InterMat Staff

Jason Blair Roberts, founder of an anti-gun violence group in the Quad Cities and son of African-American wrestling pioneer Simon Roberts, was shot to death early Saturday morning in his hometown of Davenport, Iowa. Jason Blair Roberts was 46. Roberts was shot at approximately 2 a.m. Saturday morning just west of downtown Davenport. First responders took him to a nearby hospital where he died. Jason Blair RobertsJason Blair Roberts was a founder of "Boots on the Ground" a grassroots organization established to end gun violence in the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area consisting of a number of communities on either side of the Mississippi River including Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline and Rock Island, Illinois. The Roberts family issued this statement: "We are shocked and deeply saddened by the senseless murder of our sweet Jason Blair. Jason was a loving son, brother, husband, uncle and friend. Most importantly he was a father to four beautiful young ladies who will miss him dearly. We ask that the media respect our privacy at this time. Our family and friends need this time to both grieve and celebrate his life. Please remember that Jason was a caring and peaceful man. He would expect us to be compassionate toward one another at this time, despite our pain." Others who knew Jason Roberts expressed their reaction to Roberts' murder. "It's just a shock because he wasn't involved in the street life or a gang," Dwayne Hodges, a longtime friend who played sports and attended Davenport Central High School with Roberts in the late 1980s, told the Quad-City Times. "I don't know one person who would have a bad word to say about him; he was a devoted community person." "It's sad that somebody in the community would take this man away from his family and everyone that loved him," he continued. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact he's no longer here." The Rev. Daniel Teague, a leader within the Boots on the Ground organization and cousin to the now-deceased man, told WQAD-TV, the ABC affiliate in the Quad Cities, "That was a good man. He wouldn't hurt a fly. No one deserves to die in the streets like that." Some in the family believe that someone within the community knows who the killer is and should come forth with that information. "My prayer right now is that loyalty he showed friends in life, that they show him in death and help bring closure to this situation we're in right now," said Teague. No suspects have been caught as of Tuesday afternoon. Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities is offering a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to arrest of the person or people responsible for the Jason Roberts homicide. Jason Blair Roberts earned an associate degree in liberal arts from Black Hawk College in Moline and a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of New Mexico, according to his LinkedIn profile. He had worked at Progressive Insurance since 2000. The murder victim's father, Simon Roberts, was a groundbreaking individual within the sport of wrestling. Si Roberts, who wrestled at what is now Davenport Central High School, was the first black wrestler to win an Iowa state title in 1954. Three years later, the elder Roberts made history again, as the first African-American to win a national mat championship at the 1957 NCAAs, wrestling for the University of Iowa. Si Roberts later became the first wrestling coach of color in the Quad Cities at Alleman Catholic High School. He was a noted civil rights leader within the Quad Cities area who now lives in Kansas City, Mo. In addition to his father and mother Betty, Jason Blair Roberts is survived by his wife Yolanda French, daughters Jalynn Rose, Olivia Jae, Kashé and Déja Robinson; sisters Paula McDowell of Kansas City, Dori (Byron) Canady of Santa Rosa, CA, Melanie “Missy” Roberts of Kansas City, Jodi (Maurice) Brown of Indianapolis and Kristen Roberts of Davenport; his brothers Anthony (Robin) Roberts of Davenport, Patrick (Aimee) Roberts of Moline and Bradley Roberts of St. Louis; numerous nieces and nephews; aunts, uncles and extended family. UPDATE: Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 15, 2018 at the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, 614 Main Street, downtown Davenport. Burial will be in Oakdale Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Buena Vista University (BVU) Director of Athletics, Jack Denholm, has announced the hiring of Mark Rial, as the University's next head wrestling coach, pending the completion of a standard background check. Rial has been employed by Royal Flooring in Urbandale, Iowa, since 2017 where he works with builders and home owners on new construction and retail projects from start to finish. In addition to those duties, he has remained closely involved with the sport of wrestling and is gearing up to take the U.S. Greco-Roman Cadet Team to Zagreb, Croatia in July after being named as a co-coach of the team earlier this year. He was named the Iowa USA Person of the Year in 2017. Mark Rial"I'm very excited to become the next head wrestling coach at Buena Vista University," says Rial. "I met a