May 27th, 2009 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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Trent Paulson sat in a chair near the edge of the mat.
Beads of sweat trickled down his face as he tried to catch his breath following his finals match at the U.S. Nationals on April 11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Winning a hard-fought, nip-and-tuck, three-period battle over talented young Brent Metcalf in the freestyle finals at 145.5 lbs. was difficult enough.
But sitting there in the corner, watching his brother Travis trying to match his feat in the finals at 163 lbs., was even more stressful.
“I get more nervous watching Travis,” Trent said, “than I do for more my own matches.”
Said Travis: “I don’t like wrestling right after him. I get really nervous, and it’s like I’m wrestling the match with him. I didn’t watch his finals match in Vegas because I didn’t want to get emotionally drained before I competed.”
There typically is a special bond shared between identical siblings. And you won’t find a pair of twins closer than the Paulson brothers.
The 26-year-olds have more in common than their appearance. They both enter the U.S. World Team Trials on May 30-31 as the favorites to win their weight classes. Both won U.S. Nationals titles to earn berths in the best-of-3 freestyle finals at the Trials.
They also will be competing in their hometown of Council Bluffs, Iowa, at the Trials.
If the Paulsons win the Trials, they will both qualify for the World Championships for the first time. The Worlds are set for Sept. 21-27 in Herning, Denmark.
“That’s our goal, to win a World title and win the Olympics,” Trent said. “That’s what pushes us every day in practice. We want to be the best.”
********
The Paulsons arrived at Iowa State University with impressive credentials.
Both were multiple state champions for Council Bluffs Lewis Central High School. Both won Junior Nationals titles.
The twins excelled at the collegiate level. Both were three-time All-Americans.
But they did fall short of their shared goal of both winning NCAA titles. Trent won an NCAA title at 157 as a senior, but Travis fell short after losing to two-time NCAA champion Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State in the 165 semifinals.
“It was bittersweet,” Travis said. “That was the proudest I’ve ever been of Trent. I was so happy for him. At the same time, I was crushed because I didn’t win.
Said Trent: “We both wanted to win NCAA titles, but our goal is still alive to be World and Olympic champions. That’s what we’re shooting for now.”
********
Even though they are competing in weight classes almost 20 pounds apart, it is still tough to tell the Paulson twins apart.
Trent was born 20 minutes earlier than Travis. Travis is an inch taller. Trent has a scar on his cheek and Travis has one on his forehead.
“And I think his beard’s usually a little more hairy than mine,” Travis said with a laugh.
Both wrestlers would fit best at 163 pounds, but they want to make the World Team together.
157 was their ideal weight in college, but Travis made the sacrifice by bumping up a class to 165. Trent is now returning the favor by cutting down to 145.5.
The Paulsons also excel in Greco-Roman, and both could wrestle at 163 if one twin wrestled freestyle and the other wrestled Greco.
But they also want to train together, and that would be difficult if they compete in different styles.
Their matchups in the room are hard-fought, but not as heated as they used to be.
“We’ve always been pretty even,” Trent said. “We would dislocate our arm before we would let the other guy get a takedown. I didn’t want anybody to beat me, especially my brother. It’s tough wrestling him now, because he’s bigger and I’m keeping my weight down. It’s frustrating at times.”
********
To say the Paulsons were a handful growing up is a huge understatement.
The twins were so hyperactive, their teachers suggested putting them on the drug Ritalin to calm them down.
The Paulsons’ mother, Mary Ann, had a different idea. She had Trent and Travis take up wrestling.
“We had endless amounts of energy,” Trent said.
That energy was on full display during their early days of elementary school.
“The teacher left the room,” Trent said. “By the time she got back, the entire class was out of their desks and had made a circle around us. We were on the floor wrestling. I already had a broken arm and had a cast on my arm wearing colored contacts, but Travis wasn’t taking it easy on me by any means. We were really going at it. I think I kicked his shoe when he was walking by and that started it all.”
Said Travis: “We got into it all the time. It went back and forth. We got in a lot of fights with each other.”
The Paulsons used their abundant energy supply to excel in wrestling.
Weighing exactly the same created problems in tournaments where they ended up in the same bracket. They would often advance to the finals against each other.
But they’ve never met in competition. The first time they were supposed to wrestle, their parents flipped a coin and the winner of the flip won the match by forfeit.
They’ve alternated winners ever since, without stepping on the mat. At Junior Nationals, they were declared double champions in Greco-Roman after both making the finals.
They both ended up in the third-place match in freestyle.
“That sucked,” Travis said with a laugh, “because it was my turn to forfeit and he got third and I got fourth.”
If Trent bumps up to 163 pounds next year, he and Travis may meet in competition for the first time.
“We’ve talked about it,” Travis said. “We wouldn’t flip a coin anymore. There’s too much at stake. We would just have to battle it out on the mat.”
********
The Paulsons will have their share of support for the Trials, which will be held at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The Paulsons will look to hit the jackpot at a venue that sits near the three large casinos located in Council Bluffs, situated right across the Missouri River from Omaha, Neb.
As soon as tickets went on sale for the event, the Paulsons’ mother, Mary Ann, bought 100 tickets in the VIP section.
Trent said T-shirts are being made for everyone in the section to wear during the Trials.
“I’m so excited about wrestling in Council Bluffs,” Trent said. “It’s going to be a pretty loud and pretty fun atmosphere to wrestle in. It will be almost like a home meet for us. All our family and friends know how much we’ve put into our careers. Having the Trials in our hometown, I don’t know what else you can ask for.”
Said Travis: “It’s definitely an advantage, having our friends and family there. It’s going to be a great atmosphere for us in Council Bluffs. But it’s all business when I step on the mat. I need to be confident, and I still need to execute my game plan and strategy. I need to do everything I can to make that World Team. It would be great to make that team at home.”
********
The Paulsons train in Lincoln, Neb., in the wrestling room of their former rival, the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Nebraska coach Mark Manning, who recruited the Paulsons when they were in high school, now works closely with the talented young twins.
The Paulsons also train with some of the top college wrestlers in the Husker room, including 2009 NCAA champion Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska.
Manning is one of the U.S. World Team coaches this year.
“It’s been great over at Nebraska,” Trent said. “We didn’t lose anything by coming over here after being at Iowa State. Manning’s been great. He puts us through freestyle practices and takes the extra time to help us. He’s gone above and beyond to help us out.”
Said Travis: “It’s a perfect situation for us in Lincoln. We are real comfortable in Lincoln. Manning has bent over backwards to help us. He’s a great guy to work with.”
********
Nobody has bought into the USA Wrestling freestyle program more in the past few months than the Paulson twins.
They were at the U.S. Olympic Training Center this past fall for the Freestyle Summit. They’ve been to all the training camps at the OTC. They’ve competed extensively overseas and placed in a number of events.
And they’ve taken part in the camps their club, the Sunkist Kids, has provided for them.
“We’ve bought in 100 percent to what USA Wrestling and (first-year National Coach) Zeke Jones is preaching,” Travis said. “Any opportunity that we have to get better, we’re going to take advantage of. Me and Keith Gavin, we are 1-2 on the ladder right now, but we’re going to wrestle each other because we want to get better. All our top guys need to train together and push each other.”
The Paulsons also spend an abundance of time studying tape of their U.S. and foreign opponents.
“In the past, I’ve never been one to break down film,” Travis said. “But I got all the DVDs and watched every single match from the Olympics in my weight class. I ended up taking 10 pages of notes from watching all the tape. I was looking at what was working and it’s helped me. I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on by not watching video.”
The Paulsons are determined to see the U.S. return to the top of the World in freestyle wrestling.
“I definitely think the U.S. can get back on top,” Trent said. “We have a lot of hungry young guys who can make an impact. A lot of these young guys are buying in, and those are the guys who are winning right now.”
Said Travis: “I can definitely see us being right up there with Russia at the next Olympics. That’s our goal.”
********
No matter what happens – or even if they wind up battling one another in the same weight class down the road – the close bond between the Paulson twins will never be broken.
“We’re about as close as two people can be,” Trent said. “We can read each others’ minds. We feed off each other. If something is bothering him, I can tell just by looking at him. We read each other like a book. If I see him working hard in practice, I want to work just as hard.”
The Paulsons not only grew up in the same house together, they lived in the same house when they attended college in Ames, Iowa.
They now live together in the same apartment in Lincoln.
