An Overview of Wrestling
Wrestling is one of the oldest of the martial arts, having been a part of the ancient Greeks’ Olympic competitions during the earliest times of recorded history. Amateur freestyle wrestling continues to be practiced at the high school and collegiate levels, while both the freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines are represented at the modern Olympic Games.
Then there’s professional wrestling -- equal parts acting and athleticism mixed with a healthy dose of soap opera. The pro circuit, primarily represented by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and its Raw and Smackdown shows, has proven to be exceptionally popular over the years. From Hulkamania runnin’ wild to current WWE Raw star John Cena and Extreme Championship Wrestling’s (ECW) Kurt Angle (a former collegiate wrestling national champ), pro wrestling continues its hammerlock on America’s imagination.
The grandest of all major wrestling events in history is Wrestlemania. First held in 1985 at Madison Square Garden in New York it has become the Super Bowl of wrestling! WWE wrestling fans from around the world come annually for this live pro wrestling event.