30 Must-Know Wrestling Terms, Phrases and Slang

67 wrestling terms explained, from takedown, near fall and riding time to sprawl and tech fall, plus pro wrestling slang like kayfabe and heel.

Wrestling terminology comes in two layers that share a mat and almost nothing else. The amateur layer is the language of scoring: takedowns, escapes, near falls and riding time. The professional layer is the language of the show, and words related to wrestling such as kayfabe, work and shoot belong to it. Words associated with wrestling in either sense are gathered in the wrestling glossary below, so the term you heard has one place to be looked up.

New to the sport? Our guide to wrestling rules explains how a bout is scored and won, which makes most of the terms below fall into place.

👉 Think you know wrestling? Test yourself with our Wrestling Quiz.

Must-Know Wrestling Terms, Phrases and Slang:

Wrestling Glossary: Every Term A to Z

Terms A to E

Term	What It Means
Armbar	A hold that straightens and levers the opponent’s elbow. Used for control in folkstyle and for submission in other codes.
Babyface	In professional wrestling, the character the crowd is meant to cheer. Usually shortened to face.
Botch	A move or moment in a professional match that goes visibly wrong.
Bout	A single match between two wrestlers.
Bridge	Arching onto the head and feet to keep both shoulders off the mat and avoid a pin.
Cauliflower ear	The lumpy, thickened ear that follows repeated friction and blows. Common enough to be a mark of the sport.
Clinch	Two wrestlers locked together at close range, working for grip and position.
Collar tie	A tie-up with a hand on the back of the opponent’s neck.
Cradle	A pinning hold that wraps the head and a leg together.
Cutting weight	Losing weight before weigh-ins to compete in a lower weight class.
Decision	A win on points when no pin occurs. A win by a wide margin is a major decision.
Double leg	A takedown in which the wrestler grabs both of the opponent’s legs and drives them to the mat.
Dual meet	A team competition between two schools or clubs, scored by adding up the results of each weight class.
Escape	Getting free from the opponent’s control from the bottom position, worth one point.
Exposure	Turning the opponent’s back toward the mat, which scores in freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Terms F to M

Term	What It Means
Fall	A pin. Holding both of the opponent’s shoulders to the mat for the referee’s count ends the match on the spot.
Folkstyle	The American scholastic and collegiate code, which rewards control and riding time more than the international styles.
Forfeit	A win given when the opponent does not wrestle.
Freestyle	One of the two Olympic codes. Attacks on the legs are allowed and the scoring rewards exposure of the back.
Gimmick	A professional wrestler’s character, including the name, look and manner.
Grappling	Contesting for control with holds, throws and takedowns. The general word for what wrestling is.
Greco-Roman	The Olympic code in which holds below the waist are forbidden, so everything happens through the upper body.
Half nelson	One arm under the opponent’s armpit and the hand on the back of their neck, used to turn them onto their back.
Headgear	The strapped ear protection worn in scholastic wrestling, mainly against cauliflower ear.
Heel	In professional wrestling, the character the crowd is meant to boo.
Hold	Any grip used to control, move or pin the opponent.
Jobber	In pro wrestling, a wrestler whose role is to lose to make others look strong.
Kayfabe	The convention of presenting professional wrestling’s stories and rivalries as real. Breaking kayfabe means stepping out of the fiction.
Lock	A hold that wraps and restricts a limb, such as an armlock or a leglock.
Major decision	A win by 8 to 14 points in folkstyle.
Mat	The padded surface matches are held on, with marked circles that define the wrestling area and the out of bounds.
Match	The full contest between two wrestlers, run over set periods with its own rules for scoring and time.
Medical forfeit (MFF)	A loss recorded when a wrestler cannot continue a tournament for medical reasons.

