2028 Olympic Team - Men FS Predictions

[Sparro]

Super early…but here are my predictions. 
 

57 - Lee

65 - Bassett

74 - Messinbrink

86 - Valencia

97 - Snyder 

H - Hendrickson 

[Tyler Perry]

Gosh I think I may blow a gasket doing this but let’s give it a shot 

 

57- Lee

65- Someone from Bishop McCourt 

74- Mitchell

86- Levi Haines Bump?  

97- Hidlay 

HWT- Bastida 

[ionel]

1 hour ago, Sparro said:

Super early…but here are my predictions. 

74 - Messinbrink

No chance!  I'll bet the farm on it. 

[JMill]

7 minutes ago, ionel said:

No chance!  I'll bet the farm on it. 

Right on. He has about the same chance of making the team as Kyle Burwickk.

[ionel]

42 minutes ago, JMill said:

Right on. He has about the same chance of making the team as Kyle Burwickk.

... or Gable Stevenson.  

[Ragu]

57kg - Spencer Lee

65kg - Bo knows wrestling

74kg - Mitchell Mesenbrink

86kg - Zahid Valencia

97kg - Kyle Snyder

125kg - Dreshaun Ross...

[bnwtwg]

57 Lilledahl

65 Forrest

74 Mesenbrink

86 Haines

97 Hidlay

125 Snyder

Edited August 25 by bnwtwg
sp

[MPhillips]

26 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

125 Snyder

You edited for spelling?

[Bulldozer Without Brakes]

57 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

57 Lilledahl

65 Forrest

74 Mesenbrink

86 Haines

97 Hidlay

125 Snyder

Don't most Americans make Bo a significant favourite over Jax Forrest this year? 

Why hasn't Mesenbrink made a senior team at 74 yet? Doesn't that indicate he is unlikely to be the senior rep in two years' time?

For 86 and 97, I am not keen on the idea that wrestlers who do well at non-Olympic weights can easily transition to Olympic weights. Look at Yazdani easily dominating Trent 12-2 in his comeback tournament from surgery, and Ghasempour struggling at 86 relative to 92, etc. 

125 Snyder is an interesting shout. Did you see the video of him training with Taha back in the day? Not sure he is big enough to be rolling with those guys. 

Just my outsider non-American perspective. 

[bnwtwg]

2 hours ago, MPhillips said:

You edited for spelling?

Couldn't figure out how to spell Missilebrink

[bnwtwg]

For the record, I think 57 is Lee's spot until his body gives out.

I think Jax will do better moving up than Bassett holding as he keeps growing - he is likely going to be in the Zain/Green tweener trap when it comes to an Olympic spot.

I think Haines will make a great transition up to 86.

I don't see Hidlay beating Snyder anytime soon. I also refuse to acknowledge the existence of Aaron "I failed drug tests years apart" Brooks with his big ass HGH Barry Bonds looking head.

I don't see Snyder moving up either, but sometimes a hot take is necessary to get the message boards moving in the offseason. He would be a medal contender but weight classes exist for a reason. I would pay the cost of an LA28 ticket if it meant I could watch Zare/Snyder.

[Bulldozer Without Brakes]

2 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

For the record, I think 57 is Lee's spot until his body gives out.

I think Jax will do better moving up than Bassett holding as he keeps growing - he is likely going to be in the Zain/Green tweener trap when it comes to an Olympic spot.

I think Haines will make a great transition up to 86.

I don't see Hidlay beating Snyder anytime soon. I also refuse to acknowledge the existence of Aaron "I failed drug tests years apart" Brooks with his big ass HGH Barry Bonds looking head.

I don't see Snyder moving up either, but sometimes a hot take is necessary to get the message boards moving in the offseason. He would be a medal contender but weight classes exist for a reason. I would pay the cost of an LA28 ticket if it meant I could watch Zare/Snyder.

Zare has spent most of his senior career battling giants like Taha and Geno, with a positive career record against both of those wrestlers

Snyder will have nothing at all for Zare

[bnwtwg]

1 hour ago, Bulldozer Without Brakes said:

Zare has spent most of his senior career battling giants like Taha and Geno, with a positive career record against both of those wrestlers

Snyder will have nothing at all for Zare

Oh I don't think Snyder would win, but I would be interested to see how he would fare going true bully ball. Trying to ankle pick his 36" tree trunk cankles would be futile. But Snyder likes to hoss the big boys so it would be fun to see this hypothetical match.

