InterMat Staff

Wrestlers and fans: Make your travel plans for the 2028 Olympics, as Los Angeles has come to an agreement after months of negotiations with the International Olympic Committee to host the Summer Games in eleven years, according to multiple media reports Monday. Los Angeles and Paris had been competing to host the 2024 Olympics. In July, the IOC had determined that the two cities could decide between themselves as to which would host the Games in 2024, with the other then getting the hosting duties four years later. With today's announcement, that means Paris will be the site of the 2024 Olympics. It is the first time in the history of the Modern Olympics (in 1896) that the IOC had named two host cities at once.

The national championship-winning 1977-78 Panther wrestling team -- along with five individual athletes in other sports -- will be inducted into the University of Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in September. The 2017 Hall of Fame ceremony will take place Friday, Sept. 8 at McLeod Center on the UNI campus. The 1977-78 UNI wrestling team captured the NCAA Division II national team title for head coach Chuck Patten. The squad boasted three individual national champions -- Gary Bentrim at 158 pounds, Keith Poolman at 167, and Kirk Myers at 190. In all, the Panthers could claim a total of seven NCAA All-Americans that year. It was the capstone for an incredible season for Northern Iowa, as the Panthers went 12-4 in dual competition and claimed the North Central Conference title. "Our team consisted of 40-some hungry guys in which ten represented UNI with pride at the NCAAs," Poolman told InterMat. "We were able to put it all together over the two-day period, to become 1978 National Champions." "To this day I still give my teammates credit for not only making me a Champion but being part of a team that won the National Championship," Poolman continued. "You see it's not only the ten guys on the mat that weekend but our two coaches [Chuck Patton and Don Briggs], our manager and 35 some other guys that pushed us every day in practice that help make us the champions we are today." "I am so proud not only to be a part of this group but to have stayed in contact with most of them since graduating from UNI." The 1977-78 Panther wrestling team is the ninth sports team to be welcomed in the 33-year history of the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame, and the third wrestling team, joining legendary teams from 1950 (which won the NCAA team title that year, back before today's Division I/II/III structure) and 1974-75. In addition to the 1977-78 wrestling team, individuals who will be inducted to the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2017 include Mike Furrey (football), Jacqui Kalin (women's basketball), Bre Payton (volleyball), Ben Boothby (Merlin Taylor Academic Hall of Fame Award), and Jim Sullivan (Dr. Jitu D. Kothari Meritorious Service Award). To purchase tickets for the 2017 UNI Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet on Fri., Sept. 8, in the McLeod Center, contact the UNI athletics office at 319-273-2470.

Jon Jones defeated Daniel Cormier by KO at UFC 214 UFC champions who were once college wrestlers went 1-1 at UFC 214 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Saturday night, as light-heavyweight titleholder Daniel Cormier suffered a third-round knockout at the hands of Jon "Bones" Jones ... while welterweight champ Tyron Woodley kept his crown. "Bones" takes back the title from Cormier The 30-year-old Jones, himself a past junior college mat champ at Iowa Central Community College, reclaimed the undisputed 205-pound crown with a devastating head kick and subsequent ground-and-pound, bringing the bout to an end at 3:01 of Round 3. "In the third round, Cormier ducked into a head kick. Shin met skull, and 'DC' shuddered," Sherdog.com reported. "Jones pursued him across the cage, kicked his legs out from under him and trailed him to the canvas, where he met him with a savage burst of elbow strikes and punches until referee John McCarthy had seen enough." For Cormier, 38, a 2008 Olympian and NCAA All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State, it was only his second loss in his professional mixed martial arts career going back to Sept. 2009 ... and that was also to Jones back in January 2015. For Jones, the past couple years have been packed with dealings with the law, as well as a one-year drug suspension ... an aspect that CBS Sports mentioned in its coverage of last night's title bout. "With his two-year detour of self-destruction behind him, Jon Jones returned to the Octagon on Saturday to reclaim his UFC light heavyweight championship. In the process, he may have cemented his status as the greatest fighter in history." After the fight, Jones was reflective. "It is over. I want to take this time to thank Daniel Cormier for being my biggest rival and motivator," Jones said. "Daniel Cormier, guys, he has absolutely no reason to hang his head. He has been a model champion, a model husband, a model father, teammate and leader. And I aspire to be a lot more like that man because he's an amazing human being. Unfortunately, we are opponents but he is a true champion for the rest of his life." Jones not only reclaimed the light-heavy title, but enhanced his record to 23-1-0, while Cormier dropped to 19-2. Woodley still welterweight champ Tyron Woodley, an NCAA All-American wrestler at University of Missouri, earned a unanimous decision from 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist Demian Maia in the five-round co-main event at 175 pounds. The judges scored it 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46 for the former Mizzou Tiger mat star. "Maia spent the majority of his time eating punches and shooting takedowns, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt growing more desperate by the minute," Sherdog.com reported. "Woodley, a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler, denied all 23 of his takedown attempts by preliminary count." The loss snapped Maia's seven-fight winning streak. Woodley is now 18-3-1, while Maia dropped to 25-7. Former prep star Brooks wins UFC debut In a preliminary event, Jarred Brooks earned a split decision over Eric Shelton in a three-round flyweight (125-pound) bout. The 24-year-old Brooks, who was an Indiana high school state wrestling champ, Super 32 champ and Fargo finalist, won 29-28, 29-28, 28-29 ... even though in their live coverage Sherdog.com and the Los Angeles Times both scored the bout a split decision in favor of Shelton. In fact, the LA paper described it as "a questionable decision" in a "lackluster division." The Warsaw, Ind. native and former wrestler admitted to being nervous in his UFC debut. "I think the takedowns I got were the difference," Brooks said. "I really had Octagon jitters. I said that it wasn't going to happen, but it was for real. The UFC jitters are for real and just the process of everything is crazy. My next time out, fans will see a lot more striking and a lot more versatility out of me."

Three-time state champion Jarrett Trombley (Lake Fenton, Mich.) verbally committed to North Carolina State on Friday afternoon. The projected 141/149 is the No. 52 overall ranked Class of 2018 wrestler. He ended the 2016-17 season as the No. 18 ranked wrestler at 132 pounds, and will join an additional trio of top 100 ranked verbal commitments in the Wolfpack's recruiting class: No. 77 Jakob Camacho (Danbury, Ct.), No. 86 Tyler Barnes (Ballston Spa, N.Y.), and No. 88 Matthew Grippi (Fox Lane, N.Y.)

Troy Sunderland Former Penn State head wrestling coach Troy Sunderland has handed in his resignation as coach at Manheim Central High School after eight seasons. Sunderland came to the school located in Lancaster County in southeastern Pennsylvania after having left the helm of the Nittany Lions mat program at the end of the 2008-09 season. He was replaced by Cael Sanderson, who earlier this week signed a multi-year contract to continue his successful career at Penn State. Under Sunderland, the Barons captured two L-L Section Two crowns -- the second coming just last season -- and went a combined 41-11 in the league and 67-52 overall. The shift from collegiate to high school coaching seemed to suit Sunderland, according to his boss at Manheim Central. "Sunderland wanted to escape the hype up there and get down to this level," athletic director George Derbyshire told LancasterOnline.com. "He was good at it. He was really good with the kids. You could tell he was refreshed by being part of Manheim Central as compared to being in the Big Ten." Meanwhile, Derbyshire needs to find a wrestling coach. "We're not going to rush in the hiring process," said the Manheim Central AD. "We won't get into that until after the school year starts. You won't hear anything at least until September." Troy Sunderland has deep wrestling roots in the Keystone State. A two-time PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) champion at Mount Union High School, Sunderland became a three-time All-American and two-time NCAA runner-up wrestler for Penn State, winning 100 individual matches. A 1993 Penn State grad, Sunderland coached the Nittany Lions to a 115-90-2 dual meet record and directed four top-10 finishes at the NCAA Division I championships before leaving Happy Valley in 2009. What's next for Sunderland? He's not saying. However, he has two daughters who run track at Manheim Central, and a wife who is a teacher in a nearby school.

