Micic beat Suleymon Atli who is one of the top 57 guys in the world, if not #2. Just won SR world bronze over Gilman last year. He has Markovych of UKR next who is a borderline top 20 guy in the world. He wins that and he gets the winner of Zaur Uguev (Returning world champ) and Makhir Amiraslanov of AZE, a former age-level stud (couple cadet silvers and a jr world gold) who is now a SR level threat in a country that has been stacked at 57kg the last few years. Feels pretty bad to watch Micic have all this success for Serbia. He should be wrestling for America. And he can never wrestle for America again because you are only allowed one transfer in your career.
Micic won again in the semis and moves into the finals. Amiraslanov upset Uguev. Amiraslanov-Micic is the match we never got at 2015 JR Worlds where Amiraslanov won gold and Micic bronze.
40% of the Russian team appears set. Surprised Kurugliev gets the pass with Naifonov at the weight, especially after failing to medal last year (although losses to Taylor and Yazdani are not exactly bad losses).
half of iran's team is named yazdani wtf. Reza Yazdani is old af. Dude took world bronze in 2006 when Bill Zaddick won gold.
We just do it a little differently, that's all. We prefer to have the team settled and start national camps months in advance and that works well for us. Japan's trial finals are next week. It's not like Russia needs camps like we have for our teams, they train for the world championships year-round.
Teasdale to Iowa is official https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/6525287-gavin-teasdale-plans-to-enroll-at-iowa-next-fall
I really wish him the best. Whatever he needs to do to get himself clean and sober and get his life in order. Lol at his petty shot at Cael though.
Man, the Yasar Dogu is stacked this year. Chance at Yianni-Zain IV, but we have the full #1 squad of Azerbaijan and Iran, along with the usual top 3 Turks, coming in for this one. Really should get a feel for the medal chances of the new guys, plus see how guys like Green are looking.
perhaps the greatest wrestler of all time will not be wrestling at worlds in 2019. Olympic status in doubt.
Dake wins Spain GP in his dieringer tune-up also On paper this is one of the weaker teams Russia has sent to worlds as of late IMO.
Favorites at 57, 74, and 97. Top contenders at 86, 125, 70, and 65(Rashidov having not won the last couple years is baffling but 65 is freaking stacked). Mostly unknown but likely contenders at 61, 79, and 92. Looks pretty close to their strongest team minus the injuries, just unparalleled depth and talent
I'd say they are favorites at 74 and 97. 57 is going to be a complete crapshoot, Uguev just lost to Amiraslanov who we've all known for years is legit af. 61 and 70 are going to be crapshoots with a handful of guys leaving for olympic weights. Idrisov is really good, so is Baev, but they aren't medal locks. Good bet to medal at 65 but I don't see Rashidov as a favorite for gold or anything. Naifonov is going to win silver or bronze but not gold. Nabiyev is unlikely to win gold but a favorite to medal. Zhabrailov isn't a favorite at 92, good shot at medal. Unlikely to medal at 125. I think there's a world in which Russia wins zero gold medals.
There’s a world, but hard to see it. Sadulaev is such a heavy favorite it’s hard to really see them with 0. Snyder is the only one with more than 0% chance to beat him. Naifonov isn’t on the level of Yazdani but weird things happen. Sidakov is the favorite but can’t be banned on given the level of competition from Burroughs and Chamizo. Amiraslanov has been amazing this summer so it might finally be his time but he’s disappointed at worlds so I’d still bet Uguev at 57. I could see 1 gold or 6, and anything in between, but hard to see 0.
Just saw Chase Singletarys younger brother, Colby, died in a car accident this weekend. Sounded like he was a really good wrestler and football player. Awful to hear.
He's been on a pretty consistent decline the last 1.5 years since his silver in Paris. So many losses to guys not even on their national team ladder, really can't expect him to be a medal threat anymore.
Holy shit. Zain vs Yianni in the first round at the Dogu. It's happening. (Update on their status--the appeal is currently in arbitration and Zain's status as the WT rep is not yet final)
fucking yianni!!!!! Down 9-0 at the break and musukaev is behind him and looking like he's about to finish the match. Yianni somehow squares up and gets 1 out of it. Yianni proceeds to completely gas and break musukaev, storms back, and then msusukaev cautions out up 9-9 on criteria for refusing to go back to center for the third time. Unbelievable.
This was the first caution. Ref gave him every chance to get off the mat before signalling for 1 blue, which was white paddled. Ref looks up confused, Musukaev still refuses to get off the mat. Signals for one blue again, this time confirmed. From there it was pretty much over, Musukaev had nothing left.
Can't wait to post the screenshot of how deep Musukaev was in on Yianni's leg while up 9-0. Match was OVER! Don't know how how Yianni did it.
If Yianni wins Gold and Zain loses to Rahimzade or Musukaev....we can't just send Zain to Nur-Sultan. There has to at least be a wrestle-off. I do think Zain beats both those guys, if Musukaev even shows up.
Just watched, he somehow got a late takedown but Zain did not look good after the Yianni throw. Knee was wobbling big time after, hopefully isn't serious.
Chamizo's semi opponent just absolutely blew out his knee and his dipshit trainers think they can fix it with spray, at least he didn't try and go back out.
Techs for JB, J'Den, and Kyle; J'Den match got super chippy after he was poked in the eye. Downey in repechage but who cares about him.
Yianni wins by forfeit, still an accomplishment but has to take a bit of the luster out of getting gold
No Yianni... gross. No idea how that will shake out, but that's a brutal weight for qualification for the Olympics. Deepest weight in the world? Otoguro, Bajrang, Chakaev/Rashidov, Aliyev, Valdes Tobier, Khinchegashvili, Kilicsayan(sp?) and Zain/Yianni
Kind of feel like Dieringer, despite never having wrestled at worlds, would be a huge favorite if he gets past Dake. Pretty sure they are #1/#2 in the world with a big gap as Gadzhimagomedov out this year.
Is Dake going 74 or 86 next year? Either Burroughs is gonna have his toughest trials ever with Dake/Dieringer or 86 is gonna be madness.
I think 86 is going to be madness, pretty sure Dieringer will be there, better odds that J'den and Dake are in there too. Tough call with J'den as he looks his best at 92, but Dake has really grown into 79, hard to see that 10lb drop coming after a couple years up there. J'den vs Snyder is also fun to think about
Meant, Burroughs having his toughest trials if Dieringer/Dake are there. Dieringer looks too small for 86 but what do I know
86 trials: Taylor (World Champ), Cox (World Champ), Dieringer, PD3 (Returning world teamer), Hall (3x age level champ), Valencia, Nickal All gonna be at the Open and Trials.