lot of great people during my time on campus for the interview process which makes it even more exciting. There are a lot of great things going on both on campus and within the wrestling program that makes it an attractive place to be. I feel very motivated to lead and to carry on the tradition of BVU wrestling, and with such passionate alumni here, it makes it even more exciting." From 2010-17, Rial was an assistant coach at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge where he was also heavily involved with recruiting. During his tenure with the Tritons program, he was part of a pair of NJCAA National Championship finishes. Prior to joining the ICCC staff, he served as the wrestling strength and conditioning coach at the University of Northern Iowa from 2008-10, where he assisted with the development and goals of Division I athletes. Rial was a three-time letter winner and a co-captain in wrestling at UNI where he became an NCAA qualifier as a senior in 2001. Following graduation, he was part of USA Wrestling from 2002-08 and he went on to become a national champion in 2008. He was a five-time National Greco Roman All-American and a three-time University Nationals All-American. He placed sixth at the Olympic Trials in 2004. "We are thrilled to announce Mark Rial as the new head wrestling coach at Buena Vista University," says Denholm. "His wrestling background is very impressive and he is motivated to create a successful program here. All of his valuable experience and leadership skills will give him the tools to make an impact." A native of Fort Dodge, Rial was a two-time state champion for the Dodgers. He was a four-time state qualifier and a three-time state finalist, earning individual titles in both 1994 and 1996 while finishing as a runner-up in 1995. He also earned both the Henry W. Schultz and Kevin Lind Scholarship awards. "The sport of wrestling is a demanding one, but not to be lost is also the demand of being a student-athlete," adds Rial. "It takes some adjusting to find that balance, but I'm ready to get here, work extremely hard and show lots of passion for the program and to get it back to the high level. There is so much upside in place and I'm looking forward to the challenge and am extremely confident we can get there." Rial has also volunteered some of his free time serving as a referee and timekeeper at several youth wrestling tournaments over the years and also serving as a guest speaker on both sports and athletics at various local elementary and high schools. Rial graduated from UNI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in general studies in 2001.

Donnie Morgan with wife Reannen and sons Evan, Ryker, Ben, and Jax A GoFundMe.com page has been established for Donnie Morgan, a former wrestler at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., who passed away Memorial Day (Monday, May 28) after a battle with leukemia. He was 38. "The page is designed to build a scholarship fund for Donnie's four sons for their future education needs," according to Jimmy Rollins, current Lindenwood head coach who helped set up the page. "Even though he wrestled at our school before I came on board as coach (in 2010), we think it's very important to support our wrestling alums any way we can," Rollins told InterMat. "When we learned of Donnie's leukemia, we tried to do what we could to help, such as reaching out to potential bone marrow donors, or providing Lindenwood gear for him to wear to treatments." "Although Donnie's time at Lindenwood didn't coincide with mine as coach, I feel a bond with him. Someone told me that his nickname was "Neck Wrench Donnie" because he had a killer neck wrench." By all accounts, Donnie Morgan was an accomplished wrestler in high school and college. At Claremore High School, Morgan was a two-time Oklahoma state wrestling champ, first as a sophomore (becoming the school's first-ever), then as a senior. He was also a four-time state placer and was elected All-State. Morgan's on-the-mat accomplishments in Oklahoma helped him earn a scholarship to Lindenwood University, where he wrestled from 1998-2003. He was a member of squad that won the national team title in 2002. Morgan earned his bachelor's degree from the St. Louis area school in 2003. Donald (Donnie) Wayne Morgan, Jr. was born in Claremore in northeast Oklahoma on March 31,1980 to Donald Wayne, Sr. and Debra Kaye Walton Morgan. From his experience in working for Farmers Insurance in assisting policyholders with claims, in 2012 Morgan established HCS -- Home Claim Solutions LLC -- which is a roofing and restoration company. HCS was about to be listed in Inc. Magazine as one of the top 5000 fastest growing companies in the nation. In addition to his parents, Donnie Morgan is survived by his wife of nearly a dozen years, Reannen Morgan, and their four sons Evan, Ryker, Ben, and Jax Morgan (intended beneficiaries of the GoFundMe college education fund) … along with his sisters, Johnna Morgan and husband Brett Fleak, and Lindsey Michener and husband Gary; grandparents MC and Jewel Morgan, numerous nieces and a nephew as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins. Funeral services have already taken place.