The Cadet Wrestling European Championships started this week in Sarajevo and while Europe has tuned in, lost in the haze of Fargo was discussion about the new two-day format being tested at the event. While it's too early to make definitive conclusions about the format the initial response from athletes and fans has been positive. The two-day format has been common in the USA since 1998 when three wrestlers died during weight-cutting. A special commission was formed to investigate the issues and it was decided that same-day weigh-ins (along with weight management programs) would prevent young athletes from making drastic cuts. The results seem to be a healthier group of youth and collegiate wrestlers. The international wrestling community has embraced the idea because it both keeps wrestlers from cutting too much weight (a concern of President Lalovic) and helps the sport promote weight class finals on social media and in the press. That will be a big deal for wrestling fans in 2018, but it should also mean significant viewership increased during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Wrestling has some of the most marketable stars, but the press has often found the deadline for story creation too tight. The Cadet Wrestling World Championships will be the next test event, and should that succeed then all tournaments will run on the two-day format starting January 1, 2018. To your questions … Daniel Cormier Q: Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones on Saturday night. Do you have a prediction? I'll be betting DC at 2-1 not only because I dislike Bones and like DC, but because I really think he gets payback and silences his critics. -- Mike C. Foley: I love everything about Daniel Cormier. A few years ago I was sent to his house to write a cover story about his then-upstart MMA career. We hung out for a few days and what struck me most wasn't his incredible athletic talents, but his commitment to family, friends and the sport of wrestling. This guy was a pee-wee wrestling coach until Muhammed Lawal gave him a call and asked him to start fighting! That by itself is a heartwarming origination story, but DC is STILL teaching youth wrestling. He still cares about Team USA and is an active member of the community. Nobody is perfect, but in a sport filled with sleaze this is the role model for the next generation. As for your bet, I think getting 2-1 on your emotional favorite is not a bad line. He'll be frustrated by Jones' length, but I think the wrestling will be a major factor in the match and it will benefit Cormier. Good luck to both you and DC! Q: Do you know how sites are selected for the World Championships? Is it similar to the Olympics where cities make bids and the IOC chooses based on these? Does UWW have their own selection methods? -- Chris P. Foley: United World Wrestling accepts bids from member nations, reviews their proposals and votes in committee on who they will select. That selection is then contingent on the host committee meeting a range of organizational goals, which are administered and overseen by members of the bureau. As the UWW sport presentation has become stabilized with common logos, themes and colors the bid cities are forced to distinguish themselves with services for the wrestlers. The aim now is to provide a professional standard that optimizes the convenience and performance of the athletes. The remainder of the 2018 calendar will be decided at the 2017 World Championships in Paris. Q: What excites you most about the upcoming Junior World Championships? -- Mike C. Foley: I tend to work all the World Championships, but with our media and video team in place and humming along I decided instead to prepare for Worlds at home. My wife misses me. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Q: If you were a college wrestling coach today, what is the most important thing you would look for in a recruit? I realize every school is different and has different requirements and recruits different types of kids, so just generally speaking. -- Mike C. Foley: Generally … character, athleticism and grit. A program with a clear vision requires athletes who are willing to make the right choices, but also the athleticism to apply the techniques and principals of their program in competition. The final part, grit, is tougher to distinguish, but you want kids who enjoy long odds and have the confidence to fight through periods of frustration and who make gains. Oh, and kids with a clean social media feed. Don't need that distraction. Q: Why does USA Wrestling's Junior & Cadet Nationals event in Fargo have to be so damn big? So many competitors, matches and mats make it hard to follow. Seems pointless to have it so big. Do other countries have Cadet and Junior national tournaments this big? -- MC Foley: I think Fargo is the single largest annual gathering of wrestlers in one location over the course of one week. There are wrestling tournaments around the world (traditional and Olympic) which have larger weight class tournaments, but none I've heard of include 10,000 matches over eight days. The size of the tournament has some real positives. The travel costs for state chapters is reduced by ensuring that they can fill buses, chaperone, coach and pay for meals in one fell swoop. Splitting among Cadet and Junior -- and Greco-Roman, women's wrestling and freestyle -- would be a logistical nightmare. I also think that there would be a significant cost increase to USA Wrestling who makes good revenue off the event, largely by keeping their costs in check. Yes, too much to follow, but as long as they want to keep providing an annual tournament it seems to be the best option. Q: Are the social media/message board rumblings that Gable Steveson was competitive with Kyle Snyder and Nick Gwiazdowski at the OTC true? -- Mike C. Foley: I wasn't there, but one can imagine Gable provided excellent training and will make a big impact at the Junior World Championships in Finland! Everything I hear about him says he'll be a great addition to Team USA.

MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State University Moorhead head wrestling coach Kris Nelson has announced that Blake Bosch has been named as an assistant coach on the Dragon staff. One of the most decorated wrestlers in MSUM history, Bosch wrapped up a stellar four-year career for the Dragons this past March. He finished as the national runner-up at 133 pounds at the Division II Wrestling Championships in Birmingham, Ala. Bosch was the seventh Most Dominant Wrestler in Division II, according to awards announced by the NCAA earlier this week. “I thoroughly enjoyed my four years competing for MSUM and developing a lot of relationships with a lot of people around all of campus,” Bosch said. “Now I'm excited to move forward and give back some of the support and guidance I received from many, many people to the next generation of Dragons as an assistant coach. It will be a great experience for me to learn from Coach Nelson in a new way, since he has had such a large impact on my life already. I also feel that I will have a positive impact and be able to relate very well with the guys on the team that I have already developed relationships with and future guys coming in.” He finished the season 32-2 and was the national runner-up at 133 pounds. Bosch recorded 15 pins on the season and was the highest scorer at 133 pounds of all D2 wrestlers. He finished his career as a three-time All-American, two-time Super Region 3 champion and was the 2016-17 NSIC Wrestler of the Year. “Blake will be a tremendous asset for our program and will be involved in all areas of the program,” Nelson said. “He was an outstanding college wrestler that knows what it takes to be successful at the D2 level. I'm confident he will do a great job passing on his knowledge of the sport to the team and bring a competitive edge as a workout partner for the lower weight classes.” Bosch had a career-record of 115-35 at MSUM and is second in all-time victories at the school. He was a two-time MSUM Male Athlete of the Year.

