Turkey’s "Sultans of Sweat"(Previous Champions) These are the Kings of the Mountain,
   the Mightiest of the Mighty.

Şoban Yilmas Champion for 2005

Video Grabs

Customers suggested it, and here it is: a video devoted to informal, friendly wrestling. Although the wrestling is non-competitive in the technical sense, it is loaded with aggressive action and always pits guys of comparable skill and build against one another. Some wear kispets, others wear singlets or shorts (Being Moslems, Turks do not wrestle in the nude). Most fights occur in the wooded meadows of Saray Ici, the island near Edirne where the palace of the Ottoman Sultans once stood. Some are compilations from past releases, while about half of “Buddy Fights” is entirely new. You will recognize most of the wrestlers from their appearance in tournament competition. Some are lone pairs, some are members of a wrestling club; one involves a family of wrestling brothers whose match ends up in the living room. Their dad and coach, a great father, is himself a former Kirkpinar champion.