Weight Classes in Wrestling (All You Need to Know!)

Wrestling is one of the most well-known grappling martial arts practiced worldwide. It has several types with different weight classes, including folkstyle (collegiate), Greco-Roman, and freestyle wrestling; the last two are Olympic combat sports.

Wrestlers are divided into weight classes in international and Olympic Wrestling competitions to ensure fair competition and high-level performance.

This page will go over the various weight divisions in wrestling. We’ll examine adult and youth weight categories in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and Collegiate wrestling for international and Olympic competitions. Keep an eye out!

International Wrestling Weight Classes

texas high school wrestling weight classes

Wrestling is a combat sport in which two contestants attempt to outmaneuver one another to score points or pin their opponent to the mat.

Weight classes are often used in international wrestling competitions to guarantee that the contest is fair and evenly balanced.

The following are the various international weight categories recognized by the United World Wrestling (UWW).

International Weight Classes in Greco-Roman Wrestling

Greco-Roman wrestling is a popular and physically demanding grappling that traces back to ancient Greece when it was a prominent source of entertainment.

However, the modern version of this fighting sport was created in France in the early nineteenth century.

Greco-Roman wrestling is now a worldwide sport in which athletes worldwide participate at the highest levels. Unfortunately, It is a male-only sport with no women’s competitions.

The United World Wrestling Federation (UWW) regulates Greco-Roman wrestling and holds various international Championships.

Otherwise, it recognizes ten weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling; ranging in weight from 55 kilograms (121 pounds) to 130 kilograms (287 pounds), as shown in the table below:

Greco-Roman international wrestling weight classes in kilogramsGreco-Roman international wrestling weight classes in pounds
55 kg121 lbs
60 kg132 lbs
63 kg139 lbs
67 kg148 lbs
72 kg159 lbs
77 kg170 lbs
82 kg181 lbs
87 kg192 lbs
97 kg214 lbs
130 kg287 lbs

Recommended: Greco-Roman Wrestling Weight Classes (A Closer Look)

International Weight Classes in Freestyle Wrestling

Freestyle is another popular wrestling discipline with millions of fans worldwide. Unlike Greco-Roman, Freestyle wrestling allows holds below and up the waist, including the legs.

Otherwise, both genders contest in different freestyle Wrestling international tournaments, including the World Wrestling Championships.

The following are weight categories in freestyle wrestling recognized by the United World Wrestling (UWW).

Men’s International Weight Divisions in Freestyle Wrestling

In its competitions, the United World Wrestling uses 11 categories for male freestyle wrestlers weighing between 53 and 125 kilograms (115 and 275 pounds).

Men’s international freestyle wrestling weight categories in kilogramsMen’s international freestyle wrestling weight categories in pounds
53 kg115 lbs
57 kg125 lbs
61 kg134 lbs
65 kg143 lbs
70 kg154 lbs
74 kg163 lbs
79 kg174 lbs
86 kg190 lbs
92 kg203 lbs
97 kg214 lbs
125 kg276 lbs

Women’s International Weight Categories in Freestyle Wrestling

In its competitions, the UWW uses ten weight classes for female freestyle wrestlers weighing between 50 and 76 kilos (110 and 168 pounds).

Women’s international freestyle wrestling weight divisions in kilogramsWomen’s international freestyle wrestling weight divisions in pounds
50 kg110 lbs
53 kg117 lbs
55 kg121 lbs
57 kg126 lbs
59 kg130 lbs
62 kg137 lbs
65 kg143 lbs
68 kg150 lbs
72 kg159 lbs
76 kg168 lbs

Related Article: Freestyle Wrestling Weight Classes (A Closer Look)

Youth International Wrestling Weight Divisions

Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling share the same weight divisions for juvenile wrestlers.

The following are the weight classes for youth wrestlers in the UWW’s international tournaments based on the competitors’ ages.

U15 Boys International Wrestling Weight Divisions

There are ten U15 weight divisions for male wrestlers ages 15, 14, and 13 with a medical certificate and parental permission. As mentioned below, they range between 34 to 85 kilograms (75 to 187 pounds).

U15 boys international wrestling weight classes in kilogramsU15 boys international wrestling weight classes in pounds
34 to 38 kg75 to 84 lbs
41 kg90 lbs
44 kg97 lbs
48 kg106 lbs
52 kg115 lbs
57 kg126 lbs
62 kg137 lbs
68 kg150 lbs
75 kg165 lbs
85 kg187 lbs

Cadets Boys International Wrestling Weight Divisions

Eleven cadets’ weight divisions for male wrestlers aged 17, 16, and 15 have medical certification and parental approval. They range between 41 to 110 kilograms (90 to 243 pounds), as seen below.

