I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. In fact, it got me so amped up that I'm going to be coming at you with a bunch of wrestling content. I'm ranking the top five guys at every weight class, and today we finish with the big boys at 125 KG (approximately 275 pounds). Let's get to it.
5. Zachery Rey
I would say it is fairly likely that Rey finishes better than this, but since I don't really see any situation where he makes it to the top of the pile, I'm going to keep him at fifth as he's a tough out for guys and could easily end up second, but it would take an incredible amount of fortunate circumstances for him to take the top spot.
4. Gable Steveson
Gable Steveson is only 17 years old, and he's on this list. I have preached over and over how big of a jump it is to compete at the Senior Level from the Junior Level, and it definitely is. But this dude is SPECIAL. There is an incredible amount of talent coming up at heavyweight, but Steveson still stands head and shoulders above everyone else. Athletically, he might be the most gifted heavyweight out there, but I do think some of the strength and experience of the USA's top guys will give him issues. He probably won't be good enough to win this weight, but every match of his is going to be a must watch.
3. Tony Nelson
This is likely too high for Tony Nelson, but I remember Tony Nelson as a guy who always found a way to win at the college level. He won two national titles, and he always seemed to come through when it mattered most. I thought he would instantly be one of our best heavyweights on the international level, and instead, he has really failed to do anything in freestyle. I still believe the talent is there, and since my brain is stupid and my thoughts fail to change quickly, I could see him being the guy, but it is more realistic that he gets upset early and fails to make any noise at the US Freestyle Trials.
2. Dom Bradley
Dom Bradley is solid. He doesn't do anything that wows people, but he's tough to score on and he can keep things close. It's usually enough to keep him in the mix, but I can't see him being the guy for the United States.
1. Nick Gwiazdowski
Gwiazdowski is the man at this weight class, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. He's big, athletic, and has made a very strong transition to the world of freestyle. He's not a top guy at heavyweight internationally as he's never really had a breakthrough win against the top few guys a the weight, but he's still at a stage where he's getting better, and he should keep that spot for at least this year, but yeah, in the future, that Gable Steveson is set to make things interesting.
I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. In fact, it got me so amped up that I'm going to be coming at you with a bunch of wrestling content. I'm ranking the top five guys at every weight class, and today we move on to 97 KG (approximately 214 pounds). Let's get to it.
5. Kollin Moore
Moore probably isn't ready for the senior level, since he wasn't ready for the NCAA Tournament this year where he got blitzed by Kyle Conel, an unknown out of Kent State, twice. But nobody wants to wrestle 97 KG for the USA right now, because they know there ain't no way in hell they're going to win it. I had to put someone here.
4. Nathan Burak
Burak did beat the number one guy at this weight back in college in one of the weirder matches I can remember, but he ain't ever beating that guy again. As a former Hawkeye, I wish him nothing but the best, but his best would be a second place finish at this weight.
3. Ty Walz
Ty Walz was a college heavyweight who has trimmed down to try his luck at 97 KG. He's definitely tough, and he is a contender to make the Finals at this weight, but he's not winning it.
2. Kyven Gadson
Gadson is the second best option at 97 KG, and he did get a huge win over the number one guy in college. But things have greatly changed since then as even though Gadson has gotten better. The number one guy on this list has turned into the greatest wrestler in the world, possibly at any weight class.
1. Kyle Snyder
Yeah, ain't nobody stopping Kyle Snyder from representing the United States at this weight. Not only that, but he'll go in as the overwhelming favorite to win the World Championships at 97 KG this year. That doesn't mean he is completely unbeatable, but he's as close to unbeatable as we're going to see at any weight class in the world. Here's the thing, it's not like Snyder is going to go through and tech fall everybody and dominate; that's not his game. Snyder doesn't blast doubles like Burroughs, and he can give up takedowns on occasion. But Snyder is absolutely relentless. Nobody at his size can put on the pace that he generates for six minutes, and he just eventually wears guys out. He's not Freddy Krueger with flashy slashing kills; he is Jason Voorhees, stalking his prey and overwhelming them when they finally wear out. It's incredible, and you should seek out any opportunity to watch him as he is on the path to becoming the greatest American wrestler ever.