“Trent’s my best friend,” Travis said. “We’re around each other virtually 24 hours a day. I’m around him more than I would be around a wife or a girlfriend. We get along really well and really support each other. It’s a pretty special relationship. I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now without him.”
Traveling together this fall on the same flight to Denmark, as members of the same U.S. World Team, is a very realistic goal for the twins.
“It would be awesome to be on that World Team with Trent,” Travis said. “It would be the best feeling you can have. It would be like the cherry on the sundae.”
May 24th, 2009 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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High school sophomore Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./Ringers) won two straight matches to upset FILA Junior Nationals champion Ryan Mango (St. Louis, Mo./New York AC) to capture the 55 kg/121 lbs. title at the 2009 FILA Junior World Greco-Roman Team Trials, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, May 22.
FILA Junior athletes are from 17-20 years old. This includes many of the nation’s top college underclassmen, as well as the most talented high school athletes. Champions from the FILA Junior World Team Trials earn the right to represent the USA at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Ankara, Turkey, August 4-9.
The championship finals was a best-of-three series between the FILA Junior Nationals champion and the winner of Friday morning’s Challenge Tournament. All eight of the championship finals were finished in two straight bouts.
Thielke, who is 16 years old and doesn’t turn 17 for another month, has never beaten Mango before, dropping close matches in previous age-group national competitions.
“The first match was the first time I have beaten Ryan. I have lost to him twice,” said Thielke. “I was looking to get a takedown and get on top of him. I stuck with my gut wrenches on top.”
Thielke scored the first points in both periods of the first match to win it in two periods, 4-3, 2-1. The second match went into the deciding third period, and Thielke hit a three-point throw on the edge to score the only points for the win, 0-1, 1-0, 3-0.
“It is a whole new world,” said Thielke of qualifying for the FILA Junior World Team. “I didn’t expect to do as well as I did here.”
Thielke had to win three matches in the ASICS Challenge Tournament to earn the right to face Mango for the championship.
“I was nervous from the first second, during every match. I tried to make as few mistakes as possible. Everything came together for me. It was my day,” said Thielke.
Two members of the 2008 FILA Junior World Greco-Roman Team won their weight classes in two straight periods: Ben Provisor (Stevens Point, Wis./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. Both entered the event as No. 1 seeds after winning the FILA Junior Nationals in April.
Provisor beat Aaron Briggs (Tucson, Ariz./Adidas USOEC), in two straight, winning 4-0, 1-0 in the first bout and 3-0, 1-0 in the second bout.
“I feel good. I did what I needed to do to make the team. You can’t be upset with that,” said Provisor. “I have a great chance this year. I got a little bigger for 74 kg. I’ve worked on my technique with my coaches. I’ll give it my all.”
Kowalczuk stopped Quintas McCorkle (Alexandria, Va./Clarion WC), scoring a pin in the first match in 1:10 and taking the second match, 1-0, 4-0.
“Last year, I went with high hopes, but it just wasn’t there. I have trained my butt off and I’m getting ready to try to take home the title,” said Kowalczuk. “This team is going to be good. We have a lot of young talent. We have a tough group of guys ready to go.”
At 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Peninsula WC) won both of his finals matches over Kazden Ikehara, Mililani, Hawaii (Falcon Training) by pin. In the first period, Fortune went into the second period before getting the pin, winning 6-0, 0:32. The second match ended quickly, with Fortune pinning Kazden in 12 seconds.
At 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Donald Vinson Jr. (Marathon, N.Y./Shamrock WC) won both of his finals bouts over Patrick Smith, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) by technical fall. Vinson won the first bout, 6-0, 6-0 and the second bout, 6-0, 7-0.
Other individual champions earning spots on the U.S. Junior World Team were Max Nowry (Wheeling, Ill./USOEC) at 50 kg/110.25 lbs. and Travis Rutt (New Prague, Wis./Badger WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
The World Team member at 60 kg/132 lbs. has not yet been determined. In Greco-Roman, FILA Junior Nationals champions who also placed in the top seven at the U.S. Senior Nationals had the right to delay the best-of-three series to a later date, tentatively set for the middle of June. FILA Junior Nationals champion Jimmy Chase (Carol Stream, Ill./Pinnacle School of Wrestling) has chosen to delay his championship series.
He will face Justin LaValle (Burnsville, Minn./Minnesota Storm), who won his championship series on Friday in two straight matches. LaValle was third at the 2009 FILA Junior Nationals. The date and location of the Special Wrestle-off will be announced shortly.
FILA JUNIOR GRECO-ROMAN WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At Colorado Springs, Colo., May 30-31
Championship Series
50 kg/110.25 lbs - Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (USOEC) dec. Carson Kuhn, Sandy, Utah (Vandit), 2 matches to 0
Nowry dec. Kuhn, 3-0, 7-0
Nowry dec. Kuhn, 2-0, 6-0
55 kg/121 lbs - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Ringers) dec. Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC), 2 matches to 0
Thielke dec. Mango, 4-3, 2-1
Thielke dec. Mango, 0-1, 1-0, 3-0
(LaValle to face FILA Junior National champion Jimmy Chase, Carol Stream, Ill. - Pinnacle School of Wrestling in best-of-three series at a later date).
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Donald Vinson Jr., Marathon, N.Y. (Shamrock WC) dec. Patrick Smith, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 2 matches to 0
Vinson tech. fall Smith, 6-0, 6-0
Vinson tech. fall Smith, 6-0, 7-0
May 23rd, 2009 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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There's been no lack of opinions concerning the Lyoto Machida-Rashad Evans UFC 98 main event.
It's the MMA equivalent to Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao, Peyton Manning vs. Brett Favre, Sir Alex Ferguson vs. Rafael Benitez.
It's going to shape the way fighters train and fight from May 23 forward.
But why? How could two fighters who flew well under the radar alter the way fighters approach fighting?
In one corner, there's Rashad Evans, who is (for all intents and purposes) the best career fluke in MMA history. The last choice to win The Ultimate Fighter 2 Tournament, the underdog in every match since then, and an underdog today, Evans didn't begin turning heads until he knocked out Chuck Liddell.
A grinding fighter with a decision-heavy record, Evans lacked the glaze that UFC light heavyweight champions traditionally have.
Ortiz has unmatched ground-and-pound. Couture has dirty boxing and indomitable wrestling. Liddell has punishing right and left hooks shot from the hip. Jackson has raw power. Griffin has work-ethic, intelligence, and a solid chin.
So what special trait does Evans bring to the title?
Adaptability in the face of adversity.
If anything, Evans should be known for his ring awareness and adjustments. Against fighters with readily exploitable weaknesses, Evans pounces.
Although Jackson was the first in a long list of challengers to exploit Liddell's long-winded yet devastating hook, Evans capitalized on the same error, smashing his right hand into Liddell's jaw with a left ready to follow basically knocking him out of his shoes.
Prior to his match with Liddell, Evans's kick to Sean Salmon's unsuspecting cranium displayed his fighting tact. After going one-dimensional and boxing for the majority of a round, Evans lands a KO wrestling kicks reeking of premeditation.
It's a fact that Evans' ability to adapt led to a majority of his wins. His style of fighting coupled with Greg Jackson's ideals in fighting has made fighters and fight fans aware of the importance, and benefits, of adapting properly to adversity.
The wave of the brawler is ebbing.
But the question on analysts' and writers' minds is how will Evans adapt to Machida, an evasive, calculating fighter who consistently stays one step ahead of his opponent?
Could it be a fact that Machida, cut-and-dry, is a more advanced fighter than Evans?
Shifting focus to the opposite corner, there's Lyoto Machida with a pristine record supported by enviable stats (highest strikes-landed percentage in UFC; shares prestige with Fedor Emelianenko for least amount of time spent on his back).
Although most writers, fans, and fighters like to emphasize Machida's effective application of karate techniques to MMA and his "elusive style," the most amazing and dangerous aspect of Machida is his mentality.
The fight-to-win mentality, by which Machida abides, was exemplified best by Anderson Silva. A lethal, precise striker who tends to smother his opponents with attacks (barring his latest performance), Silva changed the stand-up game in UFC overnight.
May 23rd, 2009 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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There's been no lack of opinions concerning the Lyoto Machida-Rashad Evans UFC 98 main event.
It's the MMA equivalent to Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao, Peyton Manning vs. Brett Favre, Sir Alex Ferguson vs. Rafael Benitez.