Check out this week's Takedown TV, featuring… Junior Freestyle Nationals Coverage Hall of Fame Feature on Mike Hagerty Lou Rosselli discusses the hiring of Eric Guerrero to Oklahoma Regional Training Center Watch online or on these cable networks/channels: Cablevision: Sundays at 4 p.m. Charter Cable: Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 p.m. and Monday 2:30 p.m. Comcast Cable: Friday at 5:00 p.m. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. KCWI 23: Saturday 4:00 p.m. KWEM Stillwater, Oklahoma: Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Long Lines Cable: Daily at 5:30 p.m. Mediacom Cable: Sundays at 10:30 a.m. MidCo Sports Network: Saturday 10:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. SECV8: Friday at 5:00 p.m. Suddenlink Cable: Check your local listings. Multiple air times. Time Warner Cable Sports: Saturday at 12:00 p.m. Western Reserve Cable: Tuesday at 11:00 p.m., Friday at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 10:00 p.m.

Five members of the star-studded 2017 American freestyle team won medals in their first world-level competition. Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder and Logan Stieber captured world titles on their first try while J'den Cox won an Olympic bronze medal and James Green a world bronze medal in their initial appearances. Three promising newcomers will have an opportunity to do the same thing at the World Championships on Aug. 21-26 in Paris, France. First-time World Team members Thomas Gilman, Zain Retherford and Nick Gwiazdowski are three wrestlers capable of making podium runs in Paris. Their performances could be key as the U.S. makes a run at its first freestyle team title since 1995. The U.S. will send 24 wrestlers to Paris, including eight in freestyle, eight in women's wrestling and eight in Greco-Roman, for an event that is being held a few weeks earlier in the calendar year. The event has been held for a number of years in September. Here are 10 storylines to watch for U.S. wrestlers in all three styles in Paris: 10. Time to shine for newcomers Thomas Gilman, Zain Retherford and Nick Gwiazdowski are new to this event. But none of these guys are new to international competition. Gilman won a Junior world bronze medal, Retherford captured a Cadet world title and Gwiazdowski has gained a fair amount of experience internationally as well. All three of these guys are tough competitors with relentless styles that can break any opponent. Don't be surprised to see some medals come from this determined group of young athletes. Logan Stieber will look to win his second straight world title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 9. Another run for Logan? Logan Stieber has found the perfect fit at 134 pounds, and that was evident when he won a world title in 2016. Stieber is back again at this weight class, and he's clearly one of the favorites to win this division. Stieber may have the most wide-open style of any American right now. He's never out of a match. He just keeps coming. You never want to miss a match when he's competing. 8. Fear the Beard Veteran Robby Smith should've won a Greco-Roman bronze medal at the last World Championships in 2015. Smith finished fifth after some very curious calls went against him. Smith has proven he belongs on this stage and this is a big opportunity for him after a disappointing performance in Rio. The charismatic heavyweight with the big beard is never boring to watch. 7. Can Green earn gold? James Green has become a consistent performer at 154 pounds. He's now made three straight World teams. Green is very good offensively and defensively, and he's become very strong mentally. He's a confident, mature professional who believes he's ready to be the best guy on the planet. He's very explosive and tough to stop when he stays aggressive. Victoria Anthony after winning the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 6. What other women's stars will emerge Alli Ragan, Victoria Anthony and Tamyra Mensah are three women's wrestlers capable of contending for gold at the Worlds. Ragan reached the finals of the 2016 Worlds, Anthony has been a world semifinalist and Mensah beat world champion Elena Pirozhkova to make the American team. With three-time world champion Adeline Gray recovering from an injury, the women need some other athletes to step up this season. 5. J'den looking to follow suit J'den Cox was one of the pleasant surprises at the 2016 Olympics. He nearly made the finals, and if not for some confusion in the closing stages of a tie match he may have been in the gold-medal bout. Cox rebounded to win Olympic bronze and came back this year to beat a very strong wrestler in David Taylor to make his first World Team. Cox is very strong and powerful for this 189-pound division and is a tough matchup for anybody who faces him. Ellis Coleman wrestling in the U.S. Open semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 4. Flying Squirrel back for another run Ellis Coleman was one of the brightest young stars in Greco-Roman before making the 2012 Olympic team. He earned national and international attention for his patented "Flying Squirrel" move from the Junior Worlds. He's also wrestled at the Senior World Championships, jumping in as a last-minute replacement for Harry Lester in 2013. But he has been slowed in recent years by a number of injuries. Coleman remains a very talented and determined wrestler who could be capable of making a big splash on the world stage. 3. Can Jordan rule once again? Jordan Burroughs has won his three world titles in the odd-numbered years of 2011, 2013 and 2015. It's 2017 now, but Burroughs has his share of doubters and detractors after a stunning 2016 Olympics performance. He lost two matches and failed to medal in Rio after being an overwhelming favorite to repeat his 2012 Olympic title. Burroughs has bounced back this season, outlasting Kyle Dake in three matches to make the World Team. Burroughs is eager to atone for last year's performance. The key for him is to get to his attacks. Foreign wrestlers have become very adept at blocking his lethal double leg. Look for Burroughs to find other ways to score as he seeks a fourth World gold medal. 2. The return of Helen Helen Maroulis is the reigning world and Olympic champion at two different weight classes -- 121 pounds and 116 pounds. Now she bumps up to a new division, 128 pounds, for the start of a new Olympic cycle. Maroulis became the biggest story of the Rio Olympics in wrestling when she scored a stunning upset of three-time Olympic champion Saori Yoshida of Japan in the finals. Maroulis will be wrestling much stronger opponents now, but she's also at a more comfortable weight class where she is clearly stronger as well. I wouldn't bet against her winning gold in Paris. Abdulrashid Sadulaev won Olympic gold in Rio (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 1. Marquee matchup: Snyder vs. Sadulaev Many wrestling observers consider Russian superstar Abdulrashid Sadulaev the best pound-for-pound wrestler on the planet. There are plenty of good reasons for that. The wrestler known as the Russian tank has destroyed the competition at the World Championships and the Olympics. Now Sadulaev may face his biggest challenge as he moves up a weight class -- battling reigning Olympic and world champion Kyle Snyder at 213 pounds. Like Sadulaev, Snyder is a wrestler who became very advanced at a young age. Snyder is another very physical, punishing wrestler who never seems to wear down. It could be the match of the tournament in Paris. Hopefully, we will have an opportunity to witness it. Snyder certainly won't be backing down from Sadulaev.

The Adidas Battle the Bus National Wrestling Tour -- now crossing the United States -- will be making a stop this Saturday on Takedown Radio. Coaches, athletes and parents taking part in the national tour will join Scott Casber, Tony Hager and Brad Johnson Saturday from 9 to 11:00 A.M. (CT) on the iHeartRadio App (Search KXNO 1460), KXNO.com, TakedownWrestle.com or on AM Radio 1460. The tour started in Michigan July 24. The 21-day, ten-state journey will visit some of the best wrestling clubs, colleges and clinicians across the country, concluding in Spokane, Wash., the city where the iconic 1980 wrestling movie "Vision Quest" was filmed. To learn more about the Adidas Battle the Bus National Wrestling Tour, visit their website www.battlethebus.com or use the hashtag #battlethebus on all social media.

