2026 UWW Men's Freestyle World Championships Discussion

[Gene Mills Fan]

22 hours ago, Tyler Perry said:

Whether Spencer Lee takes next year off to recover and either comes back for 2028 or doesn’t, what I think is going unsaid is the looming mass Exodus of 61 kg wrestlers going down to 57, rather than going up to 65. If I’m a 61, and I have the choice of making the team at 57, medaling, and sitting in pole position to sit out till the Olympic trials finals, and possibly getting that advantage over Lee,  or trying to compete at the gauntlet of 65, I’m cutting my left nut off and sucking down. And with the U23’s that Luke Lilledahl just had, I can imagine guys like Davino, Jax, Desanto, and more licking their chops at the opportunity to go down

Any chance RBY can turn red white and blue again?

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

1 hour ago, 1032004 said:

Chamizo isn’t an American though.   Did Burroughs make any comments about Americans training in America but representing other countries (I honestly have no idea)? I know people like Pyles (obviously not in the same stratosphere as Burroughs) have.

It wasn't a thing yet, other than the occasional American representing Puerto Rico or a few other places.  For the most threats to Americans.  One of my most frequent training partners wrestled for PR.  He flirted with top 10 world?Olympic placings but unlikely would have been a top 10 at a fully attended US Open.  (He tried to get me to represent Ireland... wasn't happening.)  The situation with Americans representing other countries and being a threat has only developed in the past 3-4 years.  I believe Micic was the first American to outplace the US rep; then we had the near disaster with our Pan Am qualifier performance.

To my knowledge, JB hasn't had any real comp from American transfers, but had his issues with guys training here like Chamizo and Bekzod.  So he really never had a personal reason to weigh in on American transfers.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

10 minutes ago, Gene Mills Fan said:

Any chance RBY can turn red white and blue again?

It would require a transfer fee and maybe sitting out; depending on the current rule and how Mexico were to feel about things.

I know the US is making it tougher and tougher for guys to transfer.  They are taking it seriously.  Also allegedly barred RBY from a National team training camp that was held in PA a couple years back. Non- national team guys used to be able to go to these things in the past, bc training partners are needed.  Not RBY anymore, or so the story went.  If anyone knows the details, please include them or correct me.

If he did transfer back and repped the US, I'd be all-in on RBY; just like I was when the hated Drew Bledsoe ended up with the Buffalo Bills.

Edited Monday at 02:27 PM by Interviewed_at_Weehawken

[Gene Mills Fan]

6 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

It would require a transfer fee and maybe sitting out; depending on the current rule and how Mexico were to feel about things.

I know the US is making it tougher and tougher for guys to transfer.  They are taking it seriously.  Also allegedly barred RBY from a National team training camp that was held in PA a couple years back. Non- national team guys used to be able to go to these things in the past, bc training partners are needed.  Not RBY anymore, or so the story went.  If anyone knows the details, please include them or correct me.

I kinda felt bad for Masoumi but I'm kinda getting the rationality.

[bnwtwg]

1 hour ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I know the US is making it tougher and tougher for guys to transfer.  They are taking it seriously.  Also allegedly barred RBY from a National team training camp that was held in PA a couple years back. Non- national team guys used to be able to go to these things in the past, bc training partners are needed.  Not RBY anymore, or so the story went.  If anyone knows the details, please include them or correct me.

Not allegedly. Team USA camp was at Happy Valley, Team MEX (aka RBY as the only member of Team MEX) was told to find a new facility or face UWW consequences and NLWC face USAW consequences. It was very cut and dry.

Rich Bender is here to cash checks, make sure that rising tides DON'T lift all boats, and chew bubble gum. And he's all out of bubble gum.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

25 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Not allegedly. Team USA camp was at Happy Valley, Team MEX (aka RBY as the only member of Team MEX) was told to find a new facility or face UWW consequences and NLWC face USAW consequences. It was very cut and dry.

Rich Bender is here to cash checks, make sure that rising tides DON'T lift all boats, and chew bubble gum. And he's all out of bubble gum.

Thanks for the clarification!

[1032004]

39 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Not allegedly. Team USA camp was at Happy Valley, Team MEX (aka RBY as the only member of Team MEX) was told to find a new facility or face UWW consequences and NLWC face USAW consequences. It was very cut and dry.

Rich Bender is here to cash checks, make sure that rising tides DON'T lift all boats, and chew bubble gum. And he's all out of bubble gum.

Was that before or after RBY briefly was part of the Cowboy RTC?

[Gantry]

1 hour ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

It would require a transfer fee and maybe sitting out; depending on the current rule and how Mexico were to feel about things.

I remember reading that the newish UWW rule is you can only transfer once, once you do you can't transfer anywhere else - including back. Could be misremembering admittedly

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

2 minutes ago, Gantry said:

I remember reading that the newish UWW rule is you can only transfer once, once you do you can't transfer anywhere else - including back. Could be misremembering admittedly

I think you're correct.  But does that apply to guys who transferred before the rule?

