Freestyle wrestling is a style of
wrestling
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
originated from
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Along with
Greco-Roman
The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the
Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
. American
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
and men's
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...
wrestling is conducted under different rules and is termed
scholastic and
collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling (also known as folkstyle wrestling) is the form of wrestling practiced at the college and university level in the United States. This style of wrestling, with some slight modifications, is also practiced at high school and mi ...
. American collegiate women's wrestling is conducted under freestyle rules.
Freestyle wrestling, like collegiate wrestling, has its greatest origins in
catch-as-catch-can wrestling
Catch wrestling (originally catch-as-catch-can) is a classical hybrid grappling style and combat sport. It was developed by John Graham Chambers, J. G. Chambers in Britain . It was popularised by wrestlers of travelling funfairs who developed th ...
. In both styles the ultimate goal is to throw and pin the opponent to the mat, which results in an immediate win. Unlike Greco-Roman, freestyle and collegiate wrestling allow the use of the wrestler's or the opponent's legs in offense and defense. Freestyle wrestling brings together traditional wrestling,
judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
, and
sambo
, aka = Sombo (in English-speaking countries)
, focus = Hybrid
, country = Soviet Union
, pioneers = Viktor Spiridonov, Vasili Oshchepkov, Anatoly Kharlampiev
, famous_pract = List of Practitioners
, oly ...
techniques.
According to wrestling's world governing body,
United World Wrestling
United World Wrestling (UWW) is the international governing body for the sport of amateur wrestling; its duties include overseeing wrestling at the Olympics. It presides over international competitions for various forms of wrestling, including ...
(UWW), freestyle wrestling is one of the six main forms of amateur competitive wrestling practiced internationally today. The other five forms are Greco-Roman wrestling,
grappling
Grappling, in hand-to-hand combat, describes sports that consist of gripping or seizing the opponent. Grappling is used at close range to gain a physical advantage over an opponent, either by imposing a position or causing injury. Grappling i ...
/
submission wrestling
Submission wrestling, also known as Submission grappling, Submission fighting a form of competition and a general term for martial arts and combat sports that focus on clinch and ground fighting with the aim of obtaining a submission through the ...
,
beach wrestling
Beach wrestling is a type of wrestling that has been officially held since 2005.
History
First time in 2004, during the International United Wrestling Federation (FILA), beach wrestling was registered as a type of wrestling. Beach wrestling is ...
,
pankration athlima
Pankration (; el, παγκράτιον) was a sporting event introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC, which was an empty-hand submission sport with few rules. The athletes used boxing and wrestling techniques but also others, such as ...
,
alysh
Alysh () is a Turkic term for Central Asian folk wrestling or "belt wrestling" regulated by United World Wrestling.
Alysh is an upright wrestling style. Competitors wear trousers, jackets and belts, and must hold on to their opponents' belts at ...
/
belt wrestling
Belt wrestling is a form of wrestling that is one of the oldest historically recorded sports. It involves two belted contestants aiming to take each other over by grappling with a belt. There are hundreds of national belt wrestling styles, but con ...
and traditional/
folk wrestling
A folk wrestling style is any traditional style of wrestling, which may or may not be codified as a modern sport. Most cultures have developed regional forms of grappling.
Europe
Britain
Traditionally wrestling has two main centres in Great ...
. The Executive Board of the
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...
(IOC) recommended dropping wrestling as a sport from the
2020 Olympic Games
The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July.
Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...
, but the decision was later reversed by the IOC.
History
![Wrestling match during 1904 Summer Olympics](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Wrestling_match_during_1904_Summer_Olympics.jpg)
Modern freestyle wrestling, according to UWW (formerly FILA), is said to have originated in Great Britain and the United States by the name of
"catch-as-catch-can" wrestling.
[
] "Catch-as-catch-can" wrestling had a particular following in Great Britain and the variant developed in
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
had a particular effect on freestyle wrestling.
["Wrestling, Freestyle" by Michael B. Poliakoff from ''Encyclopedia of World Sport: From Ancient Times to the Present'', Vol. 3, p. 1190, eds. David Levinson and Karen Christensen (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, Inc., 1996).] "Catch-as-catch-can" wrestling gained great popularity in fairs and festivals during the 19th century. In catch-as-catch-can wrestling, both contestants started out standing and then a wrestler sought to hold his opponent's shoulder to the ground (known as a fall). If no fall was scored, both wrestlers continued grappling on the ground, and almost all holds and techniques were allowable. A Scottish variant of Lancashire wrestling also became popular, which began with both wrestlers standing chest to chest, grasping each other with locked arms around the body and, if no fall was made, with the match continuing on the ground.
In addition, there was the Irish
collar-and-elbow
Collar-and-elbow wrestling (Irish: Coiléar agus Uille or Brollaidheacht) is a style of jacket wrestling native to Ireland. Historically it has also been practised in regions of the world with large Irish diaspora populations, such as the United ...
style, where wrestlers started out on their feet with both wrestlers grasping each other by the collar with one hand and by the elbow with the other. If neither wrestler then achieved a fall, the contestants would continue both standing and on the ground until a fall was made. Irish
immigrants
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
later brought this style of wrestling to the United States, where it soon became widespread, especially because of the success of the wrestling champion of the
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...
, George William Flagg from
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
.
Catch-as-catch can was the style performed by at least a half dozen
U.S. presidents
The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term
Term may refer to:
* Terminology, or term, a noun or compound word used in a specific context, in pa ...
, including
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
,
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
,
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
,
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...
,
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...
, and
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
.
Because of the widespread interest in and esteem of professional
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman (American English), Graeco-Roman (British English), classic wrestling (Euro English) or French wrestling (in Russia until 1948) is a style of wrestling that is practiced worldwide. Greco-Roman wrestling was included in the first mod ...
and its popularity in many international meets in nineteenth century Europe, freestyle wrestling (and wrestling as an amateur sport in general) had a tough time gaining ground on the continent. The 1896 Olympic Games had only one wrestling bout, a heavyweight Greco-Roman match.
Freestyle wrestling first emerged as an Olympic sport in the
St. Louis Olympics of 1904. All 40 wrestlers who participated in the 1904 Olympics were American. The 1904 Olympics sanctioned the rules commonly used for catch-as-catch-can, but imposed some restrictions on dangerous holds. Wrestling by seven weight classes—47.6 kg (104.9 lb), 52.2 kg (115.1 lb), 56.7 kg (125.0 lb), 61.2 kg (134.9 lb), 65.3 kg (143.9 lb), 71.7 kg (156.7 lb), and greater than —was an important innovation in the
Summer Olympics
The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...
.
Since 1921, the body now known as United World Wrestling (UWW), which has its headquarters near
Lausanne, Switzerland
, neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
, has set the "Rules of the Game", with regulations for scoring and procedures that govern tournaments such as the World Games and the competition at the Summer Olympics. These were later adopted by the
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) for its freestyle matches. Freestyle wrestling gained great popularity in the United States after the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
. By the 1880s, tournaments drew hundreds of wrestlers. The rise of cities, increased industrialization, and the closing of the frontier provided the affable environment for amateur wrestling, along with
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
, to increase in esteem and popularity. Amateur wrestling teams soon emerged, such as the wrestling team of the New York Athletic Club, which had its first tournament in 1878.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
also developed, and by the 1870s, professional championship matches offered allowances of up to $1,000.
Nineteenth century wrestling matches were particularly long, and especially Greco-Roman bouts (where holds below the waist and the use of the legs are not allowed) could last as many as eight to nine hours, and even then, it was only decided by a draw. In the 20th century, time limits were set for matches.
["Wrestling, Freestyle" by Michael B. Poliakoff from ''Encyclopedia of World Sport: From Ancient Times to the Present'', Vol. 3, p. 1191, eds. David Levinson and Karen Christensen (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, Inc., 1996)] For more than forty years into the twentieth century, freestyle and its American counterpart, collegiate wrestling, did not have a scoring system that decided matches in the absence of a fall. The introduction of a point system by
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
wrestling coach Art Griffith gained acceptance in 1941 and influenced the international styles as well. By the 1960s international wrestling matches in Greco-Roman and freestyle were scored by a panel of three judges in secret, who made the final decision by raising colored paddles at the match's end. Dr. Albert de Ferrari from
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
who became vice president of FILA (now UWW), lobbied for a visible scoring system and a rule for "controlled fall", which would recognize a fall only when the offensive wrestler had done something to cause it. These were soon adopted internationally in Greco-Roman and freestyle. By 1996, before a major overhaul of FILA rules, an international freestyle match consisted of two three-minute periods, with a one-minute rest between periods.
Today, wrestlers from
post-Soviet states
The post-Soviet states, also known as the former Soviet Union (FSU), the former Soviet Republics and in Russia as the near abroad (russian: links=no, ближнее зарубежье, blizhneye zarubezhye), are the 15 sovereign states that wer ...
