What RAF matches do we want?

[MPhillips]

16 minutes ago, JBluegill133 said:

This one feels gimmicky...I get the kind of followers that both of these guys have on instagram or tiktok or whatever, so it'll draw eyes from the youths....but yeesh.

As does Varner / Downey. What about Lance Palmer / Bear?  

 

[BarSeries]

Professional wrestling needs jobbers, and if there was ever a person deserving to be on a RAF card, it's Cayden Henschel.

[nhs67]

42 minutes ago, Gus said:

Deakin vs AOC - two 157 lb college hammers separated by a couple of years. Both guys are still coaching and presumably scrapping regularly with the college guys.

Ah cool, love it.  I agree, although I think Deakin might be a bit bigger right now?  AOC is fighting at 155lbs, isn't he?

43 minutes ago, Gus said:

Amine vs Keck - See where Parker stacks up on the world stage with a proven guy like Amine

Ah, okay.  Not sure how it would go.  I heard Amine was injured, hence the reason he was out, then I heard rumor that his recovery might not be going as well and retirement was being considered?

44 minutes ago, Gus said:

Suriano vs Gross - Two previous 133 lbs natty champs. We have not seen Nicky in awhile and gross matches are always highly entertaining

There are those on here that swear that Nicky Skeletor is warp-digivolving past Nicky Pushups and into Nicky Bulkjob to go 65 KG for 2028.  Gross even when he isn't competing seems to always be wrestling, so that would be a helluva match, I agree.

44 minutes ago, Gus said:

Zain vs Yianni - Always close and controversial

I think anything 155lbs+ is just going to be Zain all-day.  He might not be competing at the same level, but he is active in the CLAW league.  Until we see Johnny D against someone who isn't way out of shape or someone who we'd send as a medal contender, I have a hard time seeing him winning.  I would still watch 10/10 times, though, as Johnny D seems to wrestle him so damn well. 

1 hour ago, Gus said:

Woods vs Alirez - I thought Alirez was set to step up and be the next guy at 65kg when he beat Haji Aliyev. If he is healthy, I think he will be back in the mix. 

Alirez, I think, was hampered by injury as well, right?  If he is back to form (or improved), this match would be fire.

1 hour ago, Gus said:

Glory vs Vito - big points every time they wrestle

I think Glory has been working Wall Street since his title, hasn't he?  Would be cool to see him give it a go, though.  This would likely be a bloodbath in MFS.

1 hour ago, Gus said:

Monday vs Nolf - Monday has improved drastically in freestyle and Nolf showed vulnerabilities (likely due to not training for wrestling specially)

I think Nolf, if he competes at RAF again, will have a FAR different approach to it.  I don't think he took any of it seriously (in a competing mindframe).  He was just there for the fun.  Give him a camp, and he destroys Wick - all due respects.  Monday as well.

1 hour ago, Gus said:

Sloan vs Warner - I am a Jackrabbit fan and would like to see Sloan strap it up again. Remember when Sloan teched Warner years ago? I believe that is the only time they have ever met up. 

What is Sloan doing?  I do believe Warner is proper retired isn't he?

[JBluegill133]

56 minutes ago, Jason Bryant said:

We've already seen it in folkstyle last summer. 

Just watched.  Very onesided Henschel's way.

[BarSeries]

42 minutes ago, BarSeries said:

Professional wrestling needs jobbers, and if there was ever a person deserving to be on a RAF card, it's Cayden Henschel.

Not sure if worth being tossed around by Suriano or DeSanto though 

[Gus]

1 hour ago, nhs67 said:

Ah cool, love it.  I agree, although I think Deakin might be a bit bigger right now?  AOC is fighting at 155lbs, isn't he?

Ah, okay.  Not sure how it would go.  I heard Amine was injured, hence the reason he was out, then I heard rumor that his recovery might not be going as well and retirement was being considered?