I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. In fact, it got me so amped up that I'm going to be coming at you with a bunch of wrestling content. I'm ranking the top five guys at every weight class, and today we move on to 92 KG (approximately 203 pounds). Let's get to it.
5. Michael Macchiavello
Macchiavello has had quite the rise in this past year as he emerged from the 197 pound weight class to claim a national championship. He's not a transcendent talent that is immediately going to be competing for the top spot in freestyle for the United States, but he is a good talent who could make things interesting. He will definitely get better in the next few years, but I don't really see a time where he makes the leap to ever be the guy for the United States internationally.
4. Kenny Courts
Kenny Courts had one good tournament in college where he came out of nowhere to become an All-American. Then he fell out of everyone's thoughts and popped back up to turn into an interesting freestyle prospect again. He might just be getting overhyped due to a single strong performance, but he could possibly make things interesting at this weight, although I still can't imagine him being the guy.
3. Nick Heflin
Heflin is a guy who was never a world-beater in college as he finished fifth twice during his time at Ohio State. He's good, not great, but considering this weight class was just added, it's a little more shallow than most so he has a legitimate shot to make the title match against J'Den Cox.
2. Hayden Zillmer
I saw Zillmer wrestle one match at the World Cup against India, and the thing that stood out is he looked massive. This is yet another guy who didn't shine too much in college, but maybe he can make an impact here. He was named the alternate at the World Cup for a reason, so he's probably the favorite to challenge Cox at Final X.
1. J'Den Cox
J'Den Cox is the sweatiest athlete in history. I feel like before we talk about his wrestling credentials, we really just need to get that on the record as no matter how good he is at wrestling, it will never live up to his ability to sweat. The man has to be wiped down before a match, because he simply has too much sweat on him simply from warming up. Anyways, Cox is also a hell of a wrestler as he's got a Bronze medal to his name. He's long and strong and incredibly tough to score on. I don't think anybody in the United States is touching him, but I need to see him develop more of an offensive attack before I can see him getting atop a podium at the international level.
I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. In fact, it got me so amped up that I'm going to be coming at you with a bunch of wrestling content. I'm ranking the top five guys at every weight class, and today we move on to 86 KG (approximately 190 pounds). Let's get to it.
5. Pat Downey III
PD3 was my guy early in the season. That was when I thought he was actually going to wrestle for the Hawkeyes. Unfortunately, that never came to fruition, so Downey has not competed in quite a while. Still, he has been training in Iowa City, and I don't expect to see a lot of rust from him. He has the ability to take out some of the top guys at this weight, but even if things break right, I have trouble seeing him making the Final X.
4. Gabe Dean
Gabe Dean was a very good folkstyle wrestler but can't seem to find his footing at the next level. He's dabbled in both freestyle and greco and neither one really seems to suit him. He's a great all-around athlete and a tremendous competitor, but I think he will likely end up being a great college wrestler who never does anything on the international level. I know that doesn't sound great, but being a great college wrestler is pretty freaking incredible, so let's celebrate that instead of worrying about an international career.
3. Richard Perry
Perry is the opposite of Dean where he has done much better at freestyle than he ever did at the NCAA level. He was never even an All-American, but he has been in the mix for the USA in past years. Still, he was never close to taking that top spot, and I don't see a major breakthrough coming this year. He's solid depth and a gatekeeper for some of the young guys coming up, but it's tough to envision any more.
2. Bo Nickal
Nickal is one of the most exciting guys in wrestling. He is willing to go big in order for a big payoff and truly wrestles with the philosophy of, "No risk it, no biscuit." Any match that he is in is must-watch, but even though he's entertaining, I don't see him having the tools to take out the top guy on this list.
