Luke Stanich

[HokieDave87]

On 8/21/2025 at 2:18 PM, Truzzcat said:

especially with a style that is largely predicated on being able to move and get your opponent out of position. Henson is a hoss.

Yep, not saying Henson's unbeatable (well maybe...) but he's not losing to a true 141 who was at 125 not long ago.

I'm big on Stanich too I really think he's closed the gap on Mendez. Mendez still the favorite but it's going to be a lot closer if/when they meet again.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

9 hours ago, HokieDave87 said:

Yep, not saying Henson's unbeatable (well maybe...) but he's not losing to a true 141 who was at 125 not long ago.

I'm big on Stanich too I really think he's closed the gap on Mendez. Mendez still the favorite but it's going to be a lot closer if/when they meet again.

Also Stanich had an 8-8 criteria win over Zepeda during this recent run.  While Zepeda may end up being outstanding, he is probably not ready to challenge Henson or Mendez, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a redshirt.

[Winners Circle]

36 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Also Stanich had an 8-8 criteria win over Zepeda during this recent run.  While Zepeda may end up being outstanding, he is probably not ready to challenge Henson or Mendez, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a redshirt.

You know what they call close wins?

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

1 minute ago, Winners Circle said:

You know what they call close wins?

Giving up 8 points in one match to someone who isn't a world beater (yet) would be more of a concern.

[Winners Circle]

14 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Giving up 8 points in one match to someone who isn't a world beater (yet) would be more of a concern.

I see your point. But on the other hand, Mendez lost to Real Woods, who I could legitimately see Stanich beating. 

[Truzzcat]

1 hour ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Also Stanich had an 8-8 criteria win over Zepeda during this recent run.  While Zepeda may end up being outstanding, he is probably not ready to challenge Henson or Mendez, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a redshirt.

Stanich has really really good head hands and great single leg defense but he seems to really struggle at defending doubles. I believe that's how the Japanese guy scored on him and where Topraks takedown came from that's also how Zepeda scored all his takedown's.

[Le duke]

I don't see Stanich beating Marcus Blaze at this point, let alone Mendez.

 

[BAC]

1 hour ago, Winners Circle said:

I see your point. But on the other hand, Mendez lost to Real Woods, who I could legitimately see Stanich beating. 

Stanich beat Bassett 3 times, who beat Bartlett, who beat Mendez 2x.

Fun with the transitive property!

[BAC]

39 minutes ago, Le duke said:

I don't see Stanich beating Marcus Blaze at this point, let alone Mendez.

Maybe not, but I'm not sure I see Mendez beating Blaze either.

[Le duke]

51 minutes ago, BAC said:

Maybe not, but I'm not sure I see Mendez beating Blaze either.

If Blaze got big enough that he was a true 141, sure, but he's wrestling 61kg and 133 if he goes for Penn State this year. Mendez is a 2x NCAA champ for a reason.

It's kind of wild that he was giving up most of 10lbs to Bassett, Hardy and Mendez and beat two of the three up at 65kg.

[Truzzcat]

2 hours ago, Le duke said:

I don't see Stanich beating Marcus Blaze at this point, let alone Mendez.

 

I like Marcus in Freestyle Stanich in folk right now in that matchup. I think Stanich is one of the few guys that can handfight with Marcus and I am not sure that marcus's snap to far ankle/drag to far ankle/go behind series works super well against Stanich and I give Stanich a slight edge on the mat right now. I think Marcus could push him out a few times in free though. All of this is factoring in size, once Marcus grows into a full 141 or 65kg I think Marcus wins.

[Ohio Elite]

2 hours ago, BAC said:

Maybe not, but I'm not sure I see Mendez beating Blaze either.

You must have missed the WTT a few months ago where Mendez beat him. Super close match though.

Edited yesterday at 05:31 PM by Ohio Elite

[nhs67]

3 hours ago, Winners Circle said:

You know what they call close wins?

Victories?

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

38 minutes ago, Ohio Elite said:

You must have missed the WTT a few months ago where Mendez beat him. Super close match though.

