AFP presents a photo essay on professional wrestler Gia Scott shot by photographer Jim Watson over several months in 2018. Kierra Scott – better known by her stage name Gia – is a rising star in the US pro wrestling scene. This month, the 19-year-old became the youngest ever female champion of the MCW wrestling league in Maryland. Here: Professional wrestler Gia Scott (R) tries to break free from the grip of professional wrestler Aria Palmer (L) during Autumn Armageddon 2018 in Galena, Maryland on October 6, 2018. (Photo by Jim Watson/AFP Photo)

Vladimir Putin shows a hold to a young judo wrestler at the Regional Judo Center at the Arena Sports Complex in the Siberian city of Kemerovo on January 24, 2012, during his visit to the region. Putin is known for his passion for judo, in which he has a black belt. (Photo by AFP Photo/STR)

Sumo wrestlers perform a show fight during an annual sumo tournament dedicated to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Japan on April 16, 2018. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Reuters)

American professional wrestler Jade Cargill visits The Empire State Building on July 31, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust)