USA Wrestling Has Too Much of a Good Thing at 86 KG

Going into the 2019 World Championships, 86 KG (about 189.5 pounds) is probably the weakest spot on the US Men’s Wrestling team. I understand that this is offensive to Pat Downey, the United States’s current representative at the weight, but it’s pretty tough to argue at this point, especially with a pretty short resume when it comes to Senior level freestyle wrestling accomplishments.

That being said, going into the Olympics in 2020, it goes from being the weakest to possibly the strongest weight class. Since there are only 6 Olympic weights where there are 10 world champions in non-Olympic years, it shrinks down the possibilities of where guys can wrestle. It is guaranteed at least two former world champions, and possibly, although extremely unlikely, up to five former World Champions. 

Pat Downey

First off, you have the current representative, Pat Downey. I did mention that he has not done much on the Senior Freestyle scene, but on the Junior scene, he did win a Silver Medal back in 2012 which was the best finish of any American that year. He struggled to find the right fit in college, so he was only a one-time All-American due to multiple transfers that limited his eligibility. Still, he came out with the right attitude this year and won the US Open before winning the best 2-out-of-3 falls against Nick Heflin at the World Team Trials. Nobody expected Downey to make it that far. Then, instead of having to compete at Final X, he won the spot simply by making weight as last year’s US Representative and defending World Champion, David Taylor, was injured in an exhibition match in May. Downey will represent the US team this year in Kazakhstan this year, but I can’t imagine he’s got that much more magic left in him. Still, the guy will grind, and nobody has ever questioned his self-confidence.

David Taylor

Next, let’s talk about the 2018 World Champion, David Taylor. The Magic Man has had one hell of a career as he won two Dan Hodge trophies as the best college wrestler in the country, something that has only been done three times in history. It was expected that he would go out on the international scene and dominate, but he could never quite get started as he continually ran into competition that was just slightly better than him. He started his career at 74 kg where he ran into two unbelievable talents in Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Dake. He was always close but could never quite overcome them. So he did the next logical thing, he gained 25 pounds of muscle and moved up to 86 kg. 2016 appeared to be his year to represent the United States at the Olympics, but there, he could not overcome future World Champion, J’Den Cox, who managed to squeak by with the sweatiest victory in US history. Again, he was denied.

But with Cox moving up to 92 kg, the path was completely clear for Taylor to take over for the United States, and he did that in 2018 by storming through the competition and winning a World Championship. Everything was lining up for him to defend his crown this year before he hurt his leg in at Beat The Streets and will take time off in order to make sure he’s 100% healthy for the Olympics next year.

J’Den Cox

I guess it only makes sense to transition to talk about J’Den Cox who has moved up to 92 kg and won a World Title last year but has stated that he will be cutting down to 86 kg for the Olympics. On top of his World Title, he has a World Bronze, Olympic Bronze, and three NCAA Titles.  So yeah, he’s pretty damn good. If he can handle the weight cut well, it’s tough to say he wouldn’t be the favorite. I might have given the edge to Taylor before the injury but putting that into consideration, Cox may be the guy to beat. There is nobody with better defense than Cox, and even though this really isn’t relevant, he’s the sweatiest person I have ever seen. I will never get over how sweaty he was against Taylor a few years ago, because there were practically puddles on the mat from a six-minute match. I expect him to win another World Title this year, and the biggest question mark for him will be the weight cut, because his skills clearly make him one of the best wrestlers in the world.

Kyle Dake

Speaking of one of the best wrestlers in the world, there was no one more dominant than Kyle Dake last year. He is another World Champion, but he did it without giving up a single point at the World Championships and tech falled three out of four opponents. Oh yeah, he’s also the only man to ever win four NCAA Titles at four different weight classes. Still, I would say he is the longest of long shots. His World Championship was at 79 kg, and he has to make the decision of whether to go up to 86 kg or move down to 74 kg. I think he will go down in weight, but waiting for him down there is possibly America’s greatest wrestler of all time, Jordan Burroughs. He’s beaten David Taylor every time they have gone up against each other, and he gave J’Den Cox a run for his money despite being vastly undersized in their matchup. I wouldn’t bet against Dake, but I think it’s also likely that he doesn’t move up in weight to have this intense of competition waiting for him.

