It's always interesting to see the wrestling culture of different cultures. Kirkpinar is a tradition in Turkey, commonly referred to in the United States as Oil Wrestling. Unfortunately, pop culture tends to sexualize the wrestling culture in the United States, but don't be confused by pop culture. This is one of the toughest, most demanding sports/ competitions out there.
The problem is that to the untrained eye, you don't know what to look for and appreciate. I remember watching sumo wrestling when I was a young boy in Japan. I used to think the biggest belly with was heavily favored as they pushed and shoved each other out the ring. However, after a long break from watching sumo and taken up wrestling in middle school, high school and college, I found myself sitting in front of a tv watching and actually seeing technique on display. These big sumo wresters weren't just shoving each other with their bellies they were using over hooks and under hooks, a 2 on 1, snap down, shuck by, fakes, misdirections, wizzer, hip throw, trips, foot sweeps, duck under, and more!
Until I had the trained eye from experience training, I wasn't able to truly appreciate the art, the combat, and the hype. The same could and should be said about MMA or mixed martial arts fans watching the UFC and Bellator Fights. Get on the mat and train. You will be amazed what you can learn, the incredible shape you can get into, the appreciation you will have for the fighters, and how much more you will understand the difficulty of the game. Our Jiu-Jitsu team in El Dorado Hills offers classes and open mats every day of the week. Join us for a 5 day $5 trail and see what you can get out of your time on the mat.
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Slippery customers: Turkish men duke it out in world's oldest OIL WRESTLING championships
- Around 1,000 men and boys compete every year in the Kirkpinar oil wrestling championships in Turkey
- Fighters - or Pehlivan - compete for top prize of the golden belt when they keep until next year's tournament
- They make keep the belt - made partially of real gold - permanently if they win three years in a row
These may look like scenes from a movie set in ancient Rome, but this is actually the Kirkpinar oil wrestling championships in modern-day Turkey.
Wearing only leather trousers and smeared with olive oil, these athletes about to competing in the oldest sports competition in the world.
The first competition took place near Erdine in 1362, when it was the capital of the Ottoman Empire, with most of the competitors being soldiers.
Thousands of fighters gather every year in Erdine, Turkey, to take part in the annual Kirpinar oil wrestling festival which has been taking place since 1362
Around 1,000 fighters, both boys and men, take part in the competition over three days in 12 categories ranked by height rather than weight
Bouts used to last for days before being decided, but are now limited to 40 minutes with 15 minutes of overtime if a winner is still to be decided
In Kirkpinar a fight is won when one competitor lifts another above his head, or pins the other man to the floor, or when one of the wrestlers collapses
Today both boys and men of any nationality are allowed to take part in the annual competition, and are trained in the art of oil wrestling by a master - much like martial artists in Asia.
The fighters - or Pehlivan as they are known - as supposed to uphold the best of Turkish values, symbolising generosity, honesty, respectfulness and adherence to traditions and customs.
While oil wrestling existed as far back as the ancient Egyptians, Kirkpinar is the oldest sanctioned competition still to be running - and holds the Guinness World Record for the longest running sporting event.
Kirkpinar wrestlers, or Pehlivan as they are known, train for years for the event under a master - similar to martial artists in Asia
Fighters are allowed to keep the golden belt permanently only if they win three events in a row, which is rare. The last time it happened was 16 years ago
Matches happen simultaneously in a giant grass arena outside of Erdine, the Sarayiçi Stadium, where the competition has been held for centuries
Both boys and men are allowed to compete for the event's prize, the golden belt, which they then get to keep until the following year
The festival begins as the golden belt, the prize for the winner, is paraded through the town to the Selimiye Mosque where prayers are said before it is taken to Mens Field for the competition.
Thousands of wrestlers, or Pehlivan, don traditional kispet trousers, made of either water buffalo or cow leather, before the master of ceremonies announces their names and talents, all in verse.
The men then compete in 12 different categories, classed by height rather than by weight, across three days in order to be named Chief Pehlivan.
Before each bout the men smear themselves with olive oil with hundreds of barrels of the slippery liquid being used during the festivities
The men compete nude except for a traditional kispet trousers - leather garments that used to be made from water buffalo but these days they are more commonly made from cow leather
Each of the wrestlers are introduced by the master of ceremonies who recites their names and abilities in verse before the competition begins
Kirkpinar, first fought in 1362, holds the record for the longest running sports competition in the world (pictured, a fighter washes himself down after a bout)
Matches are held simultaneously on the open grassy field of Sarayiçi Stadium. The islet of Sarayiçi, which translates to 'Inner Palace,' used to be the Sultan's summer palace and was once the private hunting reserve of the Ottoman sultans.
A bout is decided when a fighter either manages to pin another man to the ground, or manages to lift them up over their shoulders, or when one of the fighters collapses.
While fights could previously go on for days until a winner was decided, there is now a 40-minute time limit, with a winner determined by 15 minutes of overtime if there is no clear victor in that time.
Around 1,000 fighters of all ages, nationalities and builds take part in the competition to be named Chief Pehlivan
Boys to men: A group of young oil wrestlers watch their fellow competitors fight from behind a wire fence in Turkey
Getting clean: Some of the youngest competitors take a shower to wash off the olive oil poured over them during wrestling matches in Turkey
Man's game: Fighters are allowed to join the wrestling at a young age, with categories ranked on height. They are then trained by a master to improve their wrestling skills
The winner is awarded the golden belt which they get to keep until the following year when it is passed over to the next champion.
A wrestler who manages to retain the title can keep the belt permanently, with another one made for the following year, but this is extremely rare. The last fighter to keep a belt was Ahmet Tasci, who won his final competition 16 years ago.
Rather than modern synthetic oil, the Pehlivan smear themselves with natural olive oil, with over 100 drums of the liquid used during the festival.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2669416/Slippery-customers-Turkish-men-duke-worlds-oldest-OIL-WRESTLING-championships.html#ixzz35lK6C93w
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