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Coralville Super matches

Spencer was a clear underdog and proved he belonged with one of the most dominant wrestlers in the sport. This guy DESTROYED Vito and Uguev at worlds. Pretty impressive showing if we're going to take the hawkeye glasses off.
The kid had a little more horse power to get those questionable push outs. Surprised he wasn't able to use his quickness to get at least one takedown on Spencer. Would he still have this horsepower advantage if he was cutting to 57kg?
 
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Lee went up 5.5 pounds from 57 kg to get the match with Ono. That is a big for guys this size and then yes, it was five hours after weigh ins, so another positive for the bigger guy. The weight wasn't the biggest issue in my opinion. It was the officiating. Tom got carded, because he lost his mind with the push out points. if they called push outs that way at the Olympics, Lee is our Olympic Champion. Two of those pushouts were BS. The mat judge on the side of the mat of the action white paddled all three pushouts. It was the judge from across the mat or furthest from the action that upheld the call. The grounding rule is the worst rule in freestyle. Lee pushed Gilman out in match one at the trials and Gilman dropped to his knees and no points. Lee had double under with NICO and drove him out of bounds and NICO dropped to both knees and no points. The rule is so inconsistently applied its horrible for the sport. Once Ono got the freebies, he was allowed to just sit back and hold position. He's the bigger guy in this setting, he is world class (he outscored his opponents at the 2024 World Championships 55-2), so he was able to stall. The guy took one shot in six minutes. Ono drops 5.5 pounds and has to make weight on back to back days--I will take Spencer all day long.
 
Yup. Sounds like he might be out until 2028. All or nothing. Go big or go home.
Ono has had a great year, but the match with Lee was at a catch weight and with a 5 hour weigh-in. If he can get down another 5.5 lbs scratch for two consecutive days... we will see. I heard he missed weight twice the last time he tried 57kg. Time will tell. I hope he does drop.
 
He is a really bad matchup for Spencer, quicker, more explosive and just as strong if not stronger. Spencer is used to being the shorter guy too and that was not even the case. Between his height and how he keeps his legs back he is impossible to score on. I don't know what cutting the rest of the way to 57 would do to him but him staying up looks like the best thing for Spencer.
By the eye test to me spencer looked bigger. Im guessing ono will have no trouble making 57k. Now i will say hes only 20, which is nuts, so maybe still growing.
 
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The one when both Lee and Ono were on their knees was ridiculous. The other 2 were probably push outs, though 1 of them was pretty identical to one of them Lee should have had vs Higuichi in the Olympics.
Remember more than 1 ref agreed
 
Yes, the referee on the far side of the mat and the mat judge on the action side white paddled it. You can see it on the video. I watched the match again with one of our international referees and he said Sammy missed it and he's buddies with the judge across the way and no way that guy over rules him. We should be better than that ... So you know. I respect Sammie. He has been a good official, but he has had a bad year. Remember, he was the Chairman for the Zhamalov match, which is one of the more controversial matches in years. It might be time for USA to have him step down a few rungs. He's from PA and youth wrestling is a hot bed that always needs weekend officials. I agree with DeangeloVickers when he said one of them was identical to the Higuichi push out late in the match. If they call pushouts that way at the Olympics, Lee is our Olympic champ.
 
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By the eye test to me spencer looked bigger. Im guessing ono will have no trouble making 57k. Now i will say hes only 20, which is nuts, so maybe still growing.
5.5 more pounds on him will be tough and remember it's scratch both days. There are two Japanese wrestlers training in Iowa City at this time and they said he missed weight the last time he tried to make 57kg. Good luck and I for one hope he does come down.
 
By the eye test to me spencer looked bigger. Im guessing ono will have no trouble making 57k. Now i will say hes only 20, which is nuts, so maybe still growing.
He is thicker than Spencer. If making the weight was no trouble I would guess he would have been there for worlds instead of up a weight. He could probably make it but he's not smaller than Spencer.
 
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He is thicker than Spencer. If making the weight was no trouble I would guess he would have been there for worlds instead of up a weight. He could probably make it but he's not smaller than Spencer.
Agree and he carries a lot of weight in his legs, which is evident. Dedication and shrinking his body makes the cut possible, but he would have to shrink his body. I would like to see him at 57kg on day two.
 
5.5 more pounds on him will be tough and remember it's scratch both days. There are two Japanese wrestlers training in Iowa City at this time and they said he missed weight the last time he tried to make 57kg. Good luck and I for one hope he does come down.
The guy who beat Spencer in Paris didn't make weight at the Asian Olympic Qualifier to wrestle at the games held in his own country. Three years later, he makes scratch two days in a row. And gets his second Olympic medal, this time a gold. Takes some time but if Ono decides to lay off the Chipotle and Coca Cola for a bit he might be able to make it.
 
