Ono - Oh Yes?

[Caveira]

3 minutes ago, JWC said:

No that was the documentary of Ionel vs. JC’s  life as a band of Uncle John’s delightful dancers on Shakedown Street. 

Just shake it man.   Just don’t tell anyone you know me 

[JWC]

10 minutes ago, Caveira said:

Just shake it man.   Just don’t tell anyone you know me 

People are strange when you’re stranger. Your secret is as safe as a Penn State Dual schedule.  

[Caveira]

Just now, JWC said:

People are strange when you’re stranger. Your secret is as safe as a Penn State Dual schedule.  

Is ono experienced enough?

[JWC]

1 minute ago, Caveira said:

Is ono experienced enough?

Ono’s just another word for nothing left to do. 

[Caveira]

1 minute ago, JWC said:

Ono’s just another word for nothing left to do. 

My sources tell me he feels like a stranger.  Not speaking English and all.   

[JWC]

1 minute ago, Caveira said:

My sources tell me he feels like a stranger.  Not speaking English and all.   

That’s because the difference between free and folk is like walking a tightrope. One side is ice and one is fire. 

[Caveira]

2 minutes ago, JWC said:

That’s because the difference between free and folk is like walking a tightrope. One side is ice and one is fire. 

Did he not grow up near a mountain?   Thats crazy if there was any fire on it 

Edited 11 hours ago by Caveira

[JWC]

20 minutes ago, Caveira said:

Did he not grow up near a mountain?   Thats crazy if there was any fire on it 

Nah he took a fright train all the way to Georgia to avoid the NDI

[Caveira]

4 minutes ago, JWC said:

Nah he took a fright train all the way to Georgia to avoid the NDI

Did Marshall wrestle in Colorado or Georgia yet?   I hear the rain is cool, Especially going north for some reason.  Tucker lane was a beast in the 2010s.   He coaches in Colorado now I hear

[JWC]

Funny thing. I asked DT about all this tonight. Know what he said?

 

 

” I am the Egg Man”

[Caveira]

6 minutes ago, JWC said:

Funny thing. I asked DT about all this tonight. Know what he said?

 

 

” I am the Egg Man”

They say Kole Conrad had the build of a big ol walrus 

did you know Triple H from the wwe’s real name is Paul?    I didn’t 

[Tyler Perry]

16 hours ago, Spladle08 said:

OK so love the enthusiasm but different situations.  (Sorry I typed a novel day dreaming) 

Echemendia came over as a HS senior in like 2018, won a Folkstyle state title in the overall weak wrestling state of Arizona, and then dominated everyone in Freestyle, leading us all to speculate about his age. He then bounced around the freestyle scene and attended Ohio State gaining 0 momentum, I think he even lost the wrestle-off to Jordan Decatur (who simply wasn't made for college wrestling) before transferring to ISU. I should look this up so my numbers are correct, but I'll just spout it out and if I'm off a year or 2 I'm off. Let's say, he won HS state in 2019, did Ohio State 19/20 (covid is messing with my numbers) so probably 21/22 as well,  let's guess  he transferred to ISU 22/23 ? I think that was the first year I remember Paniro being their guy because that was the Yianni 149 year right? So the next year 23/24 he probably took 5th or so but he must've been at 41 (remember how big he looked/felt initially?) .... I feel like he wrestled Mendez to the wire in the semis or quarters. 24/25 season he was injured, 25//26 he took 6th. 
Low AA After 6-7 years of folkstyle exposure. And getting a ton of matches/chances to develop a feel for Folk

Bastida would be a more accurate comparison. Impactful Freestyle wrestler on the world stage, turned Folkstyle late. 
Didn't place his first year, AA as a 2nd year, DNP 3rd year, Injury 4th year, 5-6 years after he began his Folkstyle Journey NCAA finalist!
Only problem with Bastida, it was all 197 or above where mat wrestling isn't as much of a thing, and his best result was at HWT where he couldn't get over the hump in the finals because the guy could mat-wrestle. 

Ono is a 33/41 and I have no doubt he will be more than prepared on his feet, but the tilts/pins/scrambles he will face from EVERYONE IN THE TOP 12 is too much to expect anything more than a 5th or below finish. Do not get me wrong, 5th place at NCAAs is wildly impressive, but nobody gets all that excited, especially on a team of champions, about a guy that "If everything goes right he could potentially be top 5" (just glanced at 141 it isn't a wildly deep weight, but there are a lot of "solid" guys) 

Sorry this was so long 
 

No, that’s great. 100% valid points. I just think he can at worst be on the podium if he has remained has prolific on his feet and he has a good enough quad pod 

[lu_alum]

9 hours ago, BuckyBadger said:

Has Ono wrestled internationally since coming to Penn St? Is he planning on making a run at the Japan Olympic team? Seems like he’s hurting his freestyle chances wrestling folk in the US.

