Not too many countries can lay claim to a globally recognized martial art. There's Chinese Kung Fu; Muay Thai; French Savate; Brazilian Jiujitsu; Japanese Karate, Jiujitsu & Judo (and don't forget Ninjitsu!). Surprisingly, the U.K. can claim Western Boxing, since the French begrudgingly call it "la Boxe Anglaise," or English Boxing.

So what has the United States contributed to the history and wisdom of martial arts? Upon first glance, it appears that one-on-one gunslinging of the Wild West was our best try. But the advent of MMA has exposed the universal power & effectiveness of American Wrestling.

Unfortunately, the simple term "wrestling" usually evokes TV images of two muscle-bound guys fake-punching & jumping on each other from the top rope. Since MMA, the general public has begun to appreciate real classical wrestling, that is, effective takedown & ground control of a resisting opponent. And what we're seeing, for the most part, is American wrestling.

American Wrestling in capitals does not exist as a proper noun. But it should, because the style is notably unique, much like Brazilian Jiujitsu has carved out its own name. Compare American Wrestling to the two international wrestling styles, freestyle & Greco Roman: every style has its merits, but how many freestyle or Greco wrestlers have climbed the heights of MMA? Conversely, scores of American wrestlers have made their names based on their primary skills: Dan Severn & Mark Coleman were early pioneers, followed by such standouts as Sean Sherk, Jake Shields, Josh Koscheck, Rashad Evans, Tyson Griffin (whom I coached in high school), and of course, UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar (let's ignore his pro wrestling career for this article).

From left to right: rear clinch to lift; fireman's carry; collar tie clinch; underhook to ankle pick

So what sets apart American Wrestling? Rules. The rules of American folkstyle wrestling (practiced only in American schools & universities) demand not just takedowns, but also ground control of a resisting opponent. Swift stall penalties in American Wrestling force both wrestlers to constantly seek positional advantage, no matter their energy level. Indeed, the quest for superior relative position, an important concept in many martial arts, is the end-all goal of American Wrestling. By contrast, in freestyle & Greco, wrestlers in poor relative position are often not obligated to improve their position; they simply try to stall 20 seconds until the referee returns both wrestlers to standing position. So the emphasis on superior relative position, and the fast & frenetic pace that imperative demands, makes American Wrestling a more appropriate style for MMA, which is essentially a contest of relentless domination.

Mastery of high-percentage takedowns is also an American Wrestling trait. Not to say that freestyle & Greco don't have effective takedowns (indeed, similarities abound), but the international styles give the most points to back exposure techniques where ground control isn't a priority, diluting their effectiveness in MMA. It's a winning move in freestyle & Greco to flash your opponent's back to the mat for one second, but what's it worth in the cage? In contrast, because American Wrestling emphasizes constant control, a good percentage of its core skills are core MMA skills.

While many American Wrestling techniques, i.e., cheap tilts & low stances, don't apply to MMA, the adjustments are easy. Randy Couture's seminal book, "Wrestling for Fighting," selects the best crossover techniques & explains them in detail, then adds the striking component for MMA; it's a virtual must-read for any serious MMA competitor. The bottom line is, either you have a confident, high-percentage double/single-leg shot, and the counters, to put you in immediate ground control, or you don't; either you can control a frisky opponent in side control, or you can't. Like any hard-to-attain skill set, it takes time: high school wrestlers often require multiple seasons before developing a decent, confident shot, not to mention counter techniques. As such, improvement of one's MMA wrestling skills requires sustained study of a specific art: American Wrestling.

Click for video of American Wrestling