It's going to shape the way fighters train and fight from May 23 forward.
But why? How could two fighters who flew well under the radar alter the way fighters approach fighting?
In one corner, there's Rashad Evans, who is (for all intents and purposes) the best career fluke in MMA history. The last choice to win The Ultimate Fighter 2 Tournament, the underdog in every match since then, and an underdog today, Evans didn't begin turning heads until he knocked out Chuck Liddell.
A grinding fighter with a decision-heavy record, Evans lacked the glaze that UFC light heavyweight champions traditionally have.
Ortiz has unmatched ground-and-pound. Couture has dirty boxing and indomitable wrestling. Liddell has punishing right and left hooks shot from the hip. Jackson has raw power. Griffin has work-ethic, intelligence, and a solid chin.
So what special trait does Evans bring to the title?
Adaptability in the face of adversity.
If anything, Evans should be known for his ring awareness and adjustments. Against fighters with readily exploitable weaknesses, Evans pounces.
Although Jackson was the first in a long list of challengers to exploit Liddell's long-winded yet devastating hook, Evans capitalized on the same error, smashing his right hand into Liddell's jaw with a left ready to follow basically knocking him out of his shoes.
Prior to his match with Liddell, Evans's kick to Sean Salmon's unsuspecting cranium displayed his fighting tact. After going one-dimensional and boxing for the majority of a round, Evans lands a KO wrestling kicks reeking of premeditation.
It's a fact that Evans' ability to adapt led to a majority of his wins. His style of fighting coupled with Greg Jackson's ideals in fighting has made fighters and fight fans aware of the importance, and benefits, of adapting properly to adversity.
The wave of the brawler is ebbing.
But the question on analysts' and writers' minds is how will Evans adapt to Machida, an evasive, calculating fighter who consistently stays one step ahead of his opponent?
Could it be a fact that Machida, cut-and-dry, is a more advanced fighter than Evans?
Shifting focus to the opposite corner, there's Lyoto Machida with a pristine record supported by enviable stats (highest strikes-landed percentage in UFC; shares prestige with Fedor Emelianenko for least amount of time spent on his back).
Although most writers, fans, and fighters like to emphasize Machida's effective application of karate techniques to MMA and his "elusive style," the most amazing and dangerous aspect of Machida is his mentality.
The fight-to-win mentality, by which Machida abides, was exemplified best by Anderson Silva. A lethal, precise striker who tends to smother his opponents with attacks (barring his latest performance), Silva changed the stand-up game in UFC overnight.
May 22nd, 2009 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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Live Sports Wrestling Video will provide coverage of the championship finals series from the 2009 FILA Junior World Team Trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 22-23.
Champions from the FILA Junior World Team Trials earn the right to represent the USA at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Ankara, Turkey, August 4-9. FILA Junior athletes are from 17-20 years old.
The Greco-Roman finals will be held on Friday, May 22, starting at approximately 12:00 noon Pacific time.
The freestyle finals will be held on Saturday, May 23, starting at approximately 5:00 p.m. Pacific time.
Let all fans know to watch this FREE (to you) web cast at:
http://www.livesportsvideo.com
In this competition, the No. 1 seed sits out until the best-of-three championship series, where he faces the winner from the Challenge Tournament held earlier in the day.
Among the stars to strap on their wrestling singlets in Greco-Roman are top seeds Ben Provisor, Peter Kowalczuk, Ryan Mango and Max Nowry.
Among the stars to watch in freestyle are top seeds Logan Stieber, Andrew Howe, Jordan Oliver, Mario Mason and Dominique Bradley.
This web cast is brought to you by Live Sports Video, USA Wrestling (and sponsors), and Feldmeier Equipment.
LIVE SPORTS VIDEO BROADCAST SCHEDULE
FILA JUNIOR WORLD TEAM TRIALS
Friday, May 22
12:00 noon – Greco-Roman Championship Series: Match #1, Match #2 and Match #3 (If Needed)
Saturday, May 23
5:00 p.m.– Freestyle Championship Series: Match #1, Match #2 and Match #3 (If Needed)
No. 1 seeds at FILA Junior World Team Trials
(already qualified for Championship Series)
Greco-Roman
50 kg/110.25 lbs - Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (USOEC)*
55 kg/121 lbs - Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC)*
60 kg/132.25 lbs. – Highest FILA Junior freestyle placewinner who attends the event
(Winner in the 60 kg class to face FILA Junior National champion Jimmy Chase, Carol Stream, Ill. - Pinnacle School of Wrestling in best-of-three series at a later date).
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Donald Vinson Jr., Marathon, N.Y. (Shamrock WC)*
74 kg/163 lbs. - Ben Provisor, Stevens Point, Wis. (DennisHall/World Gold WC)*
84 kg/185 lbs. - Robert Barbour, Dolton, Ill. (Sunkist Kids)*
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Peninsula WC)*
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)*
Freestyle
50 kg/110.25 lbs. - Brandon Escobar, Brentwood, N.Y. (unattached)*
55 kg/121.25 lbs. - Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (New York AC)##
60 kg/132 lbs. - Jordan Oliver, Easton, Pa. (Gator WC)*
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Mario Mason, Moorestown, N.J. (Minnesota Storm)*
74 kg/163 lbs. - Andrew Howe, Cedar Lake, Ind. (New York AC)##
84 kg/185 lbs. - Chris Perry, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)*
96 kg/211.5 lbs.- Ryland Geiger, Portland, Ore. (Minnesota Storm)*
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Dominique Bradley, Blue Springs, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)*
May 20th, 2009 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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If looks could kill, then UFC middleweight fighter Rich Franklin would be very scared.
But it’s a good thing for Rich that the UFC fights involve a little more than facial features.
At UFC 99 in Koln, Germany, Franklin will look to rebound off a split decision loss at the hands of Dan Henderson at UFC 93. In the same respect his opponent, Wanderlei Silva, will be looking to show doubters that they are wrong in saying that his career may be over at the ripe age of 33.
News Break: Look for my upcoming article about how the UFC may be requiring all fighters to begin wearing wrestling shoes to protect their currently bare feet.
Silva's last bout was very important; with a win over bitter rival Quinton "Rampage" Jackson Silva would have been thrust into a possible title shot with Rashad Evans.
Now, he looks to get back on track, and prove that the "Axe Murderer" still has it.
Franklin is at a very awkward point in his MMA career as well.
Constantly fighting at 185 for most of his career, his last fight saw him jump back into the 205 lb division against former-Amateur wrestling star Dan Henderson, only to be bested on two of three judges scorecards.
The loss now put Franklin into that tough point in a fighter's career, where losses aren't something to be taken lightly.
There are pros and cons for both fighters, mainly cons for both, but that should make for a very good fight for fans, as neither fighter can afford to lose.
For Franklin, a loss digs him into deeper obscurity, and indecision.
For Silva, a loss could mean a change of scenery, or worse, a serious look at young retirement.
Though relatively the same could be said for Franklin, it would appear Silva's reputation for being a totally dominant fighter could dissolve with another devastating loss.
Regardless of the outcome, fans will not want to blink during this fight.
May 19th, 2009 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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Originally posted by Steven Hammersley for BleacherReport
A summer filled with head coaching openings has created a nauseating experience for fans of many of the largest wrestling programs in the land. The sport well reputed for developing many of the top mixed martial arts stars (read: Dan Henderson, Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture) is often times mistaken for the WWE, but make no mistake about the names you're about to hear and their impact on their new locale.
Cael Sanderson, longtime Iowa State Cyclone, and the only undefeated division one NCAA champion in the history of the sport, left his perch with the 'Clones to move into the Nation's hotbed of wrestling talent—Pennsylvania. According to "Wrestling Talk", a social network of wrestling junkies, Sanderson takes with him his entire staff and several of the highly sought-after recruits that had originally followed him to Iowa State.
The list leaving ISU to follow "King Cael" includes Iowa State's most valuable wrestler, Jake Varner. Sanderson's will to win led him out of his comfort zone and into the throne at Penn State University, where he will now lead the Nittany Lions.
After the vacancy at Penn State was filled Iowa State was left in shambles compared to where they thought their program was headed. The difficult task, even for the University that churns out champions like Sanderson and Dan Gable, of replacing Olympic Champion Cael Sanderson was taken head on by Athletic Director Jamie Pollard.
