In February, the IOC (the governing body for the Olympics)
voted for 25 sports to be included in the 2020games. Wrestling was not
included. When the news broke that the sport could possibly lose its bid
for the Olympics; thousands of wrestlers, fans, and families took to the Internet,
signed petitions and made billboards all in the effort of defending their
sport. FILA (the governing body for international wrestling) elected a new
president and began looking for new ways to promote the sport. Taking a page
from the MMA book; FILA began to look into losing the singlet and adding walk
up music in an attempt to market each wrestler as their own brand. This new
approach has added a level of marketability and helped wrestling to restore
wrestling to its former glory. As, a result wrestling was voted in as the final
sport to fill the docket for the 2020-2024 Olympic games.
Inspired by a nations love for the sport,
Ernie Ciaccio and Agon Wrestling created the first combat promotion that
features real wrestling. Bringing together a combination of Olympians and the
best wrestlers from MMA; Agon has assembled a who’s-who of American wrestlers
in hopes of lifting the sport to new level of national recognition.
Agon 1-the Revolution, will premiere on
October 27, 2013 from the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada and will
feature a main event between MMA star Ben Askren and 4x NCAA Champion Kyle
Dake.
As wrestling begins pushing it's way into
combat sports, wrestlers and fans from around the world are left wondering, what
took so long?
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