He suffered kidney damage trying to make 57kg at Japan's nationals last December. Same tournament he intends to participate in next month.

Quote

Last Friday, Ono announced that he had withdrawn for health reasons, a move that indefinitely delays his return to the mats of his native country.

Ono revealed on social media that he had been diagnosed with a kidney problem, possibly linked to cutting weight to get down to 57kg, according to a report by Japan's top wrestling website Wrestling Spirits.

Ono has been competing at either 61kg or 65kg in recent years, and the stress of getting down to 57kg might have taken too big a toll. Ono said that he had gotten near 57kg the previous week when he experienced thickening of the urine, which can be regarded as a sign of dehydration.

Upon consultation with a doctor, it was decided "I will play it safe this time," Ono said.

Source: https://uww.org/articles/olympic-champ-fumita-joins-ono-late-withdrawal-emperors-cup

Edited 8 hours ago by lu_alum

[1032004]

16 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

He was very hyped up as the greatest wrestler on the planet- a few months after getting teched in Japanese trials.  He was never the best wrestler on Earth, but he did have an amazing week.

He is certainly great. I do not deny that.

If he won nationals this year, I wouldn't be super surprised.  I still wouldn't bet on it.  He has great coaches but he also has a ton to learn.  That will not happen overnight.  Mat wrestling will never be a strength.  He will struggle in scrambles, and he will never match the folkstyle conditioning of a Bassett or Stanich.  He was exhausted against Davino in a freestyle match in which he didn't attack.

He could win nationals 1-3x depending on the Penn State lawyers; but he isn't going to make it look as easy as winning non-Olympic 61 in 2024.

This is a reasonable take.  IMO, this:

On 11/8/2026 at 9:54 AM, Spladle08 said:

 I mean, I genuinely don't get the Ono hype (pertaining to folkstyle wrestling)

Yes, he has been in the Penn State room for a couple years, and I probably don't give that enough credit, but he's so far behind on the mat. Could he improve his mat-game enough in 2 years to compete for AA status at 141, sure. 
It helps that we don't have guys that are absolutely lethal turners at the top of this weight outside of Bassett and maybe Frost?
I've seen a few people say he's beaten Desmond, who is a tough out for anyone but,....practice partners and all that. 

Guys like Baily, Nogle, Vombaur, etc.... who want to see who's more squirrelly with takedowns, could struggle against him, 
but no push-outs, scrambling, stalling, legs & Cross-wrists.... he's just not going to challenge for a national title. 

Low AA potential and several misleading headlines reading "Random top 15 wrestler beats World Champion"... would be my expectations for the year (if he's their guy) 


 

Is not.   I think he’s a safe bet to AA and definitely has a shot to win.

[DocBB]

I wouldn't be shocked if he never wrestles for PSU in a meaningful match. I mean are you really going to risk injury a year before the Olympics getting torqued from the bottom in a position that won't help him in freestyle? Hard to imagine the Japanese Wresting Federation would allow that.

He's also going to go against several guys in the US that he will legit face in the Olympics. Why give them more experience against him?

Edited 2 hours ago by DocBB

[Spladle08]

49 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

This is a reasonable take.  IMO, this:

Is not.   I think he’s a safe bet to AA and definitely has a shot to win.

It's the same take...  just worded more PC.... it basically says he won't win nationals because he doesn't have the time to master all things folkstyle.
@Interviewed_at_Weehawken just said it in a way that makes the unreasonables say, "I'm not sure what he said, but I like the way he said it, and I agree he will be a 1-3x champion"  

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND, GIVEN STANICH'S AND BASSETT'S FOLKSTYLE AND FREESTYLE CREDENTIALS AND THEIR SIZE, WHY ANYONE WOULD EVER SAY........ "BRING THAT SMALLER FREESTYLE GUY TO THE USA HE WILL BE BETTER THAN THOSE 2 WITHIN 2 YEARS" .............. WHAT?.....

The PSU Room is phenomenal, and they've taken elite level life-long FOLKSTYLE wrestlers and given them the tools to exceed everyone's expectations, but winning NCAAs is damn near impossible (especially with 2 years experience).... 

