[Wrestler_Piper]

I would like to explain to you guys the difference between American and international wrestling. I'm sure this will fall on deaf ears but there is a big difference.

American folkstyle is what is wrestled in highschools and colleges in the US and only in the US. This style is all about control, strength and conditioning. These athletes are extreamly tough and are strong as hell and are trained to go 100% at all time. In international wrestling Americans are expected to be like this. This is mostly known as the Dan Gable philosophy.

Now, the international styles are an entirly different ball game. This includes freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling (the Olympic styles). These styles emphasize less of the control (more control that say Judo but less that folkstyle) and more throws and technical displays. If you look at wrestlers from other countries you see that they aren't the physical specimens that the American wrestlers are and have more technique, most noteably on the ground.

In folkstyle the athletes remain on the ground until the bottom man can escape and the top man just trys to control him. This is what folkstyle wrestlers are often accused of in MMA as well.
In free and Greco however, the top man only has 10-15 seconds to work from par terre and tries to take advantage of this.

Wrestlers like Sakuraba and Babalu are often not considerd wrestlers by people, but the truth is they are. So are Gomi, Kid, Genki and Kang.

I just thought this might interest people as to the differences of the wrestling styles.

[Wrestler_Piper]

ttt

[surge_factor]

Good analysis. People should realize this and know it is the reason that American wrestlers new to MMA tend to be 'boring' because that is all they know. Control and positioning with limited technique.

I've always enjoyed Greco more...case in point I prefer to watch Randy fight over say...Mark Coleman.

[Wrestler_Piper]

Originally Posted by surge_factor

Good analysis. People should realize this and know it is the reason that American wrestlers new to MMA tend to be 'boring' because that is all they know. Control and positioning with limited technique.

I've always enjoyed Greco more...case in point I prefer to watch Randy fight over say...Mark Coleman.

Coleman did some freestyle after college but he is the perfect example of the American style. Someone posted his NCAA final on here once and all he did in the third was ride his opponent.

Couture has a folkstyle background (all American wrestlers do) but was better at Greco. Someone I'm hoping progresses further in MMA is Karam Gaber. His Greco is beautiful. Such a powerful gifted athlete.

[B. Goetz 7]

Good post. Tell us more.

[Wrestler_Piper]

Originally Posted by B. Goetz 7

Good post. Tell us more.

What do you want to know?

[rjhabeeb]

Originally Posted by B. Goetz 7

Good post. Tell us more.

i hope your not being an asshole because this is one of the few informative threads this week

[B. Goetz 7]

Originally Posted by Wrestler_Piper

What do you want to know?

What are the techniques in freestyle that are absent in folkstyle? Anything else you can think of. You have some good info, which is a bit rare here sometimes.

[BenHulk]

for those who didn't already know this is a great thread and there are plenty of examples to prove it

[Nasiello]

well, when you've got a wrestling culture like america does in the high school and college ranks... and you have a mainly american/north american board... you do get people generalizing wrestlers and comparing them to the one style they know best. but once again, good post, it's nice to see someone not flaming a fighter, or trying to jump on someone's nuts.