Terms N to S

Term	What It Means
Near fall	Holding the opponent near the pinning position for a short count, worth points in folkstyle.
Nearfall	Turning the opponent so their back is briefly exposed to the mat without a pin. Worth points in every code.
Neutral position	Both wrestlers standing and facing each other with neither in control. The position every period starts from.
Par terre	The ground position used in the international styles, where one wrestler starts down on the mat and the other attacks from above.
Passivity	The international term for stalling, which can lead to a shot clock or penalty point.
Pin	Holding the opponent’s shoulders to the mat for the referee’s count. Also called a fall.
Point	The unit of scoring, awarded for takedowns, escapes, reversals and exposure.
Promo	An interview or speech in professional wrestling, used to build a match or a feud.
Referee’s position	The restart in folkstyle where one wrestler is down on hands and knees and the other is on top in control.
Reversal	Turning the tables from underneath to take control of the opponent, worth two points.
Riding time	In collegiate wrestling, the total time one wrestler holds control on top. Enough of it adds a point at the end.
Ringside	In pro wrestling, the area right next to the ring.
Shoot	Something real in professional wrestling, not part of the scripted story. The opposite of a work. In amateur wrestling, to shoot is to attack the legs.
Shot	Attacking the legs from standing, as in taking a shot.
Single leg	A takedown in which the attacker grabs only one of the opponent’s legs.
Singlet	The one-piece uniform worn in amateur wrestling. Tight so it offers nothing to grab and the referee can see position.
Spot	A planned sequence or highlight moment inside a professional match.
Sprawl	The defense to a leg attack: legs kicked back, hips dropped onto the opponent’s shoulders.
Stalling	Avoiding engagement to run down the clock. The referee warns first, then awards points to the other wrestler.
Stand-up	Getting back to the feet from the bottom position, the most common route to an escape.
Submission	Ending a match by forcing the opponent to concede to a hold. Part of some grappling codes, not of Olympic wrestling.
Sudden victory	The overtime period in which the first takedown wins.
Suplex	A throw that lifts the opponent and drives them backwards onto the mat, usually with an arch through the back.
Switch	A classic reversal from the bottom position.

Terms T to W

Term	What It Means
Takedown	Bringing a standing opponent to the mat and gaining control, the basic scoring move of the sport.
Technical fall	A win by reaching a set points margin, which ends the match early.
Throw	Using leverage to lift the opponent and put them down, over the hip, back or shoulders.
Tie-up	The grip two standing wrestlers take on each other while working for position. The collar and elbow tie-up is the classic.
Ultimate tiebreaker (UTB)	The final overtime period in folkstyle when sudden victory and tiebreakers have not decided the match.
Underhook	Getting an arm under the opponent’s armpit for control.
Weigh-in	The official weight check that places a wrestler in a weight class.
Weight class	The bodyweight category wrestlers compete in, so opponents are of similar size.
Work	Anything scripted in professional wrestling, from a match result to a feud. The opposite of a shoot.
Wrestlebacks	The consolation bracket of a tournament, where wrestlers who lost can still place.

What Is It Called When…? Wrestling Terms by Situation

Know what happened but not the word for it? Find the situation on the left and the wrestling term on the right.

When…	It Is Called
A wrestler brings the opponent from standing to the mat	Takedown
Both shoulders are held on the mat	Pin
The shoulders come close to the mat without a pin	Nearfall
A wrestler wins by a big lead in points	Technical fall
The bottom wrestler takes the top position	Reversal
The bottom wrestler gets free and stands up	Escape
A wrestler shoots the legs back to stop a takedown	Sprawl
A wrestler avoids attacking	Stalling
The match starts with both wrestlers standing	Neutral position
One wrestler starts on hands and knees with the other on top	Referee’s position
The bout is won on points without a fall	Decision
Time spent on top in control counts for a point	Riding time
The losing wrestlers get a second chance in the bracket	Wrestlebacks
Both wrestlers lock arms while standing	Tie-up
The ear becomes swollen and hard	Cauliflower ear
A pro wrestler stays in character away from the ring	Kayfabe
A pro wrestling move goes wrong	Botch
A pro wrestler plays the villain	Heel

#1 Bout

A single contest between two wrestlers, the same as a match. The word is common in results and in team scoring, where every weight class wrestles one bout in a dual meet.

In a sentence: “The final bout of the dual decided the team score.”

#2 Bridge

Arching the back on head and feet to keep the shoulders off the mat when an opponent is trying to pin. Wrestlers train bridges daily to strengthen the neck, and a strong bridge has saved many matches.

In a sentence: “She bridged out of the pin with three seconds left in the period.”

#3 Clinch

A tight upper body hold with the arms wrapped around the opponent, used to control and set up throws, especially in Greco-Roman. In freestyle and folkstyle, wrestlers use it less, since attacks on the legs are allowed.

In a sentence: “He got the clinch and went straight into a throw.”

#4 Escape

Getting out from under an opponent who has control and returning to a neutral, standing position. In folkstyle wrestling an escape scores one point, and the stand-up is the most common way to get it.

In a sentence: “Escape early in the third and the match is tied.”

#5 Fall

Winning by holding both of the opponent’s shoulders on the mat for a short count, also called a pin. A fall ends the match at once, whatever the score, and earns the most team points.

