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Wrestling was a popular sport in ancient Greece, where it was included in the Olympic Games. The first recorded Olympic wrestling match took place in 708 BC.
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Pankration, a brutal combat sport from ancient Greece and Rome, that evolved into modern wrestling. Included in the original Ancient Olympic Games
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Held in New York City
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First World Heavyweight Champion
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The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), now United World Wrestling (UWW), was founded in Antwerp, Belgium.
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It served as the first annual NCAA-sponsored meet to crown individual champions across seven weight classes and was also a preliminary tryout for the Olympic team.
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It blurred the lines between reality and scripted performance (kayfabe). It also exposed the inner workings of professional wrestling to the public on a massive scale.
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it revitalized WWE's talent development system and created a beloved "third brand" that appealed to a different segment of wrestling fans.
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Its unprecedented financial success and attendance records, establishing it as a major, record-breaking event in professional wrestling history, especially outside of WWE.