Kyle Crutchmer battles PSU's Mark Hall (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Four months after wrestling at the 2017 NCAA Division I championships -- and a bit more than a month after the USA Wrestling World Team Trials -- Oklahoma State's Kyle Crutchmer is already in training for his new career as a professional mixed martial arts fighter. And he's doing it with the help of a couple fellow former Cowboys. Crutchmer -- a two-time NCAA All-American for the Cowboys -- has taken the first steps towards an MMA career. He's signed with an agent (though he has yet to ink a deal with an MMA promotion). What's more, the Tulsa native recently relocated to California full-time to join the American Kickbocking Academy in San Jose -- the same gym where Daniel Cormier, current UFC Light Heavyweight champ, and former Cowboy and Olympic wrestler -- spends countless hours in training. "I always knew I wanted to try (MMA) since I was wrestling in high school," Crutchmer told the Stillwater (Okla.) News-Press . "Wrestling at OSU, you are so tied up that you don't have much to think about other than school or wrestling, so I didn't start thinking about it again until April after I got done competing in college. "I wanted to wrestle in the summer just to say that I did it in the highest level of wrestling. But I always kind of knew that I was going to make the transition to MMA. It was just a matter of time." Last week, Crutchmer had his first boxing lesson at AKA. But he's not abandoning his wrestling roots ... thanks to yet another Oklahoma State mat alum. Jamill Kelly, associate head wrestling coach at Stanford who was a two-year starter for the Cowboys -- and a silver medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics -- asked Crutchmer to help work out with the Cardinal wrestling program. "He found out that I was going to be out in this area and asked if I would come by and wrestle his guys three times a week," Crutchmer said. "And in MMA, you still have to have good wrestling, so I see it as another avenue to learn from another one of the best guys to wrestle at Oklahoma State." Crutchmer has no allusions about finding instant fame and fortune in MMA ... but is eager to start competing. "Whenever they feel I'm ready, that's when I'll be ready to compete," Crutchmer said. "So far, I've been a fast learner. I'd like to fight before the year's over."

Matt Hughes, former UFC middleweight champ and wrestling All-American who was seriously injured in a truck-train collision in June, continues to make progress and is no longer in a coma, said fellow UFC Hall of Fame member -- and good friend -- Pat Miletich. Matt Hughes"He is surprising the doctors," Miletich said in an interview Monday. "He's making great leaps and he's no longer in a coma, and he's improving. It's going to be a long road. Any type of head trauma at that level, there's going to be some rehab." Miletich said he hasn't been able to visit Hughes, who has been hospitalized in Springfield, Ill., since the accident on June 16. "Nobody is allowed to visit him besides family," Miletich said. "That's it right now. They don't want to overload him, they want his energy to go to healing and not to anything else." There have been no updates on the Facebook page of family member Beth Hughes Ulrici since early July, who at the time reported that Matt Hughes had been removed from a ventilator and was showing "small signs of improvement." Miletich and Hughes share a long friendship ... and impressive wrestling and MMA backgrounds. Miletich, who wrestled at Bettendorf High School and at a community college in Iowa, was the UFC's first 170-pound champion who shared his knowledge with fellow Midwesterner Hughes, who later became what many consider to be one of the greatest 170-pound fighters of all time. Prior to entering MMA, Hughes was a two-time Illinois high school state wrestling champ who went on to become a two-time NCAA Division I All-American at Eastern Illinois University.

Cael Sanderson (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Despite the hopes of a number of competing wrestling programs, Cael Sanderson isn't leaving Penn State anytime soon. Sanderson and the university have agreed to a new, long-term contract to replace the agreement that had expired June 30, said Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago Tuesday. Terms of the contract have not been made public. Penn State is obligated to release contract details of only four athletic department jobs: athletic director and the head coach of football, men's basketball and women's basketball, according to The Daily Collegian. Despite concerns and speculation from some in the wrestling community about whether Sanderson would depart Happy Valley, Barbour said the coach's future at Penn State was never in doubt. "What Cael and our wrestling program has done is absolutely spectacular, but there was never an issue," Barbour said Tuesday. "It was never a concern. It was a matter of getting to the right place." Since arriving at Penn State from Iowa State in 2009, Cael Norman Sanderson, 38, has guided the Nittany Lions to new levels of success. In eight seasons, Sanderson has compiled a 112-14-2 overall record, with six Big Ten team conference crowns, six NCAA team titles, 16 individual national champs and 21 Big Ten champions.

College wrestling coaches Brett Robbins and Jim Miller will be guests on the “On The Mat” broadcast this Wednesday, July 26. Brett Robbins is an assistant coach at the University of Northern Iowa. As head wrestling coach at Wartburg, Jim Miller brought home ten NCAA Division III team titles. Jeff Bradley will serve as host for this week's edition. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa this Thursday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com

Why wrestle? Those involved in the sport -- athletes, coaches, fans -- can offer various reasons to participate. The opinions can range from the very specific -- "It gives you skills that help you succeed in football and other sports" -- to the more philosophical, as in this statement from Dan Gable, Olympic gold medalist and long-time successful coach at University of Iowa: "Once you've wrestled, everything else is easy." Noah Kaufman could write a book about all that he's gained in 25 years as a wrestler and coach. In fact, he has. It's titled "Lessons from the Mat: Life Lessons from a Quarter Century of Coaching and Competing." As the title suggests, "Lessons from the Mat" provides various life lessons from wrestling -- including perseverance, confidence, dedication, gratitude, and overcoming adversity -- from stories from numerous wrestlers, as well as from other real-life stories. Meet Noah Kaufman Noah Kaufman brings a wealth of wrestling experience to his new book. He was born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. Kaufman wrestled at Mt. Vernon High School ... then headed south to University of Virginia, where he continued his academic and athletic career, wrestling all four years for the Cavaliers. Noah KaufmanOnce he hung up the headgear, Kaufman continued in the sport as a coach for 17 years, including a decade at George C. Marshall High in Falls Church, Va. Kaufman isn't just about wrestling. He has a minor in Religious Studies from UVA, and an MBA from University of Maryland. Kaufman has earned various professional designations as a CPA, CGFM, and CGMA. He has taught at various institutions, including for the Becker CPA review ... and has worked at various consulting/auditing firms as well as at federal agencies. Oh, and he's professionally published as a photographer. Kaufman's unique resume provides him with the ability to share a multi-dimensional look at wrestling and how it can help shape individuals of any age and experience level. When asked to provide a quick description of his book, Kaufman responded, "It's all about the lessons I've learned from a quarter-century in the sport, and how you can apply wrestling's lessons to guide your own life." How the book came together For starters, both Noah Kaufman and his wife have written books in the past. "My wife has written a couple books," said Kaufman, who has also penned a couple titles himself, including a book about Jewish business ethics. "I thought my experience in wrestling would have elements that would be worth sharing with others." "I was driven to get the book done before my son was born. He's now 13 months old." "I had a general outline prepared before I actually started writing," Kaufman said. "My experience in putting together other books was helpful in how to do research, organize information, edit, etc." "These are my experiences. I'm lucky to have coached a long time, and see how different coaches work. Their strengths, how they handle challenges." Compact ... yet packed with practical guidance "Lessons from the Wrestling Mat" chapters are organized into sections -- Warm Up, Main Event, and Post-Match Interviews. Each chapter addresses issues of significant importance to wrestlers, such as not underestimating -- or overestimating -- your opponent, leadership, celebrating success, showing appreciation, and saying the right thing at the right time. Each chapter incorporates Noah Kaufman's own experiences and observations, sprinkled with stories from others in wrestling ... all applicable for those involved in the oldest and greatest sport. "The book is written for a variety of people -- wrestlers, their parents, coaches," said Kaufman. "It's a chance to communicate unique lessons to be gained from wrestling, to others." "These lessons can be used in life beyond wrestling," Kaufman continued. "In your career, life at home, in regular life." "Lessons from the Wrestling Mat" provides guidance from the oldest and greatest sport that's applicable to life beyond the mat. The book serves up a good variety of practicable lessons covering multiple subjects, including perseverance, confidence, dedication, gratitude, and overcoming adversity, in an engaging presentation built on concise, easy-to-read chapters. To order Noah Kaufman's "Lessons from the Wrestling Mat: Life Lessons from a Quarter Century of Coaching and Competing," visit Amazon.com.

