Ranking the NCAA sessions

[VakAttack]

Having watched and now gone many times, I think the session rank is pretty clear, but I'll hear from others.

1.  Session 4 (Semi/blood round)

2. Session 6 (Finals)

3.  Session 3 (Quarterfinals)

4.  Session 2 (Round 2)

5.  Session 5 (Medal matches)

6.  Session 1 (Session 1)

Edited Tuesday at 02:37 PM by VakAttack

[Caveira]

  On 3/18/2025 at 2:37 PM, VakAttack said:

Having watched and now gone many times, I think the session rank is pretty clear, but I'll hear from others.

1.  Session 4 (Semi/blood round)

2. Session 6 (Finals)

3.  Session 3 (Quarterfinals)

4.  Session 2 (Round 2)

5.  Session 5 (Medal matches)

6.  Session 1 (Session 1)

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Pretty spot on imo.  
 

added question.   How could one make the medal round better.  It’s so fast and furious it’s crazy and the motion of getting over the blood round / AA hill is pretty significant.    I feel if the round was slowed down a bit to concentrate more it would be better but there are sooooo many matches to get through that may take forever. 

[Fletcher]

1. Quarterfinals - last round where guys who may not have expected to get this far just let it fly. Best upsets of the tourney.

2. Blood round - no explanation necessary.

Guys really seem to clam up in the semis and finals. The stakes are high, but the wrestling tends to be conservative and boring.

[VakAttack]

  On 3/18/2025 at 2:48 PM, Fletcher said:

1. Quarterfinals - last round where guys who may not have expected to get this far just let it fly. Best upsets of the tourney.

2. Blood round - no explanation necessary.

Guys really seem to clam up in the semis and finals. The stakes are high, but the wrestling tends to be conservative and boring.

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Interesting thought process about quarters.  Fair argument! 

[AdrianStewart]

There is NO doubt the Semi's/Blood round are the best, however --- the excitement of getting to the arena on Thursday morning for the 1st session is by far higher than any other round! 

[Elevator]

All rounds are excellent, but it may vary based on who your primary team/wrestlers interests.   For top 10 programs with returning AA's the quarters on may be the "best."   For fans of teams building to get AA's and some NCAA wins, day one has as much or near as much of the interest and excitement.  For fans of teams with no finalists, finals may not hold quite the same level of interest.  

[Dogbone]

1) Session 4 (semis/Blood round)

2) Session 3 (Quarters)

3) Session 6 (Finals)

4) Session 2 

5) Session 5 (medal matches) - underrated

6) Session 1 - Was better when they only seeded 12

To me session 2 and 5 are very close.   Actually it probably depends if you had a few drinks, which I always do, session 2 is more fun, but if you are not too hungover, session 5 is great wrestling. 

[nhs67]

  On 3/18/2025 at 2:37 PM, VakAttack said:

Having watched and now gone many times, I think the session rank is pretty clear, but I'll hear from others.

1.  Session 4 (Semi/blood round)

2. Session 6 (Finals)

3.  Session 3 (Quarterfinals)

4.  Session 2 (Round 2)

5.  Session 5 (Medal matches)

6.  Session 1 (Session 1)

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^ /thread.

[bnwtwg]

  On 3/18/2025 at 2:37 PM, VakAttack said:

Having watched and now gone many times, I think the session rank is pretty clear, but I'll hear from others.

1.  Session 4 (Semi/blood round)

2. Session 6 (Finals)

3.  Session 3 (Quarterfinals)

4.  Session 2 (Round 2)

5.  Session 5 (Medal matches)

6.  Session 1 (Session 1)

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Almost correct but you forgot a couple:

1A) Session 2.1 going out Thursday night immediately after and running into folks you haven't seen for a year or decade

8,483) Pre-Session 5 when your alarm goes off after two days of destroying your body and regretting everything so you decide to "show up after a late breakfast" aka skip the medal match session

[Voice of the Quakers]

  On 3/18/2025 at 4:16 PM, bnwtwg said:

Almost correct but you forgot a couple:

1A) Session 2.1 going out Thursday night immediately after and running into folks you haven't seen for a year or decade

8,483) Pre-Session 5 when your alarm goes off after two days of destroying your body and regretting everything so you decide to "show up after a late breakfast" aka skip the medal match session

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My advice:

Coat your stomach with a cheesesteak and 4 ibuprofen before you go to bed Friday night/Saturday morning. 

It's not going to get you up for Session 5, but it should help with the hangover.

[Ragu]

Hot take that the finals are the best. All eyes on the final match at that weight of the year. The two “best” guys for all the chips. Anyone can watch and be entertained. One mat

[Show_Me]

  On 3/18/2025 at 2:37 PM, VakAttack said:

Having watched and now gone many times, I think the session rank is pretty clear, but I'll hear from others.

