A tradition of combining wrestling and showmanship may originate in the early 1800s in Western Europe, Britain, and Ireland, when showmen presented wrestlers under … See more

Wrestling appeared in the programs of circuses in the Russian Empire in the 1880s. By 1905 it strongly resembled modern professional wrestling its rules, customs, and … See more

At the turn of the 20th century, wrestling was introduced to the public as part of a variety act to spice up the limited action involved in the bodybuilder strongman attractions. One of … See more

Professional wrestling in Australia first gained distinction in the early 20th century, however there were very few shows promoted. Nonetheless, there were stars such as See more

The dominant styles of Japanese professional wrestling were set in place by the two dominant promotions in Japan. New Japan Pro-Wrestling, headed by Antonio Inoki, … See more

In the early 20th century, professional wrestling was mostly a regional phenomenon in Mexico until Salvador Lutteroth founded … See more

1860s–1948 origin
Professional wrestling, in the sense of traveling performers paid for mass entertainment in staged matches, began in the post-Civil War period in the late 1860s and 1870s. During this time, wrestlers were often athletes … See more