Two-time state champion Joey Melendez (Montini Catholic, Ill.) verbally committed to the University of North Carolina on Monday afternoon. He ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 7 nationally at 113 pounds, and entered the Fargo week as the No. 67 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018. Melendez had an excellent Fargo finishing as the Junior National freestyle runner-up at 120 pounds. An additional notable accomplishment in the last 12 months for the projected 125/133 is a championship at the Preseason Nationals last fall. He joins No. 21 Brandon Whitman (Dundee, Mich.) as a Tar Heels verbal commitment in the Class of 2018.

Former University of Missouri wrestling champ Ben Askren will defend his ONE Championships MMA welterweight title this September in China. The MMA website MMAUNO.com reports that the 16-0 Askren will face Sweden's Zebaztian Kadestam, with a 9-3 record, at Shanghai Oriental Sports Stadium in Shanghai, China on Sept. 2. Askren posted the following message on his Facebook page last week: "Oh baby, it is go time!" In an interview with TheFightNetwork, Askren said, "I'm pumped to fight in Shanghai and pumped to be fighting again so soon." It will be Askren's third title defense, the last one just two months ago. In May 2017, the Wisconsin native got a first-round submission of Agilan Thani with an arm-triangle choke. It was at that same event that Kadestam made his ONE Championship debut, stopping former welterweight challenger Luis Santos, snapping the Brazilian's five-year, ten-fight undefeated streak. Prior to launching his pro MMA career in 2009, the 33-year-old Askren was a highly accomplished amateur wrestler. He was a four-time NCAA finalist for Missouri, winning titles in 2006 and 2007. Askren earned a place on the U.S. men's freestyle team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

GOLDEN, Colo. -- Colorado School of Mines dedicated the Jack Hancock Wrestling Center on July 20, honoring the long-time Mines coach with plans announced to renovate the complex's locker room area. Nearly 150 alumni, friends, family, and current Mines wrestlers gathered in honor of Hancock, coinciding with the announcement of the final piece of the center - the locker room - that will complete the facility and make it the best in NCAA Division II. "I'm overwhelmed by the number of people here for this special occasion," Hancock said at the dedication, with dozens of his former wrestlers in attendance. "You have no idea what your presence here today means to myself and my family." Hancock, a member of the Mines, RMAC, Northern Colorado, and NCAA Wrestling Halls of Fame, served in numerous roles over 37 years including the head wrestling and tennis coach, assistant football coach, and head athletic trainer. He was the head wrestling coach during his entirety at Mines, coaching the team to second-place finishes at the 1961 and 1964 NAIA National Championships. He coached tennis from 1955-66 and 1979-92, and led the Orediggers to 1974 and 1978 RMAC titles. During his time, Hancock produced 33 All-Americans. "Coach led me through many, many stages of life, first as a coach and teacher, and then as I got a little older as a mentor and confidant and close friend. But most importantly, I can still call him coach," said Mines Hall of Famer Marv Kay, who wrestled for Hancock before going to a distinguished career as an Oredigger coach and athletic director. The first piece of the Hancock Wrestling Center was completed in 2010, when the former pool space within Volk Gymnasium was decked over to create a dedicated practice facility for the program. However, the team has used the same locker room since the opening of Volk in 1959. With the roster more than doubling in size since the 1950s, the team has far outgrown the space it needs, and a new addition with modernized lockers, bathrooms, and a study lounge will be built in space occupied by the current wrestling and former men's soccer locker rooms. To learn more about the project that will shape the future of Mines Wrestling, visit giving.mines.edu/wrestlingrenovation.

Chris Weidman defeated Kelvin Gastelum Former NCAA Division I All-American wrestlers Chris Weidman and Patrick Cummins both came out on top in top-of-the-card bouts at the UFC on FOX 25 event at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. Saturday night. Weidman, a former middleweight champion, broke a three-fight losing streak at the Long Island event by submitting Kelvin Gastelum in the third round ... while, in a heavyweight match, Cummins earned a split decision over Gian Villante having "snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat with pure heart and tenacity," according to Yahoo! Sports. Weidman: Hometown Pride Weidman, a Long Island native who was an All-American at Nassau Community College before earning All-American honors as a Hofstra University Pride wrestler, made the hometown crowd proud with his first win in two years ... and his first victory by submission since 2011. Weidman used an arm-triangle choke on the eighth-ranked Gastelum at 3:45 in the third round of the bout scheduled for three. Weidman had won the first two rounds according to the live play-by-play reports at Yahoo Sports and Sherdog ... with one exception: towards the end of Round One, Gastelum stepped in with a straight left hand that sent Weidman crashing to the canvas. Following the win, Weidman said, "If you're going through something, believe in yourself. Screw what people's opinions are." Then turning his attention to 185-pound champion Michael Bisping, Weidman said, "That British bum crying in his house right now, I'm back baby! I'm back! What's up. I'm the champ and everybody knows it." With the win, Weidman, 33, is now 14-3 in his professional MMA career, while Gastelum falls to 13-3. Cummins comes through Despite looking worse for wear -- including two swollen eyes -- after three rounds of action, Patrick Cummins came through with split decision win over Gian Villante at UFC on FOX 25. Two judges scored it 29-28 for the former Penn State heavyweight NCAA All-American ... while the third gave the same score to Villante. "Cummins overcame near-disaster and outworked Villante, who faded badly as the fight went into deep waters," according to Yahoo Sports. "After nearly putting Cummins out with a punch and hammerfists in the first, Villante's technique went out the door as he was consistently beaten to the punch." Cummins now has two straight wins to compile an overall record of 10-4, while Villante drops to 15-9.

Aaron Pico was defeated by Zach Freeman in his MMA debut (Photo/Juan Garcia) One month after making his disastrous debut at Bellator NYC, Aaron Pico has committed to return to MMA. The 20-year-old former amateur wrestling phenom will climb back into the cage at Bellator 183 in San Jose's SAP Center on Sept. 23, Bellator CEO Scott Coker told ESPN Friday. Pico's lightweight bout will be a main-card feature, shown on Spike TV. An opponent has yet to be named. Also slated to appear at Bellator 183: a lightweight headline fight between Benson Henderson and Patricky Freire, and the promotional debut of heavyweight Roy Nelson who will face Javy Ayala. Pico, who passed on a promising collegiate wrestling career by signing with Bellator at age 18, had been the focus of one of the most-anticipated, most-hyped pro MMA debuts in years last month in New York City. However, it was a colossal fail for Pico, as he was submitted with a guillotine choke in just 24 seconds by veteran Zack Freeman in New York City on June 23. A high school state wrestling champion at 132 pounds, Pico made it to the finals at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, falling to former Penn State NCAA champ Frank Molinaro. In addition to his wrestling credentials, Pico brings an amateur boxing background to MMA, having won a National Junior Golden Gloves title in 2009.