, Iran, the United States, Bulgaria, Cuba, Turkey, and Japan have had the strongest showings.
Alexander Medved
Aleksandr Vasiliyevich Medved (born 16 September 1937) is a Ukrainian-born Soviet Belarusian retired freestyle wrestler who competed for the Soviet Union and was named "one of the greatest wrestlers in history" by FILA, the sport's governing bod ...
of
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...
won 10 world championships and three Olympic gold medals from 1964 to 1972. Many collegiate wrestlers have moved on to freestyle competition, particularly internationally with great success.
In the spring of 2013, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted wrestling out of the core sports for the summer Olympics beginning in 2020 As a result of this news the wrestling community started a massive campaign in order to reinstate the sport. A largely online group called 2020 vision lead the movement. They had several campaigns as well as Facebook and Twitter pages that spread awareness and gathered support for the cause of wrestling's return to the Olympics. They had a mission of gaining 2,000,020 signatures (online and offline) in support of wrestling's return to the Olympic Games. In September 2013 the IOC voted to allow wrestling back into the Olympics for 2020 and 2024 as a probationary sport. In order to achieve this, UWW made several changes to the rules as well as changes to the weight classes. There are also discussions about uniform changes as well as changes to the competition mat.
Weight classes
Currently, international men's freestyle wrestling is divided into six main age categories: schoolboys, cadets, novice, juvenile, juniors, and seniors.
[
] Schoolboys (boys ages 14–15; or age 13 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) wrestle in 10 weight classes ranging from .
[
] Cadets (young boys ages 16–17; or age 15 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) wrestle in 10 weight classes ranging from .
Juniors (young boys ages 18 to 20; or age 17 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) wrestle in eight weight classes ranging from .
Seniors (men ages 20 and up) wrestle in seven weight classes ranging from .
For men, there is also a special category for some freestyle competitions, "Veterans", for men ages 35 and older, presumably featuring the same weight classes as seniors.
Also, all of the men's age categories and weight classes can be applied to Greco-Roman wrestling.
Women currently compete in freestyle wrestling in one of four age categories on an international level: schoolgirls, cadets, juniors, and seniors.
[
] Schoolgirls (young women ages 14–15; or age 13 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) wrestle in 10 weight classes ranging from .
Cadets (young women ages 16–17; or age 15 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) wrestle in 10 weight classes ranging from .
Juniors (young women ages 18 to 20; or age 17 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) wrestle in eight weight classes ranging from .
Seniors (women ages 20 and up) wrestle in seven weight classes ranging from .
Wrestlers after weigh-in may only wrestle in their own weight class. Wrestlers in the senior age category may wrestle up a weight class except for the heavyweight division (which starts at a weight more than for the men and more than for the women). Different nations may have different weight classes and different age categories for their levels of freestyle competition.
Layout of the mat
The match takes place on a thick rubber mat that is shock-absorbing to ensure safety. For the Olympic Games, all World Championships, and World Cups, the mat has to be new. The main wrestling area has a nine-meter diameter and is surrounded by a border of the same thickness known as the protection area. Inside the nine meter in diameter circle is a red band of one meter (3 ft 3 in) in width that is on the outer edge of the circle and is known as the red zone. The red zone is used to help indicate passivity on the part of a wrestler; thus, it is also known as the passivity zone. Inside the red zone is the central wrestling area which is seven meters in diameter. In the middle of the central surface of wrestling is the central circle, which is one meter in diameter. The central circle is surrounded by a band 10 centimeters (4 in) wide and is divided in half by a red line eight centimeters (3
in) in width. The diagonally opposite corners of the mat are marked with the wrestlers' colors,
red and
blue or in some areas, Red and Green.
For competition in the Olympic Games, the World Championships, and the Continental Championships, the mat is installed on a platform no greater than in height. If the mat lies on a podium and the protection margin (covering and free space around the mat) does not reach two meters (6 ft 6 in), the sides of the podium are covered with 45° (degree) inclined panels. In all cases, the color of the protection area is different from the color of the mat.
[
]
Equipment
![Ed Banach wrestles Akira Ohta during the 1984 Summer Olympic 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Ed_Banach_wrestles_Akira_Ohta_during_the_1984_Summer_Olympic_2.jpg)
* A
singlet is a one-piece wrestling garment made of
spandex
Spandex, Lycra, or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is a polyether-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia, US.
The ge ...
that should provide a tight and comfortable fit for the wrestler. It is made from
nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic.
Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from petro ...
or
lycra
Spandex, Lycra, or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is a polyether-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia, US.
The g ...
and prevents an opponent from using anything on the wrestler as leverage. One wrestler usually competes in a
red singlet and the other in a
blue singlet.
* A special pair of
shoes
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture t ...
is worn by the wrestler to increase their mobility and flexibility. Wrestling shoes are light and flexible in order to provide maximum comfort and movement. Usually made with rubber soles, they help give the wrestler's feet a better grip on the mat.
[
]
* A handkerchief, also called a bloodrag, is carried in the singlet. In the event of bleeding, the wrestler will remove the cloth from his singlet and attempt to stop the bleeding or clean up any bodily fluids that may have gotten onto the mat.
*
Headgear
Headgear, headwear, or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head, including hats, helmets, turbans and many other types. Headgear is worn for many purposes, including protection against the elements, de ...
, equipment worn around the ears to protect the wrestler, is optional in freestyle. Headgear is omitted at the participant's own risk, as there is the potential to develop
cauliflower ear
Cauliflower ear is an irreversible condition that occurs when the external portion of the ear is hit and develops a blood clot or other collection of fluid under the perichondrium. This separates the cartilage from the overlying perichondrium tha ...
.
The match
A match is a competition between two individual wrestlers of the same weight class. In freestyle wrestling, a jury (or team) of three
officials (referees) is used. The referee controls the action in the center, blowing the whistle to start and stop the action, and supervises the scoring of holds and infractions. The judge sits at the side of the mat, keeps score, and occasionally gives his approval when needed by the referee for various decisions. The mat chairman sits at the scoring table, keeps time, is responsible for declaring technical superiority, and supervises the work of the referee and judge. To call a fall, two of the three officials must agree (usually, the referee and either the judge or the mat chairman).
Session format
In Greco-Roman and freestyle, the format is two three-minute sessions. Before each match, each wrestler's name is called, and the wrestler takes his place at the corner of the mat assigned to his color. The referee then calls both of them to his side at the center of the mat, shakes hands with them, inspects their apparel, and checks for any perspiration, oily or greasy substances, and any other infractions. The two wrestlers then greet each other, shake hands, and the referee blows his whistle to start the session.
A wrestler wins the match when he has outscored his opponent at the end of the two three-minute sessions. For example, if one competitor were to score four points in the first session and his opponent two, and then two in the second session, his opponent zero, the competitor would win. Only a fall, injury default, or disqualification terminates the match; all other modes of victory result only in session termination.
In freestyle, if no wrestler scores in two minutes, the referee of the match will then identify the more passive wrestler, and that wrestler will be given a thirty-second window of opportunity to score, and if he doesn't, then his opponent will be awarded a point.
When the session (or match) has concluded, the referee stands at the center of the mat facing the officials' table. Both wrestlers then approach each other, shake hands, and stand on either side of the referee to await the decision. The referee then proclaims the winner by raising the winner's hand. At the end of the match, each wrestler then shakes hands with the referee and returns to shake hands with his opponent's coach.
Match scoring
In freestyle wrestling, as well as in Greco-Roman wrestling, points are awarded mostly on the basis of explosive action and risk. For example, when one wrestler performs a grand amplitude throw that brings his opponent into the danger position, he is awarded the greatest number of points that can be scored in one instance. Also, a wrestler who takes the risk to briefly roll on the mat (with his shoulders in contact with the mat) could give a certain number of points to his opponent. Scoring can be accomplished in the following ways:
* Takedown (2 to 5 points): A wrestler is awarded points for a takedown when the wrestler gains control over his opponent on the mat from a neutral position (when the wrestler is on his feet). At least three points of contact have to be controlled on the mat (e.g. two arms and one knee; two knees and one arm or the head; or two arms and the head).
::(5 points):5 points are awarded for a takedown brought about by a throw of grand amplitude (a throw in which a wrestler brings his opponent off of the mat and controls him so that his feet go directly above his head) either from the standing or ''par terre'' position into a direct and immediate danger position.
[
]
::(4 points): 4 points are awarded for a takedown brought about by a throw of grand amplitude as in the 5-point throw, but does not put the opponent into a direct and immediate danger position or if the opposing wrestler maintains contact with at least one hand on the mat.
