Early wrestling championships

Early wrestling championships started in Ancient Greece, before spreading out to the Celtic culture, North America, and Europe.

Upright wrestling was also a part of the pentathlon event in the Olympic Games, a bout being fought to a clear-cut fall of one of the wrestlers.

The most famous ancient Greek wrestler was Milon of Croton, who won the wrestling championship of the Olympic Games six times.

At the age of 47, ten years before he became the first President of the United States, George Washington defeat seven consecutive challengers from the Massachusetts Volunteers.

[9][10][11] Professional wrestling matches were organized everywhere in Europe with variable programs and competition rules according to the taste of wrestlers, of managers and of the audience.

[12] Edwin Bibby won the first American Heavyweight Championship in New York defeating Duncan C. Ross on January 19, 1881.