Lou Rosselli (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors) A number of top college wrestling coaches will be among the guests to be featured on the Takedown Radio broadcast this Saturday, July 22. Join Scott Casber, Tony Hager and Brad Johnson for the two-hour broadcast from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Central available on KXNO 1460 AM radio and online at www.KXNO.iHeart.com or TakedownWrestle.com Here's this Saturday's guest list: 9 a.m. Roger Chandler, head wrestling coach at Michigan State 9:20 a.m. John Hangey, Rider head wrestling coach 9:25 a.m. Ryan Freeman, Pure and Clean Sports 10 a.m. Joey Roberts, Muay Thai up-and-comer 10:15 a.m. Scott Goodale, Rutgers head wrestling coach 10:35 a.m. Lou Rosselli, head wrestling coach at University of Oklahoma

Isaac Salas was a Cadet folkstyle champ, but fell short of becoming an All-American in freestyle (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) As was the case with the Junior National freestyle tournament, the Cadet level tournament had star-studded field across the weight classes. Even though some of the talent may be less known nationally, as it's younger, there were still some/many productive and capable wrestlers that fell short of becoming an All-American. Below is a listing of eight notable wrestlers in each weight class, based on performance in this tournament and/or previous credential, who fell short of All-America honors. Wrestlers are listed in alphabetical order. 88 and 285: These weight classes had less than 32 participants. 94: Alex Almeyda (New Jersey) -- UWW Cadet freestyle All-American Alex Cottey (Indiana) Danny Curran (Illinois) *rising freshman* Christian Decatur-Luker (North Carolina) Kelly Dunnigan (New Jersey) *rising freshman* Alec Freeman (Indiana) *rising freshman* Guillermo Juarez (Illinois) Blake Noonan (Michigan) -- UWW Cadet freestyle All-American 100: Riley Bettich (Michigan) -- state runner-up Brenden Chaowanapibool (Washington) -- state champ, 2016 Junior National freestyle All-American Parker Decker (Texas) -- state placer Eli Griffin (Oklahoma) -- Cadet folkstyle champ Matthew Lewis (Iowa) *rising freshman* Angelo Lozado (Colorado) *rising freshman* Jake Manley (Ohio) -- state qualifier Korbin Shepherd (Missouri) *rising freshman* 106: Christian Cabuag (California) *rising freshman* C.J. Composto (New Jersey) -- state qualifier Preston Decker (Texas) -- state placer Colton Drousias (Indiana) -- Cadet folkstyle champion Noah Gochberg (Texas) *rising freshman* Kaden Kuenzi (Oregon) -- state champ, returning Cadet freestyle All-American Caden McCrary (Georgia) -- returning Cadet freestyle All-American, 2016 UWW Cadet freestyle All-American Brock McMillen (Pennsylvania) -- No. 23 Class of 2021 113: Adam Allard (Iowa) -- state champ Khyler Brewer (Missouri) -- state placer Haiden Drury (Washington) -- state runner-up Hunter Lewis (Wisconsin) -- state runner-up, UWW Cadet freestyle All-American T.J. Long (Oklahoma) -- state placer Zach Redding (New York) -- No. 27 Class of 2020, No. 15 at 106 (EOY) Jaxon Smith (Georgia) *rising freshman* Jesse Ybarra (Arizona) -- state champ 120: Terrell Barraclough (Utah) -- two-time state champ Connor McCrone (Ohio) -- two-time state placer Bret Minor (Kansas) -- state champ Luke Odom (Illinois) -- state placer Isaac Salas (California) -- No. 6 Class of 2021 Noah Villarreal (Illinois) -- state runner-up Reece Witcraft (Oklahoma) -- two-time state placer Dominic Zaccone (Illinoi) -- two-time state placer 126: Sincere Bailey (Illinois) *rising freshman* Bryce Hepner (Ohio) -- state runner-up Jose Fernandez (California) -- state qualifier Josh Jones (Pennsylvania) -- state placer Fabian Lopez (Illinois) -- No. 21 Class of 2020 Ed Scott (Pennsylvania) -- state placer Mark Shaeffer (Michigan) -- Cadet folkstyle champ Alec Viduya (Indiana) -- state champ 132: Eddie Bolivar (IIlinois) -- state qualifier Nick Dunagan (Minnesota) -- two-time state qualifier Matt Lee (Indiana) -- state placer Stockton O'Brien (Utah) -- state champ Lucas Revano (New Jersey) -- two-time state placer Dawson Sihavong (California) -- state placer, Cadet folkstyle champ A.J. Tamburrino (Pennsylvania) -- NHSCA Freshman Nationals champ Ryan Wheeler (Washington) -- state placer 138: Manzona Bryant IV (Indiana) -- No. 31 Class of 2020 Jacob Dado (Illinois) -- state placer, returning Cadet freestyle All-American Jackson Dean (New Jersey) -- Delaware state champ Lucas DeSilva (Georgia) -- state runner-up Robert Garcia (New Jersey) -- state placer Hayden Lieb (Alaska) -- state champ Alfonso Martinez (Arizona) -- No. 40 Class of 2020 Colby Njos (Minnesota) -- two-time state placer 145: Frankie Almaguer (Washington) -- two-time state champ Benny Baker (Pennsylvania) -- two-time National Prep placer Eric Bauer (Wisconsin) -- two-time state placer Hudson Hightower (Ohio) -- No. 22 Class of 2021 Sheldon Cole (Arizona) -- state placer Cole Rees (Pennsylvania) -- No. 20 Class of 2021 Justus Scott (Nevada) -- state placer Bubba Wilson (Kansas) -- state runner-up 152: McKay Foy (Utah) -- two-time state champ Angel Garcia (Pennsylvania) Colton Hawks (Missouri) -- state placer Jax Leonard (Ohio) -- state placer Cade Lindsey (Kansas) -- two-time state placer (2016 state champ) Jace Rhodes (Montana) -- state champ Daniel Snediker (Washington) -- state placer Donnell Washington (Illinois) -- 2016 state runner-up 160: Cole Hivnor (Ohio) *rising freshman* Gage Hockett (Oklahoma) -- state placer Marcos Jimenez (California) Devin Neal (Washington) -- state placer Jonovan Smith (California) -- state qualifier Dominic Solis (Maryland) Dustin Solomon (Michigan) -- state placer Caden Wright (Pennsylvania) 170: Julian Broderson (Iowa) -- state champ Brian Boyd (Missouri) -- state placer Sam Fisher (Virginia) -- state champ Troy Fisher (Kansas) -- two-time state runner-up Luke Johnson (Kansas) *rising freshman* Jacob Lagoa (Ohio) -- No. 35 Class of 2020 Gabriel Lee (Georgia) -- two-time state runner-up Luke Nichter (Pennsylvania) -- No. 42 Class of 2020 182: Gabe Christenson (Iowa) -- No. 49 Class of 2020 Donovan Corn (Arizona) -- state placer Nicholas Florschutz (Pennsylvania) -- two-time National Prep placer Jaden Glauser (Illinois) -- state placer Isaac Gomez (Washington) -- state champ Cade Lautt (Kansas) -- state placer Trevor Swier (Illinois) -- state qualifier 195: Max Gomez (Illinois) Troy Klein (Wisconsin) -- state qualifier Nik Koch (New York) Mason McCready (Pennsylvania) Colton Quantz (Ohio) Brennan Rutt (Minnesota) Terren Swartz (Wyoming) -- state runner-up Dominik Vacura (Minnesota) -- state placer 220: Kade Carlson (Utah) -- state placer Tyler Deloof (Michigan) Cabe Dickerson (Oklahoma) -- state runner-up, returning Cadet freestyle All-American Josh Heindselman (Oklahoma) -- state runner-up Thomas Mukai (Virginia) -- state champ Erich Osteen (California) -- state qualifier Rowan Udell (Iowa) Micah Walker (Oklahoma)

