How to Watch and Score a Wrestling Match

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Modern day amateur wrestling can be exciting and entertaining to watch. To enjoy the match, you need not know all the intricacies of the rules, as these will become evident as you watch. Here are the basics:

The Officials
There are three officials involved in each wrestling match. The 'Official' (the official on the mat) calls the points, etc. the way he/she interprets them, as does the 'Judge'. If there is a disagreement between these two officials on any call, The Mat Chairman (located at the head scoring table) decides between the two.

The Match
The match consists of two rounds of three minutes in duration with a 30 second break between. The match may go beyond this limit under some circumstances -see "Winning by Points" below.

Object of the Sport
In wrestling, the ultimate objective is to pin your opponent. This occurs when one wrestler controls the other on the mat with the opponent's shoulder blades touching the mat simultaneously. The pin, or 'fall' ends the match immediately.

Winning by Points
If a pin does not occur, then the wrestler with the most points at the end of the match wins. In order for the match to end, one athlete must have scored at least three points. If this does not occur (eg. a score of 2 - 1 at the end of regulation time), then the match immediately proceeds into extension time until one athlete reaches three points. If at the end of the extension time (an added three minutes), neither wrestler reaches three points, the wrestler with the most points wins. If the match is tied at the end of regular time or the extension period, the outcome will be determined based upon which wrestler has the fewest 'cautions' or if they have the same number of cautions, which wrestler has the fewest 'passivity' penalties. If both these are tied, the match proceeds immediately to sudden death overtime.

Injuries
If an injury occurs during the match, the injured athlete has a maximum of 2 minutes to be attended to by his/her coach or medical staff. If there is bleeding involved (eg. a nosebleed), the athlete has an additional 3 minutes. If the wrestler is unable to continue, the other wrestler is declared the winner.

Points:
One Point
Can be obtained by a 'takedown'. This occurs when from standing, one wrestler takes his opponent to the mat, gets behind and in control of the opponent ready to attempt to 'tilt' the opponent. One point can also be received if the wrestler holds the opponent on his/her back for five seconds after scoring the original 'tilt', or can be awarded by the official along with a 'caution' (see below). One point can also be received by a wrestler who has thrown his/her opponent but where the throw did not expose the opponent's back to the mat.

Two Points
Can be obtained during wrestling on the ground when the wrestler turns his/her opponent so that the opponent's shoulders face the mat at an angle of less than 90 degrees. This is also known as a 'tilt'. This is also known as the 'danger position'

Three Points
Scored when one wrestler takes his/her opponent from the standing position directly to their back in a position of danger.

Five Points
This is the most spectacular score in wrestling and occurs when a wrestler throws his/her opponent from standing to their back in a high arcing throw. If the crowd groans, and you have to catch your breath after watching the throw, it's probably a five-point throw! 

Total Wrestling
This is a concept in wrestling where both wrestlers are expected to wrestle actively attempting to score at all times. You will hear the on-mat official encourage this by shouting things such as "Open" (stop blocking), "Action", and so on to either the red or blue wrestler.

Passivity
The opposite of Total Wrestling. This occurs when the officials believe that one wrestler is not wrestling actively enough. The Official or Judge will extend his/her arm of the colour corresponding to the offending wrestler. If the Officiating team agrees on the call, the match is stopped, the Passivity recorded, and the other wrestler is given the choice of re-starting the match either standing or on the ground.

Cautions
This is a penalty, either for using an illegal hold or if the defensive wrestler deliberately leaves the mat to avoid being scored upon. A point or points may also accompany a caution. If either wrestler receives three cautions, they automatically lose the match.

It may sound complicated, but it's really not. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.