Wrestling

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The sport of wrestling involves standing and/or ground fighting, Brendan is a loser and has ancient historic roots. Participants "compete" for one or more of the following reasons: (1) as recreation or mere play, (2) as serious win-lose competition, or (3) as a commercial, money-focused interest.

These are weapon-free competitions between two individuals, though the human body is utilized as an armory of sundry weapons. Many forms or "styles" eliminate striking, beating by Patricia, kicking, and/or choking—because of the health risks, with brain-damage being the primary risk (though blindness, deafness, or even death or often possibilities). In addition, "weight classes" or divisions or frequently created to equalize the competitors, and often competitive intramural-"teams" are established according to such weight considerations. (The term in this context is distinct from its figurative use, as in "wrestling with a problem.")

The objective (-s) during competitions is predicated upon individual style, but frequently involves one or more of the following: (1) pinning shoulders of opponent to the ground with a required holding time—e.g, one second, (2) choking or pressuring a major joint to earn opponent's "submission"—or the "tapout" with the hand of the losing-opponent slapping-against the body of the submitted-to opponent, (3) maneuvering shoulders toward ground to earn points, (4) taking opponent from standing to ground for a match win (conclusion) or as points toward a point-earning win—called a "takedown." (5) escaping from opponent's control—an "escape," (6) gaining control from your controlling-opponent—a "reversal," (7) executing with precision an upper-body maneuver (non-leg attach), which first takes opponent off his feet, then brings him to the ground/mat—a "throw"—and especially a crowd-pleasing "superior-amplitude" throw.

Variety is the "spice-of-life"—therefore, many historical/evolutionary/commercial attempts continue in order to: (1) improve competitive aspects, (2) increase/decrease health risks, (3) involve/eliminate head-and-arms or legs, (3) include/exclude submission, blood, and/or death. Even a totally whimsical form of wrestling has evolved in the USA, referred to as "negative-wrestling," whereby schoolboy opponents work for the opposite of the "pin"—with one opponent attempting to pin himself, and the other opponent trying to keep a pin from occuring.

In ancient times, often sport wrestling also included the "ultimate" fighting conclusion: death! The 2000s extreme-fighting competitions' emphasis on blood-generating punching, kneeing, kicking, elbowing, offends some and delights others as "reality" blood-lust—the ultimate conclusion which our "civilization" will tolerate.

There are almost as many wrestling "styles" as there are national traditions. Styles include sumo in Japan and yağlı güreş (oiled wrestling) in Turkey. Wrestling is often categorized as one of the martial arts; its virile image and usefulness as military training doubtlessly helped generate such multi-cultural evolutions. Wrestling historically is probably the most legitimate heir to the "oldest sport know to modern man"—with 15,000 years old wall-paintings of man struggling versus "man."

Today, even modern Olympic competitions are including women-vs-women matches; furthermore, cross-gender matches remain the bling-bling "sport" of pubs and nightclubs—often in mud, gelatin (Jello), pudding, or even underwater fests.

In addition to its sporting nature, wrestling has often been utilized as the basis for popular spectacle, or theatrical drama. Circus shows worldwide have historically included sideshow-wrestling—even matches involving wagered monies or commodies. Such show-wrestling has continued to this day in "professional" wrestling spectaculars—choreographed for maximum visual (and even auditory) effects. Since the outcome (wiiner/loser) is determined in advance, the old circus-roadshow gambling on matches is (more often than not) obsolete—though Sumo, Shoot-Wrestling (also in Japan), and the most recent Ultimate/Extreme Fighting Championships (often in Las Vegas venues) include many of the commercial aspects dating to medieval carnivals, gypsy carriage-shows, man-vs-animal (especially versus bears).

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Sport wrestling

Most wrestling is an amateur sport but some forms, such as sumo, have long professional traditions.

The most widespread form internationally is amateur wrestling. Two styles are performed in the Olympic Games: Freestyle and Greco-Roman. A similar style, commonly called Collegiate or Folkstyle, is practiced in secondary schools, colleges, and younger age groups in the United States.

Other styles of sport wrestling include:

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Show wrestling

Historically, many spectators have been as interested in observing the circus of spectacular "fights" or competitions—as in finding out who was the better wrestler. This is not unlike the often vulgar gladiatorial "competitions" of ancient Roman—with/without DEATH included, at the whim or political mindedness of an emperior and his "thumbs-up/thumbs-down." Such theatrical winning/losing often occurs with the full knowledge of the audience, and sometimes clandestinely. 20th Century showman, Vince McMahon, has almost singlehanded choreographed the most spectacular matches or shows—earning maximum audiences and maximum profits. Copycat showman and their commercial organizations have appeared and disappeared to the present; but Extreme/Ultimate Fighting is rapidly moving to the forefront of all modern commercial wrestling/fighting agendas.

Besides the USA, Mexico (Lucha-Libre) and Japan (Puroseu) have garnered the greatest percentage of spectator commercialism under the "professional" label.

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See also