1. David Taylor
Taylor has gone on a tear since moving up to 86 KG as he has looked great against international competition. Unfortunately, J'Den Cox gave him fits when it mattered most, and he was unable to represent the country last year. But now it's his time. I really don't see anybody challenging him from the United States, and I wouldn't be shocked if he took out everybody in the world as well, although that is still a far loftier goal in a very tough weight class.
I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. In fact, it got me so amped up that I'm going to be coming at you with a bunch of wrestling content. I'm ranking the top five guys at every weight class, and today we move on to 79 KG (approximately 174 pounds). Let's get to it.
5. Mark Hall
I saw Hall listed at 79 KG which was kind of surprising. He wrestles at 174 in college, but he is definitely small for the weight class and looks like he could easily make 74 KG. You could say that he doesn't want to go after Jordan Burroughs, but the guy at the top of this weight class is no picnic either. I wouldn't be surprised to see him at a weight class below, but either way, I don't see him being quite ready to be the guy at the senior level.
4. Jon Reader
Jon Reader is a really good wrestler who was just never quite great enough at the freestyle level. He wrestled most of his post-college career at 86 KG, so there is a chance that the drop in weight could help him take the top spot, but I can't quite buy in until I see it. He had been an assistant at South Dakota State before following Chris Bono to Wisconsin. Although coaching keeps guys on the mat, there is a reason you don't see guys who coach represent the United States on the international level; it's too demanding to focus on a team instead of just focusing on improving yourself.
3. Zahid Valencia
The story of Zahid and Anthony Valencia will never cease to amaze me. Anthony was the man in high school, to the point where you could argue he was one of the ten greatest American high school wrestlers in history. He took fifth at the US Open while in high school which is just absolutely insane. Now, Zahid was a top wrestler, but he was nowhere near the level of his brother. Then they went to college and everything changed. Zahid lost just one match in his freshman year, and had an undefeated sophomore season while Anthony has had middling results and has come nowhere near living up to the hype. Zahid is definitely an incredible wrestler, but he's young, and there are two absolute beasts hanging out above him on this list. Even if he can't overcome those top guys, I'm still looking forward to seeing how close he is to the elite level.
2. Alex Dieringer
Dieringer is an absolute beast who can overwhelm just about anyone. Unfortunately, when he switched to freestyle at 74 KG, he ran into Jordan Burroughs, who is one of the greatest American wrestlers ever, and a guy named Kyle Dake. Well, the bump up in weight helps him avoid Burroughs. Unfortunately, there is still that Dake guy waiting for him in the likely Finals matchup.
1. Kyle Dake
At the World Cup, Dake was the star. He was nailing big throws and just overwhelming opponents. After he was done decimating his opponents, he still had the wherewithal to pump up the crowd after his victories. It was awesome. With what I saw from Dake, I cannot see anybody beating him from the United States, and I wouldn't be surprised if nobody in the world could take him out either. The most interesting thing will be in 2020, when Dake likely moves back down to 74 KG to take on Burroughs, and as much as I love Burroughs, I think Dake might be our guy by the time the Olympics rolls around.
I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. In fact, it got me so amped up that I'm going to be coming at you with a bunch of wrestling content. I'm ranking the top five guys at every weight class, and today we move on to 74 KG (approximately 163 pounds). Let's get to it.
5. Alex Marinelli
I have my Hawkeye Homer glasses on, but I still don't see a way for Marinelli to compete with the best guys at this weight. I do think he showed a lot of improvement in the folkstyle world this past season, so hopefully he puts together a couple of wins and keeps that wrestling momentum going into next season for Iowa.
4. Vincenzo Joseph
Joseph hasn't really done much at the freestyle level, but he is a two-time defending NCAA Champion, and that's got to count for something. I'm not sure how strong his interest is at this point in his career, but he definitely has the talent if he dedicates himself to a transition down the line.
3. Nazar Kulchytskyy
Nazar is crafty enough to be an alternate, but not really a threat to challenge for the top spot. He's a very good wrestler, but if everything breaks right, he gets tech'd twice by the man at the top of this list.
2. Isaiah Martinez
Isaiah Martinez was a guy who I had the highest of hopes for when it came to his potential. After his undefeated freshman season, I thought he would go all four years undefeated. He was so totally overwhelming and awesome that I just couldn't see anybody beating him. He ended up getting beat in his sophomore year, and did not win a national title in either his junior or senior years. He just never really seemed to get better, and his underhook offense got figured out by the best wrestlers out there. Even against lesser competition, he didn't dominate like he did early in his career. And now he is going to the international world where I just can't see him giving the top guy a run for his money. I-Mar is still a physical freak, and I could still see an amazing MMA career if he chooses to go down that path.
1. Jordan Burroughs
Still the King. He bounced back from a disappointing Olympics in 2016 to win yet another World Title in 2017. He's older, not quite as explosive, but definitely craftier in his attacks. He's the man. Thinking anything else would be ridiculous. He had the single best moment of the World Cup when he managed a pin against Azerbaijan in the finals. He won't be able to do this forever, so appreciate it while we still can. He's still awesome, and ain't nobody from the USA taking his spot at the top of this weight class.
I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. In fact, it got me so amped up that I'm going to be coming at you with a bunch of wrestling content. I'm ranking the top five guys at every weight class, and today we move on to 70 KG (approximately 154 pounds). Let's get to it.
5. Richie Lewis
Lewis won the gold medal at the U23 tournament this past fall, and while that is certainly the best accomplishment at that tournament, the strength of the U23 usually leaves quite a bit to be desired. It's this weird in-between tournament for people who are too old for Juniors but not quite at the talent level of the Senior level guys. I don't really see Lewis as a great threat to take this weight, and considering that he wrestled all year at 165, he might bump up to 74 KG.
4. Frank Molinaro
Molinaro is moving up from 65 KG this year, and I have never been a huge Molinaro believer. In fact, you could probably safely classify me as a Molinaro hater. He manged to take fifth place a couple years ago, but that was his peak in my opinion, and I don't see a move up in weight helping him any. Still, he is a solid wrestler with a lot of great experience, but I just don't think he has the necessary skills to be a true threat at this weight.
3. Dylan Ness
Is this too high for Dylan Ness, a man that has not shown any great success at the Senior level? Yes, it definitely is, but Dylan Ness is awesome, and I will gladly overrate somebody who is incredibly fun to watch. Let's just hope that somebody puts him in a position to scramble, because then we are all in for a treat.
2. Jason Nolf
Speaking of guys that can scramble, Nolf definitely fits that bill, and I would love to see a match between Nolf and Ness. Still, Nolf is coming off of a knee injury, so there is a decent chance he sits this year out. He is somebody who is still learning how to translate his folkstyle skills to the world of freestyle, but he gets better every year, and it certainly wouldn't be surprising if he was giving the top guy a run for his money this year.
1. James Green
Green won the silver medal at the World Championships last year, and he's still the clear favorite for the United States. He seems to run hot and cold as sometimes he can really just fail to get going on offense. Still, he's had an incredible transition to the freestyle world (working every day with Jordan Burroughs seems to be a good thing), and it would be very surprising to see anybody from the United States upset him this year.
I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. In fact, it got me so amped up that I'm going to be coming at you with a bunch of wrestling content. I'm ranking the top five guys at every weight class, and today we move on to 65 KG (approximately 143 pounds). Let's get to it.
5. Ryan Deakin
Deakin makes this list, mostly since Yianni Diakomihalis will probably not be able to wrestle this year. Deakin is solid as he had some good results at lower levels, but I cannot see him coming out on top at a weight class with some very good options at the top.
4. Joey McKenna
McKenna has elite defensive skills, and he showed that this past year when nobody scored on him during the B1G Tournament. Still, the offense isn't quite up to that elite level, and he was unable to come out on top at the NCAA Tournament. Still, he was good enough to be an alternate at this weight during the World Cup, so clearly, Team USA has some faith in him, but I'm not quite ready to buy what he is selling.
