kayfabe

Unknown, but attributed to US carnival slang (carny), usually as a purposefully obscure variant of the admonition “be fake” formed through backslang or mangled pig Latin. Also sometimes attributed to an alteration of cave (Latin for “beware”), keep cavey (“stay alert”), or an eponymous figure named Kay Fabe or Kay Fabian.

"Jack, Gordon and I were talking about how we heard Ric Flair do an interview where he said there was no such thing as kay-fabe any more," said Blair, referring to the fact most wrestler secrets were exposed in the 1990s.

2001 April 27, Alex Marvez, "Grappling for the Right Words?", South Florida Sun-Sentinel, p. 44

Suddenly, I heard a shout behind me: "Kayfabe! Kayfabe!" It was Gagne, freaking out and twitching and gesturing. He was afraid that some of the marks would see us in such close proximity and wonder why I wasn't choking out Wahoo with the velvet rope leading to the reservation counter, or carving him up with the ticket agent's pen. The thing was that, with the exception of the AWA guys, the terminal was empty.

2006, Eldridge Wayne Coleman & al., Tangled Ropes, p. 143

I've been breaking kayfabe a lot lately and it's bad, completely unprofessional.

2013, Saul Lemerond, "Cowboys in Rainbow City", Kayfabe & Other Stories, p. 45

(professional wrestling) The act, situation, or code of portraying staged events, performances, rivalries, etc as authentic or spontaneous.


kayfabe

My wife... currently serves as a Florida State Senator... My kayfabe wife has enormous fake breasts, bleach blonde hair, and a nose that is too small for her face.

2013, Saul Lemerond, "Cowboys in Rainbow City", Kayfabe & Other Stories, pp. 43–4

professional wrestling
professional wrestling

(professional wrestling) Of or related to kayfabe, especially forbidden to mention or show in order to maintain kayfabe.


kayfabe

en-verb

kayfabe (third-person singular simple present kayfabes, present participle kayfabing, simple past and past participle kayfabed)

kayfabes (present singular third-person)
kayfabing (participle present)
kayfabed (participle past)
kayfabed (past)

...Mascaras was never one of the boys. Here's an example: after his matches, he'd shower with his mask on. I understand protecting your image, but the guy was kayfabing us.

2006, Eldridge Wayne Coleman & al., Tangles Ropes, p. 97

He joked around with me and had me laughing so hard that it was tough not to feel silly about being "kayfabed.

2013, Julie Hart, Hart Strings, →ISBN, page 54:

(professional wrestling) To maintain kayfabe, to deceive by staying in character.


waza-ari

(judo) a throw in which the opponent is thrown with control and accuracy, but not to the extent of an ippon, or held on the back for between 20 and 25 seconds on the mat; the score of half a point awarded for this throw

wazari

a judo throw in which the opponent is thrown with control and accuracy


ippon

Borrowed from Japanese 一本 (“one full point”).

(martial arts, judo) The highest score in judo, awarded for a throw that places the opponent on their back with impetus or for holding the opponent on their back for a number of seconds.


jobber

(professional wrestling slang) A performer whose primary role is to lose to established talent.


ring rat

(professional wrestling, slang) A promiscuous person, often a young female, who attends professional wrestling events primarily to seek sexual liaisons with wrestlers and other performers.


ham-and-egger

From boxing, where a poor boxer would only win enough money to pay for meals; ham and egg + -er.

(wrestling slang) A preliminary wrestler; a jobber.

Well, it's just that, you see, uh, I fight in clubs, you know, and uh, I'm really a ham-and-egger. This guy, he's the best, and uh, it wouldn't be such a good fight.

1976 November 21, Rocky, spoken by Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone):


floryshe

(martial arts) In the Association for Renaissance Martial Arts, an unstructured practice routine of guard transitions, cuts, thrusts, slices and parries with appropriate footwork; an expression of techniques already learned in an original way.


tomato can

Presumably because of tendency to bleed when battered, tomato juice leaking from a can being a metaphor for bleeding.

(slang, boxing, derogatory) An inferior fighter in the sport of boxing. The insinuation is that an up-and-coming fighter takes on a "tomato can" to burnish his reputation and record.

(slang, boxing) A boxer who takes a dive, or loses a fight on purpose.


montant

From Italian montante. Doublet of mountant.

HOST: To see thee fight, to see thee foin, to see thee traverse; to see thee pass thy punto, thy stock, thy reverse, thy distance, thy montant.

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:

(fencing, archaic) An upward cut with a blade


electric chair

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(wrestling) A transitional hold in which an attacking wrestler hoists an opponent up onto his/her shoulders so that they are both facing in the same direction.


kayo

His stunning title-winning kayo of Charles captivated the country, and on top of everything, he was actually an amazing fighter for one of his years, both as a puncher and boxer.

2023, Ian Phimister, David Patrick, editors, A Boxing Legacy: The Life and Works of Writer and Cartoonist Ted Carroll, Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page 239:


quint

A musical or piquet term, or a quintuplet

From Middle French quint, from Latin quīntus.

(fencing) quinte; the fifth fencer in parrying or attacking position.


hipe

(wrestling) A throw in which the wrestler lifts his opponent from the ground, swings him to one side, knocks up his nearer thigh from the back with the knee, and throws him on his back.


hipe

hipe (third-person singular simple present hipes, present participle hiping, simple past and past participle hiped)

hipes (present singular third-person)
hiping (participle present)
hiped (participle past)
hiped (past)

(wrestling, transitive, intransitive) To throw (an opponent) using this technique.


uppercut

(boxing) A swinging blow aimed upwards at the opponent's chin.


foilist

(fencing) A fencer who fights with a foil.


right of way

en-noun

right of way (countable and uncountable, plural rights of way or right of ways)

rights of way (plural)
right of ways (plural)

In foil the important thing is to be sure you have the right of way. You gain right of way by starting the attack first or beating the blade last.

2002, Elaine Cheris, Fencing: Steps to Success, →ISBN, page 63:

(fencing, uncountable) The priority granted to the first person to properly execute an attack.


infighting

infighting (countable and uncountable, plural infightings)

From in- + fighting. Compare Middle English infighten (“to attack”), Old English infiht (“infighting”).

Tate predicted that Wills, famed for infighting, would have to change his tactics against Firpo to avoid being knocked "very loose."

1924 September 1, “Abdication”, in Time:

His left jab pecked at McTigue's face, and at infighting he matched the champion on even terms.

1955 March 28, Charles Lesemann, “Ruckus in Georgia”, in Sports Illustrated:

(boxing) Fighting with one's opponent closer than arm's length.

lähiottelu

boxing: fighting with the opponent close


toehold

(wrestling) A hold in which the aggressor bends back the opponent's foot.


bantamweight

(boxing) A weight class in boxing and other sports, intermediate between flyweight and featherweight. In boxing it ranges from 112 to 118 pounds (51 to 54 kg).


kickboxer

(martial arts) One who practices the martial art of kickboxing.


go the distance

en-verb

go the distance (third-person singular simple present goes the distance, present participle going the distance, simple past went the distance, past participle gone the distance)

goes the distance (present singular third-person)
going the distance (participle present)
went the distance (past)
gone the distance (participle past)

"In a way it's like the quality of muscle and heart that enables some prizefighters to go the distance—twenty, thirty, forty rounds, say," Dick concurred.

1915, Jack London, chapter 20, in The Little Lady of the Big House:

It really don't matter if this guy opens my head, even, cause I all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, seein' that bell ring and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood.

(boxing) To participate in a boxing match for its maximum number of rounds.


outbox

outbox (third-person singular simple present outboxes, present participle outboxing, simple past and past participle outboxed)

outboxes (present singular third-person)
outboxing (participle present)
outboxed (participle past)
outboxed (past)

(boxing, transitive) To box better than.


fibbing

And so did Nick, whom sometimes there would come on / A sort of fear his spouse might knock his head off, / Demolish half his teeth, or drive a rib in, / She shone so much in 'facers' and in 'fibbing.'

15th round. Chancery. Fibbing. Biggs makes dreadful work with his left. Break away. Rally. Biggs down. Betting still six to four on the gown-boy.

1852, William Makepeace Thackeray, “The Fight at Slaughter House”, in Men's Wives, page 17:

(archaic, boxing) Repeatedly striking an opponent's head while holding them in a headlock; a pummelling; a drubbing; a beating.


en garde

(fencing) Used to warn one's opponent to take a defensive position prior to a fight.


en garde

(fencing) Ellipsis of en garde position.; the start position in fencing.


on guard

en-adj

on guard (comparative more on guard, superlative most on guard)

more on guard (comparative)
most on guard (superlative)

We fall on guard, and after all it is a friend who comes to meet us.

1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque:

(fencing) The starting position of a fencing bout; en garde.


sword hand

(fencing) The hand in which one's sword is normally held.


sixte

Borrowed from French sixte, from Middle French sixte, from Old French siste, sixte, modification of sexte (“sixth”) (a borrowing from Latin sextus) after sis (“six”).

(fencing) The sixth defensive position, with the sword hand held at chest height, and the tip of the sword at eye level.


circular parry

en-noun

circular parry (plural circular parries)

(fencing): a defensive move in fencing; a parry in which the blade moves in a circle to block an opponent's attack from the opposite side from which it started (sometimes called a contra- or counter-parry)


doublé

(fencing) A compound attack that deceives the opponent's attempted circular parry.


rassemblement

(fencing) The bringing together of both feet, with the body upright, in order to outreach an opponent.


high line

(fencing) The target area above the opponent's midriff.


low line

(fencing) The target area below the opponent's midriff.


glissade

(fencing) A fencing move that may disarm the opponent.


sword arm

(fencing) The arm in which one's sword is normally held.


compound attack

compound attack (plural compound attacks)

(fencing) An attack consisting of more than one feint.


épéeist

(fencing) A fencer who competes with an épée sword.


koka

koka (countable and uncountable, plural kokas)

The referee shall announce "koka" (almost yuko) when in his opinion the technique applied by the contestant merits the score of koka (almost yuko). Should either contestant score two or further kokas, then the referee shall announce them as they are scored but shall not stop the contest for that reason.

1978, AAU Official Rules, Judo, Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, page 15:

As with yukos, kokas are not accumulative, so no amount of kokas are deemed equal to or greater than a yuko.

2008, Roy Inman, The Judo Handbook, page 25:

(judo) The smallest technical score that can be awarded in a judo competition.


beatdown

beatdown (countable and uncountable, plural beatdowns)

Deverbal from beat down; influenced by earlier throwdown.

