The story goes that the Ottoman Sultan, Orhan Gazi, paused during a series of conflicts in the region of the modern border between Turkey, Bulgaria, and Greece. In All About Turkey‘s account, two soldiers commanded by the Sultan’s brother, Süleyman Pasha, engaged in a friendly wrestling match during a break in the fighting. Neither came out on top, though Pasha promised the victor a kispet (a pair of leather pants).

They are said to have fought to a draw until they died of exhaustion hours later, all while slick with oil (to keep the area’s ravenous bugs away, per The Oil Wrestler). The evenly-matched brawlers were buried in a place that became known as Kirkpinar (Forty Springs), where many of the watery wonders were said to have popped up afterward.

This proud tradition continues today. The Kirkpinar tournament is an annual event held in Edirne, Turkey, to much fanfare. It began in the mid-14th Century (per Olive Oil Times) and is among the longest-running sporting events in the world. Turkey’s best oil wrestlers engage in a heated regional competition to qualify, battling for the Kirkpinar Golden Belt and the title of Baspehlivan (champion).

Wrestlers must hoist their opponents over their heads and walk for several paces or pin them by their shoulders to win. In a nod to the sport’s proud origin story, competitors wear just a kispet (tearing it also constitutes a victory) of water buffalo leather. Plus copious amounts of oil, naturally.