly in the British Isles and in the United States after the American Civil War. The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Professional wrestling soon increased the popularity of Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling around the world with such competitors as Georg Hackenschmidt, Kara Ahmed, Paul Pons, Stanislaus Zbyszko, William Muldoon, and Frank Gotch. Georg Karl Julius Hackenschmidt ( July 20 1878 - February 19 1968) was an early 20th-century strongman and professional wrestler Stanislaus Zbyszko (Polish Stanisław Jan Cyganiewicz (born April 1, 1879 - died September 23, 1967) was a professional wrestler William Muldoon (May 25 1845 or 1852 – June 3 1933 He was also a well-known Physical culture proponent Boxing trainer stage actor and one of the first Frank Alvin Gotch ( April 27, 1877 - December 17, 1917) was an American Professional wrestler credited for popularizing ^[10][12] When the Olympic games resurfaced at Athens in 1896, Greco-Roman wrestling was introduced for the first time. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year After not being featured in the 1900 Olympics, sport wrestling was seen again in 1904 in St. Louis; this time in freestyle competition. The 1900 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1900 in Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on Since then, Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling have both been featured, with women's freestyle added in the Summer Olympics of 2004. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Since 1921, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) has regulated amateur wrestling as an athletic discipline, while professional wrestling has largely become infused with theatrics but still requires amazing athletic ability. Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées (FILA, is an international Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport Wrestling. Professional wrestling, or pro wrestling, is a non-competitive professional Sport, where all matches are scripted by the promotion's booking staff ^[10]

Etymology

The term wrestling is an Old English word that originated some time before 1100 A. Etymology is the study of the History of Words &mdash when they entered a language from what source and how their form and meaning have changed over time D. It is perhaps the oldest word still in use in the English language to describe hand-to-hand combat. ^[13] The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines wrestling as "a sport or contest in which two unarmed individuals struggle hand-to-hand with each attempting to subdue or unbalance the other". ^[14]

Roget's New Millennium Thesaurus does not support the usage of 'wrestling' (noun) and 'grappling' (noun) as synonymous. ^[15]

International disciplines (non-folk styles)

Wrestling disciplines defined by FILA, are broken down into two categories; International wrestling disciplines and folk wrestling disciplines. Folk wrestling is a generic term for traditional Wrestling disciplines which may or may not be codified as a modern sport According to the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, there are five current International wrestling disciplines acknowledged throughout the world. The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées (FILA, is an international They are Greco-Roman Wrestling, Freestyle Wrestling, Grappling, Beach wrestling and Sambo. Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world Freestyle wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds Sambo (самбо—also called Sombo or Cambo and sometimes written in all-caps is a modern Martial art, combat sport and Self-defense ^[16]

A Greco-Roman wrestling match in the United States

Greco-Roman

Main article: Greco-Roman wrestling

Greco-Roman is an international discipline and an Olympic sport. Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world "In Greco-Roman style, it is forbidden to hold the opponent below the belt, to make trips, and to actively use the legs in the execution of any action. " Recent rule changes in Greco-Roman increase opportunities for and place greater emphasis on explosive, 'high amplitude' throws. One of the most well known Greco-Roman wrestlers from the United States is Rulon Gardner. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Rulon Gardner (born August 16, 1971 in Afton Wyoming) is an amateur wrestler in the Greco-Roman discipline from the United ^[17]

Freestyle

Main article: Freestyle wrestling

Freestyle wrestling is an international discipline and an Olympic sport. Freestyle wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world "In free style, it is allowed to hold the legs of the opponent, to make trips and to actively use legs on the execution of any action. "^[18] It is thought to have originated from English catch wrestling, and is currently the international style in which women participate in competition. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Catch wrestling is a style of Wrestling. Catch wrestling is arguably the ancestor of modern Grappling, Professional wrestling, Mixed martial arts