(professional wrestling, slang) A prescribed situation, usually to advance an angle or establish character, where two or more wrestlers severely beat up another wrestler or performer.


black belt

(martial arts) The highest belt colour in various martial arts.

حِزَام أَسْوَد

highest belt color in various martial arts

Raymond is a black belt in karate.

(martial arts) Someone who has attained the black belt in martial arts.

not used in Finnish (instead say jollakulla on musta vyö "someone has a black belt")


ATA

American Taekwondo Association
w:American Taekwondo Association

(martial arts) Initialism of American Taekwondo Association.


pressure point

For this strike, if your thumb is tucked correctly, you should hit the pressure point where their arm meets their shoulder.

(martial arts) A specific small area of the body targeted, due to a cluster of nerves being close to the skin, usually not protected by bone.


back slap

(martial arts) A controlled landing, slapping to the mat with one's back.


green belt

From green (adjective) + belt (“band worn around the waist; thing resembling a belt, a strip or stripe”).

compound

When the club is fully developed and has a reasonable spectrum of ranks in it, the training schedule should be stable to encourage the habit of training. […] The advanced (above green belt) class meets for an additional hour, three times per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).

1995, Elmar T. Schmeisser, “The University Dojo: Teaching a Traditional Martial Art in a Nontraditional Setting”, in Carol A. Wiley, editor, Martial Arts Teachers on Teaching (Io Series; 53), Berkeley, Calif.: Frog, North Atlantic Books, →ISBN, page 129:

He estimates it was around 1964 when the Japanese stylists of karate brought in the green belt to bridge the gap between white and brown.

2011, Yvonne Cruz, “Cruz Karate Studios”, in Grandmaster Freddie G. Cruz: Biography of a True Legend in the Martial Arts World, [S.l.]: Bookemon, →ISBN, page 217:

Any green belt martial artist could've done that. Because they were just ordinary goons, hired guns.

2014 October, Sharit Sinha, “The Revelation”, in Blood Rush, 3rd edition, [S.l.]: Sharit Sinha, published December 2017, →ISBN, page 36:

A belt which is green in colour worn by a person who has achieved a certain (usually intermediate) level of skill in a martial art, especially judo or karate; also, the level of skill represented by this belt.

vihreä vyö

belt which is green in colour worn by a person who has achieved a certain (usually intermediate) level of skill in a martial art; the level of skill represented by this belt

After a month I distinctly remember one of the ‘green belts’ giving me a thorough but gentle working over in one of the sparring sessions, I was impressed not just with his ability to defeat me, but with the ease with which he did it.

2012, Noel C., “What Karate Means to Me”, in Tom Hill, editor, Essays for Black Belt, Luton, Bedfordshire: Andrews UK, →ISBN, page 22:

Develop a career progression ladder for black belts and green belts.

[2012, T. M. Kubiak, “Mentoring Black Belts and Green Belts”, in The Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt Handbook, Milwaukee, Wis.: ASQ Quality Press, →ISBN, part V (Mentoring Responsibilities), page 306:

A person who has earned the rank of green belt in a martial art.


finisher

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-finisher.wav

A thundering right to the head bent him back over the ropes, and then, just as I was setting myself for the finisher, I felt somebody jerking my pants leg […]

1934 June, Robert E. Howard, “General Ironfist”, in Jack Dempsey's Fight Magazine:

(boxing) The blow that ends a fight; the knock-out blow.


selfbow

From self (“having its own or a single nature or character throughout without addition or change, unmixed; (archery) of a bow: made from a single piece of wood”, adjective) + bow.

With reſpect to a bow being made round, we muſt recollect, that [Roger] Aſcham ſpeaks of a ſelf'''-bow; which, it ſeems, was made round as well as the back as in the belly: but back'd-bows have almoſt always a flat back, to prevent their caſting.

1801, T[homas] Roberts, “Of the Bow”, in The English Bowman, or Tracts on Archery; […], London: […] [F]or the author, by C. Roworth, […]; [s]old by Mr. [Thomas] Edgerton, […]; [a]lso by Mr. [Thomas] Waring, […], →OCLC, section III (Of Proving the Bow), page 141:

Many Archers use a piece of waxed cloth, which is of great utility, as it not only gives the Bow a polish, but is a preventative against damps penetrating; this precaution however, is not so much required for self Bows, as backed ones. Self Bows are made of one piece of wood only, and that is generally of yew, but the long known difficulty of procuring good English yew, has compelled Bow makers of late years, to resort to various other woods, all containing great spring, but little pliability; the deficiency of the latter is amply supplied by the addition of a slip of ash, or some other tough wood glued to them; the toughness of the one combined to the elasticity of the other, both acting in conjunction, make capital Bows, and these it is that are called back'd Bows.

1820, Thomas Waring, “Attitude in Shooting”, in A Treatise on Archery; or, The Art of Shooting with the Long Bow. […], 2nd edition, London: […] A. Seale [for Thomas Waring], →OCLC, page 21:

[A] backed bow does not exceed a self bow, except that it is thought by some to be pleasanter and easier to draw, especially in the last inch, and of quicker cast.

1831, T[homas] B[urgeland] Johnson, “BOW”, in The Sportsman’s Cyclopedia; […], London: Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper, […], →OCLC, page 78:

I once made a beautiful self-bow from a large branch of yew, which was amputated, after two valuable coach-horses had been poisoned by feeding on its leaves.

1840, George Agar Hansard, “Section VIII. Of Yew Trees, Yew Bows, &c. &c.”, in The Book of Archery, London: Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longmans, […], →OCLC, footnote *, page 350:

Modern bows are of two kinds, viz. self bows and backed bows. The self bow is composed of only one kind of wood; but the backed bow is composed of two kinds of wood, both the full length of the bow, carefully joined together.

1845, [Jane] Loudon, “Letter XVIII. Archery: Targets; Self Bows and Backed Bows; …”, in The Lady’s Country Companion; or, How to Enjoy a Country Life Rationally, London: […] [Andrew Spottiswoode] for Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, […], →OCLC, book V (Country Amusements), page 366:

The self-bow is the real old Engish weapon; the one with which the many mighty deeds that rendered this country renowned in times gone by were performed; […] Of the woods for self-bows, Yew beyond all question carries off the palm; other woods have been, and still are, in use, such as lance, Cocus, Washaba, Rose, Snake, and some others; but they may be summarily dismissed with the remark, that self-bows made of these woods are all, without exception radically bad, being heavy in hand, apt to jar, comparatively dull in cast, and very liable to chrysal and break, and that no archer should use them so long as a self-yew or a good backed-bow is within his reach.

1856, Horace A[lfred] Ford, “Of the Bow”, in Archery: Its Theory and Practice, London: J. Buchanan, […]; Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: H[enry] Davies, […], →OCLC, page 14:

Bows were of several types. Most common was a selfbow (a bow made of a single piece of wood with no laminating materials) of springy wood tapering toward both ends and sometimes narrowed at the grip.

1995, Harvey Markowitz, “Bows, Arrows, and Quivers”, in American Indians (A Magill Book), volumes 1 (A–Hay), Pasadena, Calif.; Hackensack, N.J.: Salem Press, →ISBN; republished in Carole A. Barrett, Harvey J. Markowitz, editors, American Indian Culture (Magill’s Choice), volumes 1 (Acorns–Headdresses), Pasadena, Calif.; Hackensack, N.J.: Salem Press, 2004, →ISBN, page 148:

If the design of the weapon is moderate enough to be successful as an all wood selfbow then the addition of sinew and horn will probably result in a net loss of arrow performance.

2001, Hari Heath, “Wood under Stress”, in David Wescott, editor, Primitive Technology II: Ancestral Skills […], Salt Lake City, Ut.: Gibbs Smith, →ISBN, section 4 (Projectiles—Bows and Arrows), page 106, column 1:

The recurved bow design originated in antiquity when the longbow, or self[-]bow, made entirely from wood, was reinforced with animal sinew to produce adequate energy in a shorter bow suitable for mounted archers.

2005, Tom Airhart, “Personal Gear”, in Elk Hunting Guide: Skills, Gear, and Insight, Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, →ISBN, page 259:

(archery) A bow made from a single piece of wood (often referred to as a bow stave).


TKO

/ˈtiː ˈkeɪ ˈəʊ/

technical knockout
technical knockout#English

(martial arts) Initialism of technical knockout.


Krav Maga

/kɹɑːv məˈɡɑː/

From Hebrew קרב מגע (k'ráv-magá), literally “contact combat”.

(martial arts) A hand-to-hand combat system developed by the Israel Defense Forces that consists of a wide combination of martial arts techniques along with realistic fight training.


on the ropes

The champ had his opponent on the ropes at the end of the third round and knocked him out in the fourth.

(boxing, professional wrestling) Leaning against the ropes of the boxing ring, as when exhausted and nearing defeat or collapse.

köysissä

leaning against the ropes of the boxing ring, as when exhausted and nearing defeat or collapse


counterpunch

en-verb

counterpunch (third-person singular simple present counterpunches, present participle counterpunching, simple past and past participle counterpunched)

counterpunches (present singular third-person)
counterpunching (participle present)
counterpunched (participle past)
counterpunched (past)

(boxing) To deliver a punch designed to exploit an opponent's momentary defensive weakness caused by a punch thrown by the opponent.


WBC

World Boxing Council
w:World Boxing Council

(boxing) Initialism of World Boxing Council, one of several sanctioning bodies in professional boxing.


veny

Alteration of French venue. Doublet of venue.

It is not, as at Fence, where the number of venies [tr. touches] given, gets the victorie: So long as the enemie is on foot, a man is newly to begin.

1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 47, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:


PWA

Pro Wrestling America
w:Pro Wrestling America

(professional wrestling) Initialism of Pro Wrestling America.

Pro Wrestling Alliance
Pro Wrestling Alliance#English

(professional wrestling) Initialism of Pro Wrestling Alliance.

(professional wrestling, Canada) Initialism of Pure Wrestling Association.


centerline

You might already know that, I don't know, but since you are training at home I didn't want you to be weaving wildly on each side of the rope - the goal is to pop up as tight as possible to the center line.

2005 July 31, Vovchanchyn Fan, “Re: Bob and weaving drill”, in Sherdog (Usenet):

take his lead leg out from under him. Just dont it when he is going for a power jab, just make sure your heads out of the center line

2006 January 3, Justin Pressley, “Re: having problems whilst sparring”, in Sherdog (Usenet):

(martial arts, boxing) An imaginary line connecting the center of two fighters' bodies while they face each other.


MMA

en-noun

MMA (countable and uncountable, plural MMAs)

Mark Zuckerberg shares photos from the hospital after undergoing knee surgery for a torn ACL suffered during MMA training.

