Wrestling

Overview

Two competitors grapple on a mat, trying to pin the opponent's shoulders down or win on points. Checked against United World Wrestling's International Wrestling Rules (December 2025), which cover Greco-Roman, freestyle and women's wrestling. Article numbers below refer to it.

1. The two styles

The rules are the same except for one thing: in Greco-Roman you may not grip below the belt, trip, or use your legs to attack the opponent. In freestyle and women's wrestling, all of that is allowed. Women's wrestling follows the freestyle rules but bans the double Nelson (Foreword).

2. The bout

Two periods of 3 minutes for seniors, with a 30-second break (Article 22). The winner is whoever has more points across both periods, unless the bout ends early by fall, injury, or technical superiority.

3. Winning

A bout can end by (Article 29):

• Fall: both of the opponent's shoulders held on the mat long enough for the referee to confirm control (Article 42). A fall from an illegal hold is awarded to the other wrestler.
• Technical superiority: an 8-point lead in Greco-Roman, or a 10-point lead in freestyle and women's wrestling, once the bout returns to a neutral position (Article 43).
• 3 cautions against one wrestler.
• Points, by at least one point, at the end of regular time.
• Injury, forfeit, or disqualification.

4. Scoring

Points are awarded for the value of the hold, always higher for a standing throw than the same hold on the ground (Article 34). A few of the values (Article 38):

Points	For
1	Stepping your opponent out of bounds; a caution against your opponent; a passivity call they don't score against
2	Passing behind and controlling your opponent; a throw that lands them face down or on their side
4	A standing hold that puts the opponent in a danger position in one continuous action
5	A grand amplitude throw: the opponent loses all contact with the ground and is swept through the air into danger

Danger position: the opponent's back or shoulders are angled less than 90° to the mat while they resist being pinned — bridging, propping on an elbow, or rolling on the shoulders (Article 35).

5. Passivity

Wrestlers who stall are warned, then formally called passive. In freestyle, a passive wrestler gets a 30-second window to score, or their opponent gets the point automatically (Article 46).

Commonly argued

• A fall ends the bout outright, regardless of the score.
• Greco-Roman bans leg attacks and gripping below the belt. Freestyle allows both.
• Technical superiority is 8 points in Greco-Roman, 10 in freestyle, and it can only be called with both wrestlers back in a neutral position.
• Standing holds score more than the same hold on the ground.
• A hold's value depends on the defender's position, not the attacker's.