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The most exciting sport in the world is forgetting one aspect that makes it so electrifying: Pins a.k.a. Total Victory. 3 point takedowns and 4 point near falls--excellent improvement to benefit aggressors. Now there's one simple way to go a bit further: Eliminate the 5-point and bonus tournament point Technical Fall. There is already a point awarded for dominance--that's a Major Decision. Sure, end the match when a wrestler is up by 15, but why reward them if they end the match without a Total Victory? If you're better, Decision-3 points, if your way better, Major Decision-4 points. We don't need differing degrees of "better", that's what the Major Decision is already for. What's more, Tech Falls are more and more common and, disappointingly, most common amongst some of the most dominant wrestlers who seem to put in very little effort toward a Pin. Why should you get extra points for a takedown clinic? This is folkstyle wrestling where Total Victory and supreme dominance is only demonstrated when you can, against a man's will, make him look at the lights. Technical falls are increasingly common, especially with 3-point takedowns. That’s not necessarily bad — offense is good for the sport. But here’s the unintended consequence: Elite wrestlers often stop pursuing high-risk, high-skill pinning sequences once the technical fall is within reach. Why chase a cradle or commit to a tilt series when you can simply secure another takedown and end the match with bonus points? If we want great top wrestling, we must incentivize it. Right now, the rulebook rewards takedown clinics more than finishing ability. That’s backwards in folkstyle wrestling — a style built on control and domination on top. If you're concerned about matches slowing down after a wrestler gets to 8-points up, fine. That just means you're concerned that the wrestler who deserves the Major is impotent in pinning efforts. But I'll give you an olive branch: since the 3-point takedowns Majors are too easily obtained--make Majors require 10-point separation. Still concerned about the time of match from 10-points to 15 going slowly? Fine, call the match when the Major Decision is reached at 10-point separation. Once a wrestler has demonstrated dominance we don't need additional dominance unless it is the ultimate dominance of a pin. The sport should clearly communicate this hierarchy: You are better (Decision). You are clearly better (Major). You are utterly dominant (Pin). Technical falls blur that line. They create a fourth category that sits awkwardly between dominance and total victory — and in doing so, they dilute the value of the pin. If wrestling is serious about rewarding aggression, it must also reward finishing. Make the pin matter more. Eliminate bonus points for the technical fall.