2023 November 4, “Mark Zuckerberg tears ACL while training for MMA fight early next year”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

mixed martial arts
mixed martial arts#English

(martial arts) Initialism of mixed martial arts.


cage match

(professional wrestling) An event in which wrestlers battle in an enclosed location, escaping over the top to win.


allonge

Borrowed from French allonge (“a lengthening”). Doublet of lunge.


throwdown

Deverbal from throw down. Fight and music senses from earlier idiom throw down the gauntlet (“issue a challenge”).

(slang, wrestling) A fall, indicating defeat.


chicken wing

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-chicken wing.wav

(wrestling) A particular wrestling move.


disengagement

disengagement (countable and uncountable, plural disengagements)

There was a quick flash, a disengagement, a feint, a lunge that was like a man's, and as her long left arm shot out like lightning, her foil bent nearly double.

1895, Francis Marion Crawford, chapter 23, in Taquisara:

(fencing) A circular movement of the blade that blocks an opponent's parry.


DDP

Diamond Dallas Page
w:Diamond Dallas Page

(professional wrestling) Initialism of Diamond Dallas Page.


tai chi

tai chi (usually uncountable, plural tai chis)

From Mandarin 太極／太极 (tàijí), Wade–Giles romanization: tʻai⁴-chi². Doublet of taegeuk.

zh-l

太極／太极 (tàijí)

Participants perform Tai Chi at a square in Jiefang District during a worldwide Tai Chi activity on October 18, 2015, in Jiaozuo, Henan Province.

2016 March 31, Alan Taylor, “More of the Chinese Art of the Crowd”, in The Atlantic, archived from the original on 2016-04-05:

(martial arts) A soft form of martial art developed in China.


Death Valley driver

en-noun

Death Valley driver (plural Death Valley drivers)

(wrestling) A move in which the wrestler throws the opponent off their shoulders and falls in the direction that the opponent's head is facing, driving the opponent's head or back into the mat.


traverse

en-verb

traverse (third-person singular simple present traverses, present participle traversing, simple past and past participle traversed)

traverses (present singular third-person)
traversing (participle present)
traversed (participle past)
traversed (past)

From Middle English traversen, from Old French traverser, from Latin trans (“across”) + versus (“turned”), perfect passive participle of Latin vertere (“to turn”).

(intransitive, fencing) To use the motions of opposition or counteraction.


pinfall

en-noun

pinfall (countable and uncountable, plural pinfalls)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pinfall.wav

Cohen is best known for the confidence he displays on the wrestling mat, . . . stringing one move after another until he hears the referee's hand slap the mat to signal a pinfall.

2005 February 3, Jon Gallo, “Hammond's Cohen an Artist on the Mat”, in Washington Post, retrieved 2008-07-14:

(wrestling, countable) A victorious maneuver in which both of an opponent's shoulders are held against the mat for a prescribed period of time.


sonkyo

From Japanese 蹲踞 (sonkyo), from Middle Chinese 蹲踞 (MC dzwon kjoH).

(sumo) The calm, straight-backed squat, following the shiko exercises, in mental preparation for the tachiai


count out

en-verb

count out (third-person singular simple present counts out, present participle counting out, simple past and past participle counted out)

counts out (present singular third-person)
counting out (participle present)
counted out (participle past)
counted out (past)

The champ was knocked unconscious and counted out in the third round.

en:determine that (a competitor) has lost a match

(transitive, boxing, wrestling, professional wrestling) To determine that a competitor has lost a match, by a referee's enumeration aloud of the increments of time for which the competitor has been incapacitated.


pankration

From Ancient Greek παγκράτιον (pankrátion, “all powers”).

der

(martial arts) An Ancient Greek martial art combining aspects of boxing and wrestling, introduced in the Greek Olympic games in 648 BC.


right cross

(boxing) A cross (hook thrown over the opponent's punch) made with the right hand


piledriver

(professional wrestling) A move in which the wrestler applies a front waist lock, then drives the opponent's head into the mat by falling to his knees or backside.


ground game

en-noun

ground game (countable and uncountable, plural ground games)

He didn't show a lot of ground game in that fight, but his advantage was on the feet, so that's understandable.

2007 September 8, Scott Sherman, Gerald Harris, “Scott's UFC 75 picks”, in Salt Lake Tribune, archived from the original on 2008-04-05:

(martial arts) Hand-to-hand combat in which both fighters are on the ground, or skill in such combat


rope-a-dope

He sounded like a retired boxer who'd specialized in the rope-a-dope.

I went into my own version of Ali's rope-a-dope, ducking as many of the heavy blows as I could, and waiting for some kind of idea to come to me.

(boxing) A technique in which the boxer assumes a defensive stance against the ropes and absorbs an opponent's blows, hoping to exploit eventual tiredness or a mistake.


chokehold

He put his opponent in a chokehold.

(martial arts, wrestling) A grappling hold around the neck that cuts off the flow of air to the brain.


one-two punch

(boxing) A combination of two punches, one from each hand, thrown in rapid succession.


cruiserweight

(boxing, British, obsolete) light heavyweight

(boxing) A boxer weighing less than 200lb; heavier than a light heavyweight and lighter than a heavyweight.

(wrestling) A wrestler weighing less than 210lb; heavier than a light heavyweight and lighter than a heavyweight.


epeeist

(fencing) Somebody who fences with an epee.


footsweep

(martial arts) Alternative spelling of foot sweep


foot sweep

(martial arts) Any of several moves used to trip an opponent by forcefully moving one's legs horizontally at the feet or ankles of one's opponent.


nonheavyweight

De La Hoya’s 17 pay-per-view events — including 1.4 million for his loss to Felix Trinidad in 1999, the most ever for a nonheavyweight bout — have grossed $492 million.

2007 May 3, Richard Sandomir, “All About Money for De La Hoya and Mayweather”, in New York Times:

(boxing) In a weight class other than heavyweight


superwelterweight

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. had just defeated Oscar De La Hoya in their superwelterweight title bout in a split decision Saturday night when a controversy threatened to delay, if not upend, his victory.

2007 May 6, Richard Sandomir, “Mayweather Wins Decision Over De La Hoya”, in New York Times:

(boxing) Pertaining to a weight class between 67.7 and 69.9 kilograms, at the boundary between middleweight and welterweight


GTS

w:Professional wrestling strikes#Go 2 Sleep

(professional wrestling) Initialism of Go 2 Sleep.


counterpuncher

(boxing) A boxer who commonly counterpunches.


superheavyweight

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(boxing) Of or pertaining to the weight class for boxers exceeding 91 kilograms in body weight.


cornerman

(boxing) A coach, trainer or other assistant who attends to a boxer between rounds.


mandritta

(fencing) A blow from the right side to the left.


Queer Street

In any event, the German slugger nailed down 21 of his 39 victories by putting his opponent on Queer Street via the knockout route.

1957 August 10, “Cronin's Corner”, in Los Angeles Times:

Frazier had him on Queer Street in the 11th round. ... He was glad he got off Queer Street.

1971 March 9, “In the Wake of the News”, in Chicago Tribune:


glass jaw

An allusion to glass being easily breakable.

"How was I to know that big ape had a glass jaw?"

1989, Bryce Courtenay, The Power of One, →ISBN, page 109:

Early in Ali's career, experts believed he had what's called a glass jaw—that he would fall after the first big punch. He was now proving that he could take a punch, but each punch chipped away at his health.

[2010, Stephen Timblin, Muhammad Ali: King of the Ring, Sterling, →ISBN, page 101:

(chiefly boxing) A fighting vulnerability where one is easily knocked out via a single hard blow to the chin or jaw (due to lack of conditioning, insufficient training, or damage from past cerebral concussions).


judogi

Borrowed from Japanese 柔(じゅう)道(どう)着(ぎ) (jūdōgi).

(judo) The uniform used for judo practice and competition, based on traditional Japanese clothing.


puncto

From Latin punctum via Italian punto. Doublet of punto and ponto.


barebow

(archery) Unassisted, with just a bow and no additional aids such as sights.


P.R.

[…] the biggest so-called boxer that ever sported buff in the P.R., in the person of Charles Freeman, weighing 18st., and standing 6ft. 10½in. in his stocking feet.

Henry Downes Miles, Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing (volume 3)

(boxing, archaic) Initialism of prize ring.


bowshot

It is, however, interesting in connection with that fact to remember that the last bowshot in English warfare was fired during the Civil War.

1900, Edward Walford, John Charles Cox, George Latimer Apperson, The Antiquary, page 113:

(archery) The act of firing an arrow from a bow.


chinny

en-adj

chinny (comparative chinnier, superlative chinniest)

chinnier (comparative)
chinniest (superlative)


jab artist

(boxing) A boxer who fights with short jab-like punches.


deflex

(archery, of a bow) Having the arms curved or curled at the base so as to turn towards the archer when unstrung, reducing the strain on the limbs and also the energy stored by the weapon.


bladed stance

(martial arts) A stance in which one foot is in front of the other and the body is at an angle to a person in front (who may become aggressive)


Bruceploitation

From Bruce (“Bruce Lee”) + -sploitation.

(film, martial arts) a genre of exploitation film that exploits the legacy of Bruce Lee through copycats.


shadow boxing

(boxing) The action of practicing moves where the opponent is the boxer's own shadow.

σκιαμαχία

practicing boxing moves against one's shadow


mixed martial arts

Alternative form: MMA

Though mixed martial arts has successfully peeled away fans from boxing (a sport that’s lost any compelling champions and much of its dignity) and WWE (a “sport” that’s always existed in quotation marks) it’s had trouble shaking its reputation as “human cockfighting.”

2002 April 19, Scott Tobias, “Fightville”, in AV Club:

Other top talent in the Central Vision library includes Black Belt Hall of Fame members Ernie Reyes Sr., Frank Shamrock, Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, mixed-martial arts champion Pat Miletich, breaking champion Larry Fields and Olympic judo medalist Mike Swain.

2003 November, “Century Completes 100th Martial Arts Video”, in Black Belt, page 111:

Jiu jitsu competitions are vastly different from mixed martial arts, as they are grappling-only, and if an athlete does well in jiu jitsu, it doesn't guarantee that he'll also do well in mixed martial arts (and vice versa).

2005, Jeremy Wall, UFC′s Ultimate Warriors: The Top Ten, page 202:

Mixed martial arts is essentially about making the opponent tire out before you do so you are at an advantage in dealing devastating moves.

