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Folk wrestling is a generic term for traditional wrestling disciplines which may or may not be codified as a modern sport. Most human cultures have some sort of grappling style, and "folk wrestling" is a catch-all term for such styles.

Contents 1 Alphabetical List 2 Ethnic Combat No Longer Folk Wrestling 3 Mistaken for folk wrestling 4 References 5 External links

Any list of ethnic or folk wrestling styles will be partial, but this is a brief alphabetical list of some styles with verifiable lineages.

• Pale Ancient Greek Wrestling, added to 18th Olympiad, 708 BC, as per Hippias of Elis ca. 400 BC.
• Backhold Wrestling, evolved in Europe, practiced in North England and Scotland in the 7th and 8th century. Competitions are currently held from May to October, at Highland and Border Games. This form of wrestling, whose origin is unknown, was once known in the USA and Australia, while it is still practiced in France and Italy. Westmoreland/Cumbrian Wrestling is a form of backhold.
• Böke, traditional Mongolian wrestling, where a ground-touch loses[1].
• Catch-as-catch-can, Mid-nineteenth century US adult wrestling, begins standing.
• Collar-and-elbow The name dictates the initial hold of the wrestlers.
• Cornish wrestling, from England, is a form of jacket wrestling. It does not use groundwork. It is related to Breton Gouren wrestling.
• Cumberland wrestlingAlso known as Cumberland and Westmoreland Wrestling. Practised in the northern counties of England. A form of backhold Wrestling where the wrestlers put the left arm over the opponents right arm and grip behind the opponent's back. Throws and trips. First to touch the ground or break hold loses. Competitors often wear stockings (long johns), singlet and trunks.
• Devonshire wrestlingThis style was similar to the Cornish style in that jackets were worn. However devonshire wrestlers also wore heavy clogs and were able to kick the opponents. In Cornish vs Devon matches the Devonshire wrestlers might wear one only shoe. The style is generally considered to be extinct.
• Glima, the national sport of Iceland, traces its history to the Vikings and the Norse.It is a standing style, utilising a leather harness around the waist and thighs, which the wrestlers hold (making it a form of belt-wrestling) . It is often practised indoors on a wooden floor, hence hard throws are often discouraged.
• Gouren Breton (Brittainy)form of jacket wrestling, similar to Cornish wrestling.
• Inbuan is the traditional wrestling style of the Mizoram state of India.
• Iranian Wrestling
• Khmer Traditional Wrestling
• Lancashire wrestling. Catch-as-Catch-Can wrestling.
• Lotta Campidanese from Italy, is a form of jacket wrestling practiced by countrymen and sheperds in souhern Sardinia.
• Lucha Canaria, native to Canary Islands, touching ground (non-foot) loses.
• Lucha Leonesa, native to the Spanish region of Leon, touching ground (non-foot) loses.
• Luta Livre, Brazilian style of wrestling.
• Pehlwani or Kushti is a form of wrestling from India.
• Penjang Gulat is a form of wrestling popular in rural Indonesia.
• Schwingen is the Swiss style of wrestling. It is considered to be one of the very old forms of wrestling.Wrestlers wear special canvas trousers.
• Scottish Backhold: Form of Backhold practised in Scotland. Almost identical in style to Cumberland & Westmoreland style apart from variations in rules. Competitors often wear kilts.
• Shuaijiao: Chinese wrestling.
• Strumpa: Sardinian wrestling, also known as S'Istrumpa or simply Istrumpa.
• Trinta: Upright wrestling from Moldova; it can also be practiced from the knees. It is still practiced in Moldova and eastern Romania.
• Westmorland wrestling(see Cumberland and westmoreland Wrestling)
• Yağlı güreş is Turkish "oil wrestling". Wrestlers wear special leather trousers 'kyspet' and are oiled.

These sports could be considered too popular or formal to still be considered "folk sports".These styles form a part of the international mainstream wrestling.

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which emphasises ground fighting and submissions.
• Collegiate wrestling, the folkstyle of the United States.
• Greco-Roman wrestling, now a major international style and Olympic sport.
• Kodokan Judo, founded by Jigoro Kano in 1882, currently an Olympic sport.
• Sambo, a Russian style based on various forms of folk wrestling in the former USSR and Judo.
• Shoot wrestling, a Japanese style primarily based on catch wrestling.
• Sumo, a famous Japanese wrestling style.

Some terms or phrases (such as "streetfight" in US English) may refer to unarmed combat but are not really folk sports, with recognized rules as used in competition. A partial list of these might include

• Dumog, a Filipino term for "brawling," sometimes used for Escrima grappling techniques

• The Wrestler's Body: Identity and Ideology in North India by Joseph S. Alter (1992). ISBN 0-520-07697-4

• A Brief History of Wrestling in England
• History of Sports in Ancient Egypt
• "Wrestling in Ancient Nubia" by Scott T. Carroll, Journal of Sport History', Vol. 15, No. 2 (Summer, 1988)

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