::(3 points): Generally, three points are awarded for a takedown brought about by a short amplitude throw that does not bring his opponent in a direct and immediate danger position or for a takedown in which a wrestler's opponent is taken from his feet or his stomach to his back or side (a throw of short amplitude) so that he is in the danger position.
::(2 points):Two points are awarded for a takedown brought about by a wrestler taking his opponent from his feet to his stomach or side such that his back or shoulders are not exposed to the mat and while in this position holding him down with control.
[
]
* Reversal (1 point): A wrestler is awarded one point for a reversal when the wrestler gains control over his opponent from a defensive position (when the wrestler is being controlled by his opponent).
* Exposure also called the Danger Position (2 or 3 points): A wrestler is awarded points for exposure when the wrestler exposes his opponent's back to the mat for several seconds. Points for exposure are also awarded if one's back is to the mat but the wrestler is not pinned. Criteria for exposure or the danger position is met when 1) a wrestler's opponent is in a bridge position to avoid being pinned, 2) a wrestler's opponent is on one or both elbows with his back to the mat and avoids getting pinned, 3) a wrestler holds one of his opponent's shoulders to the mat and the other shoulder at an acute angle (less than 90 degrees), 4) a wrestler's opponent is in an "instantaneous fall" position (where both of his shoulders are on the mat for less than one second), or 5) the wrestler's opponent rolls on his shoulders. A wrestler in the danger position allows his opponent to score two points. An additional hold-down point may be earned by maintaining the exposure continuously for five seconds.
[
]
* Penalty (1 or 2 points): Under the 2004-2005 changes to the international styles, a wrestler whose opponent takes an injury time-out receives one point unless the injured wrestler is bleeding. Other infractions (e.g. fleeing a hold or the mat, striking the opponent, acting with brutality or intent to injure, using illegal holds, etc.) are penalized by an award of either one or two points, a Caution, and a choice of position to the opponent.
A wrestler whose opponent regularly refuses to take an ordered hold is awarded a point.
Three cautions automatically result in the match being awarded to the opponent.
* Out-of-Bounds (1 point): Whenever a wrestler places his foot in the protection area, the match is stopped, and one point is awarded to his opponent.
* Passivity (1 point): A point awarded to the attacking wrestler whose opponent flees the hold or refuses to start.
Classification points are also awarded in an international wrestling tournament, which give most points to the winner and in some cases, one point to the loser depending on the outcome of the match and how the victory was attained. For example, a victory by fall would give the winner five classification points and the loser no points, while a match won by technical superiority with the loser scoring technical points would award three points to the winner and one point to loser.
The full determinations for scoring are found https://unitedworldwrestling.org/sites/default/files/2018-04/wrestling_rules.pdf in the ''UWW International Wrestling Rules''].
Victory conditions
A match can be won in the following ways:
* Win by
pin (amateur wrestling), Fall: The object of the entire wrestling match is to attain victory by what is known as the
fall
Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southe ...
. A fall, also known as a
pin
A pin is a device used for fastening objects or material together.
Pin or PIN may also refer to:
Computers and technology
* Personal identification number (PIN), to access a secured system
** PIN pad, a PIN entry device
* PIN, a former Dutch de ...
, occurs when one wrestler holds both of his opponents' shoulders on the mat simultaneously. In Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling, the two shoulders of the defensive wrestler must be held long enough for the referee to "observe the total control of the fall" (usually ranging from one half-second to about one or two seconds). Then either the judge or the mat chairman concurs with the referee that a fall is made. (If the referee does not indicate a fall, and the fall is valid, the judge and the mat chairman can concur together and announce the fall.) A fall ends the match entirely regardless of when it occurs.
* Win by
Technical Superiority (Also called Technical Fall): If at any point during the match, a wrestler gains a ten-point lead over his opponent, the wrestler would win the match by technical fall.
* Win by Decision: If neither wrestler achieves either a fall or technical superiority, the wrestler who scored more points during match is declared the winner.
* Win by Default: If one wrestler is unable to continue participating for any reason or fails to show up on the mat after his name was called three times before the match begins, his opponent is declared the winner of the match by default, forfeit, or withdrawal.
[
]
* Win by Injury: If one wrestler is injured and unable to continue, the other wrestler is declared the winner. This is also referred to as a medical forfeit or injury default. The term also encompasses situations where wrestlers become ill, take too many injury time-outs, or bleed uncontrollably. If a wrestler is injured by his opponent's illegal maneuver and cannot continue, the wrestler at fault is disqualified.
* Win by Disqualification: Normally, if a wrestler is assessed three Cautions for breaking the rules, he is disqualified. Under other circumstances, such as flagrant brutality, the match may be ended immediately and the wrestler disqualified and removed from the tournament.
Team scoring in tournaments
In an international wrestling tournament, teams enter one wrestler at each weight class and score points based on the individual performances. For example, if a wrestler at the 60 kg weight class finishes in first place, then his team will receive 10 points. If he were to finish in tenth place, then the team would only receive one. At the end of the tournament, each team's score is tallied, and the team with the most points wins the team competition.
Team competition
A team competition or dual meet is a meeting between (typically two) teams in which individual wrestlers at a given weight class compete against each other. A team receives one point for each victory in a weight class regardless of the outcome. The team that scores the most points at the end of the matches wins the team competition. If there are two sets of competitions with one team winning the ''home'' competition and one winning the ''away'' competition, a third competition may take place to determine the winner for ranking purposes, or the ranking may take place by assessing in order: 1) the most victories by adding the points of the two matches; 2) the most points by fall, default, forfeit, or disqualification; 3) the most matches won by technical superiority; 4) the most periods won by technical superiority; 5) the most technical points won in all the competition; 6) the fewest technical points won in all the competition. This works similarly when more than two teams are involved in this predicament.
Women's freestyle wrestling
![Wrestling dsc03566](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Wrestling_dsc03566.jpg)
Women compete in freestyle wrestling at the collegiate, world, and Olympic levels. Women's freestyle wrestling made its Olympic debut at the
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...
.
There are ten weight classes for women (50 kg, 53 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg, 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, 72 kg and 76 kg) that compete in World Championships. However, after the
2020 Olympic Games
The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July.
Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...
, there are only six weight classes (50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 68 kg and 76 kg). Only one representative from each weight class is permitted to compete in the Olympics.
Freestyle wrestling was added to the
NCAA Emerging Sports for Women
NCAA Emerging Sports for Women are intercollegiate women's sports that are recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, but do not have sanctioned NCAA Championships.
History
In 1994, the NCAA adopted th ...
program effective with the 2020–21 school year. At that time, 35
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
members sponsored women's wrestling teams.
Wrestlers wear a red or blue
singlet, depending on their bracket placement; all female competitors are required to wear a women's-cut singlet.
Notable freestyle wrestlers
Olympic and world champions
Men
*
Aleksandr Medved
Aleksandr Vasiliyevich Medved (born 16 September 1937) is a Ukrainian-born Soviet Belarusian retired freestyle wrestler who competed for the Soviet Union and was named "one of the greatest wrestlers in history" by FILA, the sport's governing bod ...
– three-time Olympic Champion and seven-time World Champion
*
Anatoly Beloglazov
Anatoly Alekseyevich Beloglazov (russian: Анатолий Алексеевич Белоглазов; born 16 September 1956) is a retired Russian freestyle wrestler. He won gold medals at the 1980 Olympics and 1977, 1978 and 1982 World Champion ...
– Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion
*
Ivan Yarygin
Ivan Sergeyevich Yarygin ( rus, Иван Сергеевич Ярыгин, p=ɪˈvan sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ jɪˈrɨɡʲɪn; 7 November 1948 – 11 October 1997) was a Soviet and Russian heavyweight freestyle wrestler. Between 1970 and 1980 h ...
– two-time Olympic Champion and one-time World Champion
*
Shamseddin Seyed-Abbasi-World Chamion
*
Kamran Ghasempour
Kamran Ghasempour ( fa, کامران قاسمپور, born 16 Dec 1996) is an Iranian freestyle wrestler who competes at 92 kilograms, where he is the reigning World Champion. He is also a two-time Asian Continental champion and a two-time Worl ...
– two-time World Champion
*
Hassan Yazdani
Hassan Yazdani Charati ( fa, حسن یزدانی چراتی born 26 December 1994 in Lapu Sahra, Chapakrud Rural District, Juybar County, Iran) is an Iranian wrestler. Yazdani is an Olympic and World Champion in freestyle wrestling in two weig ...
– Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion
*
Bruce Baumgartner
Bruce Robert Baumgartner (born November 2, 1960) is a retired American freestyle wrestler. He is the current assistant vice president for university advancement and former athletic director at the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania near Erie, Pe ...
– two-time Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion
*
Kyle Dake
Kyle Douglas Dake (born February 25, 1991) is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who currently competes at 74 kilograms. Dake is a four-time and the reigning World Champion, winning back-to-back titles twice, at ...
