OK, serious question about wrestling . . . I was watching the USA vs Iran last night. I never studied or followed wrestling in any way (only grappling experience is BJJ), and in watching it closely it looked like almost everything they did was based upon strength. That would make sense to me because it seems like wrestlers typically come to MMA with good muscle endurance and cardio.
Am I right, or totally off base? I'm interested in hearing from some folks with experience in freestyle or Greco Roman (and not just guys who trained wrestling as part of a MMA regimen).
Not at all. Strength has a small role to play in wrestling. Technique, conditioning and leverage are more important in wrestling than strength. I can recall countless matches where you see a muscle head take on a skinny lanky kid and get made a fool once the lanky kid throws legs in. 
Wrestlers core strength is a bitch to deal with. 
Strength applied through technique.
Damn I missed Iran vs US. Gotta go watch it now...
It seems like the only thing that the US Russia and Iran can agree on is wrestling needs to be part of the Olympics.
I saw Bubba Jenkins out wrestle Jon Jones and there is a huge size and strength difference there. I heard Bubba is rated #1 in the world though.
I've never wrestled, but I've rolled with plenty of wrestlers in BJJ training.
I'd say that--like BJJ training--strength is an asset. Like cardio, quickness, balance, aggression, size, heart, and technique.
When you watch high level competitors, you need to keep in mind that their wrestling assets are going to very even across the board. Those guys are ALL strong, they're ALL fast, they ALL have great cardio, etc. So the winners are going to be decided at the margins, where one guy is able to squeak out and captialize and the smallest of advantages.
In other words, you're going to see the competitors using (among other traits) a high degree of strength.
Strength comes with wrestling
UGCTT_Messiah - Strength applied through technique.
This. Good wrestling is just as technical as BJJ, just applied in a different way.
deadlysyn -How did that go down? Where/when was this?
I saw Bubba Jenkins out wrestle Jon Jones and there is a huge size and strength difference there. I heard Bubba is rated #1 in the world though.
Bubba was an assistant coach in TUF
GregNoActionJackson -Not at all. Strength has a small role to play in wrestling. Technique, conditioning and leverage are more important in wrestling than strength. I can recall countless matches where you see a muscle head take on a skinny lanky kid and get made a fool once the lanky kid throws legs in.
You're mistaking muscles for strength.
Smith1234 - OP you are an 01 er and asking this question?!This
Smith1234 - OP you are an 01 er and asking this question?!
Indeed I am . . . which is why I plead guilty in the OP.
In high school, I was into the striking (Korean) arts. I was one of those types that thought: if that guy tried to take me down, I'd hit him with a jump-spinning-so-and-so. Later I got into BJJ and always pulled for BJJ guys to win over wrestlers. I honestly never in my life watched a straight wrestling match (unless you count Vision Quest . . . kidding) until that USA vs Iran thing. Those f*ckers shot like lightning bolts, which caused me to watch more of the event and eventually create this post.
I'm an old-schooler, but not too pround to be schooled. In turn, don't be any more douchey about it than you just HAVE to be.
ChipW -UGCTT_Messiah - Strength applied through technique.This. Good wrestling is just as technical as BJJ, just applied in a different way.
Skinny lanky wrestler will ankle pick you all day long.
2 minute periods - 3 periods. Pure strength, agility, technique and weight match up supposedly to an opponent of the same. All out war.
From my personal experience as a skinny wrestler back in the day (130-134lbs 5'11"). I would salivate when guys tried to muscle me. Technique & leverage was my ally.
That being said. This is why wrestling is the greatest sport. People of all body types can excel.
Kudos to an 01er OP asking this question in good faith, aware of his own knowledge deficit. Seriously.
The honest answer is no. Wrestling is not all strength. I am about 140 pounds and routinely toss around very large, very strong MMA fighters. When I am taking them down with singles, the comment is always how 'quick' I am. The truth is, I am pretty clunky and slow. But my position is so good - as are my fakes, level changes, and setups - that it 'feels' quick. When I am controlling the clinch, the comment is on my strength. It again should be about my position and technique.
With that being said, it's impossible to become good at wrestling without simultaneously developing incredible and disproportionate functional strength. The two are interconnected and symbiotic; becoming good and becoming strong happen at the same time. An old teammate of mine was a 2X All-American and just placed at the US Open. He benches about 150 and deadlifts about 250. But he the moment he grabs you, you realize just how 'strong' he is.
That's because wrestling itself is strength training. Your pulling, pushing, core muscles are being worked out in the most functional way. So yeah, I'm really strong. That's because I strength trained 2-3x/day in college in the way most conducive to the strength I wanted: drilling and wrestling live.
Mark Hunter -Smith1234 - OP you are an 01 er and asking this question?!
Indeed I am . . . which is why I plead guilty in the OP.
In high school, I was into the striking (Korean) arts. I was one of those types that thought: if that guy tried to take me down, I'd hit him with a jump-spinning-so-and-so. Later I got into BJJ and always pulled for BJJ guys to win over wrestlers. I honestly never in my life watched a straight wrestling match (unless you count Vision Quest . . . kidding) until that USA vs Iran thing. Those f*ckers shot like lightning bolts, which caused me to watch more of the event and eventually create this post.
I'm an old-schooler, but not too pround to be schooled. In turn, don't be any more douchey about it than you just HAVE to be.
We need more of this around here. Honest response and kudos for wanting to learn more. If you live in a state where wrestling is big id suggest going to a hs match next season.