Best college leg riders.

[Warm Up Champ]

Derek Moore?

[Idaho]

[D3 for LU]

15 hours ago, Idaho said:

"I know what I'm doing, Coach. I got this covered... I choose DOWN."

D3

[D3 for LU]

Six-plus minutes of RT loomed BIG in THAT match!

(Choose down , indeed. (Heh, heh. )

D3

[PortaJohn]

16 hours ago, Idaho said:

Crazy to remember Dake came in to that tournament with some question marks after taking a loss in the EIWA finals.  He also  took a regular season loss to Vinson

Edited Tuesday at 02:28 PM by PortaJohn

[The Kid]

1 hour ago, PortaJohn said:

Crazy to remember Dake came in to that tournament with some question marks after taking a loss in the EIWA finals.  He also  took a regular season loss to Vinson

Never underestimate the heart of a champion. 

[Jimmy Cinnabon]

Dake looks a good 30 pounds heavier than Molinaro who was a hulked up 149 pounder.  I never understood how he always looked so much bigger than his opponents.  Must have bird bones.

[Idaho]

Dake wasn't the best leg rider, but it is the single most dominant match on top in the history of NCAA wrestling. I think he finished with 6:18 of riding time... only 42 seconds of not riding. 

[CHROMEBIRD]

On 2/23/2025 at 1:52 PM, Mr. PeanutButter said:

I can't recall the last time I saw someone turn someone with double legs in at the D1 level so I strongly lean towards it being a stalling tactic. But it can serve to exhaust the bottom wrestler. Retherford used the double leg ride during his freshman campaign and, if I recall correctly, really took the starch out of stieber using that position during their first match up (obligatory long bus ride and "touch of the flu" caveats) 

This is a good point. Of the current wrestlers, it drives me nuts when Nagao throws in double boots and does essentially nothing on top. He's been doing that since high school though, and I get that it's a hard habit to break. Especially when there's probably some added BJJ muscle memory. 

[wrestle87]

On 2/24/2025 at 2:13 PM, Warm Up Champ said:

Derek Moore?

Scrolled all the way waiting for somebody to remember this guy.  If you tech somebody in the NCAA finals by riding legs, you're pretty darn good at it.

My knowledge only extends to around 2000, but Mitch Clark, Derek Moore and the brothers Perry were both incredible leg riders, Derek Moore from what I recall was a total cross-body monster, the brothers Perry were almost exclusively short boots.

I'd also like to throw out a question about best weight-cutters of all time.  Mitch Clark might be amongst them.  I remember reading from his book way back in the day that even though he wrestled at 177, he stepped on the scale at over 200 pounds just before that match.

[BigRedFan]

On 2/23/2025 at 4:52 PM, Mr. PeanutButter said:

I can't recall the last time I saw someone turn someone with double legs in at the D1 level so I strongly lean towards it being a stalling tactic. But it can serve to exhaust the bottom wrestler. Retherford used the double leg ride during his freshman campaign and, if I recall correctly, really took the starch out of stieber using that position during their first match up (obligatory long bus ride and "touch of the flu" caveats) 

Lewis Fernandes used to do this all the time (it was his signature move).  For instance, go to about 7:30 in this video:
 

Another:

 

[wrestlingfan22]

On 2/23/2025 at 4:52 PM, Mr. PeanutButter said:

I can't recall the last time I saw someone turn someone with double legs in at the D1 level so I strongly lean towards it being a stalling tactic. But it can serve to exhaust the bottom wrestler. Retherford used the double leg ride during his freshman campaign and, if I recall correctly, really took the starch out of stieber using that position during their first match up (obligatory long bus ride and "touch of the flu" caveats) 

Kelvin Griffin from Lehigh uses it for Turns and Falls (leads the nation IIRC)

[KCMO2]

On 2/23/2025 at 3:13 PM, bnwtwg said:

 

 

If you can ride Austin DeNiro then you can ride anyone!

[11986]

3 hours ago, Idaho said:

Dake wasn't the best leg rider, but it is the single most dominant match on top in the history of NCAA wrestling. I think he finished with 6:18 of riding time... only 42 seconds of not riding. 

I had a similar match in HS. Unfortunately, I played the role of Frank the Tank and not Kid Dynamite

[Mr. PeanutButter]

1 hour ago, BigRedFan said:

Lewis Fernandes used to do this all the time (it was his signature move).  For instance, go to about 7:30 in this video:
 

Another:

 

Very nice. I did not watch enough Fernandes

[Dogbone]

Cody Walters - Ohio University was a great leg rider if I recall.

 

[Idaho]

2 hours ago, 11986 said:

I had a similar match in HS. Unfortunately, I played the role of Frank the Tank and not Kid Dynamite

I can relate as well...