History of Wrestling

Wrestling is one of the world’s oldest forms of combat, practiced since prehistoric times and found in every major civilization. It centres on grappling, throws, holds, pins, and leverage.

1. Prehistoric & Ancient World (300 BCE – 500 BCE)

Prehistoric Roots

Cave drawings in France (circa 15,000 BCE) show early forms of wrestling.

Wrestling is believed to predate written history as a form of both combat  and sport.

Ancient Mesopotamia & Egypt – Depicted in Sumerian artwork (3000–2000 BCE). Egyptian tomb art shows wrestling with rules and referees.

Ancient India – Wrestling known as Malla-Yuddha; included strikes, grappling, and submissions. Later evolved into Kushti/Pehlwani, still practiced today.

Ancient China – Shuai Jiao (Chinese wrestling) dates back more than 4,000 years. Used for military training and physical conditioning.

Ancient Greece -Wrestling became highly developed. Included in the Ancient Olympic Games in 708 BCE. Techniques like throws, trips, and pins formed the basis of Western wrestling.

Ancient Rome – Adapted Greek wrestling but added more structure. Roman wrestling spread throughout Europe and influenced medieval combat traditions.

2. Medieval & Early Modern Wrestling (500–1800 CE)

Europe – Wrestling was a popular sport among peasants and nobles alike. Many regional styles emerged:

Glíma (Icelandic wrestling)

Cornish wrestling (England)

Schwingen (Switzerland)

Ringen (German grappling system)

Middle East & Central Asia – Turkish oil wrestling (Yağlı güreş) began around the 14th century. Still practiced today, considered one of the oldest continuously held sporting traditions (Kırkpınar tournament).

Japan – Sumo wrestling developed from Shinto rituals. Formalized as a professional sport in the Edo period (1600s).

3. Modern Wrestling Develops (1800s–1900s)

During the 19th century, wrestling began transitioning from folk traditions to organized sport.

Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling

Originated in Britain, spread to the U.S. Allowed submissions and a wide variety of holds. Became the base for:

Modern freestyle wrestling

Professional wrestling

Influenced MMA grappling systems

Greco-Roman Wrestling

Codified in France around the 1830s–1840s.

Banned holds below the waist.

Emphasized throws and upper-body control.

Wrestling Enters the Olympics (Modern Era)

Greco-Roman included in the 1896 Olympics. Freestyle wrestling added in 1904, influenced heavily by catch wrestling.

4. Professional Wrestling Emerges (Late 1800s–1900s)

Early Professional Wrestling started in Europe and America with carnival shows. Real matches often blended with entertainment to attract crowds.

Shift to Entertainment

By the mid-1900s: matches were increasingly scripted.

Larger-than-life characters and storylines were introduced.

Led to the rise of major promotions like:

WWE (formerly WWF)

NWA

WCW

Stars like Ric Flair, The Rock, and Stone Cold Steve Austin made wrestling a global entertainment phenomenon.

While sports entertainment wrestling is scripted, it evolved from legitimate grappling traditions.

5. Amateur & Olympic Wrestling in the Modern Era (1900s–Present)

Freestyle & Greco-Roman

Now globally practiced in schools, colleges, clubs, and national teams.

Major competitions:

Olympics

World Wrestling Championships

NCAA Wrestling (USA)

Commonwealth Games

Women’s Wrestling – Women’s freestyle wrestling became an Olympic sport in 2004.

Has rapidly grown worldwide.

Collegiate & Folkstyle Wrestling (United States)

Developed separately from Olympic styles.

Focuses on control, escapes, and riding time.

NCAA wrestling is a major American collegiate sport.

6. Wrestling’s Influence on Modern Combat Sports

Wrestling is one of the most important bases for modern fighting, especially in MMA. Elite MMA fighters with strong wrestling backgrounds include:

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Daniel Cormier

Jon Jones

Henry Cejudo

Georges St-Pierre (blended wrestling into his stand-up background)

Wrestling’s emphasis on takedowns, control, pressure, and conditioning makes it foundational to modern mixed martial arts.