ILLINIWrestlingBlog

Earlier today while they had four mats going at one time, seven of the eight wrestlers' last names ended with an "ov" or an "ev." Then, there was Marsteller. What kind of crazy name is "Marsteller"? It kind of highlights how good Japan and India are at the lower weights. They're in the conversation now every year, and they have a hard time getting a guy 79 kg and above to win more than one match.

Dake needs to run over to Sidakov's mat and stare him down.

There's a challenge, but Dake won. Final score will be 6-4. America. He played with fire there.

Great matches from Higuchi and Micic. Crazy stuff!

Y'all wanted Zahid to show his gas tank, so with criteria in his favor with just over a minute to go, he shoots.

The Azerbaijani against Zahid has a face full of Vaseline. That's going to get over everything and make gripping harder. Ref should force the guy to wear a headband and ban the goop. BAN THE GOOP!

And the Azerbaijaini at 57 kg loses to the Iranian that Zane Richards teched in Budapest. Zane's out. I'm on my third beer now, and I've decided to spend the rest of my life in a hole next to the public library. Change?

Flat on his belly a couple of times, he was able to work up and roll over that Iranian for takedowns. Pretty amazing match!

Great match. Zahid with a gas tank? Watch out, World.

Time for Zahid to fake an injury.

Chance with the 7-2 win. Next up on Mat C is Ermak Kardanov from the ILLINI RTC wrestling for Slovakia. He gets India in this match.

Chance is a monster. Wish IMAR never got injured, and we had a few years of that rivalry.

Zane would like to have that back. He had the only takedown in a 2-3 loss, while the Azeri Euro Championships Gold had two pushouts and a shot clock. I would just note that the one takedown in the match was so beautiful and effortless, if Zane had done that to Gilman, everybody would say Gilman was not Gilman. Will Rzazade make the Finals? Very long odds. Even though he's this year's Euro Gold at 57 kg, the 61 kg Euro Gold and the last World Champion at 57 kg (Abakarov) is still in it, along with dark horse Aman Aman of India and World and Olympic champ Uguev of Z. They're all on Rzazade's side of the bracket, too. So, he'll need to beat two of them. But don't feel sorry for Zane. Feel sorry for me. After the match, I started drinking. I'm two beers in and my wife has already thrown me out of the house for complaining about the pancakes. I just wish she'd thrown me out before I took the call from my boss, who wanted me to come in to work tomorrow, and I slurred at him, "**** off." He said, "You're fired," and I said, "Fine, see if you can find a better french fry guy in Myrtle Beach." Now, I'm resorting to free internet at the library.

Feel for Zane. He can beat that guy. The Azerbaijaini is Euro Gold from this year, but, man, Zane wants to run that one back.

Sidakov escapes, but just barely. Kentchandze of Georgia almost had that takedown at the end.

Sidakov looks emaciated. Down by criteria at the break. Will he have gas? What gas doing?

Anybody know if the wrestlers who make the finals (or repechage) have to make weight the next day? If so, is there an allowance? Also, the camera operators at the World Championships have an almost unerring ability to switch from a stupid overhead shot of the wrestlers to a side shot right when something is happening, so we can't tell what has happened.

After watching only the morning session, and making assumptions based on that, who here thinks Gable Steveson and WWE are having second thoughts. Zare looked good in one match, but in that one match his opponent was, like Cheech & Chong, running on fumes. Akgul looked reasonable. Petro okay but vulnerable.

Why would you have them do that?

From your mouth to Deng's brain. Wow. A little close there.

Higuchi missed weight at an event in the past, so he always puts his weight on a Tweet to settle down his fans.

He got to the right place on the mat in the right tie and exploded. Then, with the leglaces, he took his time to set up the right technique, and exploded. Very nice match!

He was a pro just now. Smart and efficient.

Taylor had a :15 pin. Morocco has apparently never seen David Taylor, Ed Ruth or Sammy Sasso wrestle. Can't hang out on the leg!

Okay, that was quick. Petro now up 9-2.