‘A cruel and Western sport’

The gritty world of Russia's underground professional wrestling. A photos series

In the United States, "professional wrestling sports entertainment" is a multimillion-dollar industry with television broadcasts, sold-out stadiums, and adoring fans from coast to coast. In Russia, it's a different business, where even the pros brawl in basements, small clubs, or anywhere else promoters can manage to convince a wary landlord to spare some space for a group of large, grown men to bleed on each other.

“In Russia, wrestling is considered cruel—and Western,” says Pavel Volkov, a photographer. “Convincing landlords is not an easy sell.” His latest work, “Wrestling in Moscow,” is a deep dive into the underground Russian scene, photographed between September and December 2014, capturing performers and fans who fight and clamor for a sport that lives in shadows.

A bout between the "American" and "Russian" teams.

Two Russian wrestlers who play roles of the "Americans" wait to enter the ring.

Spitting blood after a bout.

“I won’t say fans don’t like the Americans,” Mr. Volkov said. “But I will say they do have their own strong opinions about them.”

"In Russia, wrestling is considered cruel—and Western," Mr. Volkov said. "Convincing landlords is not an easy sell."

Shows can attract audiences of more than 300 fans.

Bloody trails on a wrestler's chest after a bout.

Fans holding posters to support their favorite wrestler.