– four-time World Champion
*
Buvaisar Saitiev
Buvaisar Hamidovich Saitiev, also spelled Buvaysar Hamidovich Saytiev, (russian: Бувайсар Хамидович Сайтиев, ce, Сайт КIант Бувайса) (born March 11, 1975, in Khasavyurt, Dagestan ASSR) is a Russian retired F ...
– three-time Olympic Champion and six-time World Champion
*
Sergei Beloglazov
Sergei Alekseyevich Beloglazov (russian: Серге́й Алексеевич Белоглазов, born 16 September 1956 in Kaliningrad) is a Soviet and Russian former Olympic wrestler and World Champion. He trained at the Armed Forces sports s ...
– two-time Olympic Champion and six-time World Champion
*
Arsen Fadzaev
Arsen Suleymanovich Fadzaev (russian: Арсен Сулейманович Фадзаев; born 5 September 1962, in Chikola, North Ossetia–Alania, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union) is a former Soviet wrestler, World champion and Olympic champion in ...
– two-time Olympic Champion and six-time World Champion
*
Majid Torkan – World Champion
*
Valentin Yordanov
Valentin Dimitrov Yordanov ( bg, Валентин Димитров Йорданов; born January 26, 1960), also transliterated Jordanov, is a retired Bulgarian freestyle wrestler who competed in the up to 52 kg weight class. He is an Oly ...
– Olympic Champion and seven-time World Champion
*
Makharbek Khadartsev
Makharbek Khasbiyevich Khadartsev (russian: Махарбек Хазбиевич Хадарцев) (born 2 October 1964) is a former Soviet wrestler who later competed for Russia and Uzbekistan, two times Olympic champion and ...
– two-time Olympic Champion and five-time World Champion
*
Levan Tediashvili
Levan Tediashvili ( ka, ლევან თედიაშვილი; born 15 March 1948 in Gegmoubani, Georgian SSR) is a former Soviet (Georgian) wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling in 1972 and 1976. He remained undefeated b ...
– two-time Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion
*
Soslan Andiyev
Soslan Petrovich Andiyev ( Ossetian: Андиаты Пётры фырт Сослан, russian: Сослан Петрович Андиев, 21 April 1952 – 22 November 2018) was a Soviet heavyweight freestyle wrestler. He was an Olympic champi ...
– two-time Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion
*
Abdollah Movahed
Abdollah Movahed ( fa, عبدالله موحد , born March 20, 1940) is a retired Iranian lightweight freestyle wrestler. He competed at the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympics and won a gold medal in 1968. He served as flag bearer for Iran at the Ope ...
– Olympic Champion and five-time World Champion
*
Leri Khabelov
Leri Khabelov ( ka, ლერი ხაბელოვი, russian: Лери Габрелович Хабелов) (born 5 July 1964) is a Georgian politician and a retired wrestler, formerly a Soviet Olympic champion in Freest ...
– Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion
*
Akbar Fallah
Akbar Fallah ( fa, اکبر فلاح, born 4 September 1966) is an Iranian wrestler. He competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as A ...
- World Champion
*
Mehdi Taghavi – two-time World Champion
*
John Smith – two-time Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion
*
Khadzhimurat Gatsalov
Khadzhimurat Soltanovich Gatsalov (russian: Хаджимурат Солтанович Гацалов, born December 11, 1982, in Chikola, North Ossetia–Alania) is a Russian wrestler. As of February 2020, he represents Armenia.
He won the go ...
– Olympic Champion and five-time World Champion
*
Mustafa Dağıstanlı
Mustafa Dağıstanlı (11 April 1931 – 18 September 2022) was a Turkish wrestler. He had his best achievements in freestyle wrestling, winning gold medals at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics and 1954, 1957, and 1959 world championships. In Greco-Roma ...
– two-time Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion
*
Ali Aliev – five-time World Champion
*
Aleksandr Ivanitsky
Aleksandr Vladimirovich Ivanitsky (russian: Александр Владимирович Иваницкий ; 10 December 1937 – 22 July 2020) was a Russian wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling who competed for the Sovie ...
– Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion
*
Gholamreza Takhti
Gholamreza Takhti ( fa, غلامرضا تختی, August 27, 1930 – January 7, 1968) was an Iranian Olympic Gold-Medalist wrestler and Varzesh-e Bastani (''Persian Traditional Sport'') practitioner.Houchang E. Chehabi, TAḴTI, Ḡolām-Re ...
– Olympic Champion and two-time World Champion
*
Abbas Jadidi
Abbas Jadidi ( fa, عباس جدیدی; born 13 January 1969) is an Iranian wrestler who competed in the Freestyle Heavyweight (90–100 kg) category at the 1996 Summer Olympics, losing to Kurt Angle and winning the silver medal. He was susp ...
– World Champion
*
J'den Cox
J'den Michael Tbory Cox ( /ˈdʒeɪdən/ ''JAY-dən'', born March 3, 1995) is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 92 kilograms. In freestyle, Cox is a two-time World Champion (bronze medalist in 20 ...
– two-time World Champion
*
Emam-Ali Habibi
Emam-Ali Habibi Goudarzi ( fa, امامعلی حبیبی گودرزی, born 27 May 1931) is a retired Iranian freestyle wrestler. He won gold medals at the 1958 Asian Games; 1959, 1961 and 1962 world championships; and 1956 Olympics, placing fou ...
– Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion
*
Vladimir Yumin
Vladimir Sergeyevich Yumin (russian: Владимир Сергеевич Юмин; 18 December 1951 – 4 March 2016) was a Russian freestyle wrestler. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and world titles in 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1979, placing se ...
– Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion
*
Jordan Burroughs
Jordan Ernest Burroughs (born July 8, 1988) is an American freestyle wrestler and former folkstyle wrestler who currently competes at 79 kilograms, and previously competed at 74 kilos. In freestyle, he was the 2012 Olympic gold medalist, is ...
– Olympic Champion and six-time World Champion
*
Alireza Heidari
Alireza Heidari ( fa, علیرضا حیدری, born March 4, 1976 in Tehran) is a retired Iranian wrestler who competed in the Men's Freestyle 96 kg at the 2004 Summer Olympics and won the bronze medal.
He also competed in Sydney 2000
...
– World Champion
*
Hüseyin Akbaş
Hüseyin Akbaş (1933–1989) was a Turkish wrestler. He competed in freestyle wrestling at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics and won a bronze medal in 1956 and a silver in 1964. Akbaş won the world freestyle title in 1954, 1957, 1959 and 1962, p ...
– four-time World Champion
*
David Taylor – Olympic Champion and two-time World Champion
*
Olle Anderberg – Olympic Champion and World Champion in freestyle
*
Amir Reza Khadem
Amir Reza Khadem Azghadi ( fa, امیررضا خادم ازغدی, born February 10, 1970) is an Iranian wrestler who won Olympic bronze medals in 1992 and 1996. He finished fourth at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and he won the 1991 World Champions ...
– World Champion
*
Abdulrashid Sadulaev
Abdulrashid Bulachevich Sadulaev ( rus, Абдулрашид Булачевич Садулаев, , ɐbdʊɫrɐˈʂɨts sədʊˈɫa(ɪ̯)ɪf, av, ГІабдулрашид Булачил Садулаев; born 9 May 1996) is a Russian freestyle ...
– two-time Olympic Champion and five-time World Champion
*
Kustaa Pihlajamäki
Kustaa Kustaanpoika Pihlajamäki (7 April 1902 – 10 February 1944) was a Finnish wrestler. He competed in freestyle wrestling at the 1924, 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics and won two gold and one silver medal. Between 1930 and 1943 he won nine Eu ...
– two-time Olympic Champion
*
Komeil Ghasemi
Komeil Ghasemi ( fa, کمیل قاسمی, born 27 February 1988) is a retired Iranian wrestler who won a gold medal in the men's freestyle 120 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Ghasemi was awarded his Olympic gold medal after the two wrestl ...
– Olympic Champion
*
Abbas Hajkenari
Abbas Hajkenari ( fa, عباس حاج كناری, born January 1, 1974, in Fereydoon Kenar) is an Iranian retired Sport wrestling, wrestler .
References
Abbas Hajkenari at Sports Reference External links
*
1974 births
Living ...
– World Champion
*
Arayik Gevorgyan
Arayik Gevorgyan ( hy, Արայիկ Գեւորգյան, born 22 January 1973) is a retired Armenian Freestyle wrestler. He is an Armenian Champion, European Champion, and three-time World Champion. Gevorgyan was awarded the Master of Sports of t ...
– three-time World Champion
*
Mark Schultz – Olympic Champion and two-time World Champion
*
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler, Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 100 kg, Olympic gold medalist in American freestyle wrestling, and former Collegiate wrestling, ...
