Pankration vs. Wrestling — What's the Difference?

Pankration (; Greek: παγκράτιον) was a sporting event introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC, which was an empty-hand submission sport with few rules. The athletes used boxing and wrestling techniques, but also others, such as kicking, holds, joint-locks, and chokes on the ground, making it similar to modern mixed martial arts.

Wrestling is a combat sport involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. The sport can either be genuinely competitive or sportive entertainment (see professional wrestling).

(martial arts) An Ancient Greek martial art combining aspects of boxing and wrestling, introduced in the Greek Olympic games in 648 BC.

A sport in which two competitors attempt to unbalance, control, or immobilize each other by various holds and maneuvers.

Present participle of wrestle

A sport where two opponents attempt to subdue each other in bare-handed grappling using techniques of leverage, holding, and pressure points.

A professional tumbling act that emulates the sport of wrestling. Also called "professional wrestling". It is distinguished from sport wrestling — which has strict internationally recognized rules and is conducted on a mat — by being scripted, rehearsed, conducted in a boxing ring rather than on a mat, and televised as entertainment.

A wrestling match.

(countable) The act of one who wrestles; a struggle to achieve something.

Act of one who wrestles; specif., the sport consisting of the hand-to-hand combat between two unarmed contestants who seek to throw each other.

The act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat;

The sport of hand-to-hand struggle between unarmed contestants who try to throw each other down