Grappling

Main article: Submission Wrestling

"Grappling is a wrestling style also called submission wrestling or “submission grappling” which consists of controlling the opponent without using striking, in standing position or on the ground after a throw, and to make him or her abandon thanks to immobilisation techniques such as locks. Submission wrestling (also called Grappling or submission fighting and technically referred to as submission grappling is a Wrestling style and a general term Submission wrestling (also called Grappling or submission fighting and technically referred to as submission grappling is a Wrestling style and a general term Grappling plays an important role in the practice of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and can be used as a self-defence technique. Mixed martial arts (MMA is a full contact Combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques from a mixture of Martial arts traditions and It brings together techniques from Brazilian jiu-jitsu (no-Gi), Freestyle Wrestling, Folk American Wrestling (catch-as-catch-can), Sambo and judo. ". ^[19] Grappling is also used to describe the skills used in mixed martial arts competitions, differing from the FILA definition. Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds Mixed martial arts (MMA is a full contact Combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques from a mixture of Martial arts traditions and Grappling can be trained for self defense, sport and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition.

Female wrestling

Beach wrestling

Apparently in a bid to give wrestling greater appeal to television audiences, FILA adopted beach wrestling as an official discipline during 2004-2005. Beach wrestling is standing wrestling done by wrestlers, male or female, inside a sand-filled circle measuring 6 meters (20 ft) in diameter. There are only two weight categories, heavy and light. The objective is to throw your opponent or take your opponent to his or her back. The wrestlers wear swimsuits rather than special wrestling uniforms. Wrestlers may also wear spandex or athletic shorts. Spandex or elastane is a Synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. ^[20][21]

Sambo

Main article: Sambo (martial art)

Sambo is a martial art that originated in the Soviet Union (particular Russia) in the 20th century. Sambo (самбо—also called Sombo or Cambo and sometimes written in all-caps is a modern Martial art, combat sport and Self-defense The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending It is an acronym for "self-defence without weapons" in Russian and had its origins in the Soviet armed forces. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Its influences are varied, with techniques borrowed from sports ranging from the two international styles of Greco-Roman and freestyle to judo, jujutsu, European styles of folk wrestling, and even fencing. Folk wrestling is a generic term for traditional Wrestling disciplines which may or may not be codified as a modern sport Fencing is the art of armed Combat involving Cutting, Stabbing, or slapping bludgeoning Weapons directly manipulated by hand The rules for sport sambo are similar to those allowed in competitive judo, with a variety of leglocks and defense holds from the various national wrestling styles in the Soviet Union, while not allowing chokeholds. A leglock is a Joint lock that is directed at Joints of the leg such as the Ankle, Knee or Hip joint. A chokehold or stranglehold (in Budo referred to as shime-waza, 絞技 "constriction technique" is a Grappling hold that ^[22]

Folk style disciplines

Main article: Folk wrestling

Khuresh (Tuvan wrestling)

Folk wrestling describes a traditional form of wrestling unique to a culture or geographic region of the world. Folk wrestling is a generic term for traditional Wrestling disciplines which may or may not be codified as a modern sport Khuresh is a traditional form of Wrestling in the ethnically Turkic region of Tuva, in southern Siberia. Tuvans or Tuvinians ( Tuvan: Тывалар Tyvalar) are a group of Mongols or Turkic people. Folk wrestling is a generic term for traditional Wrestling disciplines which may or may not be codified as a modern sport There are almost as many folk wrestling styles as there are national traditions. Folk style is also used across the United States in high school wrestling. Folk style is competed state wide in all states. Some states wrestle in classes depending on how large each school is. Others states have large tourneys that each individual has to win or place in order to move on to the final tourney, the State Championship. The sport allows mostly males to wrestle, although women are slowly introducing themselves to high school wrestling. Folk style is also held state wide in some states through the states wrestling associations. Holding tourneys on weekends for anyone of all ages to participate.

