▁one ▁of ▁the ▁six ▁main ▁forms ▁of ▁amateur ▁compet itive ▁wrest ling ▁pract ised ▁intern ation ally ▁today . ▁The ▁other ▁five ▁forms ▁are ▁fre est yle ▁wrest ling , ▁gra pp ling / sub mission ▁wrest ling , ▁beach ▁wrest ling , ▁p ank r ation ▁ath lim a , ▁a ly sh / b elt ▁wrest ling ▁and ▁traditional / folk ▁wrest ling . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁" Gre co - R oman " ▁was ▁applied ▁to ▁this ▁style ▁of ▁wrest ling ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁of ▁pur port ing ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁wrest ling ▁formerly ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁ancient ▁civil izations ▁surrounding ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea ▁especially ▁at ▁the ▁ancient ▁Greek ▁Olympics . ▁At ▁that ▁time , ▁the ▁ ▁athlet es ▁initially ▁ ▁wore ▁ ▁sk int ight ▁short s ▁ ▁but ▁ ▁later ▁ ▁wrest led ▁▁ ▁each ▁other ▁ ▁n aked . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁spec ulated ▁that ▁many ▁styles ▁of ▁European ▁folk ▁wrest ling ▁may ▁have ▁sp ur red ▁the ▁orig ins ▁of ▁Gre co - R oman ▁wrest ling . ▁According ▁to ▁United ▁World ▁Wrestling , ▁a ▁Napole onic ▁soldier ▁named ▁Jean ▁Ex b ray at ▁first ▁developed ▁the ▁style . ▁Ex b ray at ▁performed ▁in ▁fair s ▁and ▁called ▁his ▁style ▁of ▁wrest ling ▁" flat ▁hand ▁wrest ling " ▁to ▁distinguish ▁it ▁from ▁other ▁forms ▁of ▁hand - to - hand ▁combat ▁that ▁allowed ▁striking . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 8 , ▁Ex b ray at ▁established