– Olympic and World Champion
*
Mohammad Talaei
Mohammad Talaei ( fa, محمد طلایی, born April 7, 1973, in Isfahan) is an Iranian retired wrestler
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedown ...
– World Champion
*
Rasoul Khadem
Rasoul Khadem Azghadi ( fa, رسول خادم ازغدی, born March 18, 1972) is a former Iranian Sport wrestling, wrestler who has won a bronze medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics and a gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics. He was also the 1994 ...
– Olympic Champion and two-time World Champion
*
George Mehnert
George Nicholas Mehnert (November 3, 1881 – July 8, 1948) was an American Amateur wrestling, wrestler who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics and 1908 Summer Olympics. He was born in Newark, New Jersey.
At the 1904 Olympics, he won ...
– two-time Olympic Champion
*
Mohsen Farahvashi
Mohsen Mohamed Farahvash Fashandi ( fa, محسن محمد فره وش فشندى, born 21 July 1947) is a retired Iranian featherweight freestyle wrestler. He won a world title in 1973 and a gold medal at the 1974 Asian Games. He placed fourth ...
- World Champion
*
Amir Hossein Zare
Amir Hossein Zare ( fa, امیر حسین زارع; born 16 January 2001) is an Iranian freestyle wrestler who currently competes in the heavyweight division. Zare became World Champion in 2021, and was the 2019 U23 World Champion at age 18. ...
– World Champion
*
Arsen Mekokishvili
Arsen Mekokishvili ( ka, არსენ მეკოკიშვილი, 12 April 1912 – 9 March 1972) was a Georgian heavyweight freestyle wrestler. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1952 and a world title in 1954.
Mekokishvili took up wres ...
– Olympic and World Champion
*
Alireza Soleimani
Alireza Soleimani Karbalaei ( fa, علیرضا سلیمانی کربلایی, 2 February 1956 – 21 May 2014) was an Iranian heavyweight freestyle wrestler. He was the first Iranian to win the world superheavyweight title, which he achieve ...
– World Champion
*
Vakhtang Balavadze
Vakhtang Balavadze (; 20 November 1927 – 25 July 2018) was a Georgian welterweight freestyle wrestler. He competed at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics and won a bronze medal in 1956. He won the world title in 1954 and 1957, and was a runner-up in ...
– two-time World Champion
*
Hamit Kaplan
Hamit Kaplan (20 September 1934 – 5 January 1976) was a Turkish World and Olympic champion sports wrestler of Circassian descent in the Heavyweight class. He won the gold, silver and bronze medal in men's ...
– Olympic Champion and World Champion
*
Ebrahim Seifpour
Mohammad Ebrahim Seifpour Saadabadi ( fa, محمد ابراهیم سیف پور سعد آبادی, born 3 March 1938) also known as Ebrahim Seifpour, is a retired Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also cal ...
– two-time World Champion
*
Wilfried Dietrich
Wilfried Dietrich (14 October 1933 – 2 June 1992) was a German heavyweight wrestler. Between 1956 and 1972 he took part in five Olympics and six world championships, often entering both the freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling contests – a f ...
– Olympic Champion and World Champion
*
Alireza Dabir
Alireza Dabir ( fa, علیرضا دبیر, born September 16, 1977) is the President of Islamic Republic of Iran Wrestling Federation from July 2019. He is an Iranian champion freestyle wrestler. Dabir won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Game ...
– Olympic Champion and World Champion
*
Mansour Mehdizadeh
Mansour Savad-Abadi Mahdizadeh ( fa, منصورسواد آبادی مهدى زاده, born 14 August 1938) is a retired Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western ...
– three-time World Champion
*
Alejandro Puerto
Alejandro Puerto Díaz (born October 1, 1964) is a retired male wrestling, wrestler from Cuba and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling.
Puerto competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona where he won a gold medal in the men's freestyl ...
– Olympic Champion and two-time World Champion
*
Mohammad Ali Sanatkaran – World Champion
*
Hideaki Tomiyama
represented Japan in wrestling at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and won the gold medal in the bantamweight division.
He later coached the 2004 Athens Olympics wrestling team. He is currently the head coach of the Nihon University
, abb ...
– Olympic Champion and two-time World Champion
*
Boris Gurevich – Olympic Champion
*
Osamu Watanabe
is a retired Japanese freestyle wrestler. In 1962, he debuted internationally and retired shortly after the 1964 Olympics. During his brief career Watanabe won all his few hundred bouts. He is considered one of the best wrestlers in Olympic histo ...
– Olympic Champion and two-time World Champion
*
Aleksandr Ivanitsky
Aleksandr Vladimirovich Ivanitsky (russian: Александр Владимирович Иваницкий ; 10 December 1937 – 22 July 2020) was a Russian wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling who competed for the Sovie ...
– Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion
*
Kyle Snyder – Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion
*
Ebrahim Javadi - four-time World Champion
*
Haji Aliyev
Haji Aliyev ( az, Hacı Azər oğlu Əliyev; born 21 April 1991, in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan SSR) is an Azerbaijani freestyle wrestler. He competed at the 61 kg division in the 2014 European Wrestling Championships and won the gold medal af ...
– three-time World Champion
*
Toghrul Asgarov – Olympic Champion
*
Kenny Monday
Kenny Dale Monday (born November 25, 1961) is an Olympic gold medalist and three-time All-American wrestler from Oklahoma State University. He began wrestling at age six at a YMCA after-school program and grew up idolizing Olympic wrestler Wayn ...
– Olympic Champion and World Champion
*
Mansour Barzegar
Mansour Barzegar ( fa, منصور برزگر; born 28 February 1947) is a retired Iranian welterweight freestyle wrestler. He competed at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics and placed fifth and second, respectively. At the world championships he won on ...
– World Champion
Women
*
Saori Yoshida
is a Japanese former freestyle wrestler. Starting in 1998 she won almost every major competition, including three Olympic Games, four Asian Games, and 13 world championships, and became the most decorated athlete in freestyle wrestling history. ...
– three-time Olympic Champion and thirteen-time World Champion
*
Kaori Icho
is a Japanese freestyle wrestler. She is a ten-time World Champion and four-time Olympic Champion, winning gold in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. Icho was undefeated between 2003 and 2016. On 29 January 2016 at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin 20 ...
– four-time Olympic Champion and ten-time World Champion
*
Hitomi Obara
is a female wrestler from Hachinohe, Aomori, Japan. She is Captain in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
On 8 August 2012, Obara won the women's 48kg freestyle wrestling gold in her first Olympic Games at London's Excel Ar ...
– Olympic Champion and eight-time World Champion
* Yayoi Urango
*
Christine Nordhagen
Christine Nordhagen (born June 26, 1971 in Valhalla Centre, Alberta, Valhalla, Alberta) is a former Canadians, Canadian wrestling, wrestler.
Wrestling
Nordhagen, who began wrestling at age 20, is a graduate of the University of Alberta. She has wo ...
– six-time World Champion
*
Shoko Yoshimura – five-time World Champion
* Liu Dongfeng – five-time World Champion
* Zhong Xiue – five-time World Champion
*
Nikola Hartmann
Nikola Hartmann (born 5 June 1975) is an Austrian freestyle wrestler. She won five gold medals at the World Wrestling Championships
The World Wrestling Championships are the Amateur Wrestling World Championships organized by United World Wrestl ...
– five-time World Champion
*
Stanka Zlateva – five-time World Champion
*
Adeline Gray
Adeline Maria Gray (born January 15, 1991) is an American freestyle wrestler who currently competes at 76 kilograms. She is a six-time world champion (2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021) and a two-time Olympian (2016, 2020), with the silver m ...
– six-time World Champion
*
Gudrun Høie – four-time World Champion
*
Line Johansen
Line Johansen (born 12 January 1970) is a Norwegian sport wrestler and twice world champion.
Career
Johansen won a silver medal at the 1987 World Wrestling Championships, and bronze medals in 1990, 1991 and 1992. She won a gold medal at th ...
– two-time World Champion
*
Iryna Merleni – Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion
*
Tricia Saunders
Tricia Saunders (born as ''Patricia McNaughton''; February 21, 1966 in Ann Arbor, Michigan) is an American amateur wrestler and pioneer in the sport of Women's Freestyle Wrestling. She earned a total of five FILA Wrestling World Championships me ...
– four-time World Champion
*
Anna Gomis
Anna Gomis (born 6 October 1973) is a French wrestler who competed in the Women's Freestyle 55 kg at the 2004 Summer Olympics and won the bronze medal. She was named ''1999 Female Wrestler of the Year'' by the International Federation of Associ ...
– four-time World Champion
*
Kristie Marano
Kristie Davis (née Karen Stenglein, later Kristie Marano) (born January 24, 1979) is a wrestler from Albany, New York.