3. B.J. Futrell
BJ Futrell is the gatekeeper. He keeps everyone out of the top spots. When you can beat Futrell, you can have the opportunity to represent the United States. It is not a glamorous position, but Futrell is a tough out, and I do see him as still retaining his spot as our country's third best option at 65 KG.
2. Zain Retherford
This is where it gets real. I definitely had this order reversed when I initially ranked the guys, but the more I thought about it, the more I convinced myself that Zain is not quite ready to take over as the man at this weight class. It's counter intuitive since Zain did represent the United States last year at this weight, but even though he was dominant this past year in college, he seemed to tighten up in big matches instead of opening up like he was usually able to do. Although he has been the top guy, I see a former nemesis moving up in weight and taking that spot from him this year.
1. Logan Stieber
When he was a senior, Stieber was upset by Retherford, who was only a freshman, but he bounced back to beat him when it mattered and secured a fourth NCAA title. Stieber has been consistently competing at freestyles since then where Retherford has been bouncing back and forth between folkstyle and freestyle. Although the styles are similar, I do think Stieber has gained better experience, not only because of the stylistic differences but also competing consistently against guys who are the best in the world. I think a match between these two will be incredibly close, and I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to a decisive third match, but I have to give just the slightest edge to Stieber.
I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. In fact, it got me so amped up that I'm going to be coming at you with a bunch of wrestling content. I'm ranking the top five guys at every weight class, and today we move on to 61 KG (approximately 134 pounds). Let's get to it.
5. Seth Gross
Gross won the NCAA Tournament this past year and has shown some impressive skills in his freestyle career. Although I don't see elite level talent at this weight class, I do think there is a ton of depth at it. When it came to facing the top competition in the NCAA, he was almost always able to get a takedown when he needed it, but I think he will struggle to do that against the guys he will be facing who have a lot more experience than him. Still, Gross is a guy who has excellent body control, and it wouldn't surprise me if he finished higher than this based off an upset or two.
4. Tyler Graff
It is at this point that I could easily see any of the remaining guys coming out on top at this weight. Graff was the favorite to take on Ramos at 57 KG last year but ended up losing a close match to Thomas Gilman. I think Graff will be just as tough up a weight, and he has the ability to take on anyone. It isn't going to be in shootout matches, but he does make it hard for anyone to score.
3. Kendric Maple
Maple is basically the opposite of Graff. He is going to find a way to score points, even if he has to give up some in the process. He is the top ranked guy for the USA right now, but it's never really clicked to the point where he is a real threat on the international level. There is a very strong argument for him being the favorite at this weight, but I just haven't seen a ton of progression from him, and I see him getting knocked off as the top guy at the US Open this year.
2. Joe Colon
Colon has always had a ton of physical talent as he has the ability to overwhelm opponents with his strength. He seemed like a guy who would look stronger in his initial freestyle run, but it's taken him a few years to put things together. I very nearly put him as the favorite as I think he has now combined his physical traits with enough freestyle experience to be very dangerous at this weight class. Still, I couldn't quite give him that top spot.
1. Nahshon Garrett
Garrett is one of those guys that when he is on, I find it ridiculous that anybody could beat him. He has incredible athleticism and body control, and if he wants to get to somebody's legs, it's damn near impossible to stop him. I think the weight cut to 57 KG was too much for him, but with the 61 KG weight class, I could see him finally putting it together and going to the World Championships for the United States this year. Previous Entries: 57 KG
I went to the UWW Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, and it was awesome. The United States won the title and showed that they are going to be one of the best nations in the world at wrestling for the foreseeable future. Now unfortunately, due to a bunch of bullshit politics, Iran and Russia were not able to attend the event. Iran is solid but probably not any better than the Azerbaijan team that the United States beat in the finals. Russia is a different beast, and right now, them and the USA stand above the rest of the world in freestyle wrestling. But after watching the best that the United States has to offer, I wanted to break down all of the weight classes to see who would be representing the United States later this year at the World Championships. Let's start at 57 KG (approximately 126 pounds) where the United States won a Silver Medal at last year's World Championships.