For Clay Wenger, once a Grizzly, always a Grizzly. Wenger, a two-time Ohio state championships qualifier for the nationally-ranked Wadsworth High School Grizzlies, is returning to his alma mater as head coach, the Akron Beacon Journal reported Monday. Clay WengerIt's a promotion for Wenger, who has served as varsity assistant wrestling coach at Wadsworth the past three years under long-time Grizzlies coach John Gramuglia, who retired in May after 33 seasons. The 25-year-old Wenger will be taking the reins of a wrestling program ranked No. 18 in the nation on InterMat's Fab 50 high school rankings for 2017-18. Wegner brings a wealth of wrestling and coaching experience to head up the Wadsworth mat program. A captain on Wadsworth's Division I state championship 2010 team, Wenger was a four-year varsity letter winner, a two-time high school All-American and two-time state qualifier. He graduated from Wadsworth in 2011. Wenger continued his academic and wrestling career at nearby Kent State University, where he was a two-year varsity letter winner. The Golden Flashes won a Mid-American Conference title in 2012, and finished in the Top 20 in the NCAA Division I Tournament in each of Wenger's four years before graduating in 2015. Wegner is thrilled to get the promotion that puts him in charge of the program that, under Gramuglia, could claim 328 individual district qualifiers, 142 individual state qualifiers, 94 individual state placers, 38 state finalists and 16 individual state champions. "It is a dream of mine to have the opportunity to be the head coach at the place that helped me become the wrestler, coach, and person I am today," Wenger said. "My goal is to be an impact on all my wrestlers so they have the same great experience I did. It's an honor to have learned and continue to learn from coach G every day. He has taught me to dream big and that hard work will pay off. "I am excited to carry on the rich Grizzly wrestling tradition he built. I am also excited to work with this great group of returning lettermen and outstanding incoming freshmen. We are dreaming big and excited for the upcoming 2018-19 season. We have a great summer offseason planned and are ready for the challenge to keep our rich tradition going." Gramuglia may be retiring as head coach but will remain associated with the Wadsworth wrestling program as director of operations. The long-time coach has strong confidence in his successor. "Clay Wenger embodies everything Wadsworth wrestling exemplifies: Class, integrity and work ethic," Gramuglia said to the Medina Gazette. "There is no finer person I would like to carry on the Wadsworth wrestling rich tradition."

Nick Nosbisch, North Carolina teacher and wrestling coach, has lost his two-year battle with cancer. The 29-year-old passed away Friday morning. Affectionately known by his students and wrestlers as "Coach Noz," Nosbisch was a social studies teacher and head wrestling coach at Holly Springs High School in the Raleigh-Durham area. Just two years ago, he coached Cam Devers to the school's first-ever North Carolina state wrestling title, and took the Golden Hawks to runner-up status at the dual-meet playoffs in Class 4A for the first time in history. Nick NosbischIt was about that time that Nosbisch learned he had intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of bile duct cancer. It was in Stage 4 and had spread to his lymph nodes, though not to other parts of his body. Less than two weeks after that diagnosis, Nosbisch had surgery to remove the tumor. In May 2017, Nosbisch was awarded the N.C. High School Athletic Association's A.J. "Tony" Simeon Courage Award at its annual meeting. According to the NCHSAA, the Courage Award is "designed to honor individuals who, despite adversity, have demonstrated exemplary character and performance and, as a result, have been an inspiration to all those involved with the programs of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association." The Courage Award wasn't Coach Noz's first honor. In 2016, Nosbisch won a national award from the Positive Coaching Alliance, presented to coaches who strive for success in competition while also helping teach their athletes important life lessons. "The response you've seen from what's gone on in the community -- from the kids, from parents, from past parents who were here tonight