Pollard spent a great deal of his time courting Terry Brands, the twin bother of the University of Iowa's elite head coach, Tom. Brands, showing his commitment to ISU's major in-state rival, turned down Pollard on multiple occasions including the day the announced their new coach, Kevin Jackson.
Jackson graduated from Iowa State in 1986-1987 after transferring from the defunct Louisiana State wrestling program and went on to win an Olympic gold in 1992 for the United States.
The University of Illinois kept their decision in-house. After long time coach Mark Johnson decided to retire this summer the Fighting Illini were quick to name his replacement, Jim Heffernan.
Heffernan, who paid his dues at the University as an assistant of 15 years, becomes yet another Iowa Hawkeye bred wrestler to take over a Division One post. While Heffernan is the least credentialed wrestler of the new coaching positions he makes up for it with decades of Division One coaching experience in the Big Ten and beyond.
Keeping the coaching change in the family will provide a more fluid transition for recruits and the current roster of stars.
Arizona State University released their coach, Thom Ortiz, after eight years at the helm. The Sun Devils struggled to move back into the national spotlight with a combination of mixed recruiting results and difficulty aligning a coaching staff.
While there were many glimmers of hope through the years the powers that be decided to move on to another young leader for their program. While the news has yet to be broken, several sources within the wrestling community point to Shawn Charles as the new man at the helm.
Excitement around this selection runs deeper than at most universities because ASU has been known for developing many of the UFC's most anticipated young stars.
May 19th, 2009 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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Originally posted by Steven Hammersley for BleacherReport
A summer filled with head coaching openings has created a nauseating experience for fans of many of the largest wrestling programs in the land. The sport well reputed for developing many of the top mixed martial arts stars (read: Dan Henderson, Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture) is often times mistaken for the WWE, but make no mistake about the names you're about to hear and their impact on their new locale.
Cael Sanderson, longtime Iowa State Cyclone, and the only undefeated division one NCAA champion in the history of the sport, left his perch with the 'Clones to move into the Nation's hotbed of wrestling talent—Pennsylvania. According to "Wrestling Talk", a social network of wrestling junkies, Sanderson takes with him his entire staff and several of the highly sought-after recruits that had originally followed him to Iowa State.
The list leaving ISU to follow "King Cael" includes Iowa State's most valuable wrestler, Jake Varner. Sanderson's will to win led him out of his comfort zone and into the throne at Penn State University, where he will now lead the Nittany Lions.
After the vacancy at Penn State was filled Iowa State was left in shambles compared to where they thought their program was headed. The difficult task, even for the University that churns out champions like Sanderson and Dan Gable, of replacing Olympic Champion Cael Sanderson was taken head on by Athletic Director Jamie Pollard.
Pollard spent a great deal of his time courting Terry Brands, the twin bother of the University of Iowa's elite head coach, Tom. Brands, showing his commitment to ISU's major in-state rival, turned down Pollard on multiple occasions including the day the announced their new coach, Kevin Jackson.
Jackson graduated from Iowa State in 1986-1987 after transferring from the defunct Louisiana State wrestling program and went on to win an Olympic gold in 1992 for the United States.
The University of Illinois kept their decision in-house. After long time coach Mark Johnson decided to retire this summer the Fighting Illini were quick to name his replacement, Jim Heffernan.
Heffernan, who paid his dues at the University as an assistant of 15 years, becomes yet another Iowa Hawkeye bred wrestler to take over a Division One post. While Heffernan is the least credentialed wrestler of the new coaching positions he makes up for it with decades of Division One coaching experience in the Big Ten and beyond.
Keeping the coaching change in the family will provide a more fluid transition for recruits and the current roster of stars.
Arizona State University released their coach, Thom Ortiz, after eight years at the helm. The Sun Devils struggled to move back into the national spotlight with a combination of mixed recruiting results and difficulty aligning a coaching staff.
While there were many glimmers of hope through the years the powers that be decided to move on to another young leader for their program. While the news has yet to be broken, several sources within the wrestling community point to Shawn Charles as the new man at the helm.
Excitement around this selection runs deeper than at most universities because ASU has been known for developing many of the UFC's most anticipated young stars.
December 24th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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U.S. edges France for Gi team title at Grappling Worlds in Switzerland
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
12/22/2008
LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND – A day after dominating the No-Gi division, the United States came back with a smaller team yet emerged as the team champions in the Gi division at the Grappling World Championships on Sunday.
The U.S. was led by two gold medalists, Lisa Ward (Olympia, Wash./United Fight Team) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women’s Grappling and Ian Murphy (Fullerton, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness) at 92 kg/202.5 lbs. in men’s Grappling.
Ward became the only U.S. Grappler to win a double title, capturing both the No-Gi and Gi competitions. She scored a submission over Lisa Newton of Great Britain in the fnals with an armbar.
Murphy was the only U.S. men’s Grappler to be a finalist in both the No-Gi and Gi events. He won a silver medal in the No-Gi competition on Saturday.
In the finals, he defeated a talented competitor with a strong background in Gi jiu jitsu, Pierre Pilat of France, 2-1. It was the first time that Murphy had competed in a Gi Grappling competition.
Murphy’s victory in the finals allowed the United States to edge France in the team standings in Gi Grappling by one point.
"I was just going out there to give it a shot. I have learned a couple things over the years for the Gi, so I was hoping I could get by with my wrestling and No-Gi stuff,” said Murphy. “I just tried to get the guys tired and pass their guard at the end of the match and it worked. I was surprised!"
The U.S. added silver medals in the Gi competition from Brian Peterson (Valencia, Calif./Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Center) at 62 kg/136.5 lbs. and Tara LaRosa, Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia Fight Factory) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
Peterson was defeated in the finals by Herminio Garcia of Spain by submission. LaRosa fell in the finals to Laurence Fouillat of France, 0-1. Fouillat was a gold-medalist both the No-Gi and Gi competitions.
“On Sunday, we only had a few athletes compete, but everyone pulled their weight,” said USA Wrestling Manager of Developing Styles Jason Townsend. “Ian Murphy pulled the victory through with his win in the finals. It was a dramatic win for the team. I was surprised that the USA won both styles. It was a great experience."
For more information on the FILA Grappling World Championships, visit the official website at:
http://www.d4-world.com/
WORLD GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Lucerne, Switzerland, Dec. 21
U.S. Men’s results
62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Brian Peterson, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Center), 2nd
WIN Tom Barlow (Great Britain)
LOSS Herminio Garcia (Spain), submission
70 kg/154 lbs. - Tom LeCuyer, Plano, Ill. (Atlas Xtreme Team, Torres Martial Arts), dnp
LOSS Michael Karkula (Canada)
LOSS Simone Franceschini (Italy)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Mike Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Gilbert Grappling), dnp
Match results not currently available
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Raphael Davis, Lomita, Calif. (Team Caique), dnp
LOSS Herb (Germany), submission
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Ian Murphy, Fullerton, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness), 1st
WIN Yaman Nakdali (Spain), submission
WIN Gregor Herb (Germany), 4-1
WIN Pierre Pilat (France), 2-1
U.S. women’s results
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Lisa Ward, Olympia, Wash. (United Fight Team), 1st
WIN Lisa Newton (Great Britain), submission
55 kg/121 lbs. - Tara LaRosa, Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia Fight Factory), 2nd
Preliminary bouts not available
LOSS Laurence Fouillat (France), 0-1
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Molly Helsel, San Diego, Calif. (North County Fight Club), dnp
LOSS Julia Klammsteiner (Italy)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Miesha Tate, Olympia, Wash. (Victory Athletics), dnp
LOSS Julia Klammsteiner (Italy)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Angela Poe, Craig, Colo. (Grappler’s Edge), 5th
LOSS Alaina Hardie (Canada)
LOSS Julia Klammsteiner (Italy)
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Trent Paulson sat in a chair near the edge of the mat.
Beads of sweat trickled down his face as he tried to catch his breath following his finals match at the U.S. Nationals on April 11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Winning a hard-fought, nip-and-tuck, three-period battle over talented young Brent Metcalf in the freestyle finals at 145.5 lbs. was difficult enough.
But sitting there in the corner, watching his brother Travis trying to match his feat in the finals at 163 lbs., was even more stressful.
“I get more nervous watching Travis,” Trent said, “than I do for more my own matches.”