2008, Mickey Dimic, Christopher Miller, Mixed Martial Arts Unleashed: Mastering the Most Effective Moves for Victory, page 20:

(sports, martial arts) A style of combat sport allowing a wide range of combat techniques such as striking and grappling.


wristwork

[...] in actual fact the Gresley Pacifics are not difficult to fire; the accurate wristwork needed to shoot the coal into the back corners of the grate calls for knack rather than brute force.

1941 May, O. S. Nock, “The Locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley: Part III—The "A1" Pacifics”, in Railway Magazine, pages 196–197:

(in particular, fencing) movement of the hand without movement of the arm


outland

en-verb

outland (third-person singular simple present outlands, present participle outlanding, simple past and past participle outlanded)

outlands (present singular third-person)
outlanding (participle present)
outlanded (participle past)
outlanded (past)

(martial arts) To land more (punches, kicks etc.) than.


senton

(professional wrestling) A variation of a splash in which a wrestler jumps, sometimes from a raised platform such as the top turnbuckle, and lands back first on an opponent lying below.


superkick

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(professional wrestling) A high side thrust kick attack, which sees the wrestler use the sole of the foot to strike an opponent's head or chin.

Thirty minutes later this superkick landed me, when I came crashing back to earth, at the door of the Egyptian tomb.

1920, The Saturday Evening Post, Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, page 129:

"Mere you-tickle-me-I-tickle you stuff. No Urge^([sic]) about that sort of thing; no Superkick;—well Starfire, if you know what I mean!"— she said it shyly, being young enough and Anglo-Saxon enough, to dread the language.

1933, Eleanor Mercein Kelly, Arabesque, Harper & Brothers, page 231:

Lori Couto's SUPERKICK?

1980, Berkley Middle School Yearbook, Berkley Public Library, page 29:

At the end of the season, in December, they have a competitive and hilarious “superkick,’ a contest measuring accuracy, distance, and style (“style meaning how mongrelly your kicks are”), but that’s generally the extent of formal ceremony, a fact Kelly savors.

2004, Brian Doyle, Spirited Men: Story, Soul & Substance, Cowley Publications, →ISBN, page 127:

(martial arts, video games, fantasy, science fiction, rare) An extremely strong kick, performed with proficiency, which differs from the common wrestling variation.


superkick

superkick (third-person singular simple present superkicks, present participle superkicking, simple past and past participle superkicked)

superkicks (present singular third-person)
superkicking (participle present)
superkicked (participle past)
superkicked (past)

(professional wrestling) to perform a superkick


ringcraft

Episode 12, The Cyclops
Handicapped as he was by lack of poundage, Dublin's pet lamb made up for it by superlative skill in ringcraft.

They said that Hatton lacked authority in his jab and his ringcraft but they never cast a shadow over his fighting heart.

2007, The Independent, James Lawton: Hatton is open about his failings as the door...:

2010, Gareth A Davies, The Telegraph online version (blog); December 14 2010 Amir Khan v Marcos Maidana: Fight of the year ?
Khan moved to 24-1 with this victory – Maidana to 29-2 – and showed the edge in speed and ringcraft. But Maidana, a wall of stone with a granite chin, barely took a backward step.

(boxing) Tactical skill and positioning in the boxing ring.


roundhouse kick

en-noun

roundhouse kick (plural roundhouse kicks)

(martial arts) A kick in which the attacker swings his/her leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot.


underhold

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(wrestling) An unfair seizing of an opponent under the arms.


DTD

December to Dismember
w:December to Dismember

(sports, professional wrestling) Initialism of December to Dismember.


ninpō

(martial arts) ninjutsu; Alternative form of ninpo


minimumweight

The Japanese boxer Yutaka Niida stopped the challenger José Varela of Venezuela in the sixth round on in Tokyo to defend his W.B.A. minimumweight title.

2008 March 2, The Associated Press, “Niida Wins in Title Defense”, in New York Times:

(boxing) The lowest weight class in professional boxing, where boxers may weigh no more than 105 pounds (48 kg).


strawweight

strawweight (countable and uncountable, plural strawweights)

(mixed martial arts) the weight class of 106-115 lbs, above atomweight and below flyweight


meat safe

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“[…] but Bob ’e jumps inside an’ ’e lets ’im ’ave it plumb square on the meat safe as ’ard as ever the Lord would let ’im put it in.”

1896, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 10, in Rodney Stone,, London: Smith, Elder, page 172:

[…] with him carryin’ his guard high, and leavin’ the way to his meat safe open half the time, it was all I could do to hold myself back.

1908, Sewell Ford, chapter 14, in Side-Stepping with Shorty, New York: Mitchell Kennerley, page 221:


put over

en-verb

put over (third-person singular simple present puts over, present participle putting over, simple past and past participle put over)

puts over (present singular third-person)
putting over (participle present)
put over (participle past)
put over (past)

(professional wrestling slang) To increase the popularity or prove the legitimacy of another wrestler, usually by losing to them.


caveating

Caveating is so necessary a motion in fencing, that without it there could be scarcely any offensive part, or pursuit.

(fencing) Shifting the sword from one side of an adversary's sword to the other.


crossbody

(wrestling) a move in which a wrestler jumps onto his opponent and lands horizontally across the opponent's torso, forcing them to the mat.


canned heat

(professional wrestling) Pre-recorded cheering or booing played during a match.


backfall

(wrestling) A fall or throw on the back.


inturn

From Middle English inturn, intorn, equivalent to in- + turn.

(wrestling) A move where the wrestler puts his thigh between the tights of his opponent, and lifts him up.


jabroni

ECW
Hulk Hogan
Iron Sheik
Scott Hall
Steve Austin
Thomas Happer Taylor
WCW

According to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who popularized the term, he borrowed jabroni from the Iron Sheik, who used the word backstage.
Prior to jabroni being popularized by Johnson, the term had also been used by Scott Hall, Hulk Hogan, and other members of WCW and Steve Austin while in ECW.
Jabroni is a specialized rendition of the wrestling term jobber (“one who loses to make other wrestlers look better”). It is perhaps a humorous pseudo-Italianized form of it (see popular Italian words in American lexicon, e.g. macaroni, pepperoni, Zamboni), but compare American slang/dialectal jiboney (“naive person, immigrant, hoodlum, fool”) (first attested in c. 1990), of unclear origin. Surmised in a 1994 Los Angeles Times article to be from Italian-American slang Italian giabone (“self-important fool”), from Piedmontese giambone, from dialectal giambon (“ham (bone)”). Ultimately from French jambon (“ham”), and first attested by Thomas Happer Taylor in his 1967 novel A-18, although claims of hearing the term date to at least c. 1953.
It may also be derived from Italian caprone (“stupid person”, literally “goat”).

der+

Get out of this, uh, jabroni outfit.

1999, Matthew Moore, Lords of the Lockerroom, spoken by Mark Wolff (Mark Wolff), Can-Am Productions:

A jobber—also known as jabroni, extra, and enhancement talent—is playing the part of getting beat all the time.

2004, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan with Steve Anderson, Chair Shots and Other Obstacles: Winning Life's Wrestling Matches, →ISBN, page 148:

(professional wrestling slang) A performer whose primary role is to lose to established talent.


resthold

(wrestling) a light hold used to regain energy during a match


piledrive

en-verb

piledrive (third-person singular simple present piledrives, present participle piledriving, simple past piledrove, past participle piledriven)

piledrives (present singular third-person)
piledriving (participle present)
piledrove (past)
piledriven (participle past)

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"Any wrestler who will piledrive Lawler and injure him like he did me gets five thousand dollars from me!"

2002, Jerry Lawler, Doug Asheville, It's Good to Be the King...Sometimes, page 199:

Anyway, back in the ring, Jericho works on the cut, but Shawn fights off both guys and tries to piledrive Jericho on the grating. Jericho reverses as the match kind of drifts along without a purpose.

2004, Scott Keith, Wrestling's One Ring Circus, page 114:

As a tribute to the burgeoning popularity of hardcore wrestling, Jerry agreed to piledrive someone through a wooden table to the concrete below.

2006, Brian Fritz, Christopher Murray, Between the Ropes: Wrestling's Greatest Triumphs and Failures, page 70:


pinhold

...into a take-down hold and possibly a pinhold— that pins his shoulders to the mat

1936, The Youth's Companion Combined with American Boy, page 23:

Then he was to lock his arms around his opponent's two arms and, using them as a lever, fall backward to the mat, then roll over. If it all worked, Jess would come up on top with a double armlock and body-press pinhold.

1971 January, Sam Barnes, “Standup to Victory”, in Boys' Life, volume 61, number 1:

Legs may serve to harass the opponent, as with the cokkbur; to anchor the lower part of the body, as when applying a stretcher, to deter action by the opponent, as used when applying a double wristlock; for control, as in a cross-body ride or guillotine, in lieu of arms, as in the figure-four head scissors; to trip, as in one variation of the double-leg takedown; to overcome the strength of an arm, as in a near-arm grapevine far-side half nelson; or to turn the opponent, as with the inverted cross-body pinhold.

1975, Warren J. Boring, Science and Skills of Wrestling, page 66:

(wrestling, professional wrestling) A hold in which the opponent is pinned to the mat.


overbow

overbow (third-person singular simple present overbows, present participle overbowing, simple past and past participle overbowed)

overbows (present singular third-person)
overbowing (participle present)
overbowed (participle past)
overbowed (past)

/ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈbəʊ/

/ˈəʊvə(ɹ)ˌbəʊ/

Another characteristic of an "overbowed" archer can readily be observed by watching the alignment of his back while he is shooting.

1963, Arnold Otto Haugen, Harland G. Metcalf, Field Archery and Bowhunting, page 12:

I know you've heard it before, but no advice on bow selection or shooting would be complete without saying it: Don't “overbow” yourself! Start with a light- to moderate-weight bow and work up if you feel the need to be shooting something heavier.

2016, Ron Rohrbaugh Jr, A Traditional Bowhunter's Path, page 23:

I don't want to overbow a customer because if I do, they're going to get turned off to traditional archery.

2007, Dan Bertalan, The Traditional Bowyers Encyclopedia:

Don't be tempted to overbow yourself — to use limbs that are too heavy for you.

2023, Ben Hastings, The Intermediate Archer:

(archery, transitive) To provide (an archer) with a bow that requires more strength than the archer can fully draw.

The tendency of all archers is to overbow.

1940, Ye Sylvan Archer - Volumes 12-15, page 4:

The most important rule for anyone thinking of making a bow is not to overbow or underbow. The bow at full draw should be just at the limit of the shooter's strength.

2011, Erik Roth, With a Bended Bow: Archery in Mediaeval and Renaissance Europe:

(archery, intransitive) To use a bow that requires more strength than the archer can fully draw.