shows how much he cares for his kids," Holly Springs athletic director Rod Whitesell told the Raleigh News & Observer at the time the award was presented. "He hasn't wanted it to be a big deal because he always wants it to be about the kids and the wrestlers, and I think that's a testament to him. That's why you hear such positive things about him -- he puts kids first." If that weren't enough, Nosbisch also received the Double-Goal Coach Award from Team Snap, which goes to coaches who have success in sports while also teaching life lessons. Holly Springs High School principal Brian Pittman informed parents of the coach's passing in a letter sent out this week. "Loved and admired by his students, Mr. Nosbisch, or just Noz as he was often called, was a blessing to many as a talented classroom teacher, dedicated coach, and someone who embodied the spirit of the Golden Hawks," Pittman wrote. "Mr. Nosbisch simply loved to be at school surrounded by his students, colleagues, and friends." Pittman's letter also included sentiments from some of Nosbisch's students and wrestlers. "His impact on my life has been exponentially larger than anyone else. It isn't wrestling, he has taught me about life." "He showed personal interest in more than just me as a student or athlete. He cared about me as a person not just my success on a test or on a mat." "He taught me how to be determined and follow through in life. Once you start you never give up!" "Coach Noz has made me realize that life is special and that you should take every day seriously and just have fun." Nick Nosbisch is survived by his wife Melissa; parents Denise and Steve; and brothers Jack and Max. A celebration of life for Nick Nosbisch will take place Tuesday, June 12 starting at 7 p.m. at Hope Community Church/Apex Annex at 2080 East Williams Street in Apex, NC.

Kyle Crutchmer's pro MMA debut was impressive ... and brief. The former Oklahoma State wrestler needed less than 90 seconds in the cage in his first professional fight at Xtreme Fight Night 348 at Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla. Saturday night. In a middleweight (185-pound) battle of Tulsa natives, Crutchmer scored a technical knockout over Ron Beasley at one minute, 23 seconds of the first round of what was scheduled to be a three-round bout. Early in the fight, Beasley -- who was also making his pro debut - tied up Crutchmer in a clinch. The Cowboy mat star quickly took the match to the ground and eventually locked in a guillotine choke, putting his opponent to sleep. Kyle Crutchmer won his MMA debut"I kind of wanted to stand and strike a little bit more, but he clinched and came to where I wanted to be," Crutchmer told the Joplin (Mo.) Globe. "The guy gave me my wrestling. I had to take advantage of that." Crutchmer received a huge ovation inside the casino during his introduction and moments later after referee Liz Carreiro stepped in to signal the end of the fight. As a two-time NCAA All-American and Big 12 champ for the legendary Oklahoma State wrestling program, Crutchmer is accustomed to the raucous fans at Gallagher-Iba Arena ... but he was still impressed with the crowd reaction at his pro MMA debut. "There's nothing like Gallagher, but this was pretty cool," Crutchmer told the Miami (Okla.) News Journal. "It was just crazy," Crutchmer continued. "I kinda knew it would be exciting, but man, to really hear the fans cheering and the kids out there ... I don't know; I am very humbled and very blessed to be able to do this." Crutchmer had the support of two great past Cowboy wrestlers. In his corner at his first MMA fight was three-time NCAA champ Alex Dieringer ... and, to help him train for the event, Crutchmer was coached by UFC light-heavyweight champ and NCAA finalist Daniel Cormier of the American Kickboxing Academy. "Training with DC has been a blessing," Crutchmer told KOTV in an interview a couple days before his MMA debut. "He's done a lot for me as for getting acclimated to this different stuff. Once you have those guys it's a pretty easy transition." "I wanted to keep competing and that was another avenue that I had," Crutchmer continued. "I've always been in fights and the way I kind of present myself, I think people always thought I would go that route." After Saturday's MMA debut, Crutchmer anticipates his next fight will be August 3.