Oh, and he hasn’t even qualified to represent the United States at 79 kg, because he still has to wrestle the last man on this list.

Alex Dieringer

That’s because he still has to go up against the freight train that is Alex Dieringer. Dieringer has wrestled Dake very close in previous matchups, and he seems to be getting better and better every year. He dominated the competition to earn a chance against Dake, but things have been delayed due to Dake recovering from an injury. If he takes the spot at 79 kg, he would be the favorite to win gold at this year’s World Championships, and he’s already stated that he’s going up to 86 kg next year. He won’t go in as the favorite, but the way he’s been wrestling, he’s as dangerous as anybody in the division.

All this talk doesn’t even include former National Champions Mark Hall and Zahid Valencia who are wrapping up their college careers, former NCAA Champion Myles Martin who will now be able to focus on freestyle full time, and the possibility of Bo Nickal coming back down who may have been the scariest person in college wrestling over the last four years. Oh, and for some Iowa flair, how about Sammy Brooks, a man with a mullet that helps give him super powers? This may be the most competitive division in US Wrestling history.

But that’s all for next year. We’re less than two months away from the 2019 World Championships where the only guy that matters is PDIII. USA! USA! USA!

My Favorite Wrestling Match of 2019

So a lot of you are probably going to be disappointed with this post, because this is likely not the wrestling that you are expecting. Today, I'm not talking Indy Wrestling, I'm talking International Freestyle Wrestling.

A few weeks ago, the Pan-American Championships took place, and the USA dominated, winning all ten freestyle weights. But nobody dominated more than J'Den Cox dominated "The Pride of Paraguay," Diego Ramirez Florentin. Usually you have to use video to show an entire wrestling match. Not this time.

To be fair, J'Den Cox is the #1 guy in the world at 92 kg (about 203 pounds). He's an incredible wrestler and nearly impossible to beat. That being said, it looks like Diego's most wrestling experience was going to the singlet store to have one made. But I love Ramirez Florentin's confidence. He is the aggressor as he takes a step forward before legitimately going for a snatch single. He doesn't come anywhere near completing it, but he at least attempted it. I admire that.

The biggest thing that you avoid in freestyle wrestling is going to your back. There is really no reason to go directly to your back on this low single, but Ramirez Florentin does just that. He tries bridging with his head, but Cox quickly scoops it up. Then he squirms before trying to bridge with his legs, but even before the pin is confirmed, he basically gives up on that too as his right leg flattens out. It was officially a 10-second match, and I absolutely love every second of it. They didn't even have time to change the graphic in the upper left corner to show who was wrestling.

For some reason, I love the aftermath of the match even more.

That look on his face as he stands up with his less-than-chiseled physique. He knew what was going to happen, but he took his beating anyway. His other match lasted only 26 seconds, so it was a quick exit for Paraguay's Proverbial Son.

But if you feel bad for Diego Ramirez Florentin, then the joke is on you. Because this man is still a winner.

That's our boy, who lasted a total of 36 seconds in two matches with a bronze medal around his neck. Yep, there were only three people that entered the weight class. God bless this man.

The Top 5 USA Freestyle Wrestlers at 125 KG

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.

Previous Entries:

57 KG

61 KG

65 KG

70 KG

74 KG

79 KG

86 KG

92 KG

97 KG

The Top 5 USA Freestyle Wrestlers at 97 KG

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.

Previous Entries:

57 KG

61 KG

65 KG

70 KG

74 KG

79 KG

86 KG

92 KG

The Top 5 USA Freestyle Wrestlers at 92 KG

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.

