EDIT: Typed this out yesterday and fell asleep before I posted it. Preview of 7 lowest weights, prob won't get to last three, but I will say that I think Braxton Amos does really well. Maybe our best shot at gold along with Richie Figs. JR World Championship starts tomorrow at 2 AM ET with 57, 65, 70, 79, and and 97kg. 57kg: Richie Figs gets Iran, maybe the toughest draw in the bracket, in round 1. If he wins, he gets ARM in rd 2, also a tough draw. Semis would be easier against maybe Greece or Switzerland. Russia almost certainly awaits in finals, but that kid is very beatable. Prediction: Gold or bronze. Going with Iran for Gold but that is the gold medal match in rd 1 imo. 61kg: Jesse Mendez might be the strongest wrestler on Team USA (along with O'Toole). He gets TUR in rd 1, he will win. He gets Russia in rd 2, and Russia is really good. I think that's winnable but that's also one of Russia's best. If he wins that one, and I think he might, he gets the favorite in the bracket, Iran, in the semis. Iran is just too good here. Prediction: Bronze if he beats Russia, No medal if he doesn't. Iran takes gold. But not counting Mendez out. Stud. 65kg: Beau Bartlett gets HUN rd1. He has a cadet world bronze but Bartlett should win that one (think it will be a low scoring match though) If he wins, he gets ARM in quarters. I think he wins that one. He gets the winner of GEO and AZE (Turan Bayramov's brother) in the semis. I think AZE wins that one, then beats Bartlett. Prediction: Bronze. 70kg: Andonian gets Iran in rd 1. Iran was cadet world silver in 2019. Would be a cake walk in rd 2. QF one of KAZ, KGZ, or GEO. Semis Harutyunan of ARM. AZE is favorite on the top half but has to get past Russia. Prediction: DNP. 74kg: Keegan O'Toole, one of the best we have to offer. He gets HUN in rd 1. That's a W. He gets Turan Bayramov in rd 2. Bayramov is one of the best in the world regardless of age and KOT will not be defeating him in a wrestling match. Prediction: He will have to beat Russia, whom I know nothing about, for bronze. I think he does. Bayramov wins gold. 79kg: Donnell Washington gets Iran in rd 1. Iran is a U23 world silver, but lost to Carr at JR world's a few years back. If he wins he prob gets GER If he wins that he gets RUS in semis. Prediction: DNP 86kg: Colton Hawks gets Belarus in rd 1, assuming that's a W even without John Smith there to call it "belluh-russia" GEO in rd 2, dont know anything about him. RUS/IRI winner in semis. That's an L. Prediction: DNP
Richie Figs got teched by Iran in rd 1 (damn) Bryce Andonian got an early 4 but lost to Iran 8-7. Iran is going to dominate this event in a big way, I believe.
Team USA finishes RD 1 2-3 with 3 losses to Iran. Not great. Bartlett looked good and got a tech fall. Braxton Amos barely beat a guy that didn't seem to be a world beater.
Bartlett and Amos both get into semis with techs. Barlett has Ziraddin Bayramov of AZE. New prediction: I think he wins that one, he's looking great. Amos has Deepak Deepak of India. Didn't see any of his matches, but I did see Iran, who will be waiting in the finals. Prediction: Silver.
What the fuck is with these refs blowing action dead when one wrestler has a decided advantage? Just let them wrestle, man.
holy moly turkey-iran 97kg match was fire. Turkey exposes Iran with .3 seconds left on the clock to win
Braxton Amos makes the JR World Finals, he will wrestle Turkey for gold tomorrow morning. Gotta feel good about Iran losing that semi.
No surprise, but Gable declined his world team spot, the only of 9 Americans to do so. He signed with MMA agent Dave Martin, who represents a bunch of wrestlers-turned-mixed-martial-artists (Chandler, Weidman, Maynard, Storley, Bader, Dollaway, etc) He'll be at WWE Summerslam this weekend, although I'd be surprised if he makes an in-ring appearance. Rumor is that he wants to wrestle one more year, but wants to secure that bag while he's hot. NIL certainly opens up the opportunity to do that while staying at Minnesota for one more season. Wouldn't be shocked if he's wrestled his last international match though.
So how does world team trials work? Returning Olympic guys get spot if they decide to go and then competition at the non Olympic weights?
Have to be a medalist to get the free pass, so all 5 men’s freestylers were eligible and everyone but Gable took it. So there will be 6 weights contested in men’s freestyle world team trials(61, 65, 70, 79, 92, 125). On the women’s side the two non-medalists can choose to get a bye to the semis of the trials at any weight(Jacarra is going up to 55 for worlds). All 4 medalists opted in so also only 6 weights contested. Greco is 10 because our guys suck
Some notable FS weight movement: Suriano, Vito, Gross moving up to 61kg because 57kg spot is Gilman's. Jordan Oliver moving up to 70kg on his way to 74kg in 2024. JB up to 79kg as expected. J'den wrestling at 92kg with 97kg taken by Snyder, will go back up to 97kg next year.
Bayramov just wrestled in the Olympics and lost a tight match to FRANK CHAMIZO. Keegan O'Toole pins him a week later. Outstanding match from O'Toole, even though he was outclassed in every position, he kept attacking and working and made it happen.
Baltuev of Russia hits a really nice snap to ankle pick and guts Mendez 4 times for an easy 10-0 tech. Russia has a gold medal but not gold medal match against Iran in the semis to pull Mendez back in.