Nash Hutmacher of South Dakota and Louden Haga of Ohio battle in the Cadet freestyle finals at 285 (Photo/Jim Thrall) The Junior & Cadet Nationals event in Fargo concludes this weekend and after a jam-packed week of competition there was once again a familiar chorus being chirped by Twitter: "Wrestling NEEDS Stars!" Wrestling does need stars, and in fact has them: Kyle Snyder, Hassan Yazdani, Abdulrashid Sadulaev, Helen Maroulis, Risako Kawai, Jordan Burroughs, Mijain Lopez and others. These are professional athletes who have achieved stardom on the world stage, signed promotional contracts with companies and have large/loyal social media following. By most measures they are stars. The wrestlers in Fargo? Not stars. These are student-athletes -- who like their classmates on the baseball diamond, tennis courts and football fields -- stand little chance of making a living in their sport. What they do stand a chance to do is acquire life skills through sport. These are kids that still need to learn the values of hard work, modesty, an enjoyment of craft -- not how to placate a for-profit company's far-off appeal of "stardom." Marketing of wrestling is important, but it should not be done on the backs of 16-year-old kids, but for the benefit of all kids. The most irritating incident from Fargo was the inane and totally harmless Mutombo finger wag by an athlete during the Cadet freestyle finals in Fargo. Half think it's great because it builds interest and gives something for non-wrestlers to attach themselves to, while the other half -- the get-off-my-lawn types -- find it unnecessary. I'm in the latter half, but not because I think kids today are more disrespectful than the last generation, but because there is no growing wrestling through promoting types of adversarial moments, especially at the youth level. We, the media and the fans (an indistinguishable grouping of Twitter faces), shouldn't be in the work of leveraging the behavior of some athletes for the benefit of "stardom?" Viewership? The profit of a few business owners? Take a minute to think about who is driving viewership and why? At the international level the goal of the media team is to create a greater interest in the sport so that more individuals around the world can engage in the product. There is a premium on that content in the USA, but the organization runs as a non-profit -- any money made is reinvested into new programs, training facilities, mats for developing nations, scholarships, expansion of opportunities and more. Of course the system isn't perfect and as with any organization there are areas for improvement, but the main goal is to promote the sport through showing the qualities it has instilled in the athletes. Even with the older athletes there is no cause to make the sport about something it's not. Wrestling is beautiful because it doesn't require the excess to be enjoyed, and changing that dynamic won't fatten participation roles, only the pockets of a few. I see the value in promoting events with youth wrestlers, but it makes me feel uncomfortable to ask the individuals to work at becoming marketable stars through questionable behavior. Scholastic wrestling should be first and foremost a learning opportunity about values and the core principles that contribute to good citizens. Getting caught up in the finger-wagging is a boost of sugar for those addicted to the rush, but like any sweet there are side effects. Let's not lose sight of why we want our kids to wrestle. To your questions … Eric Guerrero coaching at the Freestyle World Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Thoughts on Eric Guerrero leaving Oklahoma State to coach the Oklahoma RTC? He had been in Stillwater forever. Did something happen at Oklahoma State for him to move? Or any idea why he left? -- Mike C. Foley: The rumbling was that he didn't see a way to the head coaching position and wanted to advance his career. This move keeps him local, gives him a new career opportunity and brings attention to his coaching ability. Regardless of whether it works, I think 25 years at the same place hints to most that some change could help accelerate a stalled career. Q: I was wondering what you thought about this. An Eastern Oregon school, Hermiston High School, has no other schools its size close by. It would have to travel five hours each way for competition. Somehow the Portland area schools have said they will not travel east. So Hermiston would have to go west for every event. They said they wouldn't do that, and petitioned to join up with WIAA, where there are schools about 45 minutes away just over the Columbia River. WIAA has allowed them to join, with OSAA permission. I'm on a message board for Washington wrestling. Many people are upset that someone from out of state can win a state championship. And possibly the whole team. Hermiston has had a strong tradition of strong athletes, specifically in wresting. So there is a valid concern. I feel this is what's best for the students, which ultimately should be the concern. But some people are worried their child will be left off the podium. What are your thoughts on this, and other out-of-state schools being allowed to compete with closer schools and conferences? -- Spokris Foley: State boundaries tend to be lines of demarcation established by the federal government to distinguish tax bases and afford more local control. In this case the Columbia River was the (mostly) arbitrary line set out by these 19th Century bureaucrats. Today, the population base and HSA travel restrictions (local decision) have forced an Oregonian school to apply for and receive membership in Washington. While unorthodox, it might be one of the most reasonable responses to a bureaucratic mixup I've read about in years! The parents only have a valid concern if their entire identity is really wrapped into the idea of being a Washingtonian. The truth is that a single exemption for practical purposes serves only as a precedent for rational governance, not taking away opportunities from the hardworking kids of Washington state. Q: Are these Hassan Yazdani to WWE rumors true? If he does go to pro wrestling, when would it happen? -- Mike C. Foley: No. Just someone trolling after the Iranian WWE wrestler gave him a shout out after a match. Yazdani is shy -- almost painfully shy. Nothing about our interactions has even hinted that he'd go out into the world of acting. Q: During the 2016 Olympics, the IOC fielded ten athletes that are refugees. Six in track & field, two in judo, and two in swimming. These athletes were able to compete under the Olympic flag. Is there a chance the UWW will host a refugee team or a team comprised of stateless wrestlers this summer at the World Championships? -- Broccoli Ears Foley: No. The 2017 World Championships will not feature a refugee team. The idea to include them in the 2016 Games was timely and relevant given that many of the athletes had been displaced and were looking for new homes. The most memorable might have even been the Iranian Taekwondo fighter from Iran who fought without her hijab and was forced to move to Belgium, a very serious move with serious consequences. Wrestling does currently enjoy one of the most active Olympic Solidarity programs in international sports, reaching out to wrestlers from disadvantaged backgrounds and providing them the opportunity to train and compete via financial funding from the Olympic Games. Additionally, United World Wrestling hosts camps and clinics for underserved communities around the world which helps instill wrestling technique and Olympic values. I'm in Asia now preparing for the program (More than Medals) which will start Sunday after the Asian Cadet Championships in Thailand and run for one week. The access to great wrestlers and workshops on learning things we might take for granted will certainly leave a positive impact on these young athletes. Q: USA Wrestling has a partnership with Nike that prohibits companies like Rudis from selling merchandise inside the Fargodome. What did you make of Rudis setting up a large tent/booth at the Burger King parking lot near the Fargodome? I thought it was clever. -- Mike C. Foley: Of course it was clever! Though I understand Nike's frustration and USA Wrestling's support, the fact remains they didn't do anything illegal. It was an objectively business savvy move. What I want to see is how all parties respond in the coming weeks and months. Will Fargo actually try to lock down competing sponsors around the city? I can't imagine that would happen.

