Greatest freestyle wrestler of all time. - Page 9

bert kops · 10-02-2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zapp Brannigan

Arsen Fadzaev, John Smith.

and B. Saitev!

kr1963 · 10-03-2009, 07:16 AM

Nice link Dylan
They didn't include the Tbilisi tournament though...

http://www.usocpressbox.org/usoc/pre...25754300600DB0

From the 1970s through the early 1990’s, the Tbilisi Tournament held in Soviet Georgia was considered the toughest freestyle tournament in the world, including the World Championships. At the time, the Soviet Union was unified, with only one athlete from the vast nation competing at the World Championships. The Tbilisi Tournament featured numerous Soviet athletes in every weight class, as well as top wrestlers from other wrestling nations. To win, an athlete had to beat numerous talented Soviet stars.

U.S. wrestlers who were Tbilisi Tournament champions
1971 - Don Behm (125.5); 1972 - Dan Gable (149.5); 1973 - Ben Peterson (198); 1974 - Russ Hellickson (198); 1976 - Wade Schalles (163); 1980 - Gene Mills (114.5); 1982 - Joe Gonzalez (114.5); 1983 - Andy Rein (149.5); 1984 - Bruce Baumgartner (286); 1987 - Dave Schultz (163); 1988 - Kenny Monday (163); 1989 - Melvin Douglas (180.5), 1991 - Dave Schultz (163), Chris Campbell (198)

Also 2 names to add:

Sergey Beloglasov (6x World Champ, 3x World Cup Champ, 2x Olympic Gold)
Bruce Baumgartner, (6x World Cup Champ, 3x Olympic Gold & 1x Silver, 1x World Champ, competed in World Championships 9xs)

I watched both of these while I was in college. Schalles is still my fav cuz, as I said before the artistry & contributions to the sport.

Hubbard · 10-03-2009, 07:49 AM

Spin, from guys who were actually in the room with them. It's also common knowledge among the Russian wrestling community. You're comparing apples and oranges.

cpwrestler · 10-03-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kr1963

Sorry to bump this old thread but I just felt like throwing this out esp in light of Satiev did win another Gold in Beijing.

But if I was going to pick 1st in an ALL-TIME fantasy league of wrestling, I would go with none other then Wade Schalles. Who knows what he could have done if he had not broke his neck. He could win from ANY POSITION on the MAT and AT ANY TIME. There was NO ONE ever like him in that regard.

That is what happened when Schalles, competed at Tbilisi. He trailed world champ Ashuraliev of the USSR 4-0. Then Ashuraliev left himself open and Schalles pinned him. He pinned all 5 opponents & was named OW, the only other American besides Gable to be the Tbilisi OW.

The man invented moves. He was an artist a Mozart on the mat. And like John Smith, you would have never guessed to look at him that you were looking at one of the best.

So all the accomplishments speak volumes about success but IF I have to pick one guy to go out on the mat, it's Wade.

lol... are you serious??

DrWrestler · 10-03-2009, 10:56 PM

Buvaisar saitiev the greatest all time!

kr1963 · 11-24-2009, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpwrestler

lol... are you serious??

Um yea....why? I take it you never saw him wrestle.

sgallan · 11-24-2009, 09:42 PM

FWIW, when it gets down to debating about an American funkster from the 70's, as greatest ever.......this is no longer a serious thread.

arm-spin · 11-24-2009, 11:42 PM

How about the greatest 82/84 kg wrestler ever? It seems like most weight classes have an obvious #1 (ie fadzaev for 66/68, Saitev for 74/76, Khadartsev for 90/96.) Who'se the best ever in the 80 kg range?

Kforcer · 11-24-2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgallan

FWIW, when it gets down to debating about an American funkster from the 70's, as greatest ever.......this is no longer a serious thread.

Schalles has to be given a good deal of credit; I think a lot of his records for pinning might still stand today. In a way, his abilities and his skill were greater than his accomplishments.

kr1963 · 11-25-2009, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgallan

FWIW, when it gets down to debating about an American funkster from the 70's, as greatest ever.......this is no longer a serious thread.

If you read my earlier posts you would see that I just said that he was my favorite & that if I had one guy to choose to wrestle for me thru out all of history I would pick him.

Your comment shows me that you never saw the funkster wrestle in person.

10-03-2009, 07:16 AM	#82 (permalink)
kr1963 World Champ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,692	Re: Greatest freestyle wrestler of all time. Nice link Dylan They didn't include the Tbilisi tournament though... http://www.usocpressbox.org/usoc/pre...25754300600DB0 From the 1970s through the early 1990’s, the Tbilisi Tournament held in Soviet Georgia was considered the toughest freestyle tournament in the world, including the World Championships. At the time, the Soviet Union was unified, with only one athlete from the vast nation competing at the World Championships. The Tbilisi Tournament featured numerous Soviet athletes in every weight class, as well as top wrestlers from other wrestling nations. To win, an athlete had to beat numerous talented Soviet stars. U.S. wrestlers who were Tbilisi Tournament champions 1971 - Don Behm (125.5); 1972 - Dan Gable (149.5); 1973 - Ben Peterson (198); 1974 - Russ Hellickson (198); 1976 - Wade Schalles (163); 1980 - Gene Mills (114.5); 1982 - Joe Gonzalez (114.5); 1983 - Andy Rein (149.5); 1984 - Bruce Baumgartner (286); 1987 - Dave Schultz (163); 1988 - Kenny Monday (163); 1989 - Melvin Douglas (180.5), 1991 - Dave Schultz (163), Chris Campbell (198) Also 2 names to add: Sergey Beloglasov (6x World Champ, 3x World Cup Champ, 2x Olympic Gold) Bruce Baumgartner, (6x World Cup Champ, 3x Olympic Gold & 1x Silver, 1x World Champ, competed in World Championships 9xs) I watched both of these while I was in college. Schalles is still my fav cuz, as I said before the artistry & contributions to the sport. __________________ He who dares, WINS Royal Canadian Air Force Motto Shocking the world, doesn't suck... Matt Serra We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question which divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct. My own feeling is that it is not crazy enough. Niels Bohr Dan Vallimont... 2010 Runner up Great year Dan!

10-03-2009, 07:49 AM	#83 (permalink)
Hubbard Round of 12 Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 213	Re: Greatest freestyle wrestler of all time. Spin, from guys who were actually in the room with them. It's also common knowledge among the Russian wrestling community. You're comparing apples and oranges.

10-03-2009, 10:56 PM	#85 (permalink)
DrWrestler Redshirt Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9	Re: Greatest freestyle wrestler of all time. Buvaisar saitiev the greatest all time!

11-24-2009, 09:42 PM	#87 (permalink)
sgallan Olympic Champ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Parker, Az Posts: 3,226	Re: Greatest freestyle wrestler of all time. FWIW, when it gets down to debating about an American funkster from the 70's, as greatest ever.......this is no longer a serious thread. __________________ I am 49, bald, ugly, and don't own a single cool thing. Kids like me though.

11-24-2009, 11:42 PM	#88 (permalink)
arm-spin Olympic Champ Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,130	Re: Greatest freestyle wrestler of all time. How about the greatest 82/84 kg wrestler ever? It seems like most weight classes have an obvious #1 (ie fadzaev for 66/68, Saitev for 74/76, Khadartsev for 90/96.) Who'se the best ever in the 80 kg range?

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