LBF

(boxing) Initialism of Luxembourg Boxing Federation.


redoublement

en-noun

redoublement (countable and uncountable, plural redoublements)


flatbow

(archery) a bow with non-recurved, flat, relatively wide limbs that are approximately rectangular in cross-section.


composite bow

(archery) a bow made from horn, wood, and sinew laminated together.


hiper

A tall wrestler who is an expert hiper is always a terror to a man of smaller stature. Edward Norman, of Carlisle, who stands close on six feet, is at present the best hiper in England.

1890, Walter Armstrong, Wrestling, page 14:

(wrestling) A wrestler who uses the hipe technique.


victory roll

(professional wrestling) A wrestling pin in which the attacking wrestler jumps onto the opponent's shoulders from behind and rolls forward. As the attacker flips over, they hook the opponent's shoulders with their legs, flipping the opponent over onto their shoulders. The attacker hooks both of the opponent's legs to hold them in place for the pin.


taijiquan

From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of Mandarin 太極拳／太极拳 (tàijíquán).

zh-l

太極拳／太极拳 (tàijíquán)

Chinese martial arts have existed for well over 3,000 years. Wrestling and swordsmanship both have a long history, as do Chinese Internal Alchemy and breathing methods. These disparate elements, married by Yin Yang theory, became what we now call Tai Chi Chuan.

[2009, Dan Docherty, Tai Chi Chuan: Decoding the Classics for the Modern Martial Artist, Crowood Press, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 11:


save by the bell

en-verb

save by the bell (third-person singular simple present saves by the bell, present participle saving by the bell, simple past and past participle saved by the bell)

saves by the bell (present singular third-person)
saving by the bell (participle present)
saved by the bell (participle past)
saved by the bell (past)

With 35 seconds left in the fight, the Siberian Rocky landed a lethal right hook that staggered Bradley and forced him to take a knee following a few more hard blows, thus saving Bradley by the bell.

2013 December 30, “Behind The Gloves 2013 Picks!”, in behindthegloves.com, retrieved 2014-01-22:

(transitive, boxing, wrestling) In a boxing or wrestling match or similar competition, to ring the bell which concludes the round and thereby to prevent a competitor who has been knocked down from being counted out by the referee.


saved by the bell

Forrest floored Mosley again at the end of the round and almost finished him, but Mosley was saved by the bell.

2002 July 19, Damon Hack, “Boxing: Despite Not Having the Title, Mosley Garners Attention”, in New York Times, retrieved 2014-01-06:

(boxing, wrestling, of a competitor) In a boxing or wrestling match or similar competition, spared from being counted out by the referee by the ringing of the bell which concludes the round.


draw weight

The enormous draw weight of the English longbow required archers to train from a very young age to be capable of using it.

She figured her bow had only a forty-pound draw weight, but it was enough.

2021, Rivers Solomon, Sorrowland, #Merky Books, page 27:

(archery) The force (weight) required to draw a bow to its fully-cocked position.


taekwondoka

< taekwondo, formed according to the pattern of judoka and karateka. Consists of the Korean word 태권도 (taegwondo) and the Japanese word 家.

(martial arts) A person who is skilled in taekwondo; a practitioner of taekwondo.


body blow

He led at Berks's head, as he came rushing in, and missed him, receiving a severe body blow in return.

1896, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 11, in Rodney Stone:

A severely injurious or damaging physical strike or impact.

(boxing) A hard punch struck to the torso.


lady paramount

en-noun

lady paramount (plural ladies paramount)

(archery) The lady who achieves the best score in archery.


hyah

(martial arts) a vocalisation used when performing a technique or striking a blow


forearm smash

(wrestling) A charge at the opponent followed by a strike in the chest or face with a forearm to force them back and down to the mat.


osotogari

(judo) A throw in which (right-handed version) tori steps next to uke with his left leg and reaps uke's right leg (at the back of the thigh) with his right leg.


randori

(Japanese martial arts) Freestyle practice, such as one-on-one sparring.


aim-crier

(archery) One who encouraged an archer by crying "Aim!" when he was about to shoot.


JKD

(informal, martial arts) Initialism of Jeet Kune Do.


sumotori

His past was evident in his small office, crowded with his wrestling trophies and certificates, but most intriguing to Hiroshi were the photos of sumotori that lined the wall—their bulky, imposing bodies filling the space around them.

2007, Gail Tsukiyama, The Street of a Thousand Blossoms: A Novel, page 47:


hammer fist

(martial arts) A blow with a clenched fist, usually using the side of the hand or wrist


sagari

(sumo) The stiffened silk fronds inserted in the front of a mawashi.


speed bag

(boxing) A small air-filled punching bag anchored at the top to a rebound platform parallel to the ground.


bladejob

(professional wrestling) An act of blading, or intentionally cutting to provoke bleeding.


hip lock

(wrestling) A lock in which a close grip is obtained and a fall attempted by a heave over the hip.


infight

en-verb

infight (third-person singular simple present infights, present participle infighting, simple past and past participle infought)

infights (present singular third-person)
infighting (participle present)
infought (participle past)
infought (past)

Apparently a back-formation from infighting, perhaps continuing Middle English infighten (“to attack”), from Old English infiht, infeoht (“an attack made upon a person by another in the same house or between members of a household”), equivalent to in- + fight.

Be prepared to slip and duck his jab to infight or to counter with a quick punch to the head or body.

2004, Mark Hatmaker, Doug Werner, Boxing Mastery: Advanced Technique, Tactics, and Strategies from the Sweet Science, →ISBN, page 213:

Even if you're giving up reach in order to infight, standing at the end of your opponent's punch (impact position) isn't the way to do it.

2007, Alan Lachica, Doug Werner, Boxing's Ten Commandments, →ISBN, page 29:

Walker tried hard to close with his opponent, and infight, but by using both hands to good advantage Fus. Scott held his own.

2003, Peter B. Kyne, Captain Scraggs; Or, the Green-Pea Pirates, →ISBN, page 252:

"In a minute," said the commodore faintly. "He's so good I hate to hurt him. But I'll infight him to a finish."

1929, St. George's Gazette - Volume 47, page 247:

(boxing) To box while extremely close to an opponent


keikogi

(clothing, martial arts) A set of uniform worn while training in some Japanese martial arts


tac-au-tac

From French riposter du tac au tac (“to parry”), where tac imitates the sound made by the steel.

bor

(fencing) The parry which is connected with a riposte.

(fencing) A rapid series of attacks and parries in which neither fencer gains a point.


cross-buttock

(wrestling) A throw in which the wrestler turns his left side to his opponent, places his left leg across both legs of his opponent, and pulls him forward over his hip.


heelish

en-adj

heelish (comparative more heelish, superlative most heelish)

more heelish (comparative)
most heelish (superlative)

The heelish pair plotted to make everyone believe that their partnership was on its way out.

2002, Robert Picarello, Monsters of the Mat:

Grant argues that many takers are good at hiding their unpleasant side from potential benefactors... But that isn’t the entire story. It turns out that undisguised heelish behavior can often help you get ahead.

2015 June 7, “Why It Pays to Be a Jerk”, in The Atlantic:

(professional wrestling) Exhibiting the characteristics of a heel.


yuko

As with yukos, kokas are not accumulative, so no amount of kokas are deemed equal to or greater than a yuko.

2008, Roy Inman, The Judo Handbook, page 25:

(judo) The score for a throw that lands the opponent on his or her side.


body press

(wrestling) A splash; a move where the wrestler jumps forward from a raised platform such as the top turnbuckle, landing stomach first across an opponent lying on the ground below.


kisbet

From Turkish kispet, from Arabic كِسْوَة (kiswa).

(fashion, wrestling) A pair of loose-fitting leather trousers worn by wrestlers in Turkish oil wrestling competitions.


ridgehand

a ridgehand strike

(martial arts, chiefly attributive) A striking surface formed by tucking the thumb of the hand into the palm.


powerslam

(wrestling) A bodyslam move in which the wrestler falls face-down on top of the opponent.


powerslam

en-verb

powerslam (third-person singular simple present powerslams, present participle powerslamming, simple past and past participle powerslammed)

powerslams (present singular third-person)
powerslamming (participle present)
powerslammed (participle past)
powerslammed (past)

(wrestling, transitive) To perform such a move upon.


atomweight

en-noun

atomweight (countable and uncountable, plural atomweights)

(uncountable, martial arts, combat sports) The weight class below strawweight of less than 105 lbs.


uchi mata

(judo) A judo throw that uses the thigh to unbalance the opponent.


technical submission

technical submission (plural technical submissions)

(martial arts) A submission declared by a referee in cases when a participant has sustained an injury or becomes unconscious


dogfall

Lucky Ned Pepper said, “What is your intention? Do you think one on four is a dogfall?”

(wrestling) A fall in which both wrestlers touch the ground at the same time; hence, in extended use, any tie or stalemate.


lead with one's chin

en-verb

lead with one's chin (third-person singular simple present leads with one's chin, present participle leading with one's chin, simple past and past participle led with one's chin)

leads with one's chin (present singular third-person)
leading with one's chin (participle present)
led with one's chin (participle past)
led with one's chin (past)

(boxing) To leave one's chin unprotected.


take the count

take the count (third-person singular simple present takes the count, present participle taking the count, simple past took the count, past participle taken the count)

takes the count (present singular third-person)
taking the count (participle present)
took the count (past)
taken the count (participle past)

Apparently ignorant of the rules of the ring which permit a fighter knocked to the floor to take the count of nine, he staggered to his feet, only to be met with another blow before he could collect his senses sufficiently to 'cover?'

1916 December 19, Chris Cozzone, Jim Boggio, quoting Rocky Mountain News, Fighter is Killed at National Club by Blow on Head, 2013, quoted in Boxing in New Mexico, 1868-1940, →ISBN, page 184:

But if a boxer is knocked down, he can always take an 'eight' count and not get up after two or three seconds. Those extra five or six seconds give you a chance to clear your head. To try to gather your reflexes, come to yourself. A friend of mine, Ruby Kessler in Ebbets Field, we fought in the same show that night. And Pete Scanlon dropped 'im. And Ruby jumped right up, and he was shakin' and they were hollerin' from the corner, 'Get down, get down, take the count, take the count.'

2011, Allen Bodner, quoting Herbie Kronowitz, When Boxing Was a Jewish Sport, SUNY Press, →ISBN, page 143:

(boxing) To take to opportunity to rest briefly after being knocked down but before being counted out by the referee.


kayfabed

While some respectable sporting journals, most significantly Ring Magazine, continued to offer balanced (but kayfabed) coverage of wrestling, the ballyhoo-filled wrestling magazines came to be the main source of printed information for devotees.