There are those on here that swear that Nicky Skeletor is warp-digivolving past Nicky Pushups and into Nicky Bulkjob to go 65 KG for 2028.  Gross even when he isn't competing seems to always be wrestling, so that would be a helluva match, I agree.

I think anything 155lbs+ is just going to be Zain all-day.  He might not be competing at the same level, but he is active in the CLAW league.  Until we see Johnny D against someone who isn't way out of shape or someone who we'd send as a medal contender, I have a hard time seeing him winning.  I would still watch 10/10 times, though, as Johnny D seems to wrestle him so damn well. 

Alirez, I think, was hampered by injury as well, right?  If he is back to form (or improved), this match would be fire.

I think Glory has been working Wall Street since his title, hasn't he?  Would be cool to see him give it a go, though.  This would likely be a bloodbath in MFS.

I think Nolf, if he competes at RAF again, will have a FAR different approach to it.  I don't think he took any of it seriously (in a competing mindframe).  He was just there for the fun.  Give him a camp, and he destroys Wick - all due respects.  Monday as well.

What is Sloan doing?  I do believe Warner is proper retired isn't he?

If AOC is fighting at 155 with day before weigh ins, I would bet he walks around 175+. Who knows what Deakin weighs... He looked like a 174 when he wrestled 157 and people said he made the weight easily.

Had not heard Amine was considering retirement due to injuries. Great career if true! He is a competitor. 

I think Zain would be the strong favorite as well. Yianni looked so good before tanking against PJ. Will be interesting to see if getting his heart situation figured out yields different results.

Glory probably would get throttled but its a throwback matchup.

I agree with the Nolf take if he properly trains. The question is, would he properly train? Probably so.

I believe that Sloan is back on the farm but I recently saw an alumni picture of him working out in the room at SDSU. Warner is done trying to pursue MFS world teams but so was Darian Caldwell and Lance Palmer. 

[BarSeries]

 

[ScottishSteel]

47 minutes ago, Gus said:

If AOC is fighting at 155 with day before weigh ins, I would bet he walks around 175+. Who knows what Deakin weighs... He looked like a 174 when he wrestled 157 and people said he made the weight easily.

Had not heard Amine was considering retirement due to injuries. Great career if true! He is a competitor. 

I think Zain would be the strong favorite as well. Yianni looked so good before tanking against PJ. Will be interesting to see if getting his heart situation figured out yields different results.

Glory probably would get throttled but its a throwback matchup.

I agree with the Nolf take if he properly trains. The question is, would he properly train? Probably so.

I believe that Sloan is back on the farm but I recently saw an alumni picture of him working out in the room at SDSU. Warner is done trying to pursue MFS world teams but so was Darian Caldwell and Lance Palmer. 

I am fortunate enough to have been in the room for weigh ins for a Big Ten tourney and made a point to watch Deakin get on the scale - wanted to see for myself that he actually could make 157 because he certainly did not look it.

[bnwtwg]

2 hours ago, BarSeries said:

Not sure if worth being tossed around by Suriano or DeSanto though 

Yeah but Henschel vs Spencer Lee would break every wrestling views record in about 30 minutes

[okokzach]

6 hours ago, BarSeries said:

Professional wrestling needs jobbers, and if there was ever a person deserving to be on a RAF card, it's Cayden Henschel.

Did Henschel bail on CLAW? 

[BAC]

Helen Maroulis v .... Kurt McHenry?

Picking McHenry since he'd be a smaller 57kg, but maybe it's still too lopsided.  Even so, it would be cool to have a good MvF match, and Helen's a good candidate since she's at a lighter weight.  Trick is to find someone who's good/old enough that it doesn't seem like you're poking fun at the strength/gender gap, but also not someone who's going to just maul her.  Would put some butts in the seats, that's for sure.

[1032004]

8 hours ago, BarSeries said:

Professional wrestling needs jobbers, and if there was ever a person deserving to be on a RAF card, it's Cayden Henschel.

Henschel is pretty good.  That other guy is not.  RAF seems to like the old timers, maybe Henschel vs the original NCAA wrestler looking to make money on the side before social media was much of a thing…Paul Donahoe?