1.  Session 4 (Semi/blood round)

2. Session 6 (Finals)

3.  Session 3 (Quarterfinals)

4.  Session 2 (Round 2)

5.  Session 5 (Medal matches)

6.  Session 1 (Session 1)

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My 22nd Tournament this year.  My Rankings differ slightly from yours :

 

1.  Session 3 (far & away the best IMO as the QF are always just on fire)

2.  Session 4 (easily the 2nd best with SF & blood - huge points round)

3.  Session 6 (THE culmination but a ton of pageantry & wasted time for 10 matches)

4.  Session 1 (just because of the anticipation of having waited a year & it finally being here)

5.  Session 5 (All American matches but usually worn out being Day 3)

6.  Session 2 (the excitement of session 1 gone with anticipation of Friday's QF)

Edited Tuesday at 11:04 PM by Show_Me

[lu_alum]

  On 3/18/2025 at 2:37 PM, VakAttack said:

Having watched and now gone many times, I think the session rank is pretty clear, but I'll hear from others.

1.  Session 4 (Semi/blood round)

2. Session 6 (Finals)

3.  Session 3 (Quarterfinals)

4.  Session 2 (Round 2)

5.  Session 5 (Medal matches)

6.  Session 1 (Session 1)

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You've got it right for my standpoint.

The QFs used to be a key round to watch for upsets in the the first three weight classes, being a morning session with a 1-hour weigh-in.  I would always watch to see how the big weight-cutters performed coming off a day two weigh-in.

Tournament weigh-ins changed last year to 2-hrs for each day, which gives the lightweights a little more recovery time.

[Wrestleknownothing]

  On 3/18/2025 at 4:52 PM, Voice of the Quakers said:

My advice:

Coat your stomach with a cheesesteak and 4 ibuprofen before you go to bed Friday night/Saturday morning. 

It's not going to get you up for Session 5, but it should help with the hangover.

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That is pretty smart. You sound like you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

[Idaho]

I like session 1… all my guys are still on the championship side. 

[Fletcher]

Pro tip for the rookies - don't buy round 5 tix ahead of time. You can get deals from people who are either: (i) sick of wrestling after 2 days of non-stop matches; or (ii) hungover on Sat. and not interested in medal matches.

Even if you don't get a deal, buy a nosebleed ticket just to get in and sneak down to the lower bowl - there'll be plenty of open seats.

[flyingcement]

  On 3/18/2025 at 2:37 PM, VakAttack said:

Having watched and now gone many times, I think the session rank is pretty clear, but I'll hear from others.

1.  Session 4 (Semi/blood round)

2. Session 6 (Finals)

3.  Session 3 (Quarterfinals)

4.  Session 2 (Round 2)

5.  Session 5 (Medal matches)

6.  Session 1 (Session 1)

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Session 4 absolutely I agree with you - (having only watched on TV).  

I find that the excitement of having so much wrestling left to go - makes the first round a really exciting time, but I suppose if you are judging it just for the wrestling that takes place during that period of time, then last makes sense

[dragit]

  On 3/18/2025 at 2:37 PM, VakAttack said:

Having watched and now gone many times, I think the session rank is pretty clear, but I'll hear from others.

1.  Session 4 (Semi/blood round)

2. Session 6 (Finals)

3.  Session 3 (Quarterfinals)

4.  Session 2 (Round 2)

5.  Session 5 (Medal matches)

6.  Session 1 (Session 1)

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Terrific topic, thanks!  

My only disagreement on your order is I'd move the medal round above round 2, maybe even tied with the quarters. 

Although it is sadly lightly attended, Saturday morning sessions are memorable to me. 

Watching these guys let it fly in their extreme state of exhaustion is inspiring.  There was that great picture a few years back of the two wrestlers after I think a 5th place match, don't even remember who, both on their backs and reaching out to shake hands after their last flurry.

And the ovations for graduating seniors after they wrestle their last match is always a special moment.

[crzyctldy]

[dragit]

  On 3/19/2025 at 6:52 AM, crzyctldy said:

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Youdaman thanks

[Eagle26]

The semis and blood round session is TOO GOOD! I really wish they would split it up. We all know the semis are and the emotion seen in the blood round deserves its own attention!

[Eagle26]

I think Vak pretty much nailed it but I’ll add my thoughts 

1 - No debate IMO semis/blood round

2/3 - Finals or Quarters - I’ll give the nod to the finals because of the production and the prestige, but quarters are usually the more exciting matches.

4-6 - very debatable IMO. I think I’d actually move Round 1 to #4 because of the excitement of it starting, the possibility of a first round upset, and all the small schools represented (who I like to route for). I’d probably put Round 2 next and medal matches last. The medal matches are very high quality matches, but it just seems like they lost a lot of their appeal (in the minds of many wrestlers your either a NQ, AA, or National Champ). Plus we have seen many of the matches up already.

 

[Rassling2]

Glad you’re in the states this year to watch the NCAAs Vick. Last year if you recall you were overseas having difficulty getting coverage, then miraculously - poof, just like that it -suddenly appeared!

[D3 for LU]

Friday nite session (rnd 4) has always been highly anticipated, due to that consi rnd that determines whether your wrestler in question becomes an AA (from a possible 3rd / woo-hoo! thru 8th/... well at least you're an AA.)... winning the QF rnd will achieve that AA goal (from a possible 1st/...WOAH! down to the dreaded semi slide to 6th/ ... well, at least you're NOT 8th.)

When you're rooting for your team, (not of the nit/hawkeye/cowboy/anybignamewrestlingprogramyou coudln'tpickoffthetopofyourheadatthetimevariety... ) you get that wonderful exhilarating feeling when they finally cross thru the AA threshold.

Huzzah!

D3