Colby Covington It was a night of mixed results for former wrestlers at UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 at Chicago's United Center on Saturday, with ex-mat stars Robert Whittaker, Colby Covington, and Curtis Blaydes coming out victorious ... while a trio of past wrestlers -- Yoel Romero, Rashad Evans, and Carla Esparza -- lost their bouts. Whittaker gets split decision over Olympian Romero In a main-event battle of two amateur wrestlers, the less experienced matman beat the Olympic medalist. Again. Robert Whittaker, an Australian freestyle wrestler who has been competing in the sport for only about three years, "eked out" (to use a phrase from MMA website Sherdog.com) a split decision over two-time Olympic wrestling veteran (and 2000 Olympic silver medalist) Yoel Romero in the middleweight (185-pound) main event. Two officials scored the bout 48-47 for Whittaker, while the third gave it to the Cuban Olympian by the same score. The two had fought before at UFC 213 in July 2017, with Whittaker coming out on top in a unanimous decision. Here's how Sherdog opened its reporting of the UFC 225 main event: "Yoel Romero couldn't quite make his late-round magic happen in Chicago" going on to say, "The fight featured huge momentum swings and tremendous offensive firepower on both sides." Robert Whittaker defeated Yoel RomeroRomero actually knocked Whittaker to the canvas in the third round of a fight slated for five rounds. Sherdog.com described the split decision as being "contentious." Saturday's Whittaker-Romero 2 had originally been intended to be for the UFC Middleweight Title. However, at the weigh-ins, Romero initially tipped the scales at 186 pounds, 1 pound over the middleweight limit for a title fight. Romero was given additional time to make weight, but remained ever-so-slightly over at 185.2 lbs. Therefore, the bout proceeded as a non-title contest. The Cuban was fined 30 percent of his purse, which will go to Whittaker. With the closeness of the decision -- and the bout not being for the title -- it's not impossible to imagine there's a "Whittaker vs. Romero 3" in the future. With the win, Whittaker is now 20-4 in his MMA career, while Romero drops to 13-3. Covington earns unanimous decision Former collegiate wrestler Colby Covington got a hard-fought -- but unanimous -- decision over former lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos in their five-round welterweight (170-pound) co-main event. Officials scored it 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47 for Covington, a junior college champ at Iowa Central Community College who went on to become a two-time NCAA All-American at Oregon State before entering MMA. "'Chaos' won the fight largely by outdoing dos Anjos at his own game: employing a relentless, hyper-aggressive wrestling attack against the fence in all five rounds, never appearing to allow 'RDA' space or time to breathe," reported Sherdog.com. "Despite Covington's suffocating attack, dos Anjos had his moments, particularly in Round 4, where he turned the tables and took the American down, then took a variety of dominant positions while looking for a submission." With the win, Covington now owns a 14-1 record on six-match win streak ... and earns what is expected to be a unification bout with champion Tyron Woodley, a University of Missouri mat alum. dos Anjos, coming off a three-fight win streak, is now 28-10. Blaydes knocks out Overeem Curtis Blaydes, a Chicago area native who was an Illinois high school state champ and junior college titlist for Harper College, scored what MMAfighting.com described as a "violent finish" to muscular heavyweight Alistair Overeem with a TKO at 2:56 of Round Three. "Blaydes used a nasty series of elbows to finish veteran Alistair Overeem in front of Blaydes' hometown fans," according to MMAfighting.com. With the win -- his eighth career KO/TKO -- Blaydes improves to 10-1 (1 no-contest), while the veteran Overeem drops to 43-17, (1 no contest). Gadelha gets split decision over Esparza In a strawweight (115-pound) preliminary battle, Claudia Gadelha came out on top of former high school and college wrestler Carla Esparza. It was a split decision, with Gadelha earning 29-28 scores from two officials, and Esparza getting the same score from the third judge. Esparza launched her mat career in high school in California, winning a number of regional and national titles. She earned a wrestling scholarship at Menlo College, working with recent National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee -- and two-time Olympian -- Lee Allen. With the win, Gadelha is now (record), while Esparza falls to (record). Rashad Evans: gone in less than a minute An impressive college wrestling resume -- as a junior college champ in New York State, and an NCAA All-American for Michigan State -- didn't help Rashad Evans in his preliminary heavyweight bout at UFC 225. Anthony Smith made short work of Evans, scoring a knockout in 53 seconds of the first round. "Smith and his prey clinched against the fence, where the Nebraskan pushed the smaller man's head down with one forearm and crushed him with a knee to the head," according to Sherdog.com. "Evans crumpled to the ground, where Smith tagged him with a single follow-up blow before referee Dan Miragliotta could interpose himself." With the quick win, Smith improves to 29-13, while Evans is now 19-8. The loss is Evans' fifth straight, as the former Spartan had not notched a win since defeating Chael Sonnen -- a former wrestler at the now-defunct program at University of Oregon -- in November 2013.