Cadets boys international wrestling weight categories in kilogramsCadets boys international wrestling weight categories in pounds
41 to 45 kg90 to 99 lbs
48 kg106 lbs
51 kg112 lbs
55 kg121 lbs
60 kg132 lbs
65 kg143 lbs
71 kg157 lbs
80 kg176 lbs
92 kg203 lbs
110 kg243 lbs

Juniors Boys International Wrestling Weight Classes

There are eleven junior weight divisions for male wrestlers aged 20, 19, 18, and 17 with a medical certificate and parental permission. As seen below, they range between 57 to 125 kilograms (126 to 276 pounds).

Juniors boys international wrestling weight classes in kilogramsJuniors boys international wrestling weight classes in pounds
57 kg126 lbs
61 kg134 lbs
65 kg143 lbs
70 kg154 lbs
74 kg163 lbs
79 kg174 lbs
86 kg190 lbs
92 kg203 lbs
97 kg214 lbs
125 kg276 lbs

Females U15 International Wrestling Weight Categories

There are ten U15 weight divisions for female wrestlers ages 15, 14, and 13 with a medical certificate and parental permission. As mentioned below, they range between 29 to 66 kilograms (64 to 146 pounds).

Girls U15 international wrestling weight divisions in kilogramsGirls U15 international wrestling weight divisions in pounds
29 to 33 kg64 to 73 lbs
36 kg79 lbs
39 kg86 lbs
42 kg93 lbs
46 kg101 lbs
50 kg110 lbs
54 kg119 lbs
58 kg128 lbs
62 kg137 lbs
66 kg146 lbs

Cadets Females International Wrestling Weight Categories

There are eleven cadets’ weight divisions for female youth wrestlers aged 17, 16, and 15 with medical certification and parental approval. As cited below, they range between 36 to 73 kilograms (79 to 161 pounds).

Cadets girls international wrestling weight classes in kilogramsCadets girls international wrestling weight classes in pounds
36 to 40 kg79 to 88 lbs
43 kg95 lbs
46 kg101 lbs
49 kg108 lbs
53 kg117 lbs
57 kg126 lbs
61 kg134 lbs
65 kg143 lbs
69 kg152 lbs
73 kg161 lbs

Juniors females International Wrestling Weight Classes

There are eleven junior weight divisions for female wrestlers aged 20, 19, 18, and 17 with a medical certificate and parental permission. They range between 50 to 76 kilograms (110 to 168 pounds), as noticed below.

Juniors girls international Greco-Roman wrestling weight divisions in kilogramsJuniors girls international Greco-Roman wrestling weight divisions in pounds
50 kg110 lbs
53 kg117 lbs
55 kg121 lbs
57 kg126 lbs
59 kg130 lbs
62 kg137 lbs
65 kg143 lbs
68 kg150 lbs
72 kg159 lbs
76 kg168 lbs

Olympic Weight Classes in Wrestling

Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling are two popular Olympic combat sports. Greco-Roman wrestling has competed in the modern Olympic Games since Athens in 1896.

Simultaneously, men’s freestyle wrestling has been contested in the modern Olympic Games since 1904. And women’s freestyle wrestling has competed in the Summer Olympic Games since 2004 in Athens.

Related Article: Martial arts at Paris 2024 Olympics (A Closer Look)

Aside from that, the Olympic Wrestling Games feature several single-elimination matches with combatants classified into weight classes.

Therefore, wrestlers compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals in each weight class in Olympic wrestling, depending on their weight.

Let’s look at the various Olympic weight divisions for men and women wrestlers.

Men’s Olympic Wrestling Weight Categories

Men wrestlers contest in the Olympic Wrestling championship in Greco-Roman and freestyle Wrestling. They compete in weight classes ranging from 60 to 130 kg ( (132 to 287 lbs), as shown in the chart below.

Greco-Roman Olympic weight classes in kilogramGreco-Roman Olympic weight classes in pounds
60 kg132 lbs
67 kg148 lbs
77 kg170 lbs
87 kg192 lbs
97 kg214 lbs
130 kg287 lbs

Men wrestlers also contest in freestyle wrestling in the Olympics. And they are divided into six Olympic weight classes ranging from 57 to 125 kg ( (125 to 275 lbs), as shown in the chart below.

Men’s Olympic freestyle wrestling weight categories in kilogramsMen’s Olympic freestyle wrestling weight categories in pounds
57 kg125 lbs
65 kg143 lbs
74 kg163 lbs
86 kg190 lbs
97 kg214 lbs
125 kg276 lbs

Women’s Olympic Wrestling Weight Categories

Women wrestlers only contest in the freestyle Olympic wrestling competition. And they are divided into six Olympic weight classes ranging from 50 to 76 kg ( (110 to 168 lbs), as demonstrated in the table below.

