Female Single Combat Club [nsfw]. An extensive site about women fighters around the world and in history. In English and Russian. Previously.
posted by nickyskye on Aug 27, 2008 - 27 comments

Getting Off The Mat - After losing 15 years of his life to drug addiction and prison, Richard Jensen was reborn as a 36-year-old college wrestler.
posted by thisisdrew on Aug 4, 2008 - 15 comments

Dustin Carter persevered and became a wrestler after he contracted a rare blood disorder which took all his limbs. His training is impressive.
posted by gman on Mar 7, 2008 - 17 comments

Perhaps most famous luchador of all time is El Santo (aka Samson), who starred in, amongst many other things, the MST'd Samson Vs. The Vampire Women (Google Video). He even had his own photo comic and bag figure. However, even El Santo himself would gasp at the phenomenal athleticism of today's luchadores. Skeptical? Well check out some highlights here, here and here (YT + Warning: obnoxiously rawkin' music) and then decide.
posted by cog_nate on Feb 21, 2008 - 26 comments

"'It's been a magical evening,' Joel says as the Great Khali hits the Undertaker with a dustbin lid." Jon Ronson (and son) journey into the world of WWE to investigate the death of Chris Benoit.
posted by fearfulsymmetry on Dec 8, 2007 - 18 comments

RIP Fabulous Moolah. 84 year old Lillian Ellison died in Columbia, SC Friday. She was a wrestling champion for 28 years until losing her crown to Wendi Richter in 1983 in a match involving MTV and Cyndi Lauper. More here, here, and here, with obligatory YouTube link here.
posted by TedW on Nov 4, 2007 - 11 comments

If you feel like you're in a 20-man Battle Royale when it comes to your financial situation, maybe Ric Flair can help you out. Listen to the Nature Boy! Wooooooo!
posted by beaucoupkevin on Sep 19, 2007 - 15 comments

Meet Obasan: Adorable demon-possessed little girl and Japanese professional wrestler for the horror-themed Triple Six promotion. More highlights: (1) (2)
posted by StopMakingSense on May 12, 2007 - 30 comments

Striking photographs of the masked wrestlers of Mexico, Lucha Loco by Malcolm Venville. [via the amazing everlasting blort] [more inside]
posted by nickyskye on Feb 3, 2007 - 14 comments

Had he not died in 1971, Tor Johnson would be 103 today. Who could forget his face? Or that it makes a great mask? Don't we often think back fondly on his remarkable filmography? He made a great partner for Bela Lugosi! Who could forget that he tended to break toilet seats when he sat on them, and so would often steal them?
posted by Astro Zombie on Oct 19, 2006 - 12 comments

Wrestling for Jesus. Not entirely without precedent, I guess.
posted by Urban Hermit on Aug 21, 2006 - 19 comments

Wrestling Bears
No, not this [NSFW].
Or this.
Sort of like this.
Or this, in a steel cage ("C'MON BEAR!").
And then there's the history.
posted by StopMakingSense on Jul 10, 2006 - 24 comments

First there was Santo and the Blue Demon, now a new star is born in the the world of Mexican wrestling. His name? El Serpento!
posted by kingmissile on Aug 4, 2005 - 8 comments

Bringing the smackdown to church. Saving souls through simulated violence. Ultimate Christian Wrestling.
posted by biffa on Jan 6, 2005 - 32 comments

These days, we remember the age of legends by reliving them, virtually. Is it a sign of the fall of civilization when modern leaders are so bland as to be indistinguishable from one another? Oh how I miss the golden years.
posted by zekinskia on Jun 16, 2004 - 3 comments

Stu Hart passes away. Anyone who's been more than mildly interested in professional wrestling understands his contribution to the sport. He was father to Bret Hart and the late Owen Hart. He's trained more men than I care to begin to count.
posted by Lusy P Hur on Oct 16, 2003 - 6 comments

Ever had the urge to don a pair of tight pants, oil yourself up and grapple another man? Then you should head on over to the Kirkpinar Greased Wrestling Festival in Edirne, held each year at the end of June. But beware; the moves can be highly dirty and involve battering your opponent around the head, pulling their ears and even pushing your hand into your opponents shorts and squeezing their testicles. This sure isn't your father's wrasslin'!
posted by debralee on Jun 26, 2003 - 8 comments

The Nuba of Sudan : - politics, culture, photographs and wrestlers.
Related :- Survival International; the photographs of George Rodger, who travelled among the Nuba after World War II; the Nuba People; the Dinka and the Nuer, neighbours of the Nuba.
posted by plep on Jun 8, 2003 - 1 comment

