| Term |
Definition |
| Back Points |
Either 2 or 3 match points awarded to the offensive wrestler that has exposed his/her opponents back to the match for a 2 count or 5 count. |
| Bottom Position |
One of two components of referee's position; the man goes down to his knees, his hands on the mat in front of him, sitting back toward his feet. The wrestler in this position is called the bottom man. |
| Break Down |
Wrestler has his opponent flat on his belly. |
| Bridge |
Defensive wrestler has his back exposed to the mat and is arching his back and hips off the mat. |
| Control |
The dominating position which restricts the opponent's mobility; usually, the one on top is the one with control. In neutral position, neither wrestler has control until a takedown is achieved. |
| Escape |
Defensive wrestler escapes from controlling wrestler for 1 match point. |
| Headgear |
Gear worn to protect the ears during wrestling |
| Fall |
Defensive wrestler's shoulder blades touch the mat simultaneously for a count of 1. A Fall automatically ends the match. Also referred to as a Pin. His/her team scores 6 points instead of 3. |
| Match |
Two wrestlers in the same weight class wrestling for 3 periods. |
| Match Score |
Individual score for each wrestler. The winning wrestler scores points for his/her team. |
| Meet |
An organized competition between two (or more) wrestling teams. |
| Near Fall |
Defensive wrestler's back is exposed to the mat at more than 90 degrees for a count of 2, but not 5 for 2 match points or for a count of 5 for 3 match points. |
| Neutral Position |
Both wrestlers are on their feet trying for a takedown. |
| Pin |
Defensive wrestler's shoulder blades touch the mat simultaneously for a count of 1. A Fall scores 6 team points and automatically ends the match. Also referred to as a Fall. |
| Potentially Dangerous |
Wrestling holds or situations that could injure either wrestler. The referee will stop the match and restart the wrestlers in the neutral position. |
| Referee's Position |
One wrestler is on his hands and knees and his opponent is on top of him with one hand on the bottom of the other wrestler's elbow and the other on his waist . |
| Reversal |
Defensive wrestler gains control of the offensive wrestler for 2 match points. |
| Riding Time |
The amount of time a wrestler was in control over his opponent. Riding time is only tracked in college wrestling matches. |
| Setup |
An action of some sort designed to distract the opponent or cause a reaction, allowing an easier takedown. |
| Shoot/Shot |
One wrestler attempts a move to take down his opponent. |
| Singlet |
A tight, sleeveless, one-piece outfit worn by wrestlers during their matches |
| Slamming |
Lifting an opponent off the mat and bringing them back down with unnecessary force. This is an illegal move, the defensive wrestler is awarded 1 match point. If the defensive wrestler cannot continue the match, the match is awarded to the defensive wrestler and his/her team is awarded 6 points. |
| Sprawl |
An elementary counter to a leg shot. The wrestler throws his legs back, arching his hips into the opponent, making it harder to keep a grip on his legs. |
| Stalemate |
Neither wrestler is advancing their position. The referee stops the match and starts the wrestlers back at their starting position. |
| Stalling |
One of the wrestler is not trying to improve their position and score points. The referee will stop the wrestling and may warn a wrestler. After the second warning, the wrestler's opponent is awarded 1 match point. After the third warning, the wrestler's opponent is awarded 1 match point. After the fourth warning, the wrestler's opponent is awarded 2 match points. After the fifth warning, the match is stopped and the opponent wins the match and his/her team is awarded 3 points. |
| Stance |
Correct standing position. |
| Superior Win |
Winning wrestler scores more than 8 points against his opponent. His/her team scores 4 points instead of 3. |
| Takedown |
A wrestler has taken his opponent down to the mat and gained control for 2 match points. |
| Team Score |
Points awarded to the team that won the match. The winning team is awarded 3 points for a Win; 4 points for a Superior Win; 5 points for a Technical Fall; 6 points for a Fall (Pin). |
| Technical Fall |
Winning wrestler scores more than 15 match points against his opponent. The match is stopped. His/her team scores 5 points instead of 3. |
| Throw |
A wrestler is lifted off the mat (both feet) by an opponent and brought back down to the mat. |
| Tie Up |
A wrestler grabbing his opponent's upper body, usually in preparation for a move or to gain a measure of control over his motion. Commonly the upper arm and back of the neck are grasped. |
| Tilt |
To turn an opponent so that his back goes from an angle of 45 degrees or more to less than 45. A tilt usually scores back points. |
| Top Position |
One of the two components of referee's position; after the bottom man has positioned himself, the other wrestler places his knee down to one side of his opponent, his knee up behind him with his foot also behind. The hand on the same side as the down knee grasps the opponent's near elbow, and the other hand reaches around the waist to rest on the navel. At this point, the referee will signal to begin wrestling. The man in top position is called the top man. |
| Weight Class |
Groupings determined by weight; the wrestler must be exactly on or below the specified weight to qualify for the weight class. |
| Win |
Winning wrestler scores more points, but does not pin the opponent. His/her team scores 3 points. |