Previous Entries:

57 KG

61 KG

65 KG

70 KG

74 KG

79 KG

86 KG

The Top 5 USA Freestyle Wrestlers at 86 KG

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.

Previous Entries:

57 KG

61 KG

65 KG

70 KG

74 KG

79 KG

The Top 5 USA Freestyle Wrestlers at 79 KG

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.

Previous Entries:

57 KG

61 KG

65 KG

70 KG

74 KG

The Top 5 USA Freestyle Wrestlers at 74 KG

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.

Previous Entries:

57 KG

61 KG

65 KG

70 KG

The Top 5 USA Freestyle Wrestlers at 70 KG

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.

Previous Entries:

57 KG

61 KG

65 KG

The Top 5 USA Freestyle Wrestlers at 65 KG

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.

Previous Entries:

57 KG

61 KG

The Top 5 USA Freestyle Wrestlers at 61 KG

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

Which US Wrestlers Should Transition to MMA?

The United States World Team Trials for freestyle wrestling happened last weekend, and, as always, it was one of the most underrated sporting events of the year. Incredible battles with incredible drama led to this being one of the most memorable team trials in recent history. Some guy's dreams came true, while far more were left with bitter disappointment. But disappointment can lead to opportunity, so I wanted to take a look to find out who would best transition from the sport of wrestling to the sport of mixed martial arts.

I'm only going to be looking at guys who fell short at the trials, because the guys who won clearly have some wrestling left to do in their careers. I also won't be including guys still in college, as I don't see any wrestler abandoning wrestling altogether at that age. So let's start at 57 KG (pounds will be put in their likely weight class as opposed to the exact KG equivalent) and work our way up.

57 KG - Nahshon Garrett (125 pounds)
Garrett hasn't had a great transition from folkstyle to freestyle, as this year he was on the losing end of a technical fall in his first match against Alan Waters, followed by a decision loss to Darian Cruz. Still, Garrett is an explosive athlete that can absolutely overwhelm opponents. In college, he would overwhelm opponents with his athleticism. With that sort of style, he could make an immediate impact in mixed martial arts, and considering the athlete that he is, it's not hard to envision him becoming good in all aspects of fighting. Of course, considering he got an education from Cornell, it wouldn't be surprising if he was too smart to get in the fight game.

61 KG - Joe Colon (135 pounds)
Colon is another guy who struggled at the team trials, as he went 1-2, only managing a win over NCAA runner-up, Seth Gross. But again, his struggles in freestyle do not take away from his incredible physicality. Colon is the type of wrestler that can simply overwhlem his opponents. His freestyle technique is nowhere near the best, but that technique will still be better than anybody he faces in MMA, and it's the physicality that will put him over the top.

65 KG - Jordan Oliver (145 pounds)
Unlike everyone else on this list, Oliver did not compete at the US Team Trials, but that was due to a drug suspension as opposed to not being good enough. I mean, with a drug suspension already on his record, he's basically living that MMA lifestyle already. Also, Oliver has consistently fell short of representing the United States in international competition. At first, Brent Metcalf got the better of him, then it was Molinaro, and now, when he had his best shot, he got popped for performance enhancing drugs, and Zain Retherford looks to be the guy taking over the weight class. I think it's time for a change of competition if he wants to make an impact in athletics.

70 KG - Dylan Ness (155 pounds)
Dylan Ness is funk personified. He is incredible at getting in the weirdest possible positions and somehow always coming out in an advantageous spot. No one has shown this sort of funk acumen since Ben "Funky" Askren. Now, Ness is not the wrestler that Askren was, but Askren has shown the blueprint for how to transition his skillset into mixed martial arts. Was it all just the wrestling of Askren that led him to greatness, or are funky wrestlers better at translating their skills to fighting? I would love to see Ness give it a go so we could find out.