Said Travis: “I don’t like wrestling right after him. I get really nervous, and it’s like I’m wrestling the match with him. I didn’t watch his finals match in Vegas because I didn’t want to get emotionally drained before I competed.”
There typically is a special bond shared between identical siblings. And you won’t find a pair of twins closer than the Paulson brothers.
The 26-year-olds have more in common than their appearance. They both enter the U.S. World Team Trials on May 30-31 as the favorites to win their weight classes. Both won U.S. Nationals titles to earn berths in the best-of-3 freestyle finals at the Trials.
They also will be competing in their hometown of Council Bluffs, Iowa, at the Trials.
If the Paulsons win the Trials, they will both qualify for the World Championships for the first time. The Worlds are set for Sept. 21-27 in Herning, Denmark.
“That’s our goal, to win a World title and win the Olympics,” Trent said. “That’s what pushes us every day in practice. We want to be the best.”
********
The Paulsons arrived at Iowa State University with impressive credentials.
Both were multiple state champions for Council Bluffs Lewis Central High School. Both won Junior Nationals titles.
The twins excelled at the collegiate level. Both were three-time All-Americans.
But they did fall short of their shared goal of both winning NCAA titles. Trent won an NCAA title at 157 as a senior, but Travis fell short after losing to two-time NCAA champion Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State in the 165 semifinals.
“It was bittersweet,” Travis said. “That was the proudest I’ve ever been of Trent. I was so happy for him. At the same time, I was crushed because I didn’t win.
Said Trent: “We both wanted to win NCAA titles, but our goal is still alive to be World and Olympic champions. That’s what we’re shooting for now.”
********
Even though they are competing in weight classes almost 20 pounds apart, it is still tough to tell the Paulson twins apart.
Trent was born 20 minutes earlier than Travis. Travis is an inch taller. Trent has a scar on his cheek and Travis has one on his forehead.
“And I think his beard’s usually a little more hairy than mine,” Travis said with a laugh.
Both wrestlers would fit best at 163 pounds, but they want to make the World Team together.
157 was their ideal weight in college, but Travis made the sacrifice by bumping up a class to 165. Trent is now returning the favor by cutting down to 145.5.
The Paulsons also excel in Greco-Roman, and both could wrestle at 163 if one twin wrestled freestyle and the other wrestled Greco.
But they also want to train together, and that would be difficult if they compete in different styles.
Their matchups in the room are hard-fought, but not as heated as they used to be.
“We’ve always been pretty even,” Trent said. “We would dislocate our arm before we would let the other guy get a takedown. I didn’t want anybody to beat me, especially my brother. It’s tough wrestling him now, because he’s bigger and I’m keeping my weight down. It’s frustrating at times.”
********
To say the Paulsons were a handful growing up is a huge understatement.
The twins were so hyperactive, their teachers suggested putting them on the drug Ritalin to calm them down.
The Paulsons’ mother, Mary Ann, had a different idea. She had Trent and Travis take up wrestling.
“We had endless amounts of energy,” Trent said.
That energy was on full display during their early days of elementary school.
“The teacher left the room,” Trent said. “By the time she got back, the entire class was out of their desks and had made a circle around us. We were on the floor wrestling. I already had a broken arm and had a cast on my arm wearing colored contacts, but Travis wasn’t taking it easy on me by any means. We were really going at it. I think I kicked his shoe when he was walking by and that started it all.”
Said Travis: “We got into it all the time. It went back and forth. We got in a lot of fights with each other.”
The Paulsons used their abundant energy supply to excel in wrestling.
Weighing exactly the same created problems in tournaments where they ended up in the same bracket. They would often advance to the finals against each other.
But they’ve never met in competition. The first time they were supposed to wrestle, their parents flipped a coin and the winner of the flip won the match by forfeit.
They’ve alternated winners ever since, without stepping on the mat. At Junior Nationals, they were declared double champions in Greco-Roman after both making the finals.
They both ended up in the third-place match in freestyle.
“That sucked,” Travis said with a laugh, “because it was my turn to forfeit and he got third and I got fourth.”
If Trent bumps up to 163 pounds next year, he and Travis may meet in competition for the first time.
“We’ve talked about it,” Travis said. “We wouldn’t flip a coin anymore. There’s too much at stake. We would just have to battle it out on the mat.”
********
The Paulsons will have their share of support for the Trials, which will be held at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The Paulsons will look to hit the jackpot at a venue that sits near the three large casinos located in Council Bluffs, situated right across the Missouri River from Omaha, Neb.
As soon as tickets went on sale for the event, the Paulsons’ mother, Mary Ann, bought 100 tickets in the VIP section.
Trent said T-shirts are being made for everyone in the section to wear during the Trials.
“I’m so excited about wrestling in Council Bluffs,” Trent said. “It’s going to be a pretty loud and pretty fun atmosphere to wrestle in. It will be almost like a home meet for us. All our family and friends know how much we’ve put into our careers. Having the Trials in our hometown, I don’t know what else you can ask for.”
Said Travis: “It’s definitely an advantage, having our friends and family there. It’s going to be a great atmosphere for us in Council Bluffs. But it’s all business when I step on the mat. I need to be confident, and I still need to execute my game plan and strategy. I need to do everything I can to make that World Team. It would be great to make that team at home.”
********
The Paulsons train in Lincoln, Neb., in the wrestling room of their former rival, the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Nebraska coach Mark Manning, who recruited the Paulsons when they were in high school, now works closely with the talented young twins.
The Paulsons also train with some of the top college wrestlers in the Husker room, including 2009 NCAA champion Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska.
Manning is one of the U.S. World Team coaches this year.
“It’s been great over at Nebraska,” Trent said. “We didn’t lose anything by coming over here after being at Iowa State. Manning’s been great. He puts us through freestyle practices and takes the extra time to help us. He’s gone above and beyond to help us out.”
Said Travis: “It’s a perfect situation for us in Lincoln. We are real comfortable in Lincoln. Manning has bent over backwards to help us. He’s a great guy to work with.”
********
Nobody has bought into the USA Wrestling freestyle program more in the past few months than the Paulson twins.
They were at the U.S. Olympic Training Center this past fall for the Freestyle Summit. They’ve been to all the training camps at the OTC. They’ve competed extensively overseas and placed in a number of events.
And they’ve taken part in the camps their club, the Sunkist Kids, has provided for them.
“We’ve bought in 100 percent to what USA Wrestling and (first-year National Coach) Zeke Jones is preaching,” Travis said. “Any opportunity that we have to get better, we’re going to take advantage of. Me and Keith Gavin, we are 1-2 on the ladder right now, but we’re going to wrestle each other because we want to get better. All our top guys need to train together and push each other.”
The Paulsons also spend an abundance of time studying tape of their U.S. and foreign opponents.
“In the past, I’ve never been one to break down film,” Travis said. “But I got all the DVDs and watched every single match from the Olympics in my weight class. I ended up taking 10 pages of notes from watching all the tape. I was looking at what was working and it’s helped me. I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on by not watching video.”
The Paulsons are determined to see the U.S. return to the top of the World in freestyle wrestling.
“I definitely think the U.S. can get back on top,” Trent said. “We have a lot of hungry young guys who can make an impact. A lot of these young guys are buying in, and those are the guys who are winning right now.”
Said Travis: “I can definitely see us being right up there with Russia at the next Olympics. That’s our goal.”
********
No matter what happens – or even if they wind up battling one another in the same weight class down the road – the close bond between the Paulson twins will never be broken.
“We’re about as close as two people can be,” Trent said. “We can read each others’ minds. We feed off each other. If something is bothering him, I can tell just by looking at him. We read each other like a book. If I see him working hard in practice, I want to work just as hard.”
The Paulsons not only grew up in the same house together, they lived in the same house when they attended college in Ames, Iowa.
They now live together in the same apartment in Lincoln.
“Trent’s my best friend,” Travis said. “We’re around each other virtually 24 hours a day. I’m around him more than I would be around a wife or a girlfriend. We get along really well and really support each other. It’s a pretty special relationship. I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now without him.”
Traveling together this fall on the same flight to Denmark, as members of the same U.S. World Team, is a very realistic goal for the twins.
“It would be awesome to be on that World Team with Trent,” Travis said. “It would be the best feeling you can have. It would be like the cherry on the sundae.”
