ILLINIWrestlingBlog

Unfortunately, Helen had 0 for Sakurai.

In the first period, the ref blew his whistle calling passivity on the Mongolian just as Hildebrandt was securing a takedown. That has to be like the other team in a basketball game hitting a bank shot three-pointer as the half-time buzzer goes off. A bad omen.

What's that supposed to mean?

These Azerbaijaini women are tough, but Maroulis with the easy win.

I would have her on my team any day. She fought like a dog when down, and she is lightening quick. Of course, she'd be JV behind Hildebrandt. Still, I hope Sarah brings her through repechage.

The Azeri is unbelievably quick. Hildebrandt is just out-techniquing her now. Fun match!

On this day, Japan was stronger, quicker and the better hand fighter. Bummer. I hope Gray is pulled back in. Another match in which a couple of hard sprawls might've won. The chest wrap attempts failed both times.

Kilty almost got jobbed. Good challenge. She goes on to beat a tough, tough Bulgarian by 9. Good show!

I think that Poland just hit an Assassin on Mat A. Wow!

The IOC and UWW are "The Ambiguously Gray Duo." I was going to use logic to try to pretzel out an answer, but that has failed me in the past when trying to decode statements from The Ambiguously Gray Duo.

Maroulis the easy winner against Spain with a nice foot sweep that was lost when the feed went down but found again in the end-of-match replays. Kilty must be waiting for the prescribed time. Her match has been up for 10 minutes now. Gray waiting on a challenge in the match before hers.

Well, I'm going to celebrate the 97 kg Bronze, then. As for new business, Kilty, Maroulis and Gray all up in two on Mats A, B and C.

10-6 AMERICA! Snyder and the Uzbeki both added takedowns. Man that dude is a damn cartoon villain, what I call an "Alley Runner." You see him in an alley, you run.

Takedown and cradle. Captain America back up 8-4!

Challenge won. I did jinx it. Scores now 4-4 with the Uzbeki having criteria.

Oops, jinxed it. Uzbekistan is challenging the call.

6-2 now, and Snyder was lucky that chest wrap of the Uzbeki's counted for 2 and not 4, otherwise it'd be 4-4.

The Uzbeki tried two switches to evade the takedown. Those are our folkstyle moves! Snyder 2-0 at break.

Kyle Frederick Snyder in the hole on Mat B.

Another thought: I remember a couple years ago Iran sent a female team to the Grappling World Championships. That was the first ever, and it hasn't happened since. This was in 2015, and they won some medals. They have won a world belt championship--but I don't even know what that is. Long story short, why aren't they here? Azerbaijan is 97% Muslim by population, Kazakhstan is 72%, Kyrgyzstan is 83%, Turkey is 98% Muslim, followed by Uzbekistan with 88%. They've sent representatives. So, what's the deal? The three loudest cheering sections at wrestling events are Iranians, the women at junior duals and drunk Hawkeye fans. This would be a way to combine two of those groups to make an invincible group of superfans.

Kilty with the quick tech. Snyder up in about 5. Seems like a lot of wrestlers have made unnecessary adjustments during the tournament. Out of greed or fear, they give up a good position for a worse one. This happens most often with the chest wraps (e.g. Mason defending, Dake on offense). But also with ties. I liken it to Sumo, when a wrestler breaks his grip and attempts to gain another, his foe takes that opportunity to go for the kill.

Conspiracy theory or conspiracy reality?

Looks like Sadulaev and Uguev both fail to medal. (My prediction is a forfeit in Sads future).

My prediction.

Jacarra was way too technical for that German. 10-0 tech. Again, the UWW camera operators did what they've been doing all tournament long: Jacarra's going in for a takedown at the end of the first period, and they switch cameras SO WE DON'T SEE WHAT HAPPENED!