What is Wrestling?

[Dax]

Wrestling is a form of combat sport involving grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two (occasionally more) competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position. There are a wide range of styles with varying rules with both traditional historic and modern styles. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into other martial arts as well as military hand-to-hand combat systems.

Sport Wrestling or Sportive Wrestling or Athletic Wrestling
  Amateur Wrestling
     FILA-regulated Wrestling disciplines
        Olympic Wrestling
           Greco-Roman Wrestling
           Freestyle Wrestling
        FILA Grappling
        Beach Wrestling
        Mixed Martial Arts or MMA
        Pankration
     Folk Wrestling
        North America
           (US) Collegiate Wrestling or Scholastic Wrestling or Folkstyle Wrestling
        South America
           (Amazonian) Huka-Huka
           Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
           (Brazilian) Luta Livre
        Europe
           British Isles
              Backhold Wrestling
                 Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling or Cumbrian Wrestling
                 Scottish Backhold (Wrestling)
              Catch Wrestling or Catch-as-catch-can or Loose-Hold
              Cornish Wrestling or Cornwall Wrestling
              Devon Wrestling or Devonshire Wrestling
              (Irish) Collar-and-elbow
              Lancashire Wrestling
           Nordic countries
              (Icelandic) Glíma
              (Swedish) Kragkast
           Western & Central Europe
              (Austrian) Ranggeln
              (Breton) Gouren
              (Swiss) Calegon
              (Swiss) Schwingen
           Southern Europe
              (Sardinian) Lotta Campidanesa
              (Sardinian) Strumpa
              (Spanish) Lucha Canaria
              (Spanish) Lucha Leonesa
           Eastern Europe
              (Albanian) Pelivan
              (Moldovan/Romanian) Trântă or Trîntǎ
              (Russian) Sambo
              (Serbian) Narodno Rvanje
           Caucasus & Anatolia
              (Armenian) Kokh
              (Azerbaijani) Gulesh
              (Georgian) Chidaoba
              (Georgian) Khridoli
              (Turkish) Karakucak or Karakucak Güreşi
              Turkish Oil Wrestling or Turkish Grease Wrestling or Yağlı Güreş
           Asia
              Central Asia
                 Kazakh Wrestling or Küres
                 Tajik Wrestling or Gushteengiri
                 Tatar Wrestling or Köräş
                 Tuvan Wrestling or Khuresh
                 Uzbek Wrestling or Kurash
              Indo-Iranian region
                 (Indian) Akhara
                 (Indian) Inbuan
                 (Indian) Malla-Yuddha
                 Indian Wrestling or Pehlwani or Kushti
                 (Iranian) Varzesh-e Bastani
                 Iranian Wrestling or Koshti
                    many different regional styles - most notable is the nation-wide Pahlavani or Zurkhaneh
              North-East Asia
                 (Chinese) Böke
                 (Chinese) Die Jiao
                 (Chinese) Gi Ge
                 (Chinese) Ndrual Dluad
                 (Chinese) Qielixi
                 (Chinese) Shuai Jiao
                 (Japanese) Judo
                 Korean Wrestling or Ssireum or Gakjeo or Gakhui or Gakryeok or Gakgii or Chiuhui or Sangbak or Jaenggyo or Goguryogi
                 Mongolian Wrestling or Bökh or Khapsagay
                 (Okinawan) Tegumi
                 (Taiwanese) Mariwariwosu
                 (Tibetan) Beiga
              South-East Asia
                 (Burmese) Naban
                 (Cambodian) Bok Cham Bab or Khmer Wrestling
                 (Indonesian) Penjang Gulat
                 (Philippine) Dumog
                 (Vietnamese) Vật Cổ Truyền
           Africa
              (Ethiopian) Tigel
              (Tunisian) Grech
              West African Wrestling or Lutte Traditionnelle
                 (Gambian) Boreh
                 Lutte Traditionnelle (in Niger and Burkina Faso)
                 (Senegalese) Laamb
                 (Togolese) Evala
           Oceania
              (Aboriginal) Coreeda
              (Fijian) Veibo
              (Hawaiian) Hokoko
              (Hawaiian) Uma or Kulakula'i
              (Kiribati/Nauruan) Boumwane
              (Maori) Mamau or Ringa Ringa
              (Papuan) Epoo Korio
              (Samoan) Taupiga
              (Tahitian) Moana
              (Tokelauan) Fagatua
              (Tongan) Pi'i Tauva
     Aquathlon or Underwater Wrestling
  Semi-Professional Wrestling
     Sumo (professional in Japan, amateur outside Japan)
  Professional Wrestling or Pro Wrestling
     Anglo-American Professional Wrestling (such as WWE)
     German Wrestling or Berufsringen
     Japanese Wrestling or Puroresu or Strong Style Wrestling or King's Road
     (Mexican) Lucha Libre
Gay Entertainment Wrestling or Gay Wrestling
This is not a sport and is targeted at gay male audience. Depending on the theme, it can be described as:
  Jockstrap Wrestling
  Naked Wrestling
  Mud Wrestling
  Oil Wrestling
  Sex Wrestling or Sex Fight or Fuck Fight
  Submission Wrestling
  etc.

All wrestling disciplines are primarily based on grappling. Sports that are primarily based on striking or use hybrid techniques cannot be classified as wrestling.
Arm Wrestling, Thumb Wrestling, Leg Wrestling and Foot Wrestling are not actual forms of wrestling.

[wresto]

This is a great job indeed

[leatherbear]

[Dax]

Thanks, guys!
To the best of my knowledge, this is a complete or near-complete listing of all wrestling styles.
If you know of any other wrestling style, please post it.

[wresto]

well narodna borba (народна борба/народни борби) is what is called in Bulgaria and that is my favorite. It is feestyle olympic but with much more relaxed rules. In the past they used to wrestle with no time limit to pin so the wrestling lasted in some cases a day.