In amateur wrestling, a technical fall, or technical superiority, is a victory condition satisfied by outscoring your opponent by a specified number of points. It is wrestling's version of the mercy rule. A technical fall is also known as "tech" for short; colloquially: "I teched him" as verb.
In collegiate and scholastic (folkstyle) wrestling, a differential of fifteen points ends the match regardless of when it occurs. If the high-scoring wrestler is able to pin the low-scoring wrestler, the pin is given, but if the wrestler is unable to get the pin, then the match ends as described above.
Under the old rules of freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, a ten-point differential ended the match.
Under the rules adopted in 2004–05 by FILA, the international styles moved to a three-period system similar to a best of three series; the technical fall wins only the period, as opposed to a pin, which ends the match entirely. However, if a wrestler wins two out of three periods in this way, he is then the winner of the match by technical superiority. The new technical fall can be achieved in three ways:
- Creating a six-point differential
- Executing two three-point throws, which either take the opponent from his feet to the danger position (his back), or are grand-amplitude throws which do not end in the danger position
- Executing one grand-amplitude throw ending in the danger position. A grand amplitude throw is one in which the opponent is taken from his feet to his back with his feet going directly above his head.
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