And did RBY actually "transfer" as he never represented the US?

Edited Monday at 04:24 PM by Interviewed_at_Weehawken

[MisPiernas]

Any lip readers out there have a solid guess what Spencer said to Nick Lee on his way off the mat? I hope it was as gangster as I'm imagining. 

[LJB]

14 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I think you're correct.  But does that apply to guys who transferred before the rule?

And did RBY actually "transfer" as he never represented the US?

he did at least twice at age level...

[jchapman]

14 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I think you're correct.  But does that apply to guys who transferred before the rule?

And did RBY actually "transfer" as he never represented the US?

He was on the USA U20 Pan American Championships team in 2019.

[Mr. PeanutButter]

33 minutes ago, MisPiernas said:

Any lip readers out there have a solid guess what Spencer said to Nick Lee on his way off the mat? I hope it was as gangster as I'm imagining. 

"Torn ACL don't fuζing matter"

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

1 minute ago, Mr. PeanutButter said:

"Torn ACL don't fuζing matter"

I love it; but feel it was prob something like "How'd you like that?!"

[Mr. PeanutButter]

12 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I love it; but feel it was prob something like "How'd you like that?!"

Idk if shorts get timestamp links but you can hear him fairly clearly at the end

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

1 minute ago, Mr. PeanutButter said:

Idk if shorts get timestamp links but you can hear him fairly clearly at the end

What did he say?  I don't have volume.

[Simpleman424]

15 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

What did he say?  I don't have volume.

 

32 minutes ago, Mr. PeanutButter said:

"Torn ACL don't fuζing matter"

 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

27 minutes ago, Simpleman424 said:

 

 

Oh wow! I thought that was speculation by Mr. PB!

[Simpleman424]

19 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Oh wow! I thought that was speculation by Mr. PB!

Nope, that’s what the man done did say

[whaletail]

On 10/30/2026 at 2:26 PM, Danny_92 said:

Yes whoever called the ref didn't like Amouzad circling , and the ref didn't warn him because he warned him 30 or 40 sec earlier about the same thing .

Fair enough, but I don't think Amouzad evaded the final 4s stint, and while we'll never know, I wouldn't be shocked if the ref was going to hit him with the C+1 unless he shot off the whistle.

Obviously, Amouzad shouldn't have let it come down to that, but I don't believe that justifies a ref altering the match outcome after the fact.

Mind, It's not as if Tavanyen did a thing the first 5:40 of the match, and only spent the last twenty seconds diving at Amouzad, or charging at him.

[Le duke]

On 11/1/2026 at 7:04 AM, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

He was chirping at the RTC coaches at Beat the Streets after he wrestled Chamizo for coaching and financing non-Americans.  Prob didn't use the word "traitor" but that is also part of what makes it a "hot take."

Does he chirp at Manning and the Penn RTC coaches, too?

Because if he doesn't, that seems awfully hypocritical.

 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

7 minutes ago, Le duke said:

Does he chirp at Manning and the Penn RTC coaches, too?

Because if he doesn't, that seems awfully hypocritical.

 

Did he wrestle LJ Araujo or Darian Cruz in BTS?

He would be more likely to do that in private, assuming he still feels that way.

Were you the guy who was heckling him at OTT?

[Le duke]

13 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Did he wrestle LJ Araujo or Darian Cruz in BTS?

He would be more likely to do that in private, assuming he still feels that way.

Were you the guy who was heckling him at OTT?

So, just so we're clear, it's not OK for others to do it, but when it's his team(s), it's OK? And no, I've never heckled a professional athlete. Or any athlete, other than my friends.

But...going back to your original quote. He was upset that RTCs provide opportunities for people, many of whom in turn help make American athletes better? 

As an example, Bekzod and Dake trained together at the NLWC quite a bit leading up to Tokyo, where they both won bronze at 74kg. Dake beat Chamizo, and was quite effusive in thanking Bekzod for helping him prepare. Was having a world class 74kg training partner a bad thing, because it was a foreigner?

Edited Monday at 07:32 PM by Le duke

[de4856]

5 hours ago, Gene Mills Fan said:

Any chance RBY can turn red white and blue again?

Why should he? He’s probably a sure lock for his spot for as long as he wants it. Where as if he tries out for Team USA he’s going to have to contend with a great big group of phenoms. 

[Gene Mills Fan]

6 minutes ago, de4856 said:

Why should he? He’s probably a sure lock for his spot for as long as he wants it. Where as if he tries out for Team USA he’s going to have to contend with a great big group of phenoms. 

If he's #2 in the world he'd be number 1 if Spencers out.  If he wants to have it easier Ok, but we all just learned he can't get the NLWC training he is used to. 

the only phenom in his weight class currently is LL and I'm sure he's familiar with him.

Edited Monday at 08:12 PM by Gene Mills Fan