[Tyler Perry]

3 hours ago, bnwtwg said:

For the record, I think 57 is Lee's spot until his body gives out.

I think Jax will do better moving up than Bassett holding as he keeps growing - he is likely going to be in the Zain/Green tweener trap when it comes to an Olympic spot.

I think Haines will make a great transition up to 86.

I don't see Hidlay beating Snyder anytime soon. I also refuse to acknowledge the existence of Aaron "I failed drug tests years apart" Brooks with his big ass HGH Barry Bonds looking head.

I don't see Snyder moving up either, but sometimes a hot take is necessary to get the message boards moving in the offseason. He would be a medal contender but weight classes exist for a reason. I would pay the cost of an LA28 ticket if it meant I could watch Zare/Snyder.

I’m hype I’m not the only one suggesting the idea Levi moves up

[Bulldozer Without Brakes]

7 hours ago, bnwtwg said:

Oh I don't think Snyder would win, but I would be interested to see how he would fare going true bully ball. Trying to ankle pick his 36" tree trunk cankles would be futile. But Snyder likes to hoss the big boys so it would be fun to see this hypothetical match.

Yeah, fun fantasy match. Maybe at RAF, lol. I'd be more interested to see Tazhudinov move up.

[Barracuda141]

57- LL. Dark horse is Knox. I wonder what Devino will look like down at 57kg..

65- Bassett. Definitely the most fun weight. Wouldn't be surprised to see Blaze, Jax, Seidel, maybe Valencia? as our reps either.

74- Mesenbrink. Dark horse is PJ Duke

86- Levi

97- Snyder. Will Brooks be cleared by OTT? 

125- Trumble. Excited to see how Ross & Coby Merrill develop by '28

[Wildcat92]

18 hours ago, Barracuda141 said:

57- LL. Dark horse is Knox. I wonder what Devino will look like down at 57kg..

 

Unless LL can figure out how to not get turned by spencer he won't win.  His win at the US Open was a fluke and spencer dominated him at final x.  Knox may progress to come close to LL but he's not close to spencer.  Unless spencer's body fails him, its his weight through the Olympics.

[Barracuda141]

57 minutes ago, Wildcat92 said:

Unless LL can figure out how to not get turned by spencer he won't win.  His win at the US Open was a fluke and spencer dominated him at final x.  Knox may progress to come close to LL but he's not close to spencer.  Unless spencer's body fails him, its his weight through the Olympics.

The win at the US Open was definitely fluky but he lost 7-1 & 8-4 at WTT so he's within reach and he's just turned 21. I could definitely see him making a jump and figuring some stuff out. Knox just graduated HS & took Spencer down. Idk, I could see those two passing Spencer up but yes, I would also not be surprised to see Spencer hold off these two like JB was able to do to Dake and Taylor for so long.

[Lleynor]

Levi? 86? Really??

I just don’t see it. He doesn’t seem big or tall enough. Granted, he’s muscular, sure. I just don’t see him filling out effectively to 86. His lack of length could be significant.  I hope I’m wrong, but I’d rather see many others. 

[Bulldozer Without Brakes]

13 minutes ago, Lleynor said:

Levi? 86? Really??

I just don’t see it. He doesn’t seem big or tall enough. Granted, he’s muscular, sure. I just don’t see him filling out effectively to 86. His lack of length could be significant.  I hope I’m wrong, but I’d rather see many others. 

He is only 22, to be fair. And there is a trend of 79ers moving up to 86. Dake will be 37 in 2028, for whatever that is worth, and Zahid is inconsistent at best, so it doesn't seem impossible, but there is a big gap in class between Olympic and non Olympic weights.

[JMill]

57- Knox

65- Pico

74- Burroughs

86- Dake

97- Boyle

125- Steveson

Coach: Morris Buttermaker

Edited August 28 by JMill

[de4856]

So does anyone know what Aaron Brooks has been up to? I think if he’s been training could he be a factor at 86, or 97. 
As for 97, Hidlay Boyle, Buchanan and Rademacher might all be challenging Snyderman. 
I am not sure who will make the team, 2028 is still a long ways off. I do think that there will probably be a bunch of new faces on the team. 

[Tyler Perry]

I don’t see Rademacher in that mix 

[AZ_wrestling]

Just realized this’ll be Snyder’s fourth Olympic cycle. Gotta be close to a record. How many teams did big Bruce make? 

[MPhillips]

Bruce made four. Medaled in four.

Edited August 28 by MPhillips