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Remember more than 1 ref agreed
There is only one Referee in International (Freestyle/Greco Roman) wrestling.
The second official is the Mat Judge and the third is the Mat Chairman.

The Referee and the Mat Judge have the ability to call whatever they want, the Mat Chair can only confirm one of the other’s call. The Mat Chair cannot call something different than what one of the other official calls.

There are times, the Chair will call the other two officials to his table for a conference if they believe an egregious mistake was made.
 
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Lee went up 5.5 pounds from 57 kg to get the match with Ono. That is a big for guys this size and then yes, it was five hours after weigh ins, so another positive for the bigger guy. The weight wasn't the biggest issue in my opinion. It was the officiating. Tom got carded, because he lost his mind with the push out points. if they called push outs that way at the Olympics, Lee is our Olympic Champion. Two of those pushouts were BS. The mat judge on the side of the mat of the action white paddled all three pushouts. It was the judge from across the mat or furthest from the action that upheld the call. The grounding rule is the worst rule in freestyle. Lee pushed Gilman out in match one at the trials and Gilman dropped to his knees and no points. Lee had double under with NICO and drove him out of bounds and NICO dropped to both knees and no points. The rule is so inconsistently applied its horrible for the sport. Once Ono got the freebies, he was allowed to just sit back and hold position. He's the bigger guy in this setting, he is world class (he outscored his opponents at the 2024 World Championships 55-2), so he was able to stall. The guy took one shot in six minutes. Ono drops 5.5 pounds and has to make weight on back to back days--I will take Spencer all day long.
The thing is to me, I'm happy with how the push out was called against Spencer last night and would have no problems if it was called like that all the time.

The problem is I've watched enough freestyle to know that's not even remotely how it's usually called.

Kind of how stalling disappears at Nationals.
 
The thing is to me, I'm happy with how the push out was called against Spencer last night and would have no problems if it was called like that all the time.

The problem is I've watched enough freestyle to know that's not even remotely how it's usually called.

Kind of how stalling disappears at Nationals.
I agree. My point is that is not how it is often called. I wish it were one anytime someone is pushed out. However, that is not how it is applied or as I stated, Spencer is the Olympic Champ. My issue is with the consistency. The judges can't get it right either, which is why the judge closest to the action put up the white paddle.
 
Have you ever been to a world event for Greco? More bombs than there are in freestyle.
I’ve been to world and Olympic team trials a number of times and was mildly entertained maybe in a couple of matches. Sorry if that bothers you but I think there’s a reason they put it in with freestyle because attendance on a stand alone greco tournament would have only a handful of fans.
 
I’ve been to world and Olympic team trials a number of times and was mildly entertained maybe in a couple of matches. Sorry if that bothers you but I think there’s a reason they put it in with freestyle because attendance on a stand alone greco tournament would have only a handful of fans.
This is true ONLY in the United States.
I have been fortunate to have traveled to different overseas events and Greco is every bit as popular as Freestyle.
 
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I’ve been to world and Olympic team trials a number of times and was mildly entertained maybe in a couple of matches. Sorry if that bothers you but I think there’s a reason they put it in with freestyle because attendance on a stand alone greco tournament would have only a handful of fans.
I prefer freestyle but I don't understand how a wrestling fan can't appreciate and be "entertained" by the hand fighting and the battle for position that goes on with Greco guys. And then throw in what they do in par tarre. It doesn't have to be just the high-flying throws, but it's always a bonus when one happens.
 
I prefer freestyle but I don't understand how a wrestling fan can't appreciate and be "entertained" by the hand fighting and the battle for position that goes on with Greco guys. And then throw in what they do in par tarre. It doesn't have to be just the high-flying throws, but it's always a bonus when one happens.
Okay guys I’m not bashing greco I’m just giving my opinion. 83% of wrestling fans couldn’t name the top guy at most weights. Also almost every top college wrestler goes freestyle so there must be a reason for that as well. Either way I’m glad these guys get to continue their wrestling careers but it’s just not for me.
 
I prefer freestyle but I don't understand how a wrestling fan can't appreciate and be "entertained" by the hand fighting and the battle for position that goes on with Greco guys. And then throw in what they do in par tarre. It doesn't have to be just the high-flying throws, but it's always a bonus when one happens.
I can appreciate it, but it ain’t entertaining.

Greco is just unwatchable at the highest levels because it’s half-wrestling. Ways to score are limited. The fact that there is “forced” par terre says a lot.

Im definitely in favor of dropping Greco at the Olympics to add weights for men’s and women’s FS.
 
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