2006, Scott M. Beekman, Ringside: A History of Professional Wrestling in America, Westport, Conn., London: Praeger Publishers, Greenwood Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 97:

He also lived in the bizarre, hazy world of half-truth, half-kayfabed fiction that wrestling in 2007 had become. Lest we forget just how far the line between reality and storyline was blurred, WWE refused to acknowledge the death of Sherri Martel because it would undermine the Vince is dead angle.

2008, Scott Keith, “Conclusion”, in Dungeon of Death: Chris Benoit and the Hart Family Curse, New York, N.Y.: Citadel Press Books, Kensington Publishing, →ISBN, page 193:

[King Kong] Bundy and I stood our ground and yelled shit at each other, acting like we were about to go to blows. Then I scuffed my feet, rubbed my hands together, and went for the slam. I picked him up about halfway before I felt him deadweight me, and I had to let go of him. I grabbed my back in kayfabed pain.

2011, Joe “Animal” Laurinaitis, Andrew William Wright, “Destroy Everything that Moves”, in The Road Warriors: Danger, Death, and the Rush of Wrestling, [St. Charles, Ill.]: Medallion Press, →ISBN, page 82:

(professional wrestling) Of events within the industry: portrayed as real, and not scripted or staged.


counterriposte

(fencing) A thrust delivered in response to the opponent's riposte.


crucifix position

en-noun

crucifix position (plural crucifix positions)

He shines in the gym, floors his opponents in Greco-Roman wrestling and effortlessly holds a crucifix position on the rings.

2007, Philippe Grimbert, Secret, page 26:

(gymnastics, wrestling) A posture of the body wherein the legs are kept straight together and the arms are extended horizontally.


schoolgirl pin

This story involves a fight that leads to one girl face-sitting and dominating the other. If you aren't interested in reading about schoolgirl pins, face-sitting, smothering then please don't read this.

1997, cactus...@mailmasher.com, “REPOST: My Friend Tanya (ff,nc,smothering,face-sitting,schoolgirl pins)”, in alt.sex.fetish.wrestling (Usenet):

Kaitlyn hits a snap suplex and follows up with a schoolgirl pin for a two count. Kaitlyn goes for a backslide pin, but Tamina rolls through at one. Tamina rolls to the outside to catch a breather, but Kaitlyn catches her with a baseball slide.

2013, Trijcomm, “Kaitlyn defeats Tamina Snuka with a spear.”, in rec.sport.pro-wrestling (Usenet):

(wrestling) A pin in which the wrestler kneels over a fallen opponent's face so as to restrain the arms above the head.


moonsault

(professional wrestling) An attack where the wrestler faces away from the supine opponent and executes a backflip landing on the opponent in a splash/press position but facing towards the elevated position.


superfight

Ken Shamrock (right) is the current owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship superfight belt and will defend his title February 16 against Kimo Leopoldo.

1996 March, John P. Patton, “Royce Gracie's Biggest Rival: Ken Shamrock”, in Black Belt, volume 34, number 3, page 38:

Ali would go into that superfight symbolizing everything valuable and heroic, but I'm afraid he's getting the chance too late, after too many years of idleness.

1971, Jack Newfield, Bread and Roses Too, →ISBN, page 98:

Reid outpointed Australian Kevin Kelly and former WBC champ Keith Mullings in defenses and then met Felix Trinidad in a superfight on March 3, 2000, in Las Vegas.

2002, Nat Fleischer, Sam Andre, An Illustrated History of Boxing, →ISBN, page 441:

(boxing) A bout between two championship title holders.


flying knee

The flying knee is one of the most powerful strikes that one human being can use on another, short of employing a weapon.

1967, John Danaher, Mastering Jujitsu, →ISBN, page 76:

Provided that it makes impact with the head, a flying knee offers substantial momentum and knockout power.

2010, Robert Hill, World of Martial Arts !, →ISBN:

Although charging in with a flying knee can be a reckless move, it does overcome somewhat the limited range of the front knee strike and has a proven track record in MMA fights of getting a quick knockout when fighers have managed to connect with the head.

2012, Ashley Martin, The Complete Martial Arts Training Manual, →ISBN:

(martial arts) A strike performed by jumping forward and hitting the opponent with the knee.


UFC

When Dana White barreled up to the microphone, at Donald Trump’s request, to say his piece on election night, it represented confirmation of the UFC CEO’s status as one of the key members of the president-elect’s inner circle.

2024 November 16, Aaron Timms, “How UFC head Dana White became the glue between Maga and the manosphere”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Ultimate Fighting Championship
w:Ultimate Fighting Championship

(US, martial arts) Initialism of Ultimate Fighting Championship, an American mixed martial arts promotion company.


buttocker

It is a chip, however, always fraught with peril, as the slack hold of the buttocker, if he misses his aim, enables his opponent to gain a firmer grip, which he is certain to make the best use of in the commanding position in which he finds himself.

1889, Walter Armstrong, Wrestling, page 199:

(wrestling) One who uses the cross-buttock throw.


superplex

(professional wrestling) A suplex performed by an attacker standing on the second or third rope against an opponent sitting on the top rope or top turnbuckle.


superplex

en-verb

superplex (third-person singular simple present superplexes, present participle superplexing, simple past and past participle superplexed)

superplexes (present singular third-person)
superplexing (participle present)
superplexed (participle past)
superplexed (past)

(professional wrestling) To attack with a superplex.


weight class

(martial arts) A division of competition used to match competitors against others of their own weight


facelock

He raised his right arm and clamped a facelock on his opponent.

1995, Gordon D. Shirreffs, The Ghost Dancers, →ISBN, page 146:

I stepped to the side like the world's worst matador and grabbed him in a front facelock. It was the only shoot hold I knew, one that harkened back to my days bouncing at Malarkey's in Calgary.

2011, Chris Jericho, Undisputed: How to Become World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps, →ISBN:

Eventually, someone said, “OK, move the furniture, and let's wrestle.” The deal this night was Les challenging my dad, saying, “Bet you can't hold me in a front facelock.” My dad put the hold on, and Les struggled to free himself, but ended up passing out after a few minutes.

2012, Terry Funk, Scott E. Williams, Terry Funk: More Than Just Hardcore, →ISBN:

(wrestling) A type of headlock in which the opponent's head is clamped around the face.


headscissors

While he was distracted, the Puma ran the length of the ring, leapt into the air and locked both legs around Diablo's neck, taking him down to the mat with a spectacular flying headscissors.

2002, Greg F. Gifune, Night Work, →ISBN:

(professional wrestling) A hold in which a wrestler wraps his or her legs around either side of the opponent's head, crossing them under the opponent's chin, and squeezing.


lay a glove on

lay a glove on (third-person singular simple present lays a glove on, present participle laying a glove on, simple past and past participle laid a glove on)

lays a glove on (present singular third-person)
laying a glove on (participle present)
laid a glove on (participle past)
laid a glove on (past)

From the sport of boxing, referring to managing to hit someone with one's boxing glove.

“You were so good he couldn't lay a glove on you. You were terrific. He tired to hit you with his knockout punch but you skillfully avoided it - do you remember how his glove whistled harmlessly past your head?

2004, Morris Katz, The Journey, →ISBN, page 78:

In round three, Toxa moved in and out jabbing, scoring often with the bigger man unable to lay a glove on him.

2012, Roland Perry, The Changi Brownlow, →ISBN:

Umbertino couldn't lay a glove on him. Big as he was, all it would have taken was a punch, a single roundhouse and he would have decked him. But the other guy was a grasshopper.

2014, Davide Enia, On Earth as It Is in Heaven: A Novel, →ISBN, page 42:


body wire

(fencing) The insulated wire that runs under a fencer's jacket, connecting the Electrical Competition weapon to the reel, and thence to the scoring machine.


sentiment du fer

Borrowed from French sentiment du fer (literally “feeling of the iron”).

bor

(fencing) The ability to feel along the length of a fencing sword through holding only the weapon's grip, a quality of an experienced fencer.


knifehand

(martial arts, often attributive) A strike using the part of the hand opposite the thumb (from the little finger to the wrist); a karate chop.


tuck up

en-verb

tuck up (third-person singular simple present tucks up, present participle tucking up, simple past and past participle tucked up)

tucks up (present singular third-person)
tucking up (participle present)
tucked up (participle past)
tucked up (past)

(intransitive, boxing) To protect one's face by covering it with the gloves


finger fan

During gaps of combinations, insert: 1. non-commitements to distract the opponent, or to improve positioning or the flow. 2. delicacy to score without destroying the overall balance and flow of the combination (finger jabs, finger fan, finger flicks, backhand, palm thrust).

1977 February, “Bruce Lee's Attack Strategies for Fighting (Part II)”, in Black Belt, volume 15, number 2, page 60:

In truth, people who require fine use of their hands in their work (artists, surgeons, typists) may favor using palm strikes and finger fans over the more demanding fist or single-finger strikes.

(martial arts) A blow delivered to the face with fingers spread.


pusher-thruster

(sumo) A rikishi who uses his weight to push and pummel his opponent, rather than holding the opponent's mawashi and attempting to throw him


ringpost

(professional wrestling) Any of the posts that surround the ring.


four-belt

(boxing) Relating to the four forms of professional heavyweight boxing - WBO, WBC, IBF and WBA


assault at arms

en-noun

assault at arms (plural assaults at arms)

(fencing) A display of attack and defence in fencing.


York round

(archery) six dozen, four dozen, and two dozen arrows shot at each of three distances


American round

(archery) five ends, of six arrows each, shot at each of three distances


Murderers' Row

(boxing, historical) A group of middleweight boxers in the 1940s.


mainshaft

(archery) The primary shaft of an arrow into which the foreshaft containing the arrowhead is inserted.


counterthrow

(martial arts) A move that saves a fighter from being thrown by the opponent and converts the motion into a throw of the opponent instead.


face turn

From professional wrestling, in which the wrestler playing a villain role is called the "heel" and a wrestler playing the heroic role is called the "face".

In order to retain viewers, both promotions did their best to load their respective shows with as much action and as many dramatic twists as possible, including pay-per-view quality matches, title changes, heal/face turns, and shocking debuts on a weekly basis.

2000, Brian Solomon, Pro Wrestling FAQ, →ISBN:

Here are five superstars who would benefit tremendously from a character change, whether that be a heel/face turn or an entirely new gimmick.

2017 November 12, Blake Oestriecher, “5 WWE Stars who Badly Need a Character Change”, in Forbes:

WWE has been known to do heel/face turn experiments at live events.