5. Daton Fix
Fix is the guy I know the least about, mostly since he has only had unattached matches for Oklahoma State as he took a redshirt this season. Still, the guy won the Junior World Title last year, so the bonafides are definitely there. Stepping up from the Junior to the Senior level is still incredibly difficult, and although I think he can have a good showing, I don't think he's quite ready to take on some of the older competition.
4. Tony Ramos
This is where some of my stupidity shines through as I'm going to play psychologist. But doesn't Tony Ramos seem happy? I think that's a great thing, but that dude always seemed pissed off back in the day, and that was part of his edge. Now that he's a happy adult, how driven is he? We really haven't seen anything from him since Gilman beat him at the US Open last year. This is another guy who could definitely rise up and take the top spot, as working with Coleman Scott should add some new tricks to his repertoire, but I could just as easily see him getting upset early and really never being a top guy for the USA ever again.
3. Nathan Tomasello
Tomasello had a disappointing senior season, but really, he did exactly what you would have expected outside of running into a buzzsaw from Iowa. Tomasello was big enough to wrestle at 133 the previous season, and I think the weight cut may have worn on him. Just having to peak a few times a year will likely help him at the lower weight, and I do think he is going to be a tough out for anyone in the tournament. But I still have him falling just short of making the finals.
2. Thomas Gilman
How Gilman is only number two may shock some people. Not only was Gilman the representative for the United States last year, he won the damn Silver Medal at the World Championships. Do I think the USA should definitely be taking gold this year? Not at all, but I do think that just about everything worked out for Gilman last year. He managed to pull off every close match, and I just don't think that is a repeatable skill. Now, that being said, as a medal winner last year, he's already guaranteed a spot in the finals, so he only has to win two close matches instead of five. But, if I'm being totally honest, I would have put him fourth on this list if he wasn't guaranteed a finals spot. I doubted him last year, and he made me look stupid. I certainly won't be disappointed if he does that again.
1. Spencer Lee
I know Lee is coming off of his true freshman season, and he has never competed at the senior level, and it's insane to pick someone with no track record of success at that level. BUT, did you see Lee at the NCAA Championships? I know folkstyle and freestyle are different beasts, but Lee turned EVERYBODY. If he gets a takedown, he could end the match in an instant at the freestyle level. So the question becomes how good is Lee on his feet. He looked pretty damn unstoppable at the NCAA Tournament once he got that knee brace off. It's too early to say he's going to be a lightweight version of Kyle Snyder, but after what we saw from him, is it really a crazy prediction? I was about 50/50 on him winning an NCAA Championship, and the only way I can ever see giving him odds that low is if he's facing off against 57 KG's number one ranked wrestler, Japan's Yuki Takahashi, at the World Championships. I wouldn't be surprised if that match was for a gold medal, and I certainly wouldn't bet against him.
The Olympics have now been underway for nearly two weeks, and if you have missed any of the action, don't worry; you still haven't missed much (Greco and Women's Freestyle wrestling did start earlier this week). That's because tomorrow starts the men's freestyle wrestling competition. It may last three days, but these are wrestlers, which just means that they only do two weight classes from start to finish in a day. Within about eight hours, you have to clean out the best in your division to earn a gold medal. It's beautiful, it's wonderful, and it's the only sport you need to watch in the Olympics. And judging by the demographics of this website, you're probably most interested in how the USA is going to do at each weight class, so let's break it down, starting with the lowest chances and working our way up to who has the best chance of claiming Gold in Rio.
65 KG - Frank Molinaro
Am I a Frank Molinaro hater? Yeah, pretty much. Even when he won a NCAA title at 149, it was against a fairly weak class that year. The fact that he tied two of his matches but won on criteria to get the US spot didn't inspire a lot of confidence (I was also bitter about that first tie taking out personal favorite, Brent Metcalf). Then he went to Turkey to qualify the US for the Olympics and lost a must-win match. So that was that, and the US will not have anyone in Rio at 65 KG.