Don't be surprised if you hear University of Pittsburgh wrestling fans chanting "Four more years!" towards Micky Phillippi. Micky PhillippiNo, the redshirt freshman isn't running for political office. However, the NCAA has granted Phillippi a sixth year of eligibility to wrestle for the Panthers. Or as Pittsburgh Tribune-Review sportswriter Bill Beckner, Jr., wrote Friday, "Get used to seeing Micky Phillippi in a Pitt wrestling singlet for four more years." Phillippi started his collegiate mat career at University of Virginia in 2016, where he was 22-7 in open tournaments. This past season (2017-18), the 133-pounder sat out due to NCAA transfer rules, tallying a 12-3 record as an unattached wrestler in open tournaments. Prior to college, Phillippi -- a native of Derry, Pa. -- was a three-time PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) champ at Derry Area High School.

Jordan Burroughs defeated Isaiah Martinez two matches to zero (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) LINCOLN, Neb. -- The United States is on top right now in men's freestyle wrestling. The reigning world team champions and World Cup champions are loading up for another big run. Four members of those highly successful teams landed berths on the 2018 U.S. World Team. Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, James Green and Thomas Gilman won titles at USA Wrestling's Final X before 2,916 fans Saturday night at the Devaney Center. Burroughs made his eighth straight world-level team after downing young standout Isaiah Martinez 4-1 and 11-1 in the finals at 74 kilograms. Burroughs, a 2012 Olympic gold medalist, is seeking his fifth world title. "It was incredible to wrestle here in front of the Husker fans again -- it was electric," Burroughs said. "It really means a lot for me and James Green to wrestle here and have a chance to make another world team. It's awesome. I'm very grateful to make another team." The four men's freestyle champions on Saturday landed berths in October's UWW World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Burroughs now has a chance to equal John Smith's American record of six combined Olympic and world titles. It is a record he has targeted and talked about since he won his first world title in 2011. "I'm motivated and hungry to have another chance to win a world title," he said. "I feel like I'm the best guy in the world right now. I'm excited to make another team." Kyle Snyder cruised to a victory over Kyven Gadson (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Snyder defeated Kyven Gadson on Saturday at 97 kilograms. Snyder, 22, will be shooting for his fourth straight gold medal after earning world titles in 2015 and 2017, and striking Olympic gold in 2016. "I'm really motivated and driven to be the best in the world again," Snyder said. "I think our team is still the underdog to win world again because I think people thought it was a fluke. We're excited to try to win it again." Snyder swept Gadson for the second straight year in the finals of the world qualifier. Snyder won 9-0 and 8-2. Gadson caught Snyder by surprise in the second match, firing in on a double-leg shot and driving Snyder off the stage. "I've been in that situation before and you just have to keep your composure," he said. "I just had to keep wrestling hard. If he wouldn't have got that first takedown I would've teched him." Thomas Gilman topped Daton Fix at 57 kilograms (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Gilman, a 2017 world silver medalist, swept Junior world champion Daton Fix 6-3 and 2-1 at 57 kilograms. "I'm super motivated to have another shot at winning a world title," he said. "I'm ready to make a run at it again and win it this time. I'm settling for nothing less than a gold medal." James Green defeated Jason Chamberlain at 70 kilograms (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Green, a 2017 world silver medalist and another former Husker, swept Jason Chamberlain 2-0 and 2-1 in the finals at 70 kilograms. Two-time world silver medalist Alli Ragan swept past World Team member Jenna Burkert 4-0 and 5-0 in the women's freestyle finals at 59 kilograms. "I'm ready for another shot to win a world title," Ragan said. "I've been second the past two years and I'm really excited to have another shot this year. I want that gold medal. That's all I'm training for." Jacarra Winchester knocked off world bronze medalist Becka Leathers (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Jacarra Winchester knocked off world bronze medalist Becka Leathers in two straight matches to prevail at 55 kilograms. She won 10-6 and 5-1. 