For every Brooks, Starocci, Mesenbrink, etc.... there is a Brody Teske, Mason Manville, Robbie Howard, etc....  Kids coming in with all the accolades that just didn't advance for whatever reason. So I just find it weird that everyone has latched onto his awesome Freestyle season from 2 years ago and said, "Yep, that Ono guy is really good at Freestyle, I saw him get 3 step out points recently, he probably has a strong chance to beat the FS World Champion at 65kg from this year, in Folkstyle which the 65kg wrestler has wrestled for his entire life"...  How does that not sound absurd to everyone who knows anything about anything?

This is insanity, remember all the LIFE-LONG elite Folkstyle wrestlers who exceed our expectations (aside from Mesenbrink really) still win those NCAA matches by the skin of their teeth... That kind of gamesmanship just takes time to develop.  

Anyways, its absurdity. I can't seem to get through, I forgot how the college boards go. 

[Spladle08]

8 minutes ago, DocBB said:

I wouldn't be shocked if he never wrestles for PSU in a meaningful match. I mean are you really going to risk injury a year before the Olympics getting torqued from the bottom in a position that won't help him in freestyle? Hard to imagine the Japanese Wresting Federation would allow that.

He's also going to go against several guys in the US that he will legit face in the Olympics. Why give them more experience against him?

I agree, I think if it was any other school he likely wouldn't get a shot, but at my core, I have that belief that I'm sure many of us have... PSU will/can make it happen. 

As far as the Olympics go... I doubt he qualifies for Japan, he's just too big for 57kg and they're so talented at 65kg.... heck they're so talented at both weights....  61kg World Championships are the only times we will see him compete (I feel) 

[1032004]

4 minutes ago, Spladle08 said:

It's the same take...  just worded more PC.... it basically says he won't win nationals because he doesn't have the time to master all things folkstyle

No it’s not.  The key comment he said IMO was “If he won nationals this year, I wouldn't be super surprised.”

The key comment you said IMO was “he's just not going to challenge for a national title. “

Those are very different statements.   You’re basically writing off that he has a chance to win.  That’s insane IMO.  You’re also acting like a bunch of people are already penciling him in as the champ.  Thats not the case.  Obviously he’s going to have some studs he’ll have to beat at either 133 or 141.  But looking at his freestyle performance (lol at comparing him to Brody Teske btw), if he is their postseason starter I’d be shocked if he didn’t AA and he is almost certainly going to be in the national title conversation (plus the simple fact that if he wrestles he will be the starter for Penn State and pretty much every starter for Penn State these days is in the national title conversation).

[1032004]

22 minutes ago, DocBB said:

I wouldn't be shocked if he never wrestles for PSU in a meaningful match. I mean are you really going to risk injury a year before the Olympics getting torqued from the bottom in a position that won't help him in freestyle? Hard to imagine the Japanese Wresting Federation would allow that.

He's also going to go against several guys in the US that he will legit face in the Olympics. Why give them more experience against him?

He’s already “going against” more guys in the PSU/NLWC room that he could have to wrestle internationally than probably any other current school combined, assuming he goes 57 for 2028.

But I would say that him never wrestling a folkstyle match is more likely than him not AA’ing if he’s the PSU starter.
 

10 minutes ago, Spladle08 said:

I agree, I think if it was any other school he likely wouldn't get a shot, but at my core, I have that belief that I'm sure many of us have... PSU will/can make it happen. 
 

Huh?  Why wouldn’t he get a shot at any other school?  It’s really the opposite…Virginia Tech, maybe OK State and Stanford are IMO the only other places where he would have a legit challenge to start at both 133 and 141.

Please don’t suggest the reason would be because he’s competing for Japan, if so obviously you haven’t been keeping up with the current RTC landscape.  Sure, if he’s planning to go 57 Iowa probably wouldn’t want him there, maybe VT so he doesn’t scout Bassett for Japan (but they already have top guys at 133 & 141 anyway), but I’m sure just about any other school would take him.  A smaller school for example would definitely take him in a heartbeat. 
 

[Spladle08]

8 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

No it’s not.  The key comment he said IMO was “If he won nationals this year, I wouldn't be super surprised.”

The key comment you said IMO was “he's just not going to challenge for a national title. “

Those are very different statements.   You’re basically writing off that he has a chance to win.  That’s insane IMO.  You’re also acting like a bunch of people are already penciling him in as the champ.  Thats not the case.  Obviously he’s going to have some studs he’ll have to beat at either 133 or 141.  But looking at his freestyle performance (lol at comparing him to Brody Teske btw), if he is their postseason starter I’d be shocked if he didn’t AA and he is almost certainly going to be in the national title conversation (plus the simple fact that if he wrestles he will be the starter for Penn State and pretty much every starter for Penn State these days is in the national title conversation).

