Pankration
Two athletes competing in the pankration. Panathenaic amphora, made in Athens in 332–331 BC, during the archonship of Niketes. From Capua. | |
| Focus | Hybrid, striking, grappling, wrestling |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ancient Greece |
| Olympic sport | Introduced in 648 BC |
Pankration (/pænˈkreɪti.ɒn, -ʃən/; Ancient Greek: παγκράτιον [paŋkráti.on]) was an unarmed combat sport introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC. The athletes used boxing and wrestling techniques but also others, such as kicking, holds, joint locks, and chokes on the ground, making it similar to modern mixed martial arts. The term comes from the Ancient Greek word παγκράτιον (pankrátion), meaning "all of power" (from παν- (pan-) 'all-' and κράτος (krátos) 'strength, might, power').