High school sophomore Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./Ringers) won two straight matches to upset FILA Junior Nationals champion Ryan Mango (St. Louis, Mo./New York AC) to capture the 55 kg/121 lbs. title at the 2009 FILA Junior World Greco-Roman Team Trials, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, May 22.
FILA Junior athletes are from 17-20 years old. This includes many of the nation’s top college underclassmen, as well as the most talented high school athletes. Champions from the FILA Junior World Team Trials earn the right to represent the USA at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Ankara, Turkey, August 4-9.
The championship finals was a best-of-three series between the FILA Junior Nationals champion and the winner of Friday morning’s Challenge Tournament. All eight of the championship finals were finished in two straight bouts.
Thielke, who is 16 years old and doesn’t turn 17 for another month, has never beaten Mango before, dropping close matches in previous age-group national competitions.
“The first match was the first time I have beaten Ryan. I have lost to him twice,” said Thielke. “I was looking to get a takedown and get on top of him. I stuck with my gut wrenches on top.”
Thielke scored the first points in both periods of the first match to win it in two periods, 4-3, 2-1. The second match went into the deciding third period, and Thielke hit a three-point throw on the edge to score the only points for the win, 0-1, 1-0, 3-0.
“It is a whole new world,” said Thielke of qualifying for the FILA Junior World Team. “I didn’t expect to do as well as I did here.”
Thielke had to win three matches in the ASICS Challenge Tournament to earn the right to face Mango for the championship.
“I was nervous from the first second, during every match. I tried to make as few mistakes as possible. Everything came together for me. It was my day,” said Thielke.
Two members of the 2008 FILA Junior World Greco-Roman Team won their weight classes in two straight periods: Ben Provisor (Stevens Point, Wis./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. Both entered the event as No. 1 seeds after winning the FILA Junior Nationals in April.
Provisor beat Aaron Briggs (Tucson, Ariz./Adidas USOEC), in two straight, winning 4-0, 1-0 in the first bout and 3-0, 1-0 in the second bout.
“I feel good. I did what I needed to do to make the team. You can’t be upset with that,” said Provisor. “I have a great chance this year. I got a little bigger for 74 kg. I’ve worked on my technique with my coaches. I’ll give it my all.”
Kowalczuk stopped Quintas McCorkle (Alexandria, Va./Clarion WC), scoring a pin in the first match in 1:10 and taking the second match, 1-0, 4-0.
“Last year, I went with high hopes, but it just wasn’t there. I have trained my butt off and I’m getting ready to try to take home the title,” said Kowalczuk. “This team is going to be good. We have a lot of young talent. We have a tough group of guys ready to go.”
At 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Peninsula WC) won both of his finals matches over Kazden Ikehara, Mililani, Hawaii (Falcon Training) by pin. In the first period, Fortune went into the second period before getting the pin, winning 6-0, 0:32. The second match ended quickly, with Fortune pinning Kazden in 12 seconds.
At 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Donald Vinson Jr. (Marathon, N.Y./Shamrock WC) won both of his finals bouts over Patrick Smith, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) by technical fall. Vinson won the first bout, 6-0, 6-0 and the second bout, 6-0, 7-0.
Other individual champions earning spots on the U.S. Junior World Team were Max Nowry (Wheeling, Ill./USOEC) at 50 kg/110.25 lbs. and Travis Rutt (New Prague, Wis./Badger WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
The World Team member at 60 kg/132 lbs. has not yet been determined. In Greco-Roman, FILA Junior Nationals champions who also placed in the top seven at the U.S. Senior Nationals had the right to delay the best-of-three series to a later date, tentatively set for the middle of June. FILA Junior Nationals champion Jimmy Chase (Carol Stream, Ill./Pinnacle School of Wrestling) has chosen to delay his championship series.
He will face Justin LaValle (Burnsville, Minn./Minnesota Storm), who won his championship series on Friday in two straight matches. LaValle was third at the 2009 FILA Junior Nationals. The date and location of the Special Wrestle-off will be announced shortly.
FILA JUNIOR GRECO-ROMAN WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At Colorado Springs, Colo., May 30-31
Championship Series
50 kg/110.25 lbs - Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (USOEC) dec. Carson Kuhn, Sandy, Utah (Vandit), 2 matches to 0
Nowry dec. Kuhn, 3-0, 7-0
Nowry dec. Kuhn, 2-0, 6-0
55 kg/121 lbs - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Ringers) dec. Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC), 2 matches to 0
Thielke dec. Mango, 4-3, 2-1
Thielke dec. Mango, 0-1, 1-0, 3-0
60 kg/132.25 lbs. – Justin LaValle, Burnsville, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Vincente Gallegos, Denver, Colo. (Denver All-Stars), 2 matches to 0
LaValle pin Gallegos, 1:39
LaValle dec. Gallegos, 0-6, 3-2, 2-2
(LaValle to face FILA Junior National champion Jimmy Chase, Carol Stream, Ill. - Pinnacle School of Wrestling in best-of-three series at a later date).
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Donald Vinson Jr., Marathon, N.Y. (Shamrock WC) dec. Patrick Smith, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 2 matches to 0
Vinson tech. fall Smith, 6-0, 6-0
Vinson tech. fall Smith, 6-0, 7-0
74 kg/163 lbs. - Ben Provisor, Stevens Point, Wis. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Aaron Briggs, Tucson, Ariz. (USOEC), 2 matches to 0
Provisor dec. Briggs, 4-0, 1-0
Provisor dec. Briggs, 3-0, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs. - Travis Rutt, New Prague, Wis. (Badger WC) dec. Robert Barbour, Dolton, Ill. (USOEC), 2 matches to 0
Rutt dec. Barbour, 0-2, 2-0, 1-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Peninsula WC) dec. Kazden Ikehara, Mililani, Hawaii (Falcon Training), 2 matches to 0
Fortune pin Kazden, 6-0, 0:32
Fortune pin Kazden, 0:12
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Quintas McCorkle, Alexandria, Va. (Clarion WC), 2 matches to 0
Kowalczuk pin McCorkle, 1:10
Kowalczuk dec. 1-0, 4-0
There's been no lack of opinions concerning the Lyoto Machida-Rashad Evans UFC 98 main event.
It's the MMA equivalent to Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao, Peyton Manning vs. Brett Favre, Sir Alex Ferguson vs. Rafael Benitez.
It's going to shape the way fighters train and fight from May 23 forward.
But why? How could two fighters who flew well under the radar alter the way fighters approach fighting?
In one corner, there's Rashad Evans, who is (for all intents and purposes) the best career fluke in MMA history. The last choice to win The Ultimate Fighter 2 Tournament, the underdog in every match since then, and an underdog today, Evans didn't begin turning heads until he knocked out Chuck Liddell.
A grinding fighter with a decision-heavy record, Evans lacked the glaze that UFC light heavyweight champions traditionally have.
Ortiz has unmatched ground-and-pound. Couture has dirty boxing and indomitable wrestling. Liddell has punishing right and left hooks shot from the hip. Jackson has raw power. Griffin has work-ethic, intelligence, and a solid chin.
So what special trait does Evans bring to the title?
Adaptability in the face of adversity.
If anything, Evans should be known for his ring awareness and adjustments. Against fighters with readily exploitable weaknesses, Evans pounces.
Although Jackson was the first in a long list of challengers to exploit Liddell's long-winded yet devastating hook, Evans capitalized on the same error, smashing his right hand into Liddell's jaw with a left ready to follow basically knocking him out of his shoes.
Prior to his match with Liddell, Evans's kick to Sean Salmon's unsuspecting cranium displayed his fighting tact. After going one-dimensional and boxing for the majority of a round, Evans lands a KO wrestling kicks reeking of premeditation.
It's a fact that Evans' ability to adapt led to a majority of his wins. His style of fighting coupled with Greg Jackson's ideals in fighting has made fighters and fight fans aware of the importance, and benefits, of adapting properly to adversity.
The wave of the brawler is ebbing.
But the question on analysts' and writers' minds is how will Evans adapt to Machida, an evasive, calculating fighter who consistently stays one step ahead of his opponent?
Could it be a fact that Machida, cut-and-dry, is a more advanced fighter than Evans?
Shifting focus to the opposite corner, there's Lyoto Machida with a pristine record supported by enviable stats (highest strikes-landed percentage in UFC; shares prestige with Fedor Emelianenko for least amount of time spent on his back).