We've been one-upped. "I won support from voters with this face, and to take it off would be breaking promises." We can't let this stand. If we don't do anything wackier next election year I'm moving.
posted by wobh on Apr 15, 2003 - 6 comments

The eccentric art of Lewis Smith - a man who lived alone in the woods with no amenities, at age 60, he began drawing all day, every day. His themes included muscular and wrestling women drawn on brown paper bags, and diner scenes drawn on cracker boxes. He drew or painted on every surface including the walls of his home and his barn. If he were alive today, he would probably be amazed to learn that many of pencil and crayon drawings sell for upwards of $1000.
posted by madamjujujive on Mar 6, 2003 - 31 comments

"Microsoft's TrueType core fonts for the Web are no longer available for download" [via kottke] This is going to disappoint The Official Women of Wrestling.
posted by kirkaracha on Aug 13, 2002 - 51 comments

MN Governor Jesse Ventura announced he will not run for re-election -- Ventura said, "You've got to have your heart and soul into these types of jobs. You've got to want to do it. * * * I feel that it's time to go back into the private sector." (He also said that his decision was "partly tied" to allegations by former employees that his 22-year-old son had thrown parties in the governor's residence.)
posted by subgenius on Jun 18, 2002 - 15 comments

"The reality, or substance, of professional wrestling is the ability to perpetuate a fantasy... I can look back and credit my tremendous success to what some would term insanity. I never distinguished between fantasy and reality. I made my fantasy reality for over 60 years." Lou Thesz, perhaps the greatest pro wrestler of the 20th century, died yesterday. His autobiography, Hooker, is one of the best books about pro wrestling ever written.
posted by tranquileye on Apr 29, 2002 - 6 comments

Fuzu has a hodgepodge of things such as Steev's what we talk about when we talk about wrestling, some unique movie reviews, and Douglas's adventures with whores in Mexico. A strange brew. Enjoy.
posted by dig_duggler on Feb 28, 2002 - 3 comments

Kaiju Big Battel - See bizarre wrestling matches between gigantic absurd monsters! Watch Tokyo-style monster movie erupt into real life performance-art lunacy! Shudder as Hell Monkey plucks the wings off American Beetle, while Club Sandwich liquefies Kung-fu Chicken Soup!
posted by Stuart_R on Feb 3, 2002 - 5 comments

Akebono's sumo retirement ceremony American-born sumo Yokozuna Akebono retired from the sport Sepetember 29th in Kokogikan, Japan.

This excellent photo essay talks about a few of the 300+ people scheduled to help cut off the topknot, a little on the history of Sumo, and why he needs 8 men to help him with the belt tying ceremony.

Also a few good photographs of another American-born Yokozuna, Musashimaru, and one Japanese one, Takanohana.
posted by swenson on Jan 5, 2002 - 10 comments

Not many still-practiced sports existed at the dawn of recorded history. Sumo wrestling is one of them. I've been trying to learn more about Sumo lately, and with the Aki-Basho tournament coming up next month, now is the time to follow along on the web as the drama unfolds.
posted by machaus on Aug 25, 2001 - 5 comments

Some Unusual Sumo Photos What do Sumo wrestlers do when they are not competing in the dohyo?
Playing tug of war and dressing up like Sailor Moon. Cool.
posted by lheiskell on Jun 9, 2001 - 10 comments

Unfortunately, the Jam Wrestling Party failed to win a seat in the UK Elections. I think this is a real shame. I mean, can anyone else think of a better use for the Millennium Dome?
posted by davehat on Jun 8, 2001 - 2 comments

Backyard Wrestling File this under "funny but sad." You must have a look at few of the video clips of these boys in action. The whole squalid environment reminds me of Gummo. I understand it's just mindless fun but....is this the bottom of suburbia or the frightening norm?
posted by davebush on May 15, 2001 - 36 comments

The XFL takes to the field this Saturday.
posted by tamim on Feb 2, 2001 - 33 comments

The hitman retires A series of concussions has forced professional wrestler Bret (Hitman) Hart to end his 22-year career today.
posted by riley370 on Oct 27, 2000 - 17 comments

The Rock and Dick Cheney team up to layeth the smacketh down on Al Gore's candy ass!
posted by Nyarlathotep on Jul 31, 2000 - 12 comments

Beowulf rips off Austin's arm and beats him to death with it! I know it's a month old, but I'm just so excited. Yea, King of the Geats! Boo, bald Texas guy!
posted by Ezrael on Jun 1, 2000 - 2 comments