Who is still giving Byrd a shot at winning 133?

[11986]

here's the word, Byrd takes third

[NotThatDave]

1 hour ago, mattramosjr said:

blaze majors him, and forrest.

[PNWfan]

Byrd's game is built on a rock solid defense where he minimizes scoring against high level opponents and grinds out close wins. The pin against Ayala in the Big10 finals was a fluke. Credit to him for seizing the opportunity and capitalzing, but that is not typically how he wrestles.

I think Byrd gets top 6 at NCAA's, but I would be surprised to see him repeat with some of these young guns at the weight class that will really test him.

[Hammerlock3]

No one is a good pick at that weight. The real statement would be if you said he won't beat any of the freshmen at 133.

[mattramosjr]

11 minutes ago, NotThatDave said:

[NotThatDave]

3 minutes ago, mattramosjr said:

Blaze dec Ayala 4-2 + Forrest TF Ayala = Blaze maj Forrest?

 

[russ1847]

1 hour ago, mattramosjr said:

blaze majors him, and forrest.

I would think Blaze's style is tailor made for Byrd

 

[russ1847]

14 hours ago, flanders said:

I'm going to go out on a limb and say he doesn't place in the top 8. Just based on watching him wrestle Kade Moore this season. 

Byrd pinned him once and in second match got hit with a crazy 7 pt move early.  After that he hammered Moore into oblivion.

[11986]

19 minutes ago, russ1847 said:

Byrd pinned him once and in second match got hit with a crazy 7 pt move early.  After that he hammered Moore into oblivion.

that was a wild match

 

[flanders]

34 minutes ago, russ1847 said:

Byrd pinned him once and in second match got hit with a crazy 7 pt move early.  After that he hammered Moore into oblivion.

He was also in a cradle when he pinned Moore. And Moore has been beaten by everyone this year. 

[russ1847]

48 minutes ago, flanders said:

He was also in a cradle when he pinned Moore. And Moore has been beaten by everyone this year. 

True a cradle which led to no takedown or back points due to Byrd's strength.  

I still wonder if the freshman will be able to deal with Byrd constant pressure and his man strength.

[1032004]

4 hours ago, 11986 said:

here's the word, Byrd takes third

Any chance he does the semi slide if he loses there?

[11986]

2 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Any chance he does the semi slide if he loses there?

that could also happen

 

[JimmyCinnabon]

My prediction? Lucas gives everyone the Byrd that doubts him. 

[Psalm 1 guy]

5 hours ago, russ1847 said:

True a cradle which led to no takedown or back points due to Byrd's strength.  

I still wonder if the freshman will be able to deal with Byrd constant pressure and his man strength.

Speaking of man strength and the age differences between Byrd and his freshman competitors, consider this. Byrd is a 7th year senior who wrestled at the 2017 Cadet World Championships! Marcus Blaze won't be 20 until late November. Byrd graduated from high school in 2019 and will be 26 in September. Jax Forrest will be 20 in October.

Here are some more wrestler ages that are interesting: Bo Bassett will be 20 in August. Penn State commit and senior Jayden James just turned 17 last week. Levi Haines will have finished his college career before he turns 22 in August.

[CTMopar]

The BIG tournament will decide his placement at the NCAA's and that tournament will decide the rest!!!

[SocraTease]

One thing is certain, if the seeding committee sticks to their own criteria, Byrd should not be seeded #1.  

[ionel]

19 minutes ago, SocraTease said:

One thing is certain, if the seeding committee sticks to their own criteria, Byrd should not be seeded #1.  

What's the criteria? 

[jmoney]

I think he wrestles for 3rd.

[pcostilow]

On 2/24/2026 at 11:41 AM, russ1847 said:

I would think Blaze's style is tailor made for Byrd

 

I feel this was about both Blaze and Jax. Byrd is so heavy handed and pressure based, I think Marcus's counter wrestling is a perfect style for him, and i wouldn't be surprised to see Jax get to his slide by quite a bit. I think Byrd potentially struggles against both of them.

[Gene Mills Fan]

Not Pablo.

133:Illinois_Lucas Byrd	0.3%	0.6%

[Pinnacle]

What the odds that when Big10 is over all those who picked Byrd will finally realize these freshman is actually insanely good. 

Byrd wrestles at about 3/4th speed compared to these new guys. He won it all last year against a weaker field, but I just can't fathom it working against 4 crazy talented freshman.

[ionel]

8 minutes ago, Pinnacle said:

What the odds that when Big10 is over all those who picked Byrd will finally realize these freshman is actually insanely good. 

Byrd wrestles at about 3/4th speed compared to these new guys. He won it all last year against a weaker field, but I just can't fathom it working against 4 crazy talented freshman.

Think about what happens when he picks it up to full speed or slows it down to half speed ... them FRs won't be able to compensate.  byrd is the wyrd 

[Rassling]

the prediction threads created here after the conferences will be second to none. 

[1032004]

20 minutes ago, Pinnacle said:

What the odds that when Big10 is over all those who picked Byrd will finally realize these freshman is actually insanely good. 

Byrd wrestles at about 3/4th speed compared to these new guys. He won it all last year against a weaker field, but I just can't fathom it working against 4 crazy talented freshman.

Davino lost to Dylan Shawver last year

Edited February 25 by 1032004