People of Wrestling
Wrestling: 59 documented people. Also: origin community (51), master (1), champion (2), notable figure (5).
Origin community (51)
Ancient GreeksOrigin community: Greco-Roman WrestlingAncient NationAncient Greek athletes and warriors who codified Palé wrestling, Pygmachia boxing, and Pankration for the Ancient Olympic Games.Anglo-Saxons and VikingsOrigin community: Cumberland and Westmorland WrestlingHistorical PeoplesEarly medieval peoples whose wrestling traditions birthed Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling.Armenian PeopleOrigin community: KokhNationThe Armenian nation, whose ancient culture birthed the traditional belt wrestling sport of Kokh.Australian AboriginesOrigin community: Coreeda (Aboriginal Wrestling)Indigenous PeopleIndigenous Australians who developed Coreeda, a traditional ritual wrestling style.Azerbaijani Wrestlers (Gulesh)Origin community: GuleshPahlavan WrestlersAzerbaijani traditional wrestlers (Pahlavans) who preserve the national wrestling sport Gulesh.Breton PeasantsOrigin community: GourenFolk WrestlersPeasants and locals from Brittany, France, who created the folk wrestling style Gouren.Burmese WrestlersOrigin community: Naban (Burmese Wrestling)Folk WrestlersFolk wrestlers of Burma who have practiced the traditional grappling art of Naban for centuries.BuryatsOrigin community: Buryat Bokh (Buryat Wrestling)Mongolic NationSiberian Mongol nation practicing the traditional wrestling style of Buryat Bökh.Cantabrian HerdersOrigin community: Lucha Pasiega (Cantabrian Wrestling)Traditional HerdersHerders from Cantabria, Spain, who created the folk wrestling style Lucha Pasiega.Cape Verdean PeopleOrigin community: Luta de Galo (Cape Verdean Folk Wrestling)Island NationInhabitants of Cape Verde who developed the traditional folk wrestling style Luta de Galo.CeltsOrigin community: GourenAncient Tribal PeoplesAncient European tribes whose wrestling culture birthed traditional Western styles like Gouren.Congolese Tribal WrestlersOrigin community: Liba (Congolese Traditional Wrestling)Congolese WrestlersCongolese tribal wrestlers of the Congo Basin who created the traditional Liba wrestling style.Corsican HerdersOrigin community: Ciucckju (Corsican Folk Wrestling)Traditional HerdersHerders of Corsica who developed the traditional folk wrestling style Ciucckju.French WrestlersOrigin community: Lutte Parisienne (Parisian Wrestling)Folk Wrestlers19th-century Parisian folk wrestlers who developed the urban style Lutte Parisienne.Galician PeasantsOrigin community: Luta Galega (Galician Wrestling)Folk WrestlersPeasants of Galicia in northwestern Spain who created the traditional Luta Galega wrestling.Garifuna PeopleOrigin community: Garifuna Folk WrestlingCaribbean Indigenous NationAfro-Caribbean Garifuna people of Central America who practice traditional Garifuna Wrestling.Georgian PeopleOrigin community: ChidaobaNationPeople of Georgia who have practiced the traditional national wrestling art of Chidaoba for centuries.GuanchesOrigin community: Canary Islands WrestlingIndigenous Berber PeopleAboriginal Berber inhabitants of the Canary Islands who developed Lucha Canaria wrestling.Icelandic VikingsOrigin community: Lausatok Glima (Loose-Grip Glima)Norse WarriorsNorse settlers of Iceland who created the national wrestling system Glíma (Lausatök and Hryggspenna).Igbo PeopleOrigin community: Mgba (Igbo Wrestling)African Tribe / NationWest African Igbo nation of Nigeria practicing traditional Mgba wrestling.Indian Wrestlers (Pehlwani)Origin community: Pehlwani (Kushti)Pehlwan / PehlwaniTraditional Indian wrestlers training in Akhara arenas under ancient Kushti and Malla-yuddha disciplines.Inuit PeopleOrigin community: Inuit WrestlingIndigenous Arctic PeopleIndigenous peoples of the Arctic who developed traditional Inuit Wrestling games.Irish PeopleOrigin community: Collar and ElbowCeltic NationPeople of Ireland who created Irish Bare-Knuckle boxing and Collar and Elbow wrestling.Kabiye PeopleOrigin community: Evala (Togo Wrestling)West African TribeIndigenous nation of Togo in West Africa, famous for the traditional Evala initiation wrestling.Karakalpak PeopleOrigin community: Karakalpak KuresiTurkic Ethnic GroupNomadic Karakalpak people of Aral Sea region who practice traditional belt wrestling Karakalpak Kuresi.Kazakh PeopleOrigin community: Qazaq KuresiNomadic NationNomadic Kazakh people who have practiced the national wrestling art Qazaq Kuresi for millennia.Khmer Folk WrestlersOrigin community: Baok Chambab (Khmer Traditional Wrestling)Folk WrestlersCambodian folk wrestlers who preserved the ancient traditional ritual wrestling art Borey.Korean Folk WrestlersOrigin community: SsireumFolk WrestlersKorean folk wrestlers who preserved the ancient national wrestling sport Ssireum.Korean PeopleOrigin community: SsireumKorean NationThe Korean nation, whose traditional culture birthed Taekkyon kicking and national Ssireum wrestling.Kurdish PeopleOrigin community: Gulesh Kurdi (Kurdish Wrestling)Middle Eastern NationKurdish nation of the Middle East who preserve traditional belt wrestling Gulesh Kurdi.Kyrgyz PeopleOrigin community: Alysh (Kyrgyz Belt Wrestling)Nomadic NationNomadic Central Asian Kyrgyz nation practicing the traditional belt wrestling sport Alysh.Leónese Wrestlers (Lucha Leonesa)Origin community: Lucha LeonesaSpanish Folk WrestlersTraditional Spanish wrestlers of the León region who preserved the leather-belt wrestling sport Lucha Leonesa.Marajó Island Indigenous PeopleOrigin community: Luta Marajoara (Marajó Island Wrestling)Indigenous PeopleIndigenous people of Brazil's Marajó Island who created the folk wrestling style Luta Marajoara.Moldavian Wrestlers (Trîntă)Origin community: Trinta (Moldavian Wrestling)Folk WrestlersTraditional Moldavian and Romanian wrestlers who preserved the belt-wrestling sport Trîntă.Mughal Warriors (Pehlwaní)Origin community: Pehlwani (Kushti)Mughal Imperial Warrior ClassWarriors of the Mughal Empire in India who merged Persian Pahlavani wrestling with Indian Kushti.Naga TribeOrigin community: Kene (Naga Folk Wrestling)Himalayan Ethnic GroupHimalayan indigenous nation of Nagaland, Northeast India, who developed Pezho wrestling.Nuba TribeOrigin community: Nuba WrestlingAfrican TribeAfrican tribe from Sudan, renowned for traditional Nuba wrestling and stick fighting.Okinawan Tribal WarriorsOrigin community: Tegumi (Okinawan Wrestling)Ryukyu Indigenous GuardsIndigenous defenders of the Ryukyu Kingdom who developed the native unarmed art Ti (Te).Raramuri People (Tarahumara)Origin community: Raramuri Folk WrestlingIndigenous Running NationIndigenous Mexican Raramuri people of the Copper Canyons, famous for endurance and traditional wrestling.Romanian PeasantsOrigin community: Trinta (Moldavian Wrestling)Folk WrestlersFolk peasants of Romania and Moldova who preserved the traditional Trântă wrestling art.Sardinian Wrestlers (S'Istrumpa)Origin community: S'Istrumpa (Sardinian Wrestling)Sardinian Folk WrestlersTraditional Sardinian shepherds and wrestlers who preserve the ancient Mediterranean wrestling S'Istrumpa.Serer