2017 World Team member Tamyra Stock took two straight matches from Randyll Beltz at 68 kilograms. This was the first of three events in the new Final X format that will determine the U.S. men's and women's freestyle world team. Final X events will follow in State College, Pa. and Bethlehem, Pa. over the next two weekends. Results 70 kilograms: James Green def. Jason Chamberlain, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Green dec. Chamberlain, 2-0 Match 2: Green dec. Chamberlain, 2-1 59 kilograms: Alli Ragan def. Jenna Burkert, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Ragan dec. Burkert, 4-0 Match 2: Ragan dec. Burkert, 5-0 97 kilograms: Kyle Snyder def. Kyven Gadson, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Snyder dec. Gadson, 9-0 Match 2: Snyder dec. Gadson, 10-2 55 kilograms: Jacarra Winchester def. Becka Leathers, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Winchester dec. Leathers, 10-6 Match 2: Winchester dec. Leathers, 5-1 57 kilograms: Thomas Gilman def. Daton Fix, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Gilman dec. Fix, 6-3 Match 2: Gilman dec. Fix, 2-1 68 kilograms: Tamyra Stock def. Randyll Beltz, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Mensah-Stock tech. fall Beltz, 10-0 Match 2: Mensah-Stock tech. fall Beltz, 10-0 74 kilograms: Jordan Burroughs def. Isaiah Martinez, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Burroughs dec. Martinez, 4-1 Match 2: Burroughs tech. fall Martinez, 11-1

Nathan Tomasello (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Ohio State wrestler Nathan Tomasello has earned the 2018 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award for Buckeye male athletes, the Big Ten Conference announced Thursday. Jincy Dunne of the Ohio State women's ice hockey team was the female recipient of the school's 2018 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award. Here's how the award works: One member of each varsity sports team at each of the fourteen Big Ten schools was chosen by his or her institution as a Sportsmanship Award honoree. From each university's list, two Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners were then selected; in the case of Ohio State, those two honorees were Nathan Tomasello and Jincy Dunne. All of the Sportsmanship Award honorees have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, these student-athletes must be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Tomasello completed his on-the-mat career at Ohio State by winning his fourth individual Big Ten title, becoming only the 15th wrestler in conference history to do so. Among his other Buckeye career highlights: winning the 125-pound crown at the 2016 NCAAs… and compiling a 100-8 overall record. The wrestler known as "NATO" also made history by joining fellow seniors Bo Jordan and Kyle Snyder to represent the first teammate trio in NCAA history to each earn their fourth All-American honor in the same season. Tomasello was just as impressive in the classroom, as a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, as well as being named an NWCA (National Wrestling Coaches Association) All-Academic honoree three times while completing two degrees. Tomasello isn't the only wrestler to have earned the Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award for his school this year. Spencer Lee, 2018 NCAA champ at 125 pounds, was named the male recipient of the same honor for the University of Iowa.

Spencer Lee after winning in the NCAA quarterfinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Freshman wrestling phenom Spencer Lee has been named University of Iowa's male recipient of the 2018 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award, the Hawkeyes announced Thursday. In addition to Lee, Hannah Stewart, a junior who plays women's basketball for Iowa, was also named recipient of the 2018 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award for the Iowa City-based school. By any measure, Spencer Lee made an incredible impression in his first season wrestling for the Hawkeyes. The Murrysville, Pennsylvania native joined the