Last Thursday Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj was sworn in as Mongolia’s new President. Along with a military parade in Ulan Bator’s Sukhbaatar Square opposite Parliament, there was a concert staged at the Cultural Palace.

But sports fans in Mongolia were not disappointed. A wrestling competition to mark the occasion was also held on Friday. Yep, Friday Night Wrestling in Ulan Bator.

Like many buildings in the capital, the circular exterior of the Wrestling Palace reflects the traditional Mongolian Ger. But, on the inside, its wrestling arena stands beneath a high dome and is surrounded by several tiers of seating.

It’s a sweaty cauldron for warrior wrestlers and spectators alike.

Wrestling competition during 2009 Presidential Inauguration Celebrations in Mongolia from Guy Degen on Vimeo.

My colleagues and I bought tickets for 6000 MNT (tugrug) a piece – around 3 euro each. There’s no allocated seating and we found ourselves looking for seats among wrestlers and their trainers.

You kind of politely step out of the way for these lads. They’re huge. A large arm swept me aside while I was filming on a landing.

I’ve since learnt that many players in Mongolia’s Rugby team are drawn from the ranks of wrestlers. Looking closely at the ear of the wrestler in the opening shot of the video above, you can clearly see he sports the cauliflower ears of a forward. Whether that’s from packing down in a scrum or from wrestling I can’t tell you.

Wrestling is steeped in Mongolian culture and tradition. Along with archery and horse riding it’s one of three so called "manly sports".

Next month these sports will feature at the Naadam Festival in Ulanbaatar  – the biggest festival in Mongolia.

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj set the time of his swearing-in ceremony to become the fourth President of Mongolia in a symbolic nod to the year Genghis Khan was proclaimed ruler of the Mongol Empire.

Dressed in a gold-coloured traditional deel, Elbegdorj took the oath of office today at Parliament in the capital Ulan Bator.

On a fuzzy television set it looked like a fine set of robes fit for a president. However later in the afternoon at the ceremonial military parade in Sukhbataar Square, an onlooker was grinning as she told me that maybe the President’s deel was not such a good cut. Apparently it looked a little too big for him.

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj succeeds President Nambaryn Enkhbayar. Elbegdorj is a Harvard grad and has served twice as Prime Minister. He pitched his presidential campaign on fighting corruption and won the elections on May 24 by a slim majority.

Already President Elbegdorj has made headlines over whether Mongolia should join foreign mining companies and invest in a major gold and copper mine.

Despite a few technical glitches, namely poor sound during speeches, the military parade was quite a spectacle.

Personally, I’m looking forward to the traditional wrestling competition that will be held on Friday night as part of the inauguration celebrations.