People (Mbapat)Origin community: Mbapat (Traditional Senegalese Wrestling)West African Ethnic GroupWest African Serer people of Senegal, originators of the nocturnal ritual wrestling art Mbapat.Sri Lankan WarriorsOrigin community: Kiripolu (Sri Lankan Wrestling)Royal Defenders (Ravana)Ancient Sri Lankan warriors who developed the traditional martial art Angampora.Swiss WrestlersOrigin community: Schoren WrestlingSchwingerSwiss Alpine wrestlers who developed Schwingen, the traditional national belt wrestling sport.Tenyimi TribeOrigin community: Kene (Naga Folk Wrestling)Naga SubgroupTribal community of Nagaland practicing Kene, a traditional style of belt wrestling.Tuvan Wrestlers (Khuresh)Origin community: KhureshSteppe WrestlersTuvan people of the Siberian steppes whose warriors preserve the national wrestling sport Khuresh.Uzbek Wrestlers (Kurash)Origin community: KurashBahlavan / Kurash FightersTraditional Central Asian Uzbek wrestlers, guardians of the ancient jacket wrestling art Kurash.Vikings (Norsemen)Origin community: GlimaNorse Warrior ClassNorse warriors and seafarers who developed the traditional Glima wrestling system and axe warfare.West African WrestlersOrigin community: Mgba (Igbo Wrestling)Traditional African WrestlersTraditional wrestlers of West Africa practicing regional forms of Lutte Traditionnelle.Wolof PeopleOrigin community: Mbapat (Traditional Senegalese Wrestling)West African NationMain Senegalese Wolof nation practicing Mbapat (traditional striking-free Senegalese wrestling).Yawalapiti TribeOrigin community: Huka-HukaAmazonian Indigenous TribeIndigenous tribe of Brazil's Xingu National Park, famous for the ritual wrestling art Huka-Huka.
Ancient Greeks
Anglo-Saxons and Vikings
Armenian People
Australian Aborigines
Azerbaijani Wrestlers (Gulesh)
Breton Peasants
Burmese Wrestlers
Buryats
Cantabrian Herders
Cape Verdean People
Garifuna People
Georgian People
Icelandic Vikings
Igbo People
Indian Wrestlers (Pehlwani)
Inuit People
Irish People
Kabiye People
Karakalpak People
Kazakh People
Khmer Folk Wrestlers
Korean Folk Wrestlers
Kyrgyz People
Marajó Island Indigenous People
Moldavian Wrestlers (Trîntă)
Nuba Tribe
Okinawan Tribal Warriors
Raramuri People (Tarahumara)
Sardinian Wrestlers (S'Istrumpa)
Serer People (Mbapat)
Sri Lankan Warriors
Swiss WrestlersMaster (1)
Champion (2)
Georg Hackenschmidt (Russian Lion)World Champion / StrongmanEstonian-Russian professional wrestler, strongman, and first undisputed World Heavyweight Champion.Monio Abele (Istrumpa Master)Champion: S'Istrumpa (Sardinian Wrestling)Champion / Wrestler19th-century Sardinian champion of the traditional Celtic-Mediterranean wrestling S'Istrumpa.
Notable figure (5)
Irish WrestlersNotable figure: Collar and ElbowTraditional Celtic WrestlersTraditional Celtic Irish wrestlers who developed the collar-and-elbow jacket wrestling style.Mongolian WarriorsNotable figure: BokhHorsemen & WarriorsWarriors of Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire, renowned for mounted archery and Bökh wrestling.Mongolian WrestlersNotable figure: BokhFolk Champions (Bökh)Traditional Mongolian wrestlers who compete in the national sport Bökh during the Naadam festival.Norse VikingsNotable figure: GlimaNorse SeafarersEarly medieval Norse warriors of Norway who created ancient Germanic Glíma / Fangaz wrestling.Senegalese WrestlersNotable figure: Senegalese WrestlingLutteurs de LaambSenegalese wrestlers who practice Laamb (Lutte Sénégalaise), the nation's premier full-contact wrestling art with striking.
Mongolian Warriors