2018 July 29, Corey Jacobs, “Bray Wyatt wrestled as a full-blown babyface on Saturday night”, in Wrestling News:

(professional wrestling) A situation in which a wrestler previously identified as a villain changes to being considered a hero.


underhook

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-underhook.wav

(wrestling, martial arts) A clinch hold performed by putting an arm under the opponent's arm, and holding the opponent's midsection or upper body.


underhook

en-verb

underhook (third-person singular simple present underhooks, present participle underhooking, simple past and past participle underhooked)

underhooks (present singular third-person)
underhooking (participle present)
underhooked (participle past)
underhooked (past)

(wrestling, martial arts, transitive) To use such a hold upon.


time thrust

(fencing) A thrust made at the moment the opponent draws breath for his or her own thrust.


heel turn

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-heel turn.wav

From heel (“rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg”) + turn; sense 2 (“act of turning around abruptly”) is derived from turn heel or turn on one’s heel.
Sense 4 (“situation in which a wrestler previously identified as a villain changes to being considered a hero”) is a pun on the word heel, which also means “a headlining wrestler whose ring persona embodies villainous or reprehensible traits”.

compound

As a result of the heel turn, [Riki] Choshu was instantly elevated as a headliner and feuded with [Tatsumi] Fujinami in main events for two years over the WWF [World Wrestling Federation] International Heavyweight strap.

2002, John F. Molinaro, edited by Jeff Marek and Dave Meltzer, Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time, Toronto, Ont.: Winding Stair Press, →ISBN, page 78, column 1:

The early 1999 destruction of [Ric] Flair in storyline fashion, even as Flair and Hulk Hogan were drawing the last of the company's great buy rates (although Flair's heel turn after drawing the last big buy rate for a SuperBrawl in San Francisco was Flair's own doing) was not a bunch of angles that were bad ideas, such as the period he was confined to a nut house (and somehow even made that drivel entertaining).

2004, Dave Meltzer, editor, Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Campbell, Calif.: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, page 1, column 2:

(professional wrestling) A situation in which a wrestler previously identified as a hero changes to being considered a villain

More than any other episode to date, “The Last Of The Starks” heralds Daenerys’ heel turn. She’s been poised for it for some time, though the timing varies depending on the character perspective—Varys has always been ready to fly to another camp if he felt something was amiss or he just found a more viable candidate, while Tyrion [Lannister] and Jon [Snow] still want to serve her.

2019 May 5, Danette Chavez, “Campaigns are Waged On and Off the Game Of Thrones Battlefield (Newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 2021-01-28:

(by extension) A situation in which someone changes from being a hero into a villain.


bare-knuckle

The bare-knuckle boxing era ended in the early 20th century, when gloves were introduced, stricter rules implemented and oversight organizations formed.

2009, David Lindholm, Ulf Karlsson, Bare-Knuckle Boxer's Companion, →ISBN:

In bare-knuckle fights, one of the most frequent injuries is a broken hand.

2012, Ken Shamrock, Richard Hanner, Inside the Lion's Den, →ISBN:

He was known as a tough bare-knuckle boxer and had already consolidated a reputation from his teenage years, when he had first thrown his fists in anger.

2013, Eamon Dillon, Gypsy Empire, →ISBN, page 126:

The difference between a street fight and a bare-knuckle boxing match is an accepted set of rules, such as not striking a downed opponent.

2015, Patrick White, The Legends of Bare-knuckle Boxing: The History & the Champions, →ISBN:


chinlock

(wrestling) A position in which one wrestler grabs the other's chin, particularly with the attacker's knees on the opponent's upper back.


white belt

en-noun

white belt (countable and uncountable, plural white belts)

A new student is appointed to the tenth kyu (step), or initial white belt stage.

1983, Thomas H. Makiyama, Steve Sanders, Keijutsukai Aikido: Japanese Art of Self-defense, page 166:

A typical school might start beginner students at white belt.

2010, Jim Ollhoff, Martial Arts Around the Globe, page 30:

This mountain you start from white belt and finish at black belt, the path up the mountain will have many twists and turns, and occasionally lead you astray.

2013, Aaron Smalley, Developing the Mindset of a Black Belt, page 97:

There's a saying my karate buddy used to tell me when talking about white belt (beginner) versus black belt (expert) karate skills. He said, “Pros are predictable, amateurs are dangerous!”

2014, Dave Erickson, JP Grebenc, Superior Texas Hold'em: Evolved Poker Strategy:

(martial arts, uncountable) The lowest rank; beginner level.

He decided to stay and clean the floor, as he had done when he was a white belt.

2006, Richard C. Gould, Red Sun on the Journey, page 23:

When a karate student is a white belt, the student aspires to be a black belt, the top color of karate belts, someday.

2011, Annemarie Algeo, Fat, Fit, and (Almost) Fifty, page 35:

I started attending on Sundays, and teamed up with Ian and another 'white belt', we got a 'green belt' - Ralph, to show us our first Kata.

2012, Tom Hill, Essays for Black Belt: 20 Inspirational Student Stories:

(martial arts, countable) A student at the white belt level.

For example students holding a white belt who pass the exam for high white, will wear a yellow stripe on their white belt.

2008, Master Richard Gordon, The Complete Guide to Tae Kwon Do: Reference Manual, page 3:

My one hope as I tie this white belt on you, sir, is that one day you do me the honor of tying on your black belt.

2017, Master Taekwon Lee, Jeffrey Nodelman, Ara's Rocky Road to White Belt, page 92:

(martial arts, countable) The belt worn by a student of white belt rank as a symbol of rank.


sleeper hold

(martial arts, wrestling) A chokehold from behind that restricts blood flow to the brain and can cause the recipient to become unconscious.


bunny buster

(Australia, informal, archery) a blunt rubber arrowhead intended for rabbit shooting


sitout

. From this position, start a sitout by extending your left leg. Drop your opponent, but keep a firm hold on his arm.

I throw my best moves from here. I walk out on him — "crawl" out, actually, charging on my hands and knees, like a giant little kid escaping from his playpen; then I explode into a sitout and reverse for two points.

2015, Terry Davis, Vision Quest, page 9:

Her husband, Dick Jr., was a longtime assistant coach at Norwalk, and Janella proudly claimed that she knew a sitout when she saw one.

2003, Nolan Zavoral, A Season on the Mat:

(wrestling) A wrestling move that is often used to escape from a hold in which one straightens one's legs to get into a sitting position where one can use them for leverage.


rear naked choke

rear naked choke (plural rear naked chokes)

(martial arts) A chokehold applied from an opponent's back.


Zornhau

(fencing) A powerful, diagonally descending blow.


ukemi

This will also tend to assist in the development of a good style, for it is noticeable that those men with the 'best' and 'freest' styles are also those with the most effective ukemi.

1966, Francis Walter Pearson, Judo Coaching Manual, page 28:

(judo, aikido, martial arts) The set of breakfall and roll techniques used by uke to safely fall and accept attacks from tori.


screwjob

I will throw out Giant taking title from Flair on RAW. Desperately attempted screwjob did not come off, I can still her Woman's screams, or was that every match of those days:) And I loved it that the Giant didn't sell.

1997 March 26, John0714, “Most Significant Non-Screwjob Matches of All Time?”, in rec.sport.pro-wrestling (Usenet), message-ID <19970326010000.UAA22561@ladder01.news.aol.com>:

What is a screwjob finish and does the finish of last night's Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H match count as one?

2003 December 30, Dont Trust Anybody, “What Is A Screwjob Finish And Does Last Night's Count As One?”, in rec.sport.pro-wrestling (Usenet), message-ID <5dcc46b096e7859a0d6c2914242d6283@news.teranews.com>:

(professional wrestling) An incident where management disadvantages a wrestler without their prior knowledge.


midcard

(professional wrestling) The part of a wrestling show in the middle of the card (programme or schedule). It is less prestigious than the uppercard and more so than the lowcard


midcarder

(professional wrestling) A wrestler who performs in the midcard


uppercard

(professional wrestling) The part of a wrestling show towards the end of the card (programme or schedule). It is the most prestigious part of the show compared to the midcard and lowcard


lowcard

(professional wrestling) The part of a wrestling show at the beginning of the card (programme or schedule). It is the least prestigious part compared to the uppercard and midcard


uppercarder

(professional wrestling) A wrestler who performs in the uppercard


lowcarder

(professional wrestling) A wrestler who performs in the lowcard


nose-ender

Sayers won first blood by cutting Crouch's right eye, and the battle by knocking his man out with a nose-ender in 12 minutes 28 seconds, 6 rounds being fought.

1879, Ed James, The Lives and Battles of the Champions of England, page 39:

(boxing, slang, dated) A straight blow delivered full on the nasal promontory.


niramiai

(sumo) The staredown between sumo wrestlers before a match.


glass chin

(boxing, figurative) Synonym of glass jaw


ebanzuke

(sumo) A banzuke illustrated with pictures of the wrestlers


fudadome

(sumo) sold out said of spectators' seats


hanamichi

(sumo) Either of the East or West paths that lead to the dohyo


harite

(sumo) A slap (strike with an open hand)


hazuoshi

(sumo) The act of pushing the opponent with hands beneath his armpits


hiwaza

(sumo) Any of passive several ways of winning because the opponent makes a mistake


itamiwake

(sumo) A draw due to the injury of one of the wrestlers


kadoban

(sumo) An ozeki who is in danger of demotion


kuisagaru

(sumo) A technique in which a wrestler lowers his centre of gravity and pushes his opponent out of the ring


maemitsu

(sumo) A grip on the front of the mawashi


makikae

(sumo) A quick change from an overarm to an underarm grip on the opponent's mawashi


nekodamashi

(sumo) The act of clapping the hands in order to distract one's opponent


nodowa

From Japanese 喉輪 (literally “throat ring”).

(sumo) A thrust at the opponent's throat.


okamisan

From Japanese 女将さん (okami-san, literally “miss proprietress”).

bor

(sumo) The wife of a stablemaster who oversees all activities except coaching


sewanin

(sumo) A retired wrestler who assists at a stable.


shimenawa

(sumo) A length of straw that lines the ring (used as ritual purification in shinto)


shingitai

(sumo) The qualities of head, technique and body held to be essential for a successful wrestler


shonichi

(sumo) The first day of a basho, or the first win after a string of defeats


tegatana

From Japanese 手刀 (tegatana, “knife hand”).