Bruce Cridge, Pennsylvania state wrestling champ who went on to wrestle at Edinboro University, died Tuesday. "Bruce passed away, at the age of 40, peacefully at home under the care of Family Hospice," according to his obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. As a wrestler at Canon-McMillan High School, Cridge won the 152-pound title at the 1996 PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) Class AAA Championships, winning a 5-2 decision over Robby Waller of Mt. Pleasant. The third time was the charm, as Cridge placed the previous two times at the state championships. After completing his high school career with a 99-13 record, Cridge earned a wrestling scholarship to Edinboro University, competing for the Fighting Scots from 1996 to 1998. A career-ending neck injury cut ended his time on the mat. After graduating from Edinboro, Cridge returned to Canon-McMillan, where he joined the wrestling coaching staff. "He was gifted on the mat, teaching and breaking down the sport," C-M retired head wrestling coach Chris Mary told the Observer-Reporter. "He loved to give back and he loved to teach. He enjoyed working with the kids and made it fun for them. He was one of the best to wear a Canon-McMillan uniform." A Celebration of Life to honor Bruce Cridge will be held at the Stone Pavilion at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Park on July 30 from 1-7 p.m.

Trackwrestling is partnering with Titan Mercury Wrestling Club to deliver live streams and broad coverage of the Senior, Junior and Cadet World Championships. Fans can watch live and archived video of American greats and top wrestlers from around the globe by purchasing single World Championship pay-per-views for a special promotional price of $9.99 per tournament by going to www.trackwrestling.com/UWW. "This is amongst the most exciting teams that the United States has ever sent to the World Championships," Titan Mercury co-founder and executive director Andy Barth said. "These dedicated young men and women representing our country deserve our support. Titan Mercury is proud to be a sponsor and partner with Trackwrestling to bring this to the amazing wrestling fans of this country at a reasonable price." The United States will take the mats in Finland, France and Greece during the next two months with a collection of stars headlined by Olympic gold medalists Jordan Burroughs, Helen Maroulis and Kyle Snyder, Rio bronze medalist J'den Cox, World champions Logan Stieber, Mark Hall, Gable Steveson and Kurt McHenry and a talented cast of others. "Carrying the World Championships is a milestone in the history of Trackwrestling," Trackwrestling founder and general manager Justin Tritz said. "We're thrilled to be delivering the streams and coverage in conjunction with the most dominant Senior-level club in the United States." The championship coverage will kick off Aug. 1-6 with the Junior World Championships in Tampere, Finland, followed by the Senior World Championships (Aug. 21-26 in Paris) and the Cadet World Championships (Sept. 4-10 in Athens, Greece). "It's an honor to be involved in the sport of wrestling and with wrestlers who represent the United States," Titan Mercury co-founder and director of development Wayne Boyd said. "All of America and the world should rise to this great opportunity of seeing our men and women perform in Paris and our young people in Finland and Greece. These live streams can be some of the highly watched wrestling events if every fan and wrestling supporter signs on. Support wrestling. Support our wrestlers. Support the United States and the world of wrestling." Junior World Championships (Aug. 1-6 in Tampere, Finland) Qualification round action begins each day at 3 a.m. ET, followed by the medal rounds at 1:30 p.m. ET. Aug. 1 MFS 50 kg -- Malik Heinselman MFS 60 kg -- Mitch McKee MFS 74 kg -- Mark Hall MFS 96 kg -- Kollin Moore Aug. 2 MFS 55 kg -- Daton Fix MFS 66 kg -- Ryan Deakin MFS 84 kg -- Zahid Valencia MFS 120 kg -- Gable Steveson Aug. 3 WFS 44 kg -- Asia Ray WFS 51 kg -- Cameron Guerin WFS 59 kg -- Gracie Figueroa WFS 67 kg -- Alexandria Glaude Aug. 4 WFS 48 kg -- Mckayla Campbell WFS 55 kg -- Ronna Heaton WFS 63 kg -- Maya Nelson WFS 72 kg -- Rachel Watters Aug. 5 GR 50 kg -- Cevion Severado GR 60 kg -- Taylor LaMont GR 74 kg -- Kamal Bey GR 96 kg -- G'Angelo Hancock Aug. 6 GR 55 kg -- Randon Miranda GR 66 kg -- Dominick Demas GR 84 kg -- Wyatt Koelling GR 120 kg -- Cohlton Schultz Senior World Championships (Aug. 21-26 in Paris, France) Qualification round action begins each day at 4 a.m. ET, followed by the medal round at 1 p.m. ET. Aug. 21 GR 71 kg -- Pat Smith GR 75 kg -- Mason Manville GR 85 kg -- Ben Provisor GR 98 kg -- G'Angelo Hancock Aug. 22 GR 59 kg -- Ildar Hafizov GR 66 kg -- Ellis Coleman GR 80 kg -- Cheney Haight GR 130 kg -- Robby Smith Aug. 23 WFS 55 kg -- Becka Leathers WFS 58 kg -- Helen Maroulis WFS 63 kg -- Mallory Velte WFS 75 kg -- Victoria Francis Aug. 24 WFS 48 kg -- Victoria Anthony WFS 53 kg -- Haley Augello WFS 60 kg -- Alli Ragan WFS 69 kg -- Tamyra Mensah Aug. 25 MFS 57 kg -- Thomas Gilman MFS 61 kg -- Logan Stieber MFS 86 kg -- J'den Cox MFS 125 kg -- Nick Gwiazdowski Aug. 26 MFS 65 kg -- Zain Retherford MFS 70 kg -- James Green MFS 74 kg -- Jordan Burroughs MFS 97 kg -- Kyle Snyder Cadet World Championships (Sept. 4-10 in Athens, Greece) On the first six days of the tournament, qualification round action begins at 3 a.m. ET, followed semifinal action at 11:30 a.m. ET. Medal contenders will return the day after their qualification matches for repechage action at 3 a.m ET and medal matches begin at noon ET. The tournament's final day features repechage at 8:30 a.m. ET followed by medal matches at 10 a.m. ET. Sept. 4-5 GR 50 kg -- Lucas Byrd GR 54 kg -- Ridge Lovett GR 58 kg -- Malik Johnson GR 63 kg -- Mason Phillips GR 100 kg -- Cohlton Schultz Sept. 5-6 GR 42 kg -- Kase Mauger GR 46 kg -- Dylan Ragusin GR 69 kg -- Will Lewan GR 76 kg -- Jake Hendricks GR 85 kg -- Ashton Sharp Sept. 6-7 WFS 43 kg -- Emily Shilson WFS 49 kg -- Vayle Baker WFS 56 kg -- Gracie Figueroa WFS 65 kg -- Alara Boyd Sept. 7-8 WFS 40 kg -- Caitlyn Walker WFS 46 kg -- Olivia Shore WFS 52 kg -- Alisha Howk WFS 60 kg -- Alexandria Liles WFS 70 kg -- Kelani Corbett Sept. 8-9 MFS 42 kg -- Cole Skinner MFS 50 kg -- Julian Tagg MFS 58 kg -- Jordan Decatur MFS 69 kg -- Will Lewan MFS 85 kg -- Gavin Hoffman Sept. 9-10 MFS 46 kg -- Kurt McHenry MFS 54 kg -- Robert Howard MFS 63 kg -- Jacori Teemer MFS 76 kg -- Travis Wittlake MFS 100 kg -- Daniel Kerkvliet