Although most writers, fans, and fighters like to emphasize Machida's effective application of karate techniques to MMA and his "elusive style," the most amazing and dangerous aspect of Machida is his mentality.
The fight-to-win mentality, by which Machida abides, was exemplified best by Anderson Silva. A lethal, precise striker who tends to smother his opponents with attacks (barring his latest performance), Silva changed the stand-up game in UFC overnight.
There's been no lack of opinions concerning the Lyoto Machida-Rashad Evans UFC 98 main event.
It's the MMA equivalent to Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao, Peyton Manning vs. Brett Favre, Sir Alex Ferguson vs. Rafael Benitez.
It's going to shape the way fighters train and fight from May 23 forward.
But why? How could two fighters who flew well under the radar alter the way fighters approach fighting?
In one corner, there's Rashad Evans, who is (for all intents and purposes) the best career fluke in MMA history. The last choice to win The Ultimate Fighter 2 Tournament, the underdog in every match since then, and an underdog today, Evans didn't begin turning heads until he knocked out Chuck Liddell.
A grinding fighter with a decision-heavy record, Evans lacked the glaze that UFC light heavyweight champions traditionally have.
Ortiz has unmatched ground-and-pound. Couture has dirty boxing and indomitable wrestling. Liddell has punishing right and left hooks shot from the hip. Jackson has raw power. Griffin has work-ethic, intelligence, and a solid chin.
So what special trait does Evans bring to the title?
Adaptability in the face of adversity.
If anything, Evans should be known for his ring awareness and adjustments. Against fighters with readily exploitable weaknesses, Evans pounces.
Although Jackson was the first in a long list of challengers to exploit Liddell's long-winded yet devastating hook, Evans capitalized on the same error, smashing his right hand into Liddell's jaw with a left ready to follow basically knocking him out of his shoes.
Prior to his match with Liddell, Evans's kick to Sean Salmon's unsuspecting cranium displayed his fighting tact. After going one-dimensional and boxing for the majority of a round, Evans lands a KO wrestling kicks reeking of premeditation.
It's a fact that Evans' ability to adapt led to a majority of his wins. His style of fighting coupled with Greg Jackson's ideals in fighting has made fighters and fight fans aware of the importance, and benefits, of adapting properly to adversity.
The wave of the brawler is ebbing.
But the question on analysts' and writers' minds is how will Evans adapt to Machida, an evasive, calculating fighter who consistently stays one step ahead of his opponent?
Could it be a fact that Machida, cut-and-dry, is a more advanced fighter than Evans?
Shifting focus to the opposite corner, there's Lyoto Machida with a pristine record supported by enviable stats (highest strikes-landed percentage in UFC; shares prestige with Fedor Emelianenko for least amount of time spent on his back).
Although most writers, fans, and fighters like to emphasize Machida's effective application of karate techniques to MMA and his "elusive style," the most amazing and dangerous aspect of Machida is his mentality.
The fight-to-win mentality, by which Machida abides, was exemplified best by Anderson Silva. A lethal, precise striker who tends to smother his opponents with attacks (barring his latest performance), Silva changed the stand-up game in UFC overnight.
Live Sports Wrestling Video will provide coverage of the championship finals series from the 2009 FILA Junior World Team Trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 22-23.
Champions from the FILA Junior World Team Trials earn the right to represent the USA at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Ankara, Turkey, August 4-9. FILA Junior athletes are from 17-20 years old.
The Greco-Roman finals will be held on Friday, May 22, starting at approximately 12:00 noon Pacific time.
The freestyle finals will be held on Saturday, May 23, starting at approximately 5:00 p.m. Pacific time.
Let all fans know to watch this FREE (to you) web cast at:
http://www.livesportsvideo.com
In this competition, the No. 1 seed sits out until the best-of-three championship series, where he faces the winner from the Challenge Tournament held earlier in the day.
Among the stars to strap on their wrestling singlets in Greco-Roman are top seeds Ben Provisor, Peter Kowalczuk, Ryan Mango and Max Nowry.
Among the stars to watch in freestyle are top seeds Logan Stieber, Andrew Howe, Jordan Oliver, Mario Mason and Dominique Bradley.
This web cast is brought to you by Live Sports Video, USA Wrestling (and sponsors), and Feldmeier Equipment.
LIVE SPORTS VIDEO BROADCAST SCHEDULE
FILA JUNIOR WORLD TEAM TRIALS
Friday, May 22
12:00 noon – Greco-Roman Championship Series: Match #1, Match #2 and Match #3 (If Needed)
Saturday, May 23
5:00 p.m.– Freestyle Championship Series: Match #1, Match #2 and Match #3 (If Needed)
No. 1 seeds at FILA Junior World Team Trials
(already qualified for Championship Series)
Greco-Roman
50 kg/110.25 lbs - Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (USOEC)*
55 kg/121 lbs - Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC)*
60 kg/132.25 lbs. – Highest FILA Junior freestyle placewinner who attends the event
(Winner in the 60 kg class to face FILA Junior National champion Jimmy Chase, Carol Stream, Ill. - Pinnacle School of Wrestling in best-of-three series at a later date).
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Donald Vinson Jr., Marathon, N.Y. (Shamrock WC)*
74 kg/163 lbs. - Ben Provisor, Stevens Point, Wis. (DennisHall/World Gold WC)*
84 kg/185 lbs. - Robert Barbour, Dolton, Ill. (Sunkist Kids)*
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Peninsula WC)*
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)*
Freestyle
50 kg/110.25 lbs. - Brandon Escobar, Brentwood, N.Y. (unattached)*
55 kg/121.25 lbs. - Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (New York AC)##
60 kg/132 lbs. - Jordan Oliver, Easton, Pa. (Gator WC)*
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Mario Mason, Moorestown, N.J. (Minnesota Storm)*
74 kg/163 lbs. - Andrew Howe, Cedar Lake, Ind. (New York AC)##
84 kg/185 lbs. - Chris Perry, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)*
96 kg/211.5 lbs.- Ryland Geiger, Portland, Ore. (Minnesota Storm)*
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Dominique Bradley, Blue Springs, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)*
*- FILA Junior Nationals champion
## - U.S. Senior Nationals placewinner
If looks could kill, then UFC middleweight fighter Rich Franklin would be very scared.
But it’s a good thing for Rich that the UFC fights involve a little more than facial features.
At UFC 99 in Koln, Germany, Franklin will look to rebound off a split decision loss at the hands of Dan Henderson at UFC 93. In the same respect his opponent, Wanderlei Silva, will be looking to show doubters that they are wrong in saying that his career may be over at the ripe age of 33.
News Break: Look for my upcoming article about how the UFC may be requiring all fighters to begin wearing wrestling shoes to protect their currently bare feet.
Silva's last bout was very important; with a win over bitter rival Quinton "Rampage" Jackson Silva would have been thrust into a possible title shot with Rashad Evans.
Now, he looks to get back on track, and prove that the "Axe Murderer" still has it.
Franklin is at a very awkward point in his MMA career as well.
Constantly fighting at 185 for most of his career, his last fight saw him jump back into the 205 lb division against former-Amateur wrestling star Dan Henderson, only to be bested on two of three judges scorecards.
The loss now put Franklin into that tough point in a fighter's career, where losses aren't something to be taken lightly.
There are pros and cons for both fighters, mainly cons for both, but that should make for a very good fight for fans, as neither fighter can afford to lose.
For Franklin, a loss digs him into deeper obscurity, and indecision.
For Silva, a loss could mean a change of scenery, or worse, a serious look at young retirement.
Though relatively the same could be said for Franklin, it would appear Silva's reputation for being a totally dominant fighter could dissolve with another devastating loss.
Regardless of the outcome, fans will not want to blink during this fight.
Originally posted by Steven Hammersley for BleacherReport
A summer filled with head coaching openings has created a nauseating experience for fans of many of the largest wrestling programs in the land. The sport well reputed for developing many of the top mixed martial arts stars (read: Dan Henderson, Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture) is often times mistaken for the WWE, but make no mistake about the names you're about to hear and their impact on their new locale.
Cael Sanderson, longtime Iowa State Cyclone, and the only undefeated division one NCAA champion in the history of the sport, left his perch with the 'Clones to move into the Nation's hotbed of wrestling talent—Pennsylvania. According to "Wrestling Talk", a social network of wrestling junkies, Sanderson takes with him his entire staff and several of the highly sought-after recruits that had originally followed him to Iowa State.
