Ultimate (sports entertainment)

Ultimate is a brand of sports entertainment. It is closely related to professional wrestling, and borrows much of its terminology, but also incorporates physical challenges as well as an element of genuine competition. Like in professional wrestling, participants are very much 'characters', with designed personalities and staged feuds and conflicts. The actual matches, though, are usually - but not always - genuinely competitive.

Premise and terminology
Ultimate sees competitors staged against each other - either individually or in teams - in a matches. A match consists of several rounds, and, in turn, a round is either a bout or a game. A championship might consist of a series of matches over several weeks or months, with participants competing against each other either in a round-robin league format or in an elimination tournament. Rounds might set two individuals against each other, or might involves teams of two or more participants. In addition, matches are interspersed with promotions (or promos) which, although not directly related to the competition, are an integral part of Ultimate.

Bouts
A bout is fundamentally a wrestling match. Bouts take place in a ring, which, like in professional wrestling, is an elevated platform topped with shock-absorbing foam padding and a canvas cover (the mat). The ring is surrounded by three ropes, which are made of elasticated natural fibre wrapped in tape. The ropes are held in position and tension by turnbuckles, which are in turn supported by padded posts.

The aim of a bout is to cause the opponent to fall, which, depending on the bout type, can be achieved by: The most common type of bout lasts for a set number of falls, with the first side to achieve the number being declared the winner. The standard for most modern rounds is one fall, though occasionally (especially in the final stages of a championship) a round might be wrestled to three or even five falls. Alternatively, a round might last for a prescribed period of time (usually 10 minutes), with the side causing the most falls being declared the winner.
 * Pinning both of the opponent's shoulders to the mat, typically for three seconds
 * Throwing the opponent clear of the ring
 * Forcing the opponent to submit
 * The opponent remaining outside the ring for too long (a countout)
 * The opponent being disqualified.

Games
Ultimate's use of games is unique in sports entertainment. Each game has a specific objective, with a fall awarded against the unsuccessful participant or team.