Keegan O'Toole does it again! He hits a cradle down 10-5 late and pins Russia to move into the Finals! He wrestles KAZ for gold tomorrow. Rocky Elam also gets it done against Russia, winning 5-3! He moves onto the gold medal match against Iran, who has three 10-0 first period tech falls. Wyatt Hendrickson loses a heartbreaker against Iran, who is my new favorite international wrestler. Up 5-4 late, Iran gets a pushout, then Hendrickson can't quite finish a takedown at the buzzer. He wrestles for bronze, likely against Russia.
Andonian has Maldova for bronze, but he's actually really good despite representing MDA. Took JR Euro Silver, only losing to Turan Bayramov, and lost to a strong Iranian at worlds today. Bartlett has TJK for bronze.
Braxton Amos JR world champ! Was up 5-4 late and hit a nasty 5 if anyone has the gif that would be appreciated
Super smooth out there, continues the reign at 74 in Junior Worlds. Great performance through a tough draw
Rocky Elam makes it 3 for the US! All golds won by Iran(5! Dominating team win), US(3), and Russia with a disappointing 2.
Our JR Greco team is flat out embarrassing. 3-10 overall, the only one alive is Braxton Amos who is 2-0 and has Russia in the semis in his attempt to double up. Bouzakis is the only other kid to get a win.
WTT registration isn't even done yet and it's already gonna be awesome even without 4 weights being contested. Still some big names that haven't registered yet. As of now going with: 61kg: Man this is so close, but Suriano. Could see 6-7 guys legitimately winning the spot. 65kg: Yianni gets his revenge over McKenna 70kg: Incredible. QF and semis are going to be HEAT. Going with Zain but I think Pantaleo can get an upset or two if the brackets fall right. 79kg: So much talent here that I wouldn't be shocked to see Burroughs get upset. He can't wrestle safe until the semis, he has to be aggressive and score. 92kg: Cox next question. Only Kollin can challenge him and even still he can't beat him. 125kg: Mason Parris over Gwiz. 61 kg Nick Suriano, SKWC-RTC Vito Arujau, Spartan Combat RTC Daton Fix, Titan Mercury WC Seth Gross, Sunkist Kids WC Nathan Tomasello, Titan Mercury WC Joe Colon, Titan Mercury WC Shelton Mack, Titan Mercury WC Tyler Graff, Titan Mercury WC Nahshon Garrett, Titan Mercury WC Zane Richards, Titan Mercury WC Daniel DeShazer, Gopher WC - RTC Ethan Lizak, NYAC Zach Sanders, Gopher WC - RTC Sean Fausz, Titan Mercury WC Jakob Camacho, Titan Mercury WC Josh Kramer, Sunkist Kids WC Carter Young, Cowboy WC Ethan Rotondo, Wisconsin RTC Dane Durlacher, Illinois RTC/Illini WC Brady Kyner, Burg Training Center 65 kg Yianni Diakomihalis, TMWC Anthony Ashnault, NYAC Joey McKenna, Titan Mercury WC Jaydin Eierman, Titan Mercury WC Pat Lugo, Titan Mercury WC Luke Pletcher, Titan Mercury WC Dom Demas, Oklahoma RTC Evan Henderson, Titan Mercury WC Dean Heil, Titan Mercury WC 70 kg Zain Retherford, Nittany Lion WC Jordan Oliver, New York City RTC James Green, Titan Mercury WC Ryan Deakin, Titan Mercury WC Alec Pantaleo, Titan Mercury WC Tyler Berger Brayton Lee, Gopher WC - RTC Elroy Perkin, Gopher WC - RTC Jarrett Jacques, Tiger Style WC Brock Mauller, Tiger Style WC 74 kg Logan Massa, NYAC 79 kg Jordan Burroughs, Sunkist Kids WC Alex Dieringer, Titan Mercury WC Isaiah Martinez, Titan Mercury WC Jason Nolf, Nittany Lion WC Carter Starocci, Nittany Lion WC Pat Downey David McFadden, Titan Mercury WC Evan Wick, Titan Mercury WC Hayden Hidlay, Titan Mercury WC Taylor Lujan, Titan Mercury WC Chance Marsteller, Titan Mercury WC Joey Lavalle, Titan Mercury WC Devin Skatzka Muhamed McBryde, NYAC Branson Ashworth, Wyoming RTC Michael O'Malley, Pennsylvania RTC Quentin Perez, Navy-Marine Corps Mat Club 92 kg J'den Cox, Titan Mercury WC Hayden Zillmer, Gopher WC - RTC Kyven Gadson, Sunkist Kids WC Nate Jackson, NYAC Myles Martin, Titan Mercury WC Michael Macciavello, Titan Mercury WC Kollin Moore, Titan Mercury WC Trent Hidlay, Titan Mercury WC Drew Foster, Panther Wrestling Club RTC Tim Dudley, Sunkist Kids WC Willie Miklus, Michigan WC Jakob Woodley, Oklahoma RTC Andrew Morgan, Spartan Combat RTC Scottie Boykin, TMWC Isaac Trumble, Wolfpack WC Miguel Bray, River Valley WC 125 kg Nick Gwiazdowski, TMWC Mason Parris, Cliff Keen WC Dom Bradley, Sunkist Kids WC Ty Walz, Titan Mercury WC Tyrell Gordon, Panther Wrestling Club RTC Christian Lance, Nebraska Wrestling Training Center Josh Heindselman, Oklahoma RTC Jordan Wood Demertius Thomas, Pittsburgh WC
Was listening to a pod by 2 former OSU football players. Evan Spencer said Iowa was his close 2nd choice and talked about his visit. Said they offered him to go to a sporting event. Offered wrestling practice he could do basketball. He was confused and went basketball and said place was pretty empty and they were the only black people. Thought that was amusing, would’ve seen such a better atmosphere going wrestling
Evan Spencer's little brother dated my HS girlfriend's little sister. AMA. (also he didn't have a close 2nd)