Davis won nine medals at the Women's World Championships in wrestling, two of which were gold. In 2004, Davis (who was compet ...
– two-time World Champion
*
Seiko Yamamoto – four-time World Champion
*
Kyoko Hamaguchi
is a Japanese freestyle wrestling, freestyle wrestler. She has won five FILA Wrestling World Championships and two Olympic games, Olympic Bronze medals in the 72 kg weight class.
She is sponsored by Japan Beverage Inc. ...
– five-time World Champion
*
Jing Ruixue – two-time World Champion
*
Chiharu Icho
is a Japanese sport wrestling, wrestler who competed in the 48 kg Wrestling weight classes, weight class at the Wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's freestyle 48 kg, 2004 and Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's fr ...
– three-time World Champion
*
Martine Dugrenier
Martine Dugrenier (born June 12, 1979) is a Canadian retired wrestler. A three time world champion (2008, 2009 and 2010), she has also competed twice at the Olympics, finishing in 5th place both times.
Early life and education
Martine Dugrenier ...
– three-time World Champion
*
Tamyra Mensah-Stock
Tamyra Mariama Mensah-Stock (born October 11, 1992, Mensah) is an American wrestler who competes in women's freestyle wrestling. She won the gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tokyo Olympics on August 3, 2021, and became the first black wo ...
– Olympic Champion and two-time World Champion
Mixed martial arts
Men
*
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn (born June 8, 1958), nicknamed "The Beast", is an American professional wrestler, retired mixed martial artist and amateur wrestler. A UFC Hall of Fame member, Severn is considered one of the leading pioneers of mixed marti ...
– only UFC Triple Crown Champion in history, member of
UFC Hall of Fame
The UFC Hall of Fame is a List of halls and walks of fame, hall of fame which honors mixed martial artists and MMA personalities, established and maintained by the U.S.-based mixed martial arts promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). In a ...
*
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock (''né'' Kilpatrick; born February 11, 1964) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promoter and semi-retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and kickboxer. He is best known for his time in Ultimate Fighting Champ ...
– first
UFC Superfight Champion, member of UFC Hall of Fame
*
Don Frye
Donald Frye (born November 23, 1965) is an American former mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, and actor. In MMA, he was one of the sport's earliest well-rounded fighters and won the ''UFC 8'' and ''Ultimate Ultimate 96'' tournaments an ...
– member of UFC Hall of Fame
*
Kazushi Sakuraba
is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and submission wrestler, currently signed to Rizin Fighting Federation and Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was formerly one-half of the former GHC Tag Team Champions with Takashi Sugiura. ...
–
UFC Japan champion
*
Mark Coleman
Mark Daniel Coleman (born December 20, 1964) is an American retired mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and amateur wrestler. Coleman was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first UFC Heavyweight Champion, and the Pride Fig ...
– first
UFC Heavyweight Champion
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
, member of UFC Hall of Fame
*
Randy Couture
Randall Duane Couture (; born June 22, 1963) is an American actor, former United States Army, U.S. Army sergeant, former mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and former Collegiate wrestling, collegiate and Greco-Roman wrestling, Greco-Roman ...
– six-time UFC Champion, oldest champion in UFC history at 43, member of UFC Hall of Fame
*
Tito Ortiz
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz (; born January 23, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist and politician. He is currently signed to the Combate Americas promotion. Ortiz is best known for his stints with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UF ...
– former
Light Heavyweight Champion, member of UFC Hall of Fame
*
Kevin Randleman
Kevin Christopher Randleman (August 10, 1971 – February 11, 2016) was an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, and former UFC Heavyweight Champion. Randleman's background was in collegiate wrestling, in which he became ...
– former UFC Heavyweight Champion, member of UFC Hall of Fame
*
Daniel Cormier
Daniel Ryan Cormier (; born March 20, 1979) is an American former professional mixed martial artist, amateur wrestler, and current commentator for the UFC. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Ch ...
– Olympic freestyle wrestler, former Light Heavyweight Champion and Heavyweight Champion, member of UFC Hall of Fame
*
Askar Askarov
Askar Askarov (russian: Аскар Сайпулаевич Аскаров; born 9 October 1992) is a Russian mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler who competes in the Flyweight division. A professional mixed martial artist since 2013, Askaro ...
– Gold medalist at
2017 Summer Deaflympics
)
, nations = 86
, athletes = 2,873
, events = 219 in 18 sports
, stadium = Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadium
, opened_by = Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
, torch_lighter = Ertuğrul Bursa
, opening = July 18, 2017
, closing ...
, UFC fighter
*
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American-Canadian professional wrestler, former mixed martial artist (MMA), amateur wrestler, and professional American football player who holds both American and Canadian citizenship. He is ...
– former UFC Heavyweight Champion
*
Yoel Romero
Yoel Romero Palacio (born April 30, 1977) is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler. He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division for Bellator MMA. Romero formerly competed in the Middleweight division ...
– Olympic silver medalist,
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
fighter
*
Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo (born February 9, 1987) is an American professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and Freestyle wrestling, freestyle wrestler. He is the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) UFC Flyweight Championship, Flyweight Ch ...
– Olympic gold medalist, former UFC Bantamweight Champion
*
Raoni Barcelos
Raoni Mendonça Barcelos (born May 1, 1987) is a Brazilian former amateur wrestler and grappler, and current professional mixed martial artist. He was five-times Brazilian national wrestling champion, and three-time Resurrection Fighting Allianc ...
– UFC fighter
*
Soa Palelei
Soa Palelei (born 12 July 1977) is an Australian retired mixed martial artist. A professional from 2002 until 2015, he most notably competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and PRIDE Fighting Championships.
Background
Born in 1977, Newc ...
– UFC fighter
*
Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev ( ce, Хизаран Хамзат; russian: Хамзат Хизарович Чимаев; born 1 May 1994), is a Swedish professional mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler who competes in the Welterweight divi ...
– three-time Swedish National Champion in freestyle wrestling, UFC fighter
*
Alexander Romanov – UFC fighter
*
Muhammed Lawal
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Central Oklahoma Bronchos
Muhammed Lawal (born January 11, 1981), also known as "King Mo", is an American professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to Major League Wre ...
– former
Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and
Rizin Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion
*
Kamaru Usman
Kamarudeen Usman (born May 11, 1987) is a Nigerian and American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and retired folkstyle wrestler. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championsh ...
– former UFC Welterweight Champion
*
Daniel Weichel
Daniel Weichel (born November 22, 1984) is a German mixed martial artist currently competing in Bellator's Featherweight division. A professional competitor since 2002, he has also competed in M-1 Global and Shooto. As of November 22, 2022, he i ...
–
Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) is an American mixed martial arts promotion (entertainment), promotion founded in 2008 and based in Santa Monica, California, owned and operated as a subsidiary of television and media cong ...
fighter
*
Matt Lindland
Matthew James Lindland (born May 17, 1970), also known as The Law, is an American retired mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler, speaker, actor, coach, entrepreneur and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for t ...
– Olympic silver medalist in
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman (American English), Graeco-Roman (British English), classic wrestling (Euro English) or French wrestling (in Russia until 1948) is a style of wrestling that is practiced worldwide. Greco-Roman wrestling was included in the first mod ...
, UFC fighter
*
Frank Trigg
Dewey Franklin Trigg III (born May 7, 1972) is an American retired mixed martial artist, color commentator, pro wrestler, MMA referee and TV host. Trigg is a veteran of the UFC, Pride Fighting Championships, Rumble on the Rock, Icon Sport-(Icon S ...
– UFC fighter
*
Robert Wittaker – UFC Middleweight Champion
*
Arjan Bhullar
Arjan Singh Bhullar (born May 13, 1986) is an Indo-Canadian mixed martial artist currently competing in the heavyweight division of ONE Championship, where he is the current ONE Heavyweight World Champion. He has also competed in the Ultimate ...
– Olympic freestyle wrestler, UFC fighter
*
Mike Grundy
Michael Grundy (born 1 March 1987) is an English professional mixed martial artist and retired freestyle wrestler who also competed in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). During his wrestling career, Grundy ...
– UFC fighter
*
Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain Antoine Sterlinghttp://boxing.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/boxingnvgov/content/results/2014_Results/02-22-14MMA.pdf (born July 31, 1989) is a Jamaican-American mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division in the Ul ...
–
UFC Bantamweight Champion
*
Darrion Caldwell
Darrion Caldwell (born December 19, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist and graduated collegiate wrestler, who currently competes in the bantamweight division of Bellator MMA, where he is the former Bellator Bantamweight World Champion ...