But wait, he managed to get in because somebody else got busted for doping. And to be fair, he's wrestling way better than he ever has. Sure, a lot of matches, he's pulling something out of his ass, but you have to be incredibly good just to be in position to pull something out of your ass. I don't see that luck continuing, and I'd be surprised if he got a win this weekend.
57 KG - Daniel Dennis
You have no idea how badly I would like to put Daniel Dennis higher on this list, but I can't do it. If there is one American that even non-Americans could get behind, it's Daniel Dennis. The guy had the most hearbreaking NCAA Finals loss in history. I'm not talking about one of the most heartbreaking, it is the hands down winner for most heartbreaking loss.
I still get ill watching it; I cannot imagine what he went through when it happened. And that's not the craziest part of his story. He gave up wrestling for years where he lived in a trailer with no television or internet; that was a step up from the half year that he spent living in his truck. And somehow, after all of that, he came back better than ever. He had to beat his own teammate in the US Trial finals, and he went out and dominated. With a story like that, he's probably got a pretty impressive Wikipedia page. Well, here's a screenshot:
That's the entire thing. You don't even have to scroll down to fit it all in, and about half of that is the table of contents and references. This is the difference between wrestlers and other sports stars. Hell, The top E-Gamer at 57 KG in the US probably has a Wikipedia page 50 times this long (of course I'm pretty sure e-gamers only come in at 57 KG or super heavyweight, so maybe it's a bigger deal).
To make it to the Olympics from where he was is incredible. But I'm going to be pulling for an even greater climax in his story. He's not going to be favored, but I'm definitely not going to count him out.
125 KG - Tervel Dlagnev
I know he doesn't sound like an American, but trust me, he is, and he's definitely the best heavyweight the US has. He has constantly been in the mix at World Championships, but it seems like he kind of stalls out in that 3-6 range and can't quite make it to the elite of the elite. He has also struggled with some injuries over the past year, and the current rankings reflect that (currently #14) so I can't really see him taking a step forward. It's tough to envision him making the podium, but he's had far more international success than everyone but the top two guys on this list, so it wouldn't be crazy to see him wrestling for a Bronze.
86 KG - J'Den Cox
J'Den Cox is probably the biggest wildcard on Team USA (I mean, he's the only guy on the team with a shorter Wikipedia than Dan Dennis). He could easily be eliminated immediately, and that will be that. But he's also incredibly athletic, and also incredibly big for 86 KG. He's long and strong, so I guess he's down to get the freak shit on. But he's just such a different matchup from the other guys in this weight that he could cause some issues. His technique is not going to be nearly as polished as some of the Eastern European countries he'll be squaring off against, but if there's an American that can come out of nowhere to make it to the championship, this is the guy to pick.
As for winning the gold...um, no. Unfortunately for Cox, there's this Russian named Abdulrashid Saulaev. Even if Cox gets eliminated early, you should watch Sadulaev, because he is that awesome. He might be the best wrestler at any weight class right now, although I favor the guy at the end of this list.
97 KG - Kyle Snyder
Snyder won the World Championships last year at the age of 19. That is so stupidly impressive and amazing that I still haven't totally wrapped my head around it. He comes into these games ranked number four as he has had some close losses at international tournaments. Even those losses were questionable as the reffing at some of these international tournaments are...less than fair. Oh, and in between those international tournaments, he bumped up to heavyweight and won a National Title. What I'm trying to say is Kyle Snyder is really freaking good at wrestling. Even with that, when you search Wikipedia for Kyle Snyder, this is what you get:
The first result is a pitcher who played three seasons in the mid-2000s and had an ERA of nearly 6.00. He outranks the World Champion Wrestler.
Anyway, if I was betting on this weight class, I'd take Snyder. He's so young that he's constantly improving, and he was already good enough to win a World Championship. Without questionable officiating, I don't think anyone can knock him off, and he has the potential to become a generational talent.
74 KG - Jordan Burroughs
Speaking of generational talents, that is exactly what Jordan Burroughs is. He's accomplished so much in wrestling that it's absolutely stupid at this point. Some have referred to him as the Michael Jordan of wrestling, and that's not an outrageous statement. I mean, the guy once won a World Championship with a broken ankle. On top of that, he's an ideal ambassador for the sport as a whole. Sure, he's not quite as explosive as he was four years ago, but what he's lost in that area, he's gained in technique as he's far better at turning guys and racking up points on the mat. I can't explain Jordan Burroughs. He's the best wrestler in the world. but even that doesn't do him justice. No matter what the sport is, to watch someone special in his craft is a religious experience. Jordan Burroughs wrestles tomorrow. Don't miss it.
The US Olympic Trials were held this past weekend, where men's and women's freestyle and Greco were decided on who would represent the US in the Olympics (if the US qualifies, as only half of the weight classes had been qualified so far). There were some absolutely incredible matches, and it was a ton of fun to watch. However, there were also some frustrating matches where when the match was over, you didn't really feel like the better wrestler won the match. That is the biggest issue I have with freestyle, and it's why my preference is still folkstyle (the type of wrestling you see in college (and basically all levels before that as well)).
My biggest issue with freestyle is exposing the shoulders to the mat. If you expose an opponent's shoulders to the mat, even if they are nowhere near those shoulders being pinned, you get two points. I get very frustrated when I see a guy go for a takedown, and the opponent reaches through his crotch, flips him upside down for a second and gets two points while the guy who initiated the action is still looking to score off that move. And yes, maybe it is extra frustrating because this is how every American loses in international competition.
But I see wrestling as the physical domination of your opponent. The ultimate goal is to pin your opponent's shoulders to the mat, and I really don't think anything that does not get you closer to that goal should be rewarded. Nobody gets pinned off of a leg lace, but Jordan Burroughs scored 8 points in about two seconds doing that to win his Olympic spot against Andrew Howe. And here's the thing, it was fun to watch, but I just feel that the points awarded far outweigh what Burroughs was actually accomplishing.
There are issues with folkstyle wrestling. Mat work can be incredibly boring, and I scream at my television anytime I see a top guy throw in a leg, the bottom guy stands up, and the ref just resets the guy to stay on the bottom with no stall call. But I still see the essence of dominating your opponent leads to victory. There are some exceptions where the guy with the takedown loses, but it's pretty rare, and the NCAA is making steps towards preventing that.
And maybe this is all just because I’m bitter about Brent Metcalf losing. He gave up two points when he shot in for a takedown, and basically did a one man gator roll to escape from a bad position. Molinaro had good defense, but he didn’t initiate any real action. Still, he got two points for a back exposure and won the 3-3 match on criteria. Now I’m not going to count out Metcalf for the 2020 Olympics, but I think this was his best shot to make it (well, 2012 actually may have been better). Zain Retherford has shown massive improvement over the last couple years, and giving him four more years, two of which he will completely be focused on freestyle make him the early favorite at that weight (Stieber would be an ideal guy at 61 kg, but that’s unfortunately no longer an Olympic weight, but hopefully they bring it back). Metcalf will go down as one of the greatest American wrestler to never make an Olympic team.
What were we talking about again?
Oh, yeah, folkstyle and freestyle. My big issue with freestyle is that you can beat an opponent without trying to pin their shoulders to the mat. Just turning a guy is more flash than substance (and I 100% understand that it is incredibly difficult to turn someone who does not want to be turned). And I’m even down for an exposure on a takedown attempt getting an extra two points, because it takes away a huge defensive maneuver for the guy being taken down, so it does lead to more action on the feet. And since turns are impressive, I’d rather just see a turn getting an extra two points, and then you stand them back up instead of racking up points off of the turns. I’d love folkstyle to look into the same thing to help with their issues of boring matches where guys just rack up riding time.
Overall, I just want to see the best wrestler win in an action-packed match. Both freestyle and folkstyle are great. I’ll admit that freestyle has more action, but folkstyle does a better job of proving who is the better wrestler, and that’s why I still prefer it to the Olympic style.
