Greco-Roman wrestling is one of the most challenging sports in the world. Those who have tried this wrestling style understand the tenacity Greco-Roman wrestlers should possess. In a test of will and skill, it is difficult to beat a formidable opponent, let alone be at the top of the food chain, dominating the sport for years. In this article, we will talk about who the best Greco-Roman wrestler is.
The Sport Of Greco-Roman Wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is one of the oldest sports in history and is a discipline featured in the Olympic games. Like most wrestling formats in the world, the primary objective in Greco-Roman wrestling is to pin both the opponent’s shoulders on the mat or accumulate more points (or with technical superiority) by the end of the match to secure victory.
In Greco, any holds below the waist are prohibited, and wrestlers are not allowed to use their legs actively to defend or for offense. This requires Greco-Roman wrestlers to rely heavily on their upper bodies (Emphasizing a more upright stance) to gain an advantage in a match, leaving them options for upper-body attacks like throws or the different Suplex variations to score or execute a takedown.
Modern Greco-Roman Wrestling
As the sport evolves, so does the development of the ruleset and how it is played. The current trend in the heavier divisions is for wrestlers to keep their hands up and lean into each other with their weight. Most of the time, this results in a passivity call, in which wrestlers are requested to be in the par terre position (on the mat belly down with one attacker) and try to attack and secure a point by rolling the opponent over (gut wrench).
This style is evident in the 5-time Greco-Roman Olympic champion, Mijaín López Núñez’s style. His recent achievement placed him in the discussion as arguably the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler, undefeated for five consecutive Olympic events (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024) under the 120/130kg category. Historically, Mijain is the only Olympian to win 5 Olympic golds in the same event consecutively.
Mijain won his first Olympic gold medal in 2008 in Beijing after beating Lithuania’s Mindaugas Mizgaitis. Defending his spot in London 2012, he beat Estonia’s Heiki Nabi in the gold medal match. In Rio 2016, he completed a three-peat after beating Turkey’s Riza Kayaalp. Making it four in a row in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he won gold against Georgia’s Iakobi Kajaia. To seal the deal as a 5-time Olympian, Miajin, at 41, beat Yasmani Acosta of Chile in the gold medal match.
In addition, the Cuban wrestler has also won numerous World Championships – 5 golds and 3 silvers, making him one of the greatest Greco-Roman wrestlers of modern times. Mijain has set a standard that will be difficult for wrestlers to surpass in future generations.
The Blueprint For Greatness
Older Greco-Roman matches demand more activity and emphasize upper-body attacking techniques like arm throws, arm drags, back takes, body locks, slide-by takedowns, and more. Relatively, the singlets (uniform wrestlers used to compete) before didn’t cover the hips as much as today, making gut-wrenching easier because of the lesser friction, and not being as slippery.
Mijain admittedly looks up to Alexander (Aleksandr) Karelin, possibly the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler ever. Alexander “The Experiment” Karelin is known as one of the most, if not the most intimidating wrestlers ever because he dominates his opponents with his inhumane strength backed up by his gigantic frame (6’4 and 290 lbs). To many, it is challenging to match Alexander’s dominance on the wrestling mats, lifting 300lb, fully resisting, and heavily trained world-class opponents with his famous move called the “Karelin Dump.”
In his career, Karelin has represented Russia and has won three Olympic gold medals consecutively (1988 Seoul, 1992 Barcelona, and 1996 Atlanta) and one silver medal (2000 Sydney), alongside his nine gold medals in the world championships, without losing a single match. Surprisingly, Karelin has a record of 887 wins with only two losses, both coming off by a single point. He went undefeated for 13 straight years and 10 years in a row, with no single point scored against him.
Who Is The Best Ever Of Greco-Roman Wrestling?
The topic of the best Greco-Roman wrestler is debatable between these two options: Mijaín López Núñez of Cuba or Alexander Karelin of Russia. It is a battle between the past and the present. Many argue that the two wrestling giants are incomparable because, after the year 2000, which is after Karelin’s retirement, Greco-Roman wrestling rules and scoring system experienced several changes, which leans more towards stalling positions to be penalized with a chance to attack from the par terre position. In contrast, in the past, the Greco-Roman wrestlers didn’t have the same sentiments but were more aggressive with upper-body wrestling.
Considering dominance in one of the most prestigious wrestling platforms, the Olympics, it is without a doubt that Mijain Lopez is the greatest Greco-Roman Olympian ever and is a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. However, it is important to consider that the Olympics is far from being the only wrestling competition out there and is not the only determinant in wrestling. With this, it can be said that Mijain is the greatest Olympian wrestler, and perhaps, even in all of the Olympics, but the best-ever title of Greco-Roman remains with Karelin.
Clearing the recency bias, many wrestling fans believe that Karelin not only won his matches but dominated them in such a fashion that even the greatest Greco-Roman Olympian, Mijain Lopez, was not able to do so. Up to date, Karelin is the only heavyweight who could do a reverse body lift regularly against his opponents, which is a move that is rarely seen in the 130kg division. Every achievement Mijain had in his wrestling career spanned 31 years, whereas Alexander Karelin achieved his accolades in a much shorter time of less than a 20-year wrestling career.
Nevertheless, every era is different, and every sport evolves. Thus, athletes naturally get better over time. Imagining what would happen in a match between Lopez and Karelin and who will likely end up on top is intriguing.
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