(sumo) The ceremonial gesture made by a winning wrestler after receiving his prize money.


wakaimonogashira

(sumo) A retired wrestler who works with new recruits


zanbara

(sumo) hair that is loose and dishevelled and too short to be arranged into a chonmage


nearfall

(wrestling) Alternative spelling of near-fall


near-fall

(wrestling) A wrestling maneuver where shoulders are pinned to the mat for between one and two seconds. Alternatively a two second approach of shoulders to within two inches of the mat also counts for scoring.


TKD

(informal, martial arts) Initialism of tae kwon do.


white crane

en-noun

white crane (countable and uncountable, plural white cranes)

white crane style
white crane style#English

(martial arts) Ellipsis of white crane style.


White Crane

From white + crane. Calque of Chinese 白鶴派 /白鹤派 (“white crane style”)
* (Tibetan White Crane): From Cantonese 白鶴派 /白鹤派 (“white crane style”), from 西藏白鶴拳 /西藏白鹤拳 (“Tibetan white crane boxing”)
* (Fujian White Crane): From Hokkien 白鶴派 /白鹤派 (“white crane style”)

bor

Tibetan White Crane
Tibetan White Crane#English

(martial arts) A style of Chinese martial arts

Ellipsis of Tibetan White Crane., a style of kung fu popularized across the world from its popularity in Cantonese media, adopted in Southern China as a native style, after being introduced from Western China.

Tibetan White Crane

Fujian White Crane
Fujian White Crane#English

A style of Chinese martial arts
Ellipsis of Fujian White Crane.


white crane style

en-noun

white crane style (plural white crane styles)


cross-counter

(boxing) A counterattack begun immediately after an opponent throws a jab, exploiting the opening in the opponent's position.


cross-counter

en-verb

cross-counter (third-person singular simple present cross-counters, present participle cross-countering, simple past and past participle cross-countered)

cross-counters (present singular third-person)
cross-countering (participle present)
cross-countered (participle past)
cross-countered (past)

(boxing, transitive, intransitive) To employ a counterattack of this kind on (someone).


leg sweep

(martial arts) A swipe of a fighter's leg meant to destabilize the adversary


pankratist

(martial arts) A competitor in pankration.


knockout merchant

en-noun

knockout merchant (plural knockout merchants)

My second fight against the big dosser Deontay Wilder, the biggest knockout merchant in boxing history.

2020, Tyson Fury, The Furious Method: The Sunday Times bestselling guide to a healthier body & mind:

(boxing) A boxer who specializes in inflicting knockouts.


future endeavor

en-verb

future endeavor (third-person singular simple present future endeavors, present participle future endeavoring, simple past and past participle future endeavored)

future endeavors (present singular third-person)
future endeavoring (participle present)
future endeavored (participle past)
future endeavored (past)

From the fact that wrestling promotion WWE, when announcing a wrestler’s release, will “wish them all the best in their future endeavors.”

Creative couldn’t find anything for him to do, so they ended up future endeavoring him.

(professional wrestling, slang) To release a wrestler from their contract.


whisker biscuit

en-noun

whisker biscuit (plural whisker biscuits)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-whisker biscuit.wav

The bad news was his whisker biscuit—the part that guided the arrow—as well as his sight and stabilizer had been snapped, shattered, and otherwise removed.

This is most easily seen on your arrow rest if you're using a recurve, but you can also see erosion on a containment rest and/or a whisker biscuit.

2019, Dawson Albert, Archery: The #1 Beginner's Guide for Everything an Archer Needs to Know About Recurve and Compound Bows, unnumbered page:

The whisker biscuit is the most typical rest, but it can slightly reduce the arrow's speed.

2021, Miguel Rocha, HowExpert Guide to Archery, page 6:

(archery) Alternative letter-case form of Whisker Biscuit.


Whisker Biscuit

Whisker Biscuit (plural Whisker Biscuits)

It might seem that a Whisker Biscuit's nylon bristles, which surround the shaft, would affect arrow flight.

2004 August, Scott Bestul, “The No-Nonsense Bow”, in Field & Stream, unnumbered page:

I pulled my quiver off my bow, ran an arrow through my Whisker Biscuit, and leaned back on my leg.

2006, Jimmy Sites, Jason Cruise, Into the High Country, unnumbered page:

I draw, sure that he can hear the sound of the arrow as it touches each fiber of my Whisker Biscuit rest.

2008, Bill Heavey, If You Didn't Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat?: Misadventures in Hunting, Fishing, and the Wilds of Suburbia, page 139:

(archery) A branded arrow rest with synthetic bristles with a hole in the middle to stabilize the arrow shaft while allowing the fletching to pass smoothly.


fa jin

(martial arts) The explosive discharge of power, in Chinese martial arts.


padwork

Coordinate term: bagwork

Following this is another four to five rounds of padwork with the Thai trainers before one practises his punches and kicks on the bags.

2016, Lionel Loh Han Loong, The Body and Senses in Martial Culture, page 37:

(martial arts) Training with pads on the hands to reduce the risk of injury.


bagwork

Coordinate term: padwork

Once the men are done with the sparring or technical component, there is clinch training followed by a few rounds of bagwork.

(martial arts) Training with a punching bag.


stand fast

(archery) a warning not to pass between the arrow and the target


counterparry

(fencing) A parry that uses the energy of the opponent's incoming lunge.


counterparry

en-verb

counterparry (third-person singular simple present counterparries, present participle counterparrying, simple past and past participle counterparried)

counterparries (present singular third-person)
counterparrying (participle present)
counterparried (participle past)
counterparried (past)

(fencing) To parry using the energy of the opponent's incoming lunge.


mule kick

(professional wrestling) A move by which the wrestler, facing away from a charging opponent, bends down and pushes out one foot, striking the opponent with the sole.


mixed martial artist

en-noun

mixed martial artist (plural mixed martial artists)

(sports, martial arts) A competitor in mixed martial arts


overhook

He used overhooks to block the punches, but he didn't seem to know any submissions off the overhooks.

2005, Eddie Bravo, Jiu-jitsu Unleashed, page 12:

(wrestling, martial arts) A clinch hold performed by putting an arm over the opponent's arm, and encircling the opponent's arm or upper body.


overhook

en-verb

overhook (third-person singular simple present overhooks, present participle overhooking, simple past and past participle overhooked)

overhooks (present singular third-person)
overhooking (participle present)
overhooked (participle past)
overhooked (past)

Overhook one of his arms just above the elbow (here the right arm overhooks the opponent's left arm).

2004, Mark Hatmaker, No Holds Barred Fighting: Savage Strikes, page 128:

(wrestling, martial arts, transitive) To use such a hold upon.


enzuigiri

(wrestling) An attack that strikes the back of the opponent's head.


standing eight

(boxing) An eight-second count called by the referee during a match, to determine whether one of the boxers is fit to continue.


Granby roll

Named for Granby High School in Norfolk, Virginia, where it was popularized by coach Billy Martin, Sr.

(wrestling) A reversal performed from an inferior position, usually when the top wrestler has a hold upon the lower wrestler's waist from the side or when moving to "take the back". The bottom wrestler rises slightly and cross-steps under his own body, using it to post as they kick high with the other leg and perform a shoulder roll to the inside shoulder, achieving either an escape or a reversal with possible back points on the other wrestler.


fisherman buster

en-noun

fisherman buster (plural fisherman busters)

(wrestling) A variation of the brainbuster in which the wrestler hooks the opponent's leg to lift them off the ground, and then performs a fisherman's suplex.


outfighter

The longer, more bladed stance is a more mobile in-and-out platform. Any traditional outfighter in boxing that you study will use a long, bladed stance like a fencer at least while they are working on the outside.

2018 September 27, Jack Slack, “Koreshkov Vs. Lima III is the Sleeper Fight of the Weekend”, in VICE, archived from the original on 2023-09-09:

(boxing) A boxer who tends to keep a relatively large distance from their opponent.


mook jong

Derived from Cantonese 木人樁 /木人桩 (muk6 jan4 zong1)

der+

(martial arts) A type of wooden dummy designed to be kicked and punched in Wing Chun kung fu training.


dim mak

(martial arts) Any of various martial arts techniques reputed to kill using seemingly less than lethal force targeted at a specific area of the body.


breakfall

(martial arts) A technique to minimize impact and injury when falling or being thrown to the ground.


anchor point

Tournament archers generally use a lower anchor point, with the string hand under the chin.

1997, M. R. James, G. Fred Asbell, Dave Holt, Bowhunting Equipment and Skills, page 83:

Low groups can come from a mis-set sight, dropping your bow arm because of fatigue, a broken serving causing your nocking point to elevate, a loose aperture or scope, or half a dozen form flaws (such as a misplaced anchor point).

2004, Steve Ruis, Claudia Stevenson, Precision Archery, page 59:

To this point you have been using an under-chin anchor point. You have been anchoring your string hand under your jaw bone.

2006, Kathleen Haywood, Catherine Lewis, Archery: Steps to Success, page 67:

(archery) A point on the body, such as the chin or the corner of the mouth, that an archer touches with the string hand when the bow is fully drawn, in order to maintain a consistent draw.


riding time

en-noun

riding time (countable and uncountable, plural riding times)

(wrestling) The elapsed time that counts in favor of a wrestler gaining control of an opponent on the mat.


walk down

en-verb

walk down (third-person singular simple present walks down, present participle walking down, simple past and past participle walked down)

walks down (present singular third-person)
walking down (participle present)
walked down (participle past)
walked down (past)

He's relentlessly walking him down.

(boxing, transitive) To continually advance (on an opponent) and punch (the opponent) in order to control the fight and dominate the opponent, while shrugging off the opponent's punches.


taekwondoist

The aim of this research is to carry out a comparative analysis of the morphological characteristics of top karatekas, judokas, taekwondoists, boxers and wrestlers […] so that during the training process we could correctly and objectively select athletes and to manage the transformation training processes effectively […]

2015, Julijan Malacko, Dragan Doder, Veroljub Stankovic, Milorad Dokmanac, Biljana Savic, Radoslava Doder, “A Comparative Analysis of the Morphological Characteristics of Elite Karatekas, Judokas, Taekwondoists, Boxers and Wrestlers”, in International Journal of Morphology, volume 33, number 1, →DOI, →ISSN, page 246:

(martial arts) A practitioner of taekwondo; a taekwondoka.


line of engagement

en-noun

line of engagement (plural lines of engagement)

(fencing) Synonym of line (“the position in which the fencers hold their swords”)


flu-flu

(archery) A kind of arrow designed to travel only a short distance, sometimes used by learners or for shooting at aerial targets.


understrung

en-adj

understrung (comparative more understrung, superlative most understrung)

more understrung (comparative)
most understrung (superlative)

(archery) Of a bow: having too long a string.