In a sentence: “He won by fall in the first period.”

#6 Grappling

The broad term for fighting by grips, holds and control rather than strikes. It covers wrestling, judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and grappler is a common name for wrestlers.

In a sentence: “Wrestling is the base for most grappling sports.”

#7 Hold

Any grip or position used to control an opponent, such as a half nelson or a body lock. Holds that endanger joints or the neck, such as a full nelson, are illegal in amateur wrestling.

In a sentence: “The referee stopped the match for an illegal hold.”

#8 Lock

Clasping the hands or arms around the opponent, as in a body lock or a gut wrench. In folkstyle wrestling, the top wrestler is not allowed to lock hands around the opponent’s body, except when the bottom wrestler is on his feet or a fall is being worked for.

In a sentence: “Locked hands, that’s a point for the bottom wrestler.”

#9 Mat

The padded surface wrestling takes place on, marked with a circle as the wrestling area and a center starting spot. The mat is cleaned before every practice to prevent skin infections.

In a sentence: “Mop the mat before practice.”

#10 Pin

Holding both of the opponent’s shoulder blades on the mat for the referee’s count, which ends the match. The referee slaps the mat to signal it, and pin is the everyday word for a fall.

In a sentence: “Get the half in and go for the pin.”

#11 Point

The unit of scoring. Folkstyle awards points for takedowns, escapes, reversals and near falls, while freestyle and Greco-Roman award points for takedowns, exposure and throws, with big throws worth up to five.

In a sentence: “Down two points with 30 seconds left, he needs a takedown.”

#12 Reversal

Moving from the bottom to the top position in one action and taking control. In folkstyle it is worth two points, and switches and rolls are typical reversals.

In a sentence: “A quick switch for the reversal, now she’s riding him.”

#13 Takedown

Bringing the opponent from standing to the mat and getting control. Takedowns are the most important score in wrestling, and most matches are won by the wrestler with more of them.

In a sentence: “His single leg takedown is the best in the conference.”

#14 Technical fall

A win by reaching a set point lead before the match ends: 15 points in US folkstyle, 10 in freestyle and 8 in Greco-Roman. It is usually shortened to tech fall.

In a sentence: “She won by tech fall in the second period.”

#15 Throw

Lifting or turning the opponent through the air onto the mat. Throws score the most points in international wrestling, especially in Greco-Roman, where attacks on the legs are not allowed.

In a sentence: “That five point throw changed the whole match.”

#16 Tie-up

The grip two wrestlers take when locking up while standing, such as the collar tie, the underhook or the two on one. Fighting for the best tie-up decides who can attack first.

In a sentence: “Win the tie-up, then shoot.”

#17 Weight class

The body weight category a wrestler competes in, checked at weigh-ins before the competition. Teams have one wrestler in each weight class, and cutting weight to make a lower class is part of wrestling culture.

In a sentence: “He’s moving up a weight class next season.”

#18 Armbar

In folkstyle wrestling, a control hold in which the top wrestler traps the opponent’s arm, often to turn him toward his back. Unlike the armbar in judo or jiu-jitsu, it is not used to make the opponent submit, since submissions are not part of amateur wrestling.

In a sentence: “He sank the armbar and turned him for the near fall.”

#19 Cauliflower Ear

A swollen, hardened ear caused by repeated rubbing and blows, when blood collects under the skin and is not drained. Headgear prevents it, but many wrestlers see it as a badge of years on the mat.

In a sentence: “Ten years on the mat, and the cauliflower ear to prove it.”

#20 Double leg

A takedown in which the attacker drops the level, steps in and grabs both of the opponent’s legs to drive him to the mat. It is one of the first takedowns taught to beginners.

In a sentence: “He hit a double leg right off the whistle.”

#21 Half nelson

A pinning hold in which the top wrestler slides an arm under the opponent’s armpit and places the hand on the back of the neck, using it to turn him onto his back. The full nelson, with both arms, is illegal.

In a sentence: “Get the half nelson in deep and turn him.”

#22 Headgear

Protective ear guards strapped around the head, required in US high school and college wrestling. They protect against cauliflower ear but are optional in international wrestling.

In a sentence: “Strap your headgear tight before the match.”

#23 Match

A contest between two wrestlers, divided into periods. In US folkstyle a match has three periods, while freestyle and Greco-Roman are wrestled in two periods of three minutes at senior level.

In a sentence: “The match went into overtime.”

