Pankration ( /pæn.ˈkreɪti.ɒn/ or /pæŋˈkreɪʃən/) was a martial art introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC and founded as a blend of boxing and wrestling but with almost no rules save disallowing biting and gouging the opponent's eyes out. The term comes from the Greek παγκράτιον [paŋkrátion], literally meaning "all powers" from πᾶν (pan-) "all" + κράτος (kratos) "strength, power".

Modern mixed martial arts competitions have come to feature many of the same methods that were used in pankration competitions in the ancient Greek world.

In Greek mythology, it was said that the heroes Heracles and Theseus invented pankration as a result of using both wrestling and boxing in their confrontations with opponents. Theseus was said to have utilized his extraordinary pankration skills to defeat the dreaded Minotaur in the Labyrinth. Heracles was said to have subdued the Nemean lion using pankration, and was often depicted in ancient artwork doing that. In this context, it should be noted that pankration was also referred to as pammachon or pammachion (πάμμαχον or παμμάχιον), meaning "total combat", from πᾶν-, pān-, "all-" or "total", and μάχη, machē, "combat". The term pammachon was older, and would later become used less than the term pankration.

Terry Schappert is a United States Army Reserve Special Forces medical sergeant and martial artist who hosted the 2008 show Warriors on the History Channel. He left the service before 9/11 and re-entered it as a reservist after the attacks, serving three tours in Iraq. He has also had minor acting roles. Recently, he hosted a special during the Discovery Channel's Shark Week where he demonstrated ways in which to survive a shark attack.

He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) with a B.A. in anthropology, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He is married to Stefanie Schappert.

The Greek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Bill Raymond. The Greek is the head of an international criminal organization involved in narcotics and human trafficking. The Greek is a mysterious figure involved in numerous criminal activities. His given name is never mentioned on the show, and though he is known only as "The Greek", he has stated (in the episode Port in a Storm) that he is not actually Greek. A quiet and unassuming man, the Greek prefers to keep a low profile, operating all of his business through his lieutenant Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos. His smuggling organization operated from a small diner in Baltimore for years, and while Vondas would conduct business the Greek would listen in quietly at the counter. Nick Sobotka, upon seeing the Greek identify himself, was amazed that the shadowy figure had been in plain sight the entire time.

Despite his calm appearance, the Greek is cunning and ruthless, and only interested in facts that make him more money. Series creator David Simon has said that The Greek is an embodiment of raw unencumbered capitalism. Anyone interfering in this process is eliminated immediately, and he prefers to leave victims headless and handless to hinder identification.