Edited 17 hours ago by 1032004

[Tripnsweep]

12 hours ago, BarSeries said:

 

Sounds like that's his strong suit.

[nhs67]

12 hours ago, BAC said:

Helen Maroulis v .... Kurt McHenry?

Picking McHenry since he'd be a smaller 57kg, but maybe it's still too lopsided.  Even so, it would be cool to have a good MvF match, and Helen's a good candidate since she's at a lighter weight.  Trick is to find someone who's good/old enough that it doesn't seem like you're poking fun at the strength/gender gap, but also not someone who's going to just maul her.  Would put some butts in the seats, that's for sure.

That matchup intrigues me.

I want to say the gender gap is too wide, but it's Maroulis.  I can't just say that with her, at her weight.  She'll have length, experience, and skill on her side.  Even if she gives up strength/speed... I like it.

11 hours ago, 1032004 said:

Henschel is pretty good.  That other guy is not.  RAF seems to like the old timers, maybe Henschel vs the original NCAA wrestler looking to make money on the side before social media was much of a thing…Paul Donahoe?

Also of note, this is an OPEN weight match.  Henschel wrestled 141lbs and was a favorite this year to win the 141lb in D2.  Keelon wrestled 160lbs in high school and was about a 0.500 wrestler his senior season - which was like 2015?  So he's 28, older, slower, and not as good.  I am not convinced that he is THAT much bigger, though, either.  He looks lean.  Also, fwiw - he is a great watch on his videos.  Seems an all-around awesome guy.

[nhs67]

Also, this is Snyder's replacement:

https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/144301-alexander-romanov

[BAC]

1 hour ago, nhs67 said:

That matchup intrigues me.

I want to say the gender gap is too wide, but it's Maroulis.  I can't just say that with her, at her weight.  She'll have length, experience, and skill on her side.  Even if she gives up strength/speed... I like it.

Yeah, I favor McHenry, a 2x Cadet world champ in his own right, but I just can't convince myself it wouldn't be competitive.  Helen's no stranger to wrestling men -- as a teen, she pinned the defending state champ at MD states -- and that was long before Helen was, well, Helen.  

McHenry has another year of eligibility (at Cal Baptist now?) so maybe it doesn't work, but I'd love to see a match with a dude who's legit but not so much stronger that it's a farce.  Deshazer maybe? There's definitely not any women we can throw at Helen and have a competitive match, that's for sure. 

[Bigbrog]

I'm not sure if someone mentioned this already but I'd like to see the "Take me down for $1000" guy against a real college wrestler.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

21 hours ago, nhs67 said:

 

Alirez, I think, was hampered by injury as well, right?  If he is back to form (or improved), this match would be fire.

 

I've been led to believe it was a neck injury and that one arm was significantly atrophied from it.  Hopefully, he is able to get things right.

[nhs67]

1 hour ago, BAC said:

Yeah, I favor McHenry, a 2x Cadet world champ in his own right, but I just can't convince myself it wouldn't be competitive.  Helen's no stranger to wrestling men -- as a teen, she pinned the defending state champ at MD states -- and that was long before Helen was, well, Helen.  

McHenry has another year of eligibility (at Cal Baptist now?) so maybe it doesn't work, but I'd love to see a match with a dude who's legit but not so much stronger that it's a farce.  Deshazer maybe? There's definitely not any women we can throw at Helen and have a competitive match, that's for sure. 

Deshazer is too big, I think.

[Truzzcat]

3 hours ago, nhs67 said:

Also, this is Snyder's replacement:

https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/144301-alexander-romanov

I believe he has actually competed at worlds and no limit makes it interesting because I had heard at what time he was cutting some weight to make 265

[nhs67]

20 minutes ago, Truzzcat said:

I believe he has actually competed at worlds and no limit makes it interesting because I had heard at what time he was cutting some weight to make 265

Parris has a history of not doing well with the chonkers, too.