Wrestling has two possible ways to win a match. A wrestler can win by outscoring his opponent or by pinning them to the mat.
The Pin
Pinning your opponent to the mat is in many ways the ultimate test of superiority of one wrestler over the other. Unlike professional wrestling's melodramatic "3 count" for a pin, in real wrestling, the moment an opponent's shoulder blades are held to the mat, simultaneously, the pin is called. When a wrestler wins by pin (also called "pin fall", or just "fall"), the elapsed time of the match is recorded, and the score is ignored (though the wrestler is still credited with the match points earned in his personal record). The one thing that professional and real wrestling have in common is that the "slap" of the referee's hand on the mat signals the fall and the end of the match.
Points
Like most other sports, a wrestler can win by outscoring his opponent. Wrestlers earn points by performing certain maneuvers against their opponent:
• Take down (3 points)
The take down is the most common move in all of wrestling. A take down occurs when one wrestler gains control of his opponent on the mat (generally when his opponent is on his knees or flat on the mat), after having been in a neutral position. The referee signals a take down by making a downward slashing motion with three fingers.
• Near-fall (2, 3, or 4 points)
A near-fall, as the name implies is an "almost-pin". When a wrestler who is in control of his opponent tilts his opponent so that his shoulder blades make an angle less than 90 degrees relative to the mat, the referee will begin a count (generally seen as a sweeping motion of the hand). If the referee reaches the count of 2, two points; referee reaches the count of 3, three points, referee reaches the count of 4, four points.
If the wrestler being held down manages to get his shoulders out of that position, but the wrestler in control does not change his hold, the referee will not award the points, and will instead give the wrestler on top a chance to re-establish his opponent into near-fall condition. If the count has not yet reached five, the referee will then start a new count, giving the wrestler in control a chance to improve the number of points he scored.
If at any time while a wrestler is being held in a hold causing him to be in near-fall, and that wrestler calls out in pain, causing a stoppage of the match, an additional one point is awarded.
Referees signal near-fall points by pointing to their shoulder with 2, 3, or 4 fingers, and then moving the forearm back and forth (toward and away from the shoulder) so that people can see the number of points awarded. They are awarded to the wrestler in control after that wrestler breaks his hold on the other wrestler (thus, the near-fall is a "delayed call").
• Escape (1 point)
A wrestler earns an escape when he is being controlled by an opponent, and manages to break free of his opponent to a neutral position. To signal an escape, the referee usually holds a single finger in the air.
• Reversal (2 points)
Reversals are similar to escapes, however in the case of a reversal, the wrestler being controlled does not reach a neutral, standing position. Rather, the wrestler being controlled immediately establishes control over his opponent. The referee signals a reversal by circling his hands around each other, followed by a quick display of two fingers (or vice versa).
• Penalty points (1 or 2 points)
Penalty points can be earned when a wrestler is fouled by his opponents. Common fouls include illegal or dangerous holds (the full nelson, locking hands around the opponents body by the wrestler in command). The second (and subsequent) warnings for stalling also award penalty points, as does the third and subsequent cautions. Points can also be earned for unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness. The first two instances are generally one point penalties, while the third in the same match results in a two point penalty. The fourth penalty results in two penalty points, and disqualification.