– former Bellator Bantamweight World Champion
*
Corey Anderson – UFC and Bellator fighter
*
Ali Isaev
Ali Isaevich Isaev (russian: Али Исаевич Исаев; born 18 December 1983 in Makhachkala, Soviet Union) is a Dagestani-Azerbaijani professional mixed martial artist and former amateur wrestler. He currently competes in the Heavyweigh ...
– Olympic freestyle wrestler, Bellator fighter
*
Abubakar Nurmagomedov
Abubakar Magomedovich Nurmagomedov (born November 13, 1989) is a Russian mixed martial artist, who is currently competing in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is a three-time Combat Sambo World Championship bron ...
– UFC fighter
*
Norifumi Yamamoto
was a Japanese mixed martial artist and kickboxer who competed in the bantamweight division of the UFC. He quickly gained popularity in the Shooto organization due to his aggressive, well-rounded style and controversial persona. He moved on to K ...
– UFC fighter
*
Ed Ruth
Edward Lee Ruth (born October 21, 1990) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. He competed in the Middleweight division of Bellator MMA. As a folkstyle wrestler, he was a three-time NCAA ...
– Bellator fighter, represented USA at 2014 and 2015
Wrestling World Cup
Wrestling World Cup is an international wrestling competition among teams representing member nations of the United World Wrestling (UWW) the sport's global governing body. The cups have been conducted by FILA (the UWW predecessor) every year sinc ...
in freestyle
*
Arman Tsarukyan
Arman Nairovich Tsarukyan (; born October 11, 1996) is a Georgia-born Armenian and Russian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of January 17, 2023, ...
– UFC fighter
*
Jake Shields
Jake Sequoyah Shields (born January 9, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist and submission grappler. He was the last Rumble on the Rock Welterweight Champion, the only Elite XC Welterweight Champion, a former Shooto Welterweight ...
– UFC fighter
*
Gregor Gillespie
Gregor Volz Gillespie (born March 18, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist and graduated collegiate wrestler who currently competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since ...
– UFC fighter
*
Bubba Jenkins
Bubba Jenkins (born February 5, 1988) is an American mixed martial artist and former amateur wrestler. He currently competes in the featherweight division of Professional Fighters League. He has also notably competed for Bellator MMA, Absolute ...
– freestyle Junior World Champion, Bellator and
Professional Fighters League
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an American mixed martial arts league founded by venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, following the acquisition and restructuring of the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) promot ...
fighter
*
Joey Davis
Joel Malcolm Davis (born December 29, 1993) is an American professional mixed martial artist and graduated folkstyle wrestler who currently competes in the welterweight division of Bellator MMA. As a wrestler at Notre Dame College, he was the ...
– Bellator fighter
*
Tom Erikson
Tom Erikson (born July 6, 1964) is an American former amateur wrestler and mixed martial artist who competed in the super heavyweight division. Weighing between and throughout his career, "The Big Cat" began wrestling at an early age and was ...
– former USA World Team member in freestyle,
Pride Fighting Championships
PRIDE Fighting Championships (Pride or Pride FC, founded as KRS-Pride) was a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion company. Its inaugural event was held at the Tokyo Dome on October 11, 1997. Pride held more than sixty mixed martial arts even ...
fighter
*
Ben Askren
Benjamin Michael Askren (born July 18, 1984) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and amateur wrestler. Askren was the former Bellator and ONE Welterweight Champion, remaining undefeated for over a decade before competing in ...
– Olympic freestyle wrestler, UFC fighter,
Bellator
Bellator, warrior in Latin, may refer to:
* Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States
* Bishop Bellator of Archaeological site of Sbeitla, Sufetula (5th century)
Taxonomy
* Bellator (fish), ''Bellator'' (fish), a fis ...
and
ONE Welterweight Champion
*
Matt Hamill
RIT Tigers
Matthew Stanley Hamill (born October 5, 1976) is an American mixed martial artist and wrestler who has competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the UFC. He is a three-time NCAA Division III National Champion in w ...
– UFC fighter
*
Michel Batista – Olympic bronze medalist, former UFC fighter
*
Alexis Vila – Olympian and two-time World Champion in freestyle, MMA fighter
*
Aaron Pico
Aaron Pico (born September 23, 1996) is an American mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler who currently competes in the featherweight division of Bellator MMA. As a freestyle wrestler, Pico competed at 65 kilograms, where he placed ...
– freestyle Cadet World Champion, Bellator fighter
*
Deron Winn
Deron Andrew Winn (born June 13, 1989) is an American mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler. A professional mixed martial artist since 2017, he formerly competed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Bellator MMA, fighting in th ...
– UFC fighter
*
Tyron Woodley
Tyron Woodley (born April 17, 1982) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is a former UFC Welterweight Champion who defended his title four times. A professional since 2009, Woodley also competed at Strikeforce and was an NCAA Di ...
– former
UFC Welterweight Champion
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
*
Kyle Crutchmer
Kyle Crutchmer (born May 5, 1993) is an American professional mixed martial artist, freestyle wrestler and graduated collegiate wrestler. He currently competes in the welterweight division of Bellator MMA. As a folkstyle wrestler, he was a tw ...
– Bellator fighter
*
Steve Mocco
Iowa Hawkeyes
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Steve Mocco (born December 28, 1981) is an American former amateur wrestler, judoka and mixed martial artist. As a collegiate wrestler, he was a two-time NCAA national ...
– Olympic freestyle wrestler, MMA fighter
*
Kevin Jackson
Kevin Andre Jackson (born November 25, 1964 in Highland Falls, New York) is an American retired freestyle and folkstyle wrestler, and mixed martial artist. Following his competitive career, Jackson would become a wrestling coach.
During his i ...
– Olympic gold medalist, UFC fighter
*
Dave Beneteau
David Beneteau (born June 22, 1967) is a Canadian former mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler who is best known for his appearances in Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 5, 6, 15 and, '' Ultimate Ultimate 1995''.
Toward the end of ...
– UFC fighter
*
Kazuyuki Miyata
Kazuyuki Miyata ( ''Miyata Kazuyuki'') is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing in the Lightweight division of Rizin. A professional competitor since 2004, Miyata has competed for DREAM, K-1 HERO'S, DEEP, RINGS, and made an appear ...
–
Rizin Fighting Federation
Rizin Fighting Federation (Rizin FF or Rizin) is a Japanese mixed martial arts organization created in 2015 by the former Pride Fighting Championships and Dream Stage Entertainment president Nobuyuki Sakakibara.
Rizin was founded to be the spir ...
fighter
*
Stephen Abas
Stephen Anthony Abas (born January 12, 1978) is an American Olympic freestyle wrestler and mixed martial artist. Abas became a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion in the weight division while attending Fresno State University. He has c ...
– Olympic silver medalist, MMA fighter
*
Cole Konrad
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Cole Konrad (born April 2, 1984) is an American retired mixed martial arts fighter. Konrad won a gold medal at the 2005 Pan-American Championships. He won the NCAA wrestling championships in 2006 and 20 ...
– first
Bellator Heavyweight World Champion
*
Karo Parisyan
Karapet "Karo" Parisyan ( hy, Կարապետ Փարիզյան; born August 28, 1982) is an Armenian-American mixed martial artist, who last competed in the welterweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 1999, Parisyan is a ...
– former
WEC Welterweight Champion
*
Manvel Gamburyan
Manvel Gamburyan ( hy, Մանվել Գամբուրյան; born May 8, 1981) is an Armenian mixed martial artist who has competed in the UFC's lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight divisions. A professional competitor since 1999, he was a c ...
– UFC fighter
*
Josh Koscheck
Edinboro Fighting Scots
Josh D. Koscheck (born November 30, 1977) is an American retired mixed martial artist who fought at Welterweight for the UFC and Bellator MMA. Koscheck made his debut with the UFC on the first season of the realit ...
– UFC fighter
*
Sean Sherk
Sean Keith Sherk (born August 5, 1973) is a retired American mixed martial artist and former UFC Lightweight Champion. Sherk competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and was one of the first combatants to have been a championship competitor ...
– former UFC Lightweight Champion
*
Matt Hughes – former UFC Welterweight Champion, member of UFC Hall of Fame
*
Matt Serra
Matthew John Serra (born June 2, 1974) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the co-star of Dana White: Lookin' for a Fight and co-h ...
– former UFC Welterweight Champion
*
– former UFC Middleweight Champion
*
Luke Rockhold
Luke Skyler Rockhold (born October 17, 1984) is an American retired mixed martial artist. He is best known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he competed in the Light Heavyweight and Middleweight division. ...
– former UFC Middleweight Champion
*
Rashad Evans
Rashad Anton Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist. Evans started his professional career in 2003, he was the Heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2 and is also a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and a 2 ...
– former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, member of UFC Hall of Fame
*
Anthony Johnson – UFC fighter
*
Colby Covington
Colby Ray Covington (born February 22, 1988) is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Interim UFC Welterweight Champ ...