Examples of folk styles include Backhold Wrestling (from Europe), Catch-as-catch-can (from England), Kurash from Uzbekistan, Gushteengiri from Tajikistan,Khuresh from Siberia, Lotta Campidanese from Italy, Pahlavani from Iran, Pehlwani from India, Penjang Gulat from Indonesia, Schwingen form Switzerland, Shuai jiao from China, Ssireum from Korea, and Yağlı güreş (Turkish oil wrestling). Catch wrestling is a style of Wrestling. Catch wrestling is arguably the ancestor of modern Grappling, Professional wrestling, Mixed martial arts Kurash is a form of upright jacket wrestling native to Uzbekistan, practiced since ancient times Khuresh is a traditional form of Wrestling in the ethnically Turkic region of Tuva, in southern Siberia. varzeš-e pahlavānī ورزش پهلوانی meaning the "Sport of the Heroes" also known as Varzesh-e Bastani ( Persian varzeš-e bāstnī Pehlwani ( Hindi: पहलवानी Urdu: پہلوانی or Kushti ( Hindi: कुश्ती Urdu: کشتی which come from Swiss wrestling ( German de Schwingen, colloquially gsw Hoselupf) is the Swiss variant of Folk wrestling. Shuai jiao ( is the modern Chinese term for Wrestling. In a Western context the term refers specifically to Chinese and Mongolian styles Ssireum (also called Sirum, Korean: 씨름 is a Korean Wrestling style and is the traditional national sport of Korea Yağlı güreş (In English ˈjɑːlə ˈgurεʃ in Turkish ˈjɑːlɯ ˈɟyrεʃ is the Turkish national Sport.

Folk wrestling styles are not recognized by FILA internationally.

Collegiate wrestling

Main article: Collegiate wrestling

Two high school students competing in scholastic wrestling (collegiate wrestling done at the high school and middle school level). Collegiate wrestling is the commonly-used name of the style of Amateur wrestling practiced at the College and University level in the United States

Collegiate wrestling (sometimes known as scholastic wrestling or folk style wrestling) is the commonly used name of wrestling practiced at the college and university level in the United States. College ( Latin collegium) is a term most often used today to denote an Educational Institution. A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A modification of the style is practiced at the high school and middle school levels, and also for younger participants. Scholastic wrestling is the commonly-used name of the style of Amateur wrestling practiced at the High school and middle (junior high school level in High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution Middle school or Junior High School serves as a "bridge" between the Elementary School and the High School The term is used to distinguish the styles of wrestling used in other parts of the world, and for those of the Olympic Games: Greco-Roman wrestling, and Freestyle wrestling. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world Freestyle wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world There are currently several organizations which oversee collegiate wrestling competition: Divisions I, II, and III, of the NCAA, NJCAA, NAIA, and the NCWA. The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA founded in 1938 is an association of Community college and Junior college athletic departments throughout The National Collegiate Wrestling Association ( NCWA) is a post secondary athletic association built to help the promotion of Collegiate wrestling. Division I of the NCAA is considered the most prestigious and challenging level of competition. A school chooses which organization to join, although it may compete against teams from other levels and organizations during regular-season competition. The collegiate season starts in November and culminates with the NCAA tournament held in March. Events in November All Saints' Day (formerly All Hallows Day a Christian holy day is celebrated on November 1, the day after Halloween The NCAA Wrestling Team Championship was first officially awarded in 1929 and began to be continuously awarded on an annual basis in 1934 except during World Events in March American Red Cross Month Fire Prevention month ( The Philippines) Women's History Month ( United ^[23]