74 KG - Kyle Dake (170 pounds)
74 KG is likely the most loaded weight class for potential MMA superstars. Jordan Burroughs could be amazing, but after pulling off another victory at the trials, he was ineligible for this list as he definitely has some more wrestling in his future. Isaiah Martinez is an absolute beast, but he's still in college, so he has some growth to do. I went back and forth on the last two guys, but eventually went with Kyle Dake over Alex Dieringer. Dieringer is still young and seemed to close the gap on Dake, so he very well may be the future of the weight class when Burroughs retires. Of course, he may never be able to pass up Dake, as it is not like Dake doesn't still have some strong years in him. Still, I went with Dake as "Kid Dynamite" would simply be too much fun to see in MMA. Dake is not only explosive, but even in college, he was smart enough to do whatever it took to win, never worrying about being the most exciting guy, just being concerned with being the best. I would love to see him transition that wrestling acumen to fighting.

86 KG - David Taylor (185 pounds)
I cannot imagine David Taylor making the transition to MMA, but it'd be pretty cool if he did.

97 KG - Kyven Gadson (205 pounds)
Gadson is the last American to beat super human wrestling machine, Kyle Snyder, but Snyder showed that things have changed quite a bit in the last two years. With Snyder around, there really isn't any future for Gadson to represent the United States. Still, you'd have trouble finding a wrestler with a much higher ceiling than Gadson. His biggest issue has always been consistency. Although he's not Kyle Snyder, he's still really good at wrestling, and he has the skills to give a lot of people trouble in what isn't all that deep of a weight class.

125 KG - Tony Nelson (HWT)
So right now the best choice would seem to be Nick Gwiazdowski, but since he's busy dominating the American Heavyweight division in wrestling, I had to move on to someone else. Although I wanted to be a homer and go for former Hawkeye, Bobby Telford, I think the former Golden Gopher, Tony Nelson is probably the best choice. Looking at the heavyweight division, I feel like Nelson could be a top-10 UFC heavyweight within a couple years.

Wrestling is the world's toughest sport, and that is why wrestlers do such a good job when moving to mixed martial arts. I have no doubt that if these guys would do great if they decided to make the transition. 

Jordan Burroughs Is the Michael Jordan of Wrestling

The NFL kicked off while college football cruised into week two this past weekend. There were some very fun games (Iowa vs. Iowa State) and some games that made me sick to my stomach (Iowa vs. Iowa State), and amazing things happened on football fields around the country. And none of those things can even hold a candle to what happened in Las Vegas this past weekend, where Jordan Burroughs won his third world championship (four, if you count his Olympic Gold Medal, which you probably should). Burroughs is not just a great wrestler; he is the Michael Jordan of wrestling and the most underappreciated athlete of his generation.

It's impossible to describe how great Burroughs is in words. He is currently on a five year run of dominance. In 2011 and 2012 in his first years of international competition, he blew through everyone to get a World Championship and an Olympic Gold. That led to my favorite sports photo in history.

This is why sports matter.

After 2012, wrestling overhauled the scoring, and it didn't slow him down a bit. He is 23-1 in world championships, and his only loss was in 2014 to the eventual World Champion who he had to wrestle after spraining his MCL. The knee is super important to a wrestler, and despite Burroughs spraining it in the first match of the tournament, he still went on to win the Bronze Medal.

You may have noticed that I skipped over 2013. That's because I'm not totally convinced that 2013 is humanly possible. Like, I know that it did happen; there's record of it and everything, but logically, my brain cannot wrap my head around Jordan Burroughs at the 2013 World Championships. Burroughs won the World Title while outscoring his five opponents by a score of 34-3. These are the best wrestlers in the world, and Burroughs ran threw them like they were nothing. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, he did this all on a BROKEN ANKLE.

He broke his ankle four weeks before the tournament, required a surgery where they put in five screws and a plate in his ankle and told him he should be able to start training again in 6-8 weeks. Instead, he got back on the mat 11 days before the World Championships, and then beat the shit out of everyone competing in Hungary. Michael Jordan gets lauded for the flu game (rightfully so), but that is nothing compared to what Burroughs did.