Teske was somebody that came in with a lot of folkstyle accolades but didn't achieve.... I'm saying "NCAA wrestling doesn't work out for everyone who goes to PSU" 

And you're right,  the other poster "Wouldn't be super surprised".... Where I would question everything I know about wrestling, thats also true. 

And yes, I absolutely agree with you, most of the PSU guys are expected to be on the podium, except at 141.. where they had that good run with Nick Lee, then Bartlett, but now...... dare I say there is a hole...?

I guess if you wanna put some money up, that if he participates he'll be outside the top 4.... I'm absolutely up for that. 

Other than that, this is the ole "X athlete in X sport would be the best athlete in a different sport that they don't do" argument.... until we see it. 

This reminds me of when J'den Cox was moving up to take on Snyder, everyone was enamored by J'den's speed and athleticism, and the fact that Snyder had been the best wrestler on the planet at 214lbs for years meant nothing...  people are wild. 

Oh yeah and directly PSU related, back when it was TheMat forums somebody bet me a couple 100 Retherford would take gold in his first FS World Championships (maybe 2017)... it was similar to this conversation... The poster (like yourself) had argued "Have you not seen Retherford wrestle, I bet you this money he wins Worlds".... I tried to talk sense into him it just wasn't his realm, even said "do you want 4 to 1?" which he declined.... of course Retherford beats an American who wrestled elsewhere and then gets beat and is out... very predictable but blind fandom got in the way. 

Speaking of constructive things.... which I'll post in the PSU Roster threat here in a sec. I think since Ono won't make the Japenese team at 65 or 57 kg, it would more advantageous for both he and Blaze to swap. Ono could stay at 61kg and Blaze could add the size needed to make a run at 65kg in 2028

[Spladle08]

10 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Huh?  Why wouldn’t he get a shot at any other school?  It’s really the opposite…Virginia Tech, maybe OK State and Stanford are IMO the only other places where he would have a legit challenge to start at both 133 and 141.
 

I meant the legal side of things...but also the response let me know what I needed to know. 

Thanks for the engagement, you really are a fan 

Edited 1 hour ago by Spladle08

[1032004]

4 minutes ago, Spladle08 said:

I meant the legal side of things...but also the response let me know what I needed to know. 

Thanks for the engagement, you really are a fan 

Meh it seems PSU is just arguing with the NCAA about how much eligibility he has, not if he has any at all.  I’m sure some other schools would have just accepted whatever the NCAA said his eligibility was.

[1032004]

8 minutes ago, Spladle08 said:

Teske was somebody that came in with a lot of folkstyle accolades but didn't achieve.... I'm saying "NCAA wrestling doesn't work out for everyone who goes to PSU" 

And you're right,  the other poster "Wouldn't be super surprised".... Where I would question everything I know about wrestling, thats also true. 

And yes, I absolutely agree with you, most of the PSU guys are expected to be on the podium, except at 141.. where they had that good run with Nick Lee, then Bartlett, but now...... dare I say there is a hole...?

I guess if you wanna put some money up, that if he participates he'll be outside the top 4.... I'm absolutely up for that. 

Other than that, this is the ole "X athlete in X sport would be the best athlete in a different sport that they don't do" argument.... until we see it. 

This reminds me of when J'den Cox was moving up to take on Snyder, everyone was enamored by J'den's speed and athleticism, and the fact that Snyder had been the best wrestler on the planet at 214lbs for years meant nothing...  people are wild. 

Oh yeah and directly PSU related, back when it was TheMat forums somebody bet me a couple 100 Retherford would take gold in his first FS World Championships (maybe 2017)... it was similar to this conversation... The poster (like yourself) had argued "Have you not seen Retherford wrestle, I bet you this money he wins Worlds".... I tried to talk sense into him it just wasn't his realm, even said "do you want 4 to 1?" which he declined.... of course Retherford beats an American who wrestled elsewhere and then gets beat and is out... very predictable but blind fandom got in the way. 

Speaking of constructive things.... which I'll post in the PSU Roster threat here in a sec. I think since Ono won't make the Japenese team at 65 or 57 kg, it would more advantageous for both he and Blaze to swap. Ono could stay at 61kg and Blaze could add the size needed to make a run at 65kg in 2028

I am far from a PSU fan, but PSU is absolutely expecting whoever they send out at 141 to make the podium.  Seems most of their fans feel good enough about the combo of Ono & Desmond that they don’t care that Braeden Davis is likely off the team.

I’d definitely bet on him AA’ing if he’s the postseason starter, probably top 6.  Don’t think I’d bet on top 4 though without good odds.   All I’ve said was he’d be in the title conversation, many guys who finish top 6-8 were in the title conversation earlier in the year.