Professional wrestling

Main article: Professional wrestling

Modern professional wrestling is a little different from traditional wrestling as it has predetermined outcomes and in some promotions, "feuds" are used to build up a championship match. Professional wrestling, or pro wrestling, is a non-competitive professional Sport, where all matches are scripted by the promotion's booking staff A Professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or factions of wrestlers In Professional wrestling, a championship or title is a recognition of a wrestler being the best in their promotion Performers mostly utilize the traditional Anglo-American catch wrestling holds. Catch wrestling is a style of Wrestling. Catch wrestling is arguably the ancestor of modern Grappling, Professional wrestling, Mixed martial arts Professional wrestling, over the years, has become one of the most popular sports to watch and is practiced all over the world. Popular professional wrestlers include Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Bret Hart, The Undertaker, The Rock (who has also become a huge movie star), Steve Austin, and Rey Mysterio. Michael Shawn Hickenbottom (born July 22 1965 better known by his Ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American professional wrestler. Paul Michael Levesque better known by his Ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of his former ring name Hunter Hearst Helmsley Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9 1970 better known by his Ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-born Canadian Television and stage Bret Sergeant Hart (born July 2 1957 is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and Actor. Mark William Calaway (born March 24 1965 is an American professional wrestler, better known by his Ring name The Undertaker. Steven Williams (born Steven Anderson on December 18 1964 This defiance was often shown by Austin flipping McMahon off and incapacitating him with the Oscar Gutierrez (born December 11 1974 In WWE he was a 1 time World Heavyweight Champion, a 3 time Cruiserweight Champion When Gutierrez Some have even become cultural icons like Hulk Hogan. Terrance "Terry" Gene Bollea (born August 11 1953 better known by his Ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Actor, and retired professional

Puroresu

Main article: Puroresu

Japanese professional wrestling, also known as puroresu, is treated as a sport rather than the entertainment style of wrestling found in North America. Professional wrestling in Japan is commonly referred to as in Japanese, short for "professional A combat sport (also known as a combative sport) is a competitive Contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement typically Sports entertainment is a type of Spectacle which presents an ostensibly competitive event using a high level of theatrical flourish and extravagant presentation There are no storylines, feuds or any sort of angle found in puroresu. Mythos (Aristotle In literature the plot comprises all the events in a story particularly rendered towards the achievement of some particular Artistic or Emotional A feud (ˈfjuːd (referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud or vendetta) is a long-running argument or fight between parties&mdashoften through Guilt The matches are all about athleticism and skill. A sportsperson ( British and American English) or athlete (principally American English is any person who participates regularly in a Sport. A skill is the learned capacity or talent to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time energy or both. Another technique found in puroresu is that most of the wrestlers use shoot style strikes and complex submission moves. Shoot wrestling is a Combat sport and a general term that describes a range of Hybrid fighting systems originating This means that the wrestlers are more prone to injury. Popular Japanese wrestlers include Kenta Kobashi, Jun Akiyama and KENTA. Not to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi (known as KENTA is a Japanese Professional wrestler currently under contract Jun Akiyama (秋山準 Akiyama Jun) is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling NOAH. also known by his Ring name KENTA, is a Japanese professional wrestler and one of the last two trainees of the All Japan Pro Wrestling

As a martial art

Wrestling has gained respect among martial arts practitioners, especially with the advent of mixed martial arts competition. Mixed martial arts (MMA is a full contact Combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques from a mixture of Martial arts traditions and ^[24] Early competitions (e. g. UFC, Vale Tudo ) more wrestlers defeat stylists from traditional striking (and grappling) oriented styles such as boxing, judo, tae kwon do, karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC is a US -based Mixed martial arts (MMA organization currently recognized as the largest MMA promotion in the world Considering only the first twelve UFC (few limited number of rules, no weight classes or weight limits and unlimited rounds ), amateur wrestling won tournaments UFC 5, UFC 6, UFC 8, UFC 9, UFC 10, UFC 12. UFC 5 The Return of the Beast was a Mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 7, 1995, at the UFC 6 Clash of the Titans was the sixth Mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 14, 1995, at UFC 8 David vs Goliath was a Mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 16 1996, at Ruben UFC 9 Motor City Madness was a Mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 17 1996, at the Cobo UFC 10 The Tournament was a Mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 12th 1996 at the Fairgrounds Arena UFC 12 Judgement Day was a Mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 7, 1997 at the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu won UFC 1, UFC 2, UFC 4. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (later renamed UFC 1 The Beginning) was the first mixed martial arts (MMA event held by the Ultimate UFC 2 No Way Out (later renamed UFC 2 or The Ultimate Fighting Championship 2) was a mixed martial arts (MMA event UFC 4 Revenge of the Warriors was a mixed martial arts (MMA event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC on December 16, 1994