– former Interim UFC Welterweight Champion
*
Josh Barnett
Joshua Lawrence Barnett (born November 10, 1977) is an American mixed martial artist, submission grappler, professional wrestler and color commentator currently signed to Bellator MMA, where he competes in their Heavyweight division. Barnett p ...
– former UFC Heavyweight Champion
*
Johny Hendricks
Johny Harvey Hendricks (born September 12, 1983) is an American former mixed martial artist and collegiate wrestler. He competed in the welterweight and middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is a former UFC Welterwei ...
– former UFC Welterweight Champion
*
Bo Nickal
Bo Dean Nickal (born January 14, 1996) is an American professional mixed martial artist, former Freestyle wrestler, freestyle and graduated Collegiate wrestling, folkstyle wrestler who currently competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, UF ...
– Gold medalist at
U23 World Wrestling Championships
The World U23 Wrestling Championships are the Amateur Wrestling World Championship for athletes under 23 years old and is organized by United World Wrestling. The tournament began in 2017.
Editions
* 2020 U23 World Wrestling Championships in Ta ...
in freestyle, UFC fighter
Women
*
Sara McMann
Sara McMann (born September 24, 1980) is an American female mixed martial artist who competed in the bantamweight division. McMann is a former Olympic wrestler and received a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece and was a ...
– Olympic silver medalist in freestyle, UFC fighter
*
Miyuu Yamamoto
is a Japanese female freestyle wrestler and mixed martial artist. Yamamoto is a three-time freestyle wrestling world champion and a Rizin Women's Super Atomweight title contender in MMA. She is represented with Krazy Bee.
Personal life
Miyuu Y ...
– three-time World Champion in freestyle, Rizin fighter
*
Tatiana Suarez
Tatiana Yadira Suarez Padilla (born December 19, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist with a background in wrestling who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She was the strawweight ...
– strawweight tournament winner in the
23rd season of
The Ultimate Fighter
''The Ultimate Fighter'' is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Pilgrim Media Group currently airing on ESPN+. It previously aired for fourteen s ...
*
Ritu Phogat
Ritu Kumari Phogat (born 2 May 1994) is an Indian mixed martial artist currently signed to ONE Championship. She is also a female wrestler who won a gold medal at the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship.
Early and personal life
Ritu is ...
– Gold medalist at 2016
Commonwealth Wrestling Championship
The Commonwealth Wrestling Championship is a tournament designed for top wrestlers in the Commonwealth of Nations. It is not linked to the Commonwealth Games, nor has any accreditation with any sports body in any country. Edizioni
Łącznie meda ...
in freestyle,
ONE Championship
ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...
fighter
Professional wrestling
*
Frank Gotch
Frank Alvin Gotch (April 27, 1877 – December 17, 1917) was an American professional wrestler. Gotch was the first American professional wrestler to win the world heavyweight free-style championship, and he is credited for popularizing professi ...
*
Earl Caddock
Earl Caddock (February 27, 1888 – August 25, 1950) was an American professional wrestler and World Heavyweight Champion who was active in the early portion of the twentieth century. As the first man to bill himself as "The Man of 1,000 Holds" ( ...
*
Joe Stecher
Joe Stecher (April 4, 1893 – March 29, 1974), sometimes spelled Joe Stetcher, was an American professional wrestler and three-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion. Known for his ferocity, tremendous leg strength and extensive knowledge o ...
*
Robin Reed
Robin Reed (October 20, 1899 – December 20, 1978) was an American amateur and professional wrestler, and wrestling coach. Throughout his amateur career he never lost a wrestling match, official or unofficial, to anyone at any weight class. ...
*
Earl McCready
Earl Gray McCready (June 5 or 15, 1905 – December 9, 1983) was a Canadian amateur and professional wrestler. McCready competed in the U.S. for Oklahoma State University in folkstyle, and as a freestyle wrestler who competed for Canada in ...
*
Ed Don George
Edward Nye "Ed Don" George Jr. (June 3, 1905 – September 18, 1985) was an American amateur and professional wrestler, and wrestling promoter. A former Olympic freestyle wrestler, George competed in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and turned pro ...
*
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz (April 24, 1916 – April 28, 2002) was an American professional wrestler. He was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and held the title for a combined total of 10 years, three months and nine days (3,749 ...
*
Stu Hart
Stewart Edward Hart (May 3, 1915 – October 16, 2003) was a Canadian amateur and professional wrestler, wrestling booker, promoter, coach, trainer, football player and sailor. He is best known for founding and handling Stampede Wrestling, a ...
*
Ralph Silverstein
*
"Iron" Mike DiBiase
*
Ray Gunkel
Raymond Fred "Ray" Gunkel (February 16, 1924 - August 1, 1972) was an American amateur and professional wrestler and promoter in the state of Georgia. Gunkel was a two-time AAU national champion and, as a professional, a three-time NWA Texas Hea ...
*
Karl Gotch
Charles Istaz (August 3, 1924 – July 28, 2007) was a Belgian-born German-American professional wrestler and trainer, best known by his ring name Karl Gotch. In Japan, Gotch was known as the "God of Wrestling" due to his influence in shaping the ...
*
Verne Gagne
Laverne Clarence Gagne (February 26, 1926 – April 27, 2015) was an American amateur and professional wrestler, football player, wrestling trainer, and wrestling promoter. He was the owner and promoter of the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling ...
*
Pat O'Connor
*
Bill Miller
*
Dick Hutton
Richard Heron Avis Hutton (October 4, 1923 – November 24, 2003) was an American amateur and professional wrestler. He was a three-time NCAA champion and, as a professional, held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, making him a one-time worl ...
*
Danny Hodge
Daniel Allen Hodge (May 13, 1932 – December 24, 2020) was an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and boxer. He is renowned primarily for his wrestling career, where he competed both as an amateur and professional. A three-time NCA ...
*
Jack Brisco
Freddie Joe "Jack" Brisco (September 21, 1941 – February 1, 2010) was an American amateur wrestling, amateur and Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. As an amateur for Oklahoma State, Brisco was two-time All-American and won the Natio ...
*
Bob Backlund
Robert Louis Backlund (born August 14, 1949) is an American retired amateur and professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation from 1976 to 1984 and in the 1990s, wher ...
*
Bret Hart
Bret Hart (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian-American retired professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE under a legend's contract. A member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler, he has an amateur wrestling backgr ...
*
Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese amateur and professional wrestler and promoter. He is primarily known for his time in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and also for forming the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion in 2000. In the early 1990s, Misawa gained fame alongside ...
*
Minoru Suzuki
(born June 17, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a freelancer. In NJPW, Suzuki has held the IWGP Intercontinental Championship as well as twice hol ...
*
Kazuyuki Fujita
is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler, currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a one-time GHC Heavyweight Champion. He has most recently fought in Road FC, but is also known for his ...
*
Bobby Lashley
Franklin Roberto Lashley (born July 16, 1976) is an American professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and bodybuilder. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is an eight-time world champion, having been a two-t ...
*
Jeff Cobb
Jeffrey Cobb (ジェフ・コブ ''Jefu Kobu'', born July 11, 1982) is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he is a two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion with United Emp ...
*
Chad Gable
Charles Edward Betts (born March 8, 1986) is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Chad Gable. He is a four-time tag team champion in ...
See also
*
*
*
List of Freestyle Wrestling techniques
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is a variant of wrestling practiced in collegiate, school, or other amateur level competitions. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games: freestyle and Greco-Roman. Both styles are under the ...
*
Folk wrestling
A folk wrestling style is any traditional style of wrestling, which may or may not be codified as a modern sport. Most cultures have developed regional forms of grappling.
Europe
Britain
Traditionally wrestling has two main centres in Great ...
*
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman (American English), Graeco-Roman (British English), classic wrestling (Euro English) or French wrestling (in Russia until 1948) is a style of wrestling that is practiced worldwide. Greco-Roman wrestling was included in the first mod ...
*
Collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling (also known as folkstyle wrestling) is the form of wrestling practiced at the college and university level in the United States. This style of wrestling, with some slight modifications, is also practiced at high school and mi ...
*
Submission wrestling
Submission wrestling, also known as Submission grappling, Submission fighting a form of competition and a general term for martial arts and combat sports that focus on clinch and ground fighting with the aim of obtaining a submission through the ...
Notes
References
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
TheMat.com (The Official Website of USA Wrestling) - News about Wrestling: Greco-Roman, Freestyle, International NewsAmateur Athletic Union (AAU) WrestlingFreestyle and Greco-Roman WrestlingFreestyle wrestling videosInterMat
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freestyle Wrestling
Sport wrestling
Mixed martial arts styles
Summer Olympic disciplines