Underground wrestling in Moscow

Wrestling is a combat sport involving athletic skills, martial arts and theatre skills. Wrestling is not very popular in Russia. Actually there is only one Russian wrestling club. It is located in Moscow and has its training section, in the basement of a building, where beginners can learn and more experienced fighters can train. Periodically the wrestlers arrange shows, where they can demonstrate their training and skills. To do this they rent premises and install improvised mount rings on their own.

Performances are preceded by a long workout, because during the show the wrestler performs a lot of dangerous tricks and stunts, often leading to injuries. The essence of wrestler’s fights is not in the victory over the enemy – it is much more important for wrestlers to show the most spectacular show. To do this, athletes carefully think of their stage character, its history and relationships with other participants.

For example in the Russian wrestling club there is a team playing the role of the Americans. They are wrapped in the American flag, so it makes the performance more bright and dramatic.

Spectators who come to the show to cheer on their favorite athletes expect to see spectaclular stunts and impressive Tricks that’s why sometimes you can see really violent scenes including ones with the use of some auxiliary items. These may be jumps from the stairs, kicking chairs and other improvised means. Performances, including such items in the slang of wrestlers, are called “hardcore round» and are most interesting for the viewers. Such shows may be accompanied by cruelty, blood and injuries, even though all fights take place on a predetermined scenario.

Wrestlers say that even though there is a scenario, and thus a certain predictability of the actions of the enemy, wrestling is a hard kind of sport that requires good physical preparation.

Today in Russia wrestling is considered to be entirely western sport and remains not very popular. Sometimes they accuse wrestling in the propaganda of violence and western culture and lifestyle. Organizers often face a variety of problems. Sometimes they have problems with renting premises for the show, because some landlords do not accept such events.

Nevertheless, wrestlers have their faithful fans who attend their shows, that only proves that the thirst for entertainment, sometimes very cruel, is inherent to the people regardless of where and in which country they live in.