Wrestling is one of the oldest sports, dating back thousands of years to cave dwellers, and has evolved from that time, through the height of the ancient Greek and Roman empires, all the way to present day. Wrestling is generally defined as hand-to-hand combat, without the use of weapons, with different variations present in competition today.
Greco-Roman
Greco-Roman wrestling is a type of one-on-one match that focuses on grappling with the arms and upper body. It is the type of wrestling you see at the Olympic Games and in international competition as well, as wrestlers competed in Greco-Roman wrestling at the first modern Olympic Games, held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Greco-Roman wrestlers are not allowed to use their legs to help them obtain a fall, and you are also not allowed to hold the other wrestler below the waist. The match consists of one five-minute period.
Freestyle
Freestyle wrestling has many similarities to the Greco-Roman style, including the fact that both are one-on-one matches and Olympic sports. The rules are identical, in fact, except for the fact that freestyle wrestlers may use their legs to execute holds and defend against attacks, according to the USA Wrestling Rule Book. Both types of matches may be won by pin, often referred to as a fall, or by decision, meaning that the winning wrestler scored more points through a variety of holds or reversals.
Collegiate/Folkstyle
Collegiate wrestling, sometimes referred to as folkstyle, is the type of one-on-one wrestling competition you see in college, high school and younger level programs. This type of wrestling focuses more on control, as the wrestler who holds the time advantage in control is awarded a point at the end of the match. Matches consist of three periods totaling seven minutes; the first period is three minutes long and the second two are each two minutes long. Below-the-waist grappling is allowed, like in freestyle wrestling, but collegiate wrestlers are awarded points for near-falls as well as falls.
Sumo
Sumo wrestling is another very old form of wrestling, with its origins dating back to ancient Japan. The rules are simple and straightforward: Two wrestlers enter the dohyo, or elevated ring, and the first wrestler to touch the ground with anything but the soles of his feet or be forced outside the ring is eliminated. There are no weight restrictions in sumo wrestling, and the matches themselves usually last only a few seconds.