Yes, but apparently a super close match is just as convincing as a tech fall!

[nhs67]

36 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Yes, but apparently a super close match is just as convincing as a tech fall!

 

Yeah... being that Blaze is the only one who made ANY offensive attacks in that match, I think he'll be just fine going forward.
 

It was 2-1 and Blaze was down... all on shot clocks, despite Blaze making the offensive effort.  He was pushing him out, made a reaching shot and Mendez got behind.

The match was weak on Mendez's part.  Blaze was the considerably smaller guy and he couldn't capitalize.

[Truzzcat]

9 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

 

Yeah... being that Blaze is the only one who made ANY offensive attacks in that match, I think he'll be just fine going forward.
 

It was 2-1 and Blaze was down... all on shot clocks, despite Blaze making the offensive effort.  He was pushing him out, made a reaching shot and Mendez got behind.

The match was weak on Mendez's part.  Blaze was the considerably smaller guy and he couldn't capitalize.

You could tell they had trained together a lot from that match.

[nhs67]

36 minutes ago, Truzzcat said:

You could tell they had trained together a lot from that match.

You could, but Mendez, the two time defending NCAA D1 champ, who had just beaten Johnny D, a 4xer (141/149) at OTT the year prior should have been expected to cruise there.

I think it is absolutely stupid when there are three shot clock points awarded.  The ref has essentially decided the victor there.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

2 hours ago, nhs67 said:

 

Yeah... being that Blaze is the only one who made ANY offensive attacks in that match, I think he'll be just fine going forward.
 

It was 2-1 and Blaze was down... all on shot clocks, despite Blaze making the offensive effort.  He was pushing him out, made a reaching shot and Mendez got behind.

The match was weak on Mendez's part.  Blaze was the considerably smaller guy and he couldn't capitalize.

I was also referring to the 8-8 criteria win over Zepeda that I referenced earlier.  Admittedly, the OP backed off a little, but that's where the "win is a win" sentiment was initially expressed.  I had made the point that it might be a little early to talk about Stanich being a contender when he is squeaking out a win over a high school wrestler who may not be a starter at NC State this year (but I'm really hoping pans out over the long run).

[Winners Circle]

15 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I was also referring to the 8-8 criteria win over Zepeda that I referenced earlier.  Admittedly, the OP backed off a little, but that's where the "win is a win" sentiment was initially expressed.  I had made the point that it might be a little early to talk about Stanich being a contender when he is squeaking out a win over a high school wrestler who may not be a starter at NC State this year (but I'm really hoping pans out over the long run).

I'm the OP. Haven't backed off. Just didn't annoy people with continuous arguing when it seems pretty obvious neither of us is going to change their opinion.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

4 minutes ago, Winners Circle said:

I'm the OP. Haven't backed off. Just didn't annoy people with continuous arguing when it seems pretty obvious neither of us is going to change their opinion.

Well, you "saw my point."  I will say again, I don't think giving up 4 takedowns to the #23 high schooler is a recipe for being a title contender.

[Winners Circle]

5 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Well, you "saw my point."  I will say again, I don't think giving up 4 takedowns to the #23 high schooler is a recipe for being a title contender.

Jesse Mendez won 6-5 in TB over Vance Vombaur (who was 8th this year) in the dual. Based on that match alone you say, Mendez isn't a title contender, or he's lost a step. 1.5 months later Mendez majored VV in the quarters and won the title. The dual meet was a one-off. The Zepeda match was a one-off on Stanich's summer resume. That was my whole point. 

[Wrasslin]

On 8/28/2025 at 6:09 AM, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Also Stanich had an 8-8 criteria win over Zepeda during this recent run.  While Zepeda may end up being outstanding, he is probably not ready to challenge Henson or Mendez, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a redshirt.

 

On 8/28/2025 at 6:48 AM, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Giving up 8 points in one match to someone who isn't a world beater (yet) would be more of a concern.

I'm not sure how much you have watched Zepeda wrestle. . .when Zepeda is in shape and motivated, he is capable of beating anyone in this age group. I look at this as a quality win for Stanich, regardless of the score.