#24 Neutral Position

The standing start in which both wrestlers face each other with neither in control. Every match starts here, and the referee also returns wrestlers to neutral after an escape or a stalemate on the feet.

In a sentence: “Back to neutral, start the second period.”

#25 Referee’s Position

The folkstyle starting position on the mat, with one wrestler on hands and knees and the other on top behind him. The wrestler who wins the choice can pick top, bottom or neutral to start a period.

In a sentence: “She chose bottom in referee’s position to get an escape.”

#26 Singlet

The tight one-piece uniform worn in amateur wrestling. It lets referees see the body and stops clothes from being grabbed. Some levels now allow two-piece uniforms of shorts and a compression shirt.

In a sentence: “Team singlets are blue and gold this season.”

#27 Sprawl

The basic defense against a leg attack: the defender shoots the legs back and drops the hips on the attacker so he cannot finish. A good sprawl can turn into a go-behind for a takedown.

In a sentence: “Great sprawl, now spin behind.”

#28 Stalling

Avoiding wrestling, by backing away, holding without trying to score, or not attacking. Referees warn the wrestler first and then give penalty points.

In a sentence: “That’s stalling, the ref gave him a warning.”

#29 Stand-up

The basic escape from the bottom position: the wrestler stands up, frees the hands and turns to face the opponent. It is the first escape most wrestlers learn.

In a sentence: “Hit a stand-up and cut him loose.”

#30 Suplex

A throw in which the attacker lifts the opponent and arches backward to bring him over onto the mat. It is spectacular in Greco-Roman and freestyle and a staple of pro wrestling, where it is staged.

In a sentence: “He hit a suplex for five points.”

Wrestling Slang Players and Fans Actually Use

Slang	What It Means
Mat rat	A young wrestler who has grown up in the wrestling room.
Shoot	To attack the legs, and in pro wrestling, anything real rather than staged.
Riding	Holding the opponent down from the top position.
Turtle	Lying flat on the stomach, covering up to avoid being turned.
Funk	Unorthodox scrambling and counters, especially from awkward positions.
Scramble	A wild exchange where both wrestlers fight for position at once.
Make weight	To reach the weight limit at the weigh-in.
Face	Short for babyface, the hero in pro wrestling.
Heat	In pro wrestling, the crowd’s anger toward a wrestler, and also backstage trouble.
Pop	In pro wrestling, a loud cheer from the crowd.
Squash match	In pro wrestling, a one-sided match in which one wrestler dominates.
Work	In pro wrestling, anything planned or staged.
Mark	In pro wrestling, a fan who believes the show is real or is fully absorbed in it.
Blading	In pro wrestling, cutting oneself to bleed during a match.

Wrestling Expressions and Sayings in Everyday English

Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy.: Said by Olympic champion Dan Gable, the best known line about the sport.
Shoot!: Shouted from the corner to tell a wrestler to attack the legs.
Head up!: A coaching call heard in every wrestling room, reminding wrestlers to keep good position.
Get off the bottom!: The call from the corner to a wrestler stuck underneath, urging an escape or reversal.

FAQ

What is the term for the starting position in wrestling?

Neutral position, with both wrestlers standing. Periods can also start in referee’s position on the mat, called par terre in international wrestling.

What is a fall in wrestling?

A pin: holding both of the opponent’s shoulders on the mat for a short count, which ends the match at once.

What is another word for wrestling?

Grappling. In everyday speech, “rassling” is also heard, mostly for pro wrestling.

What are wrestlers called?

Wrestlers or grapplers. In pro wrestling, heroes are faces or babyfaces and villains are heels.

What does def mean in wrestling results?

Defeated. A result such as “Smith def. Jones, 5-3” means Smith won by a score of 5 to 3.

What is it called when two wrestlers lock arms while standing?

A tie-up. Common versions are the collar tie, underhooks and the two on one.

What does UTB mean in wrestling?

Ultimate tiebreaker, the last overtime period in folkstyle wrestling when the match is still tied after sudden victory and the tiebreakers.

What does MFF mean in wrestling?

Medical forfeit, recorded when a wrestler withdraws from a tournament for medical reasons.

What are some wrestling terms for beginners?

Takedown, escape, reversal, near fall, pin, neutral position, referee’s position and stalling, because they explain how points are scored and how matches start.

What are some wrestling slang terms?

Mat rat for a wrestler who grew up in the room, shoot for a leg attack and funk for odd scrambles, and from pro wrestling kayfabe, heel, face, heat and squash match. The slang table above has more.