Randy Couture (UFC heavyweight champion) and Dan Henderson (current PRIDE champion in the 183 division and formerly 205 pound division champion) both competed extensively in collegiate and Greco-Roman wrestling before beginning their careers in mixed martial arts. Randy Duane Couture (born June 22 1963 also known as "The Natural" and "Captain America" is an American actor and Mixed martial artist, Dan "Hollywood" Henderson (born August 24 1970 is a former Olympic wrestler and current American Mixed martial artist who was the last welterweight (183 lb PRIDE Fighting Championships ( PRIDE or PRIDE FC for short was a Mixed martial arts organization based in Japan. Other top fighters coming from amateur wrestling include: Matt Lindland, Matt Hughes, Sean Sherk, Urijah Faber, Tyson Griffin, Clay Guida, Kevin Randleman, Mark Kerr, Don Frye, Dan Severn, Mark Coleman, Tito Ortiz, Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans, Jeff Monson, Matt Horwich, Carmelo Marrero, Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, Brock Lesnar, Gray Maynard, Matt Hamill, Benji Radach, Gerald Harris, Antonio McKee, Vladimir Matyushenko, Ryan Schultz, Aaron Stark, Devin Cole, Antoine Jaoude, Roy Nelson, Shad Lierley, Mark Schultz, Brandon Vera, Melvin Guillard, Josh Koscheck, Renato Sobral, Jamie Varner, Kazushi Sakuraba Ricco Rodriguez, Gilbert Melendez, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Takanori Gomi, Jon Fitch, Shane Carwin, Stephan Bonnar, Tim Boetsch, Chael Sonnen, Anthony Johnson, Frank Edgar , Matt Grice, Corey Hill, Roger Huerta, Cain Velasquez. Matthew James "The Law" Lindland (born May 17 1970) is an American Professional Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter Olympic Matt Hughes may refer to Matt Hughes (writer (born 1949 Canadian author Matt Hughes (fighter (born 1973 American professional Sean Sherk (born August 5, 1973) is an American mixed martial artist currently fighting for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC Urijah Christopher Faber (born May 14, 1979 in Isla Vista California) is an American Mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Tyson Lee Griffin (born April 20, 1984 in Sacramento California) is a professional Mixed martial arts fighter from Albany CA Clayton (Clay "The Carpenter" Charles Guida (born December 8, 1981 in Round Lake Illinois) is a professional Mixed martial arts Kevin "The Monster" Randleman (born August 10, 1971 in Sandusky, Ohio) is an American Mixed martial arts Mark Kerr may refer to Mark Kerr (fighter, American mixed martial artist and collegiate wrestler Mark Kerr (footballer, Scottish football Don "The Predator" Frye (born November 23, 1965) is an American professional Mixed martial arts fighter Actor, and Daniel "The Beast" Severn (born June 8 1954) is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable Mark "The Hammer" Coleman (born December 20, 1964) is an American Mixed martial artist, Professional wrestler, former Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz (born January 23, 1975) is a Mexican American Mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (born June 20 1978 in Memphis Tennessee) is an American professional Mixed martial arts fighter Rashad Anton Evans (born September 25, 1979 in Niagara Falls New York) is an American Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter currently Jeffrey 'Jeff' "The Snowman" Monson (born January 18, 1971) is a Mixed martial arts fighter from Olympia Washington. Matthew Peter 'Matt' Horwich (born October 2, 1978) is an American Professional Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter Carmelo "The Fury" Marrero (born January 26, 1981 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American professional mixed martial artist Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto ( birth date March 15, 1977) is a Japanese Mixed martial arts fighter Brock Edward Lesnar (born July 12 1977 in Webster South Dakota) is an American mixed martial artist with the UFC as well as a former professional Bradley Gray Maynard known as Gray Maynard (born May 9, 1979) is an American amateur wrestler and professional Mixed martial arts Matthew S "The Hammer" Hamill (born on October 5 1976 in Cincinnati Ohio, United States) is an American Wrestler Benji Russell Radach (born April 5, 1979) is an American Mixed martial arts fighter Gerald Harris (born November 19, 1979 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is an American Professional Mixed martial arts Antonio McKee (born March 12, 1970) is an American Professional Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter Vladimir "The Janitor" Matyushenko (Владiмiр Матюшенко born January 1, 1971 in Rečyca, Belarus) is a Belarusian Ryan James Schultz (born July 4, 1977) is an American Professional Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter Aaron Mitchell Stark (born July 21, 1975) is an American Professional Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter Devin Cole (born October 1, 1976 in Coos Bay, Oregon) is an American Professional Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter Antoine Jaoude (born January 5, 1977) is a Professional Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter Shad Lierley (b November 16 1980, Utah) is an American Professional Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter Brandon Michael "The Truth" Vera (born October 10 1977 in Norfolk, Virginia) is an American Mixed martial arts Melvin Paul Guillard Jr (born March 30, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist (MMA currently fighting at lightweight for Josh D "Kos" Koscheck (born November 30, 1977) is an American Mixed martial arts fighter from Fresno California, a former Renato (ʀ̥eˈnatu "Babalu" Da Cunha Sobral (born September 7 1975 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a Mixed martial arts fighter Jamie Varner (born October 12, 1984) is a Mixed martial artist who fights for the World Extreme Cagefighting. Kazushi Sakuraba ( Japanese: 桜庭和志 Sakuraba Kazushi, born July 14, 1968 in present-day Katagami Akita, Japan Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez (born August 19, 1977) is an American Mixed martial artist of Puerto Rican and Mexican Gilbert "El Niño" Melendez (born April 12, 1982) is a Mexican-American professional Mixed martial arts fighter from Santa Mitsuhiro Ishida (石田光洋 born December 29, 1978) is a Japanese Mixed martial arts fighter who has competed in Shooto, "The Fireball Kid" is a Japanese Mixed martial artist. Jonathan Parker Fitch (born February 24, 1978 in Fort Wayne Indiana) is an American professional Mixed martial arts fighter Shane Carwin born in USA is a Mixed martial arts fighter He competes in the Heavyweight division Stephan Patrick "The American Psycho" Bonnar (born April 4, 1977 in Hammond Indiana) is an American Mixed martial arts Tim Boetsch (born January 28, 1981) is an American mixed martial artist, currently competing in the light heavyweight division of Chael Sonnen (born April 3, 1977 in West Linn Oregon) is an American Mixed martial artist (MMA Anthony Johnson is the name of Anthony Johnson (reporter, a television reporter from New York's WABC-TV and husband of Pat Battle Anthony Johnson Frank James Edgar (born October 16, 1981) is a Mixed martial arts fighter from Toms River New Jersey. Matt "The Real One" Grice (born July 29, 1981) born in USA is a Mixed martial arts fighter Corey Cornelius Hill (born October 3 1978) is an American mixed martial artist. Roger Huerta (born May 20, 1983 in Los Angeles California) is an American mixed martial artist of Mexican and Cain Velasquez is a American born MMA fighter of Mexican descent

Many other prominent and successful fighters began their training in various forms of wrestling (Georges St. Pierre in freestyle wrestling), and fighters from non-wrestling backgrounds often pursue wrestling training to complement their other skills. Wrestling is one of the most dominant fighting styles in MMA/Vale Tudo. Mixed martial arts (MMA is a full contact Combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques from a mixture of Martial arts traditions and Vale Tudo ( Portuguese for Anything goes. The individual words translate into English as vale - "is allowed" and tudo - "everything"

See also

• Amateur wrestling
• Arm wrestling
• Grappling
• List of famous amateur wrestlers
• List of professional wrestlers
• Mixed martial arts
• Pankration

Notes

External links

• FILA Wrestling

One type of wrestling is the WWE(world wrestling entertainment). World Wrestling Entertainment Inc ( WWE) is a publicly traded privately controlled integrated media (focusing in Television, Internet, Wrestlers include:

Raw

Triple H Shawn Micheals Randy Orton Jeff Hardy Matt Hardy John Cena Chris Jherico