Wrestling
Wrestling is a combat sport on a mat between two wrestlers of the same weight class, who score points for holds and throws and can win outright with a fall, both shoulders held on the mat. It has two styles: freestyle, and Greco-Roman, which bans holds below the belt and any use of the legs. A senior bout is two periods of three minutes, and a lead of 10 points in freestyle or 8 in Greco-Roman ends it.
New to wrestling? Start here
Which to watch first, and how long
Start with Freestyle. Holds on the legs are allowed, so there are more ways to score.
- Freestyle
- Two periods of three minutes with a 30-second break
- Greco-Roman
- Two periods of three minutes with a 30-second break; no holds below the waist
Lengths are from the rule book.
The big events, and why they matter
- 1Olympic Games (wrestling)The title wrestling is measured by.Every 4 years · Holder: 18 events; Japan won 8 golds
- 2World Wrestling ChampionshipsThe sport's own world title.Yearly · Holder: 30 events, 10 in each style
- 3Asian Games (wrestling)Asia's multi-sport title; for India often the most reachable major medal.Every 4 years · Holder: 18 events; Japan won 7 golds, Iran 6, India 2
- 4Commonwealth Games (wrestling)A Games where India has won many wrestling medals (to check).Every 4 years · Holder: 12 events; India won 6 golds and 12 medals
India
- Wrestling at the Olympic Games: 8 medals, all in freestyle: 2 silver, 6 bronze
- World Wrestling Championships: 24 medals: 1 gold (Sushil Kumar, men's freestyle, Moscow 2010), 5 silver, 18 bronze
Countries to know
India and the nations that have done best, biggest titles first.
- IndiaWrestling at the Asian Games: 13 golds, 17 silvers, 41 bronzes (latest 2026); Wrestling at the Commonwealth Games: 49 golds, 38 silvers, 27 bronzes (latest 2022)
- Soviet UnionWrestling at the Olympic Games: 62 golds, 31 silvers, 23 bronzes (latest 1988); World Wrestling Championships: 253 golds, 93 silvers, 69 bronzes (latest 1991)
- JapanWrestling at the Olympic Games: 45 golds, 23 silvers, 19 bronzes (latest 2024); World Wrestling Championships: 146 golds, 78 silvers, 92 bronzes (latest 2025)
- United StatesWrestling at the Olympic Games: 59 golds, 47 silvers, 43 bronzes (latest 2024); World Wrestling Championships: 90 golds, 106 silvers, 117 bronzes (latest 2025)
- RussiaWrestling at the Olympic Games: 35 golds, 11 silvers, 18 bronzes (latest 2020); World Wrestling Championships: 119 golds, 77 silvers, 114 bronzes (latest 2025)
- IranWorld Wrestling Championships: 77 golds, 72 silvers, 84 bronzes (latest 2025); Wrestling at the Asian Games: 80 golds, 44 silvers, 38 bronzes (latest 2026)
Who runs it
| Rules made by | United World Wrestling (UWW), International Wrestling Rules, January 2026 edition |
| International federation | United World Wrestling (UWW) |
| In India | Wrestling Federation of India (WFI): recognised, on the MYAS list for 2026 |
Where and when it is played
On a mat with a central wrestling area and a protection area around it. Each weight category is a knockout with a repechage for two bronze medals. The big events: the Olympic Games every four years and the World Wrestling Championships every year.