Women’s Olympic wrestling weight divisions in kilogramsWomen’s Olympic wrestling weight divisions in pounds
50 kg110 lbs
53 kg117 lbs
57 kg126 lbs
62 kg137 lbs
68 kg150 lbs
76 kg168 lbs

Recommended: Olympic Wrestling Weight Classes (A Closer Look!)

Elementary School Wrestling Weight Classes

At this age, there are several methods for defining weight classes:

  • Madison system – no weight divisions, wrestlers are paired into brackets according to their weigh-in weight to avoid weight cutting in young athletes;
  • Division-based system – age and weight class divisions are at the tournament director’s discretion.
  • Pure-weight-based system – age doesn’t matter, weight does – fighters are divided exclusively by weight.

Middle School Wrestling Weight Divisions

It might vary from state to state, but we will focus on OHSAA weight classes:

  • 80 lbs.
  • 86 lbs.
  • 92 lbs.
  • 98 lbs.
  • 104 lbs.
  • 110 lbs.
  • 116 lbs.
  • 122 lbs.
  • 128 lbs.
  • 134 lbs.
  • 142 lbs.
  • 150 lbs.
  • 160 lbs.
  • 172 lbs.
  • 205 lbs.
  • 245 lbs.

High School Wrestling Weight Categories

Fourteen weight classes are set by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), but there are specific weight categories from state to state, we will focus on the general ones:

  • 106 lbs.
  • 113 lbs.
  • 120 lbs.
  • 126 lbs.
  • 132 lbs.
  • 138 lbs.
  • 145 lbs.
  • 152 lbs.
  • 160 lbs.
  • 170 lbs.
  • 182 lbs.
  • 195 lbs.
  • 220 lbs.

Collegial Wrestling System Weight Classes

Collegiate wrestling is extremely popular in the United States of America, and it is probably the only federation where women can choose to fight under Greco-Roman rules.

First, let’s focus on the male divisions approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA):

  • 125 lbs.
  • 133 lbs.
  • 141 lbs.
  • 149 lbs.
  • 157 lbs.
  • 165 lbs.
  • 174 lbs.
  • 184 lbs.
  • 197 lbs.
  • Heavyweight (183 lbs to 285 lbs).

NCWA approves eight weight divisions for female competitors who pick Greco-Roman (collegiate) instead of freestyle ruleset:

  • 105 lbs.
  • 112 lbs.
  • 121 lbs.
  • 130 lbs.
  • 139 lbs.
  • 148 lbs.
  • 159 lbs.
  • 200 lbs.

Finally, WCWA uses freestyle wrestling rules instead of collegiate ones for females, and this organization offers ten weight divisions:

  • 101 lbs.
  • 109 lbs.
  • 116 lbs.
  • 123 lbs.
  • 130 lbs.
  • 136 lbs.
  • 143 lbs.
  • 155 lbs.
  • 170 lbs.
  • 191 lbs.

Conclusion

Wrestling is one of the top pleasing and physically demanding Olympic martial arts. It includes several types: Folkstyle (collegiate), freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling.

There are several international wrestling tournaments, including world championships, among others, where wrestlers are classified into weight categories.

Wrestling weight classes are an essential part of the sport because they assure fair competition by grouping wrestlers of comparable weight.

Source: Get Jacked! with Jacko Attacko

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Related Article: Is Wrestling an Olympic Sport? (A Closer Look)

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Weight Divisions Are There in Freestyle Wrestling?

Freestyle wrestling has eleven weight divisions for men and ten for women, recognized by the United World Wrestling.

Men’s weight classes in freestyle wrestlingWomen’s weight classes in freestyle wrestling
53 kg (115 lbs)50 kg (110 lbs)
57 kg (125 lbs)53 kg (117 lbs)
61 kg (134 lbs)55 kg (121 lbs)
65 kg (143 lbs)57 kg (126 lbs)
70 kg (154 lbs)59 kg (130 lbs)
74 kg (163 lbs)62 kg (137 lbs)
79 kg (174 lbs)65 kg (143. lbs)
86 kg (190 lbs)68 kg (150 lbs)
92 kg (203 lbs)72 kg (159 lbs)
97 kg (214 lbs)76 kg (168 lbs)
125 kg (276 lbs)

How Many Weight Divisions Are There in Greco-Roman Wrestling?

The United World Wrestling recognizes ten weight classes for men in Greco-roman wrestling.

Greco-Roman wrestling weight classes in kilogramsGreco-Roman wrestling weight classes in pounds
55 kg121 lbs
60 kg132 lbs
63 kg139 lbs
67 kg148 lbs
72 kg159 lbs
77 kg170 lbs
82 kg181 lbs
87 kg192 lbs
97 kg214 lbs
130 kg287 lbs

References