
This week the wrestling tournament started at Rio 2016 bringing together 353 athletes from 68 countries who will compete in 21 olympic wresting events in two different disciplines: freestyle, for both men and women, and Greco-Roman, only for men.
According to the Rio 2016 official website, the athletes’ goal is to force their opponent’s shoulders on to the mat, in a fascinating mix of primal hand-to-hand combat and complex tactics, where technique, stamina and brute strength are all on display.
Oh, my.
Social media in Brazil didn’t quite know how to handle such “primal hand-to-hand combat,” and the hashtag #lutaolimpica (olympic wrestling) was born. Here are some of our early favorites:
NÃO TENHO Maturidade PARA #LutaOlimpica pic.twitter.com/OIolH4G2Gj
— Alana 🌻🏳️🌈 (@Liberti332) August 16, 2016
“I just can’t with #LutaOlimpica.”
Já sei qual esporte vou querer fazer pra próxima olimpíadas #lutaolimpica pic.twitter.com/UQKUxtbmRj
— Vai la gay 🏳️🌈 (@vaiIagay) August 16, 2016
“I already know what kind of sport I want to compete in the next Olympics.”
"@BabadoForty: ADORO #LutaOlimpica rssss #Rio2016 https://t.co/68U5KvUC2j"@veraoliveira152
— Ge Feitiço 2017🎉 (@geovana75101175) August 16, 2016
“LOVE #LutaOlimpica lol”
#lutaolimpica é um esporte meio estranho né pic.twitter.com/XOQNS11Gca
— Rafa (@rumenegon) August 16, 2016
“#lutaolimpica is kind of a strange sport, isn’t it?”
MAS GENT #Rio2016 #lutaolimpica pic.twitter.com/M0SZASAesm
— Fe 🇨🇦 (@FelipeeJLopes) August 15, 2016
“BUT GUYS”
queria pedir o perdão de todos, mas não tenho maturidade suficiente para assistir luta greco-romana/#lutaolimpica pic.twitter.com/L8mR26s1mP
— 𝗝𝗔𝗥𝗕𝗔𝗦 △ (@descolonizado) August 15, 2016
“I want to apologize to everybody, but I don’t have the maturity to watch greco-roman wrestling.”
Eu pago a minha TV por assinatura pra isso #LutaOlimpica pic.twitter.com/6jNy6Vl1sR
— thiago 🐈 (@ItsThigs) August 14, 2016
“This is why I pay for cable.”
https://twitter.com/Espantalhofz8/status/761978852243636224
“Dude, I don’t understand that sport lol”
https://twitter.com/Liberti332/status/765584890914013184
#LutaOlimpica I just can’t
Broder, tá passando um vt de luta olímpica e……………………….. tá permitido fingir que é pornô?
— ♟️ l o n e r ♟️ (@porcelainthing) August 16, 2016
“Dude, they are showing olympic wresting on TV……… Can we pretend it’s porn?”
You can check them out for yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3BX_t4876U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6er-0IRaU_0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60a7a-uMDz8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yaCmFmrHAI
Big thanks to Julio Reis for the videos.