The list leaving ISU to follow "King Cael" includes Iowa State's most valuable wrestler, Jake Varner. Sanderson's will to win led him out of his comfort zone and into the throne at Penn State University, where he will now lead the Nittany Lions.
After the vacancy at Penn State was filled Iowa State was left in shambles compared to where they thought their program was headed. The difficult task, even for the University that churns out champions like Sanderson and Dan Gable, of replacing Olympic Champion Cael Sanderson was taken head on by Athletic Director Jamie Pollard.
Pollard spent a great deal of his time courting Terry Brands, the twin bother of the University of Iowa's elite head coach, Tom. Brands, showing his commitment to ISU's major in-state rival, turned down Pollard on multiple occasions including the day the announced their new coach, Kevin Jackson.
Jackson graduated from Iowa State in 1986-1987 after transferring from the defunct Louisiana State wrestling program and went on to win an Olympic gold in 1992 for the United States.
The University of Illinois kept their decision in-house. After long time coach Mark Johnson decided to retire this summer the Fighting Illini were quick to name his replacement, Jim Heffernan.
Heffernan, who paid his dues at the University as an assistant of 15 years, becomes yet another Iowa Hawkeye bred wrestler to take over a Division One post. While Heffernan is the least credentialed wrestler of the new coaching positions he makes up for it with decades of Division One coaching experience in the Big Ten and beyond.
Keeping the coaching change in the family will provide a more fluid transition for recruits and the current roster of stars.
Arizona State University released their coach, Thom Ortiz, after eight years at the helm. The Sun Devils struggled to move back into the national spotlight with a combination of mixed recruiting results and difficulty aligning a coaching staff.
While there were many glimmers of hope through the years the powers that be decided to move on to another young leader for their program. While the news has yet to be broken, several sources within the wrestling community point to Shawn Charles as the new man at the helm.
Excitement around this selection runs deeper than at most universities because ASU has been known for developing many of the UFC's most anticipated young stars.
Originally posted by Steven Hammersley for BleacherReport
A summer filled with head coaching openings has created a nauseating experience for fans of many of the largest wrestling programs in the land. The sport well reputed for developing many of the top mixed martial arts stars (read: Dan Henderson, Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture) is often times mistaken for the WWE, but make no mistake about the names you're about to hear and their impact on their new locale.
Cael Sanderson, longtime Iowa State Cyclone, and the only undefeated division one NCAA champion in the history of the sport, left his perch with the 'Clones to move into the Nation's hotbed of wrestling talent—Pennsylvania. According to "Wrestling Talk", a social network of wrestling junkies, Sanderson takes with him his entire staff and several of the highly sought-after recruits that had originally followed him to Iowa State.
The list leaving ISU to follow "King Cael" includes Iowa State's most valuable wrestler, Jake Varner. Sanderson's will to win led him out of his comfort zone and into the throne at Penn State University, where he will now lead the Nittany Lions.
After the vacancy at Penn State was filled Iowa State was left in shambles compared to where they thought their program was headed. The difficult task, even for the University that churns out champions like Sanderson and Dan Gable, of replacing Olympic Champion Cael Sanderson was taken head on by Athletic Director Jamie Pollard.
Pollard spent a great deal of his time courting Terry Brands, the twin bother of the University of Iowa's elite head coach, Tom. Brands, showing his commitment to ISU's major in-state rival, turned down Pollard on multiple occasions including the day the announced their new coach, Kevin Jackson.
Jackson graduated from Iowa State in 1986-1987 after transferring from the defunct Louisiana State wrestling program and went on to win an Olympic gold in 1992 for the United States.
The University of Illinois kept their decision in-house. After long time coach Mark Johnson decided to retire this summer the Fighting Illini were quick to name his replacement, Jim Heffernan.
Heffernan, who paid his dues at the University as an assistant of 15 years, becomes yet another Iowa Hawkeye bred wrestler to take over a Division One post. While Heffernan is the least credentialed wrestler of the new coaching positions he makes up for it with decades of Division One coaching experience in the Big Ten and beyond.
Keeping the coaching change in the family will provide a more fluid transition for recruits and the current roster of stars.
Arizona State University released their coach, Thom Ortiz, after eight years at the helm. The Sun Devils struggled to move back into the national spotlight with a combination of mixed recruiting results and difficulty aligning a coaching staff.
While there were many glimmers of hope through the years the powers that be decided to move on to another young leader for their program. While the news has yet to be broken, several sources within the wrestling community point to Shawn Charles as the new man at the helm.
Excitement around this selection runs deeper than at most universities because ASU has been known for developing many of the UFC's most anticipated young stars.
December 2008
Enjoy the look back!
U.S. edges France for Gi team title at Grappling Worlds in Switzerland
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
12/22/2008
LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND – A day after dominating the No-Gi division, the United States came back with a smaller team yet emerged as the team champions in the Gi division at the Grappling World Championships on Sunday.
The U.S. was led by two gold medalists, Lisa Ward (Olympia, Wash./United Fight Team) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women’s Grappling and Ian Murphy (Fullerton, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness) at 92 kg/202.5 lbs. in men’s Grappling.
Ward became the only U.S. Grappler to win a double title, capturing both the No-Gi and Gi competitions. She scored a submission over Lisa Newton of Great Britain in the fnals with an armbar.
Murphy was the only U.S. men’s Grappler to be a finalist in both the No-Gi and Gi events. He won a silver medal in the No-Gi competition on Saturday.
In the finals, he defeated a talented competitor with a strong background in Gi jiu jitsu, Pierre Pilat of France, 2-1. It was the first time that Murphy had competed in a Gi Grappling competition.
Murphy’s victory in the finals allowed the United States to edge France in the team standings in Gi Grappling by one point.
"I was just going out there to give it a shot. I have learned a couple things over the years for the Gi, so I was hoping I could get by with my wrestling and No-Gi stuff,” said Murphy. “I just tried to get the guys tired and pass their guard at the end of the match and it worked. I was surprised!"
The U.S. added silver medals in the Gi competition from Brian Peterson (Valencia, Calif./Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Center) at 62 kg/136.5 lbs. and Tara LaRosa, Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia Fight Factory) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
Peterson was defeated in the finals by Herminio Garcia of Spain by submission. LaRosa fell in the finals to Laurence Fouillat of France, 0-1. Fouillat was a gold-medalist both the No-Gi and Gi competitions.
“On Sunday, we only had a few athletes compete, but everyone pulled their weight,” said USA Wrestling Manager of Developing Styles Jason Townsend. “Ian Murphy pulled the victory through with his win in the finals. It was a dramatic win for the team. I was surprised that the USA won both styles. It was a great experience."
For more information on the FILA Grappling World Championships, visit the official website at:
http://www.d4-world.com/
WORLD GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Lucerne, Switzerland, Dec. 21
U.S. Men’s results
62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Brian Peterson, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Center), 2nd
WIN Tom Barlow (Great Britain)
LOSS Herminio Garcia (Spain), submission
70 kg/154 lbs. - Tom LeCuyer, Plano, Ill. (Atlas Xtreme Team, Torres Martial Arts), dnp
LOSS Michael Karkula (Canada)
LOSS Simone Franceschini (Italy)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Mike Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Gilbert Grappling), dnp
Match results not currently available
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Raphael Davis, Lomita, Calif. (Team Caique), dnp
LOSS Herb (Germany), submission
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Ian Murphy, Fullerton, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness), 1st
WIN Yaman Nakdali (Spain), submission
WIN Gregor Herb (Germany), 4-1
WIN Pierre Pilat (France), 2-1
U.S. women’s results
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Lisa Ward, Olympia, Wash. (United Fight Team), 1st
WIN Lisa Newton (Great Britain), submission
55 kg/121 lbs. - Tara LaRosa, Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia Fight Factory), 2nd
Preliminary bouts not available
LOSS Laurence Fouillat (France), 0-1
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Molly Helsel, San Diego, Calif. (North County Fight Club), dnp
LOSS Julia Klammsteiner (Italy)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Miesha Tate, Olympia, Wash. (Victory Athletics), dnp
LOSS Julia Klammsteiner (Italy)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Angela Poe, Craig, Colo. (Grappler’s Edge), 5th
LOSS Alaina Hardie (Canada)
LOSS Julia Klammsteiner (Italy)
More results will be posted when available.