If you are considering taking up Mixed Martial Arts you will want to practice the skill that is most effective. The one that has brought MMA fighters the most success in the octagon is by far wrestling and without excelling in this skill you will not succeed in martial arts. The bigger question is which type of wrestling you should concentrate your efforts on to become one of the best at the sport.
There are main forms of wrestling which are Greco-Roman and Freestyle/Collage wrestling. The popularity of each type depends on the country you are from as Greco-Roman is most widely used in Europe and Freestyle/College in the U.S. One of the main differences between the types is that Greco-Roman you can only wrestle above the waist. It is forbidden for attacks such as leg trips, hooks etc. There are no foot seeps or submissions, unlike No-Gi Judo. The main aim is by using pinning, lifting, throwing and slamming techniques to win. Jon Jones has had amazing success by using his Greco-Roman wrestling skills and is regarded by many as the best ever.
What makes Freestyle/Collegiate wrestling different is that attacks are allowed below the waist. Freestyle and Collegiate both have different sets of rules such as on hands hocks are allowed when on the feet under the opponent. There have been more safety measures added to Collegiate wrestling such as slamming. One of the pioneers of MMA Mark Kerr used his world-class Freestyle wrestling skills and if you have not seen the documentary The Smashing Machines, it is a must watch. It follows Mark during his career and gives a no holds barred look into his life. It is considered by many including myself as the best fighting documentary of all time.
The UFC history and present are packed with stars who all excelled at either Greco-Roman or Freestyle Collegiate wrestling. These include Cain Velasquez, Mighty Mouse, Jon Jones, Brock Lesnar, Urijah Faber, Randy Couture and more. With GSP announcing that he is going to be fighting again in the UFC wrestling fans will tune in. George St-Pierre is considered by many as the greatest MMA wrestler of all time and it will be interesting to see if he has improved or declined.
If you are going to be using betting sites to place a wager on MMA fights you should look up how highly skilled the fighter is at wrestling before placing your bet. Choosing a fighter that excels in either Gecko-Roman or Collegiate wrestling will increase your chances of winning. It is by far the best mixed martial arts skill to have and without the ability to defend it you will be taken down for brutal ground and pound. A prime example of this is the recent Frankie Edgar vs Yair Rodriguez UFC 211 fight where Edgar used his outstanding wrestling skills to brutally beat up Rodriguez.
