Tokyo Olympics: What is the difference between WWE and amateur wrestling?
Wrestling is one of the most popular combat sports around the world. It has been a part of the Olympics since the very first edition in Athens. As the years passed, the sport developed further and different weight classes and women's competition were included in the Olympic program.
The type of wrestling that is seen during the Olympics is the amateur class. It is contested in the Greco-Roman and freestyle categories during the Games. But apart from these two categories, there is another class of wrestling followed across the globe - professional wrestling.
The WWE, or the World Wrestling Entertainment, is the most widely viewed form of professional wrestling. In this article, we take a look at the differences between WWE and amateur wrestling.
WWE and amateur wrestling
World Wrestling Entertainment is a US company founded in 1953. It runs entertainment-based wrestling tours that are story-driven and scripted. WWE owner Vince McMahon acknowledged the scripted nature of the sport in order to avoid taxes from the sporting federations of the country.
The style of wrestling performed by the wrestlers, who're signed on contract, is more unconventional and does not follow any particular form. The stunts performed by WWE wrestlers are often very dangerous and can lead to serious injuries.
WWE matches have no time limit or scoring system and are conducted on an elevated ring. The winner of the match is usually decided by pinning the opponent to the ground to the count of three.
Amateur wrestling, on the other hand, is the more traditional form. This is the kind contested in the Olympics. The matches in amateur wrestling have a time limit and a set scoring system. The matches are conducted on a mat and the wrestler with the more number of points at the end of the match wins.
The two types of amateur wrestling are Greco-Roman and freestyle. The only major difference between the two is that the wrestlers are allowed to use their legs to trip their opponents in the freestyle event but not in the Greco-Roman. In the Greco-Roman style, the wrestler cannot grapple the opponent below the waist.
Amateur wrestling has seen its fair share of changes recently. These changes make the sport more exciting and give wrestlers the opportunity to earn more points.
The wrestling competition at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 is expected to produce some great matches across both men's and women's categories. The competition is scheduled to begin on the 1st of August.
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