So even though Burroughs lost last year, everybody knew that he was the guy to beat this year, and he went out and proved why by outscoring his opponents 36-5(I highly recommend watching his semifinals matchup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzUklhcwRDU). I mean, he did it on two fully functioning ankles, so it's kind of a ho-hum performance. And that's where we're at with Burroughs. There is no way for him to impress us at this point, because what he's done so far is mind-bogglingly impressive. He is America's most dominant athlete, and it's not particularly close.

But it's wrestling, and although wrestling is gaining in popularity (partially because of Burroughs who doubles as an incredible ambassador for the sport), it may not even make it in the top 10 of most popular sports in the United States. But don't miss out on Burroughs's greatness; it is truly historical, and even if wrestling isn't your jam, watching someone excel to this level at something is an opportunity you don't want to miss.

Jordan Burroughs is the Michael Jordan of wrestling? No, no, no. Michael Jordan was the Jordan Burroughs of basketball.

What USA Wrestling Could Learn From WWE NXT

If you really want to irritate/anger freestyle wrestling fans, tell them it needs to be more like professional wrestling. Now let me just state up front that I am not advocating for predetermined feuds and finishes. Still, something needs to be done in order to drum up interest for freestyle wrestling in the United States, and WWE's NXT promotion actually set up a solid blueprint that USA Wrestling should follow.

This was what popped in my head as I was watching the US Open from last weekend. I kept thinking about it, because the event, held in Las Vegas, was maybe 20% full for the finals matches. And they did the same thing with the World Cup a few months ago with it in Los Angeles. There were more people rooting for Iran than were rooting for USA in the finals. That isn't pathetic; that's embarrassing.

Now I understand what the committee was thinking. Put great wrestling events all around the country to cultivate a nationwide following to support the sport. That's a great long-term goal, but wrestling isn't ready for that sort of leap; they need to take baby steps first.

This is where NXT really comes in. NXT basically runs as an independent wrestling promotion. It started off, slowly gained popularity near Orlando, FL. They did all of their taped events at one venue and then traveled throughout Florida for house shows. They kept putting on wildly entertaining shows in front of a packed house that was thoroughly invested, and honestly, it just looked like a great time to go see a show live. Now it is a phenomenon that can occasionally travel anywhere in the country and sell out wherever they go.

That is what USA Wrestling needs to do. Let's face it. The Midwest and Pennsylvania are the only areas that have a passionate fan base, and honestly, those are the only places that should have USA wrestling events (There is also Beat the Streets in Times Square, but that's a special attraction. Italy probably doesn't care about wrestling, but if they put matches in the Colosseum, people would come to see the spectacle). But just look at this Finals match between Brent Metcalf and Jordan Oliver. This would be sad for an early round match, but it's just sad considering that these are two of the top 20 wrestlers in the world at their weight, fighting for their shot to be the top dog in the United States.

And when you see elite wrestlers in front of mostly empty arenas, does that look like fun? No, it doesn't, and it doesn't help progress the sport in this country.

USA Wrestling is in a weird spot, as they have all of the best wrestlers in the country, but this country still cares more about college wrestling. Even if USA Wrestling holds their events in the hotbeds of wrestling, they still probably aren't selling out big-time arenas. But if they put it in a consistent spot, it will grow in popularity, because they already have a fantastic product. Get it on a real TV channel, even if it's not live, and just expose people to the product.

But patience is the key. It will take some time, but focusing on one area, and achieving success there is the first step. USA Wrestling isn't ready to branch out. Stick to the core audience, and slowly spread out. In April, the Olympic Trials are in Iowa City, a perfect spot for them. 2020 might need to be there too, but by 2024 you can go out to Philly, and by 2028, maybe you hit New York, and then 2032 can be in Vegas or LA. USA Wrestling doesn't like taking cues from the fake version of the sport, but it could learn a lot about building up their brand by looking at NXT.