Wrestling

Unlike other close combat sports such as boxing, wrestling involves the physical engagement of two opponents. Wrestling is known to be the oldest of the martial arts—this type of ritual fighting was practiced in many ancient civilizations, and was often used to settle disputes or as a display of prowess.

There are several different styles of wrestling, including Greco-Roman, freestyle, grappling, beach wrestling, and collegiate wrestling. Each of these varies in terms of rules and acceptable wrestling moves. For example, Greco-Roman wrestling and freestyle wrestling (the styles used in Olympic competitions) prohibit holding the opponent below the belt, tripping the opponent, and any use of the legs.

A wrestling match can be won in several different ways. One competitor can hold both their opponents shoulders on the mat simultaneously to win via a “fall”, or can win via a “technical fall”, which is declared if one competitor gains a lead of six points or more at any time during the match. If neither type of fall is achieved during the match, the victor is declared on the basis of points assigned by the judges.

Wrestling has been popularized in the last two decades by professional wrestling associations such as the Worldwide Wrestling Federation. These types of wrestling matches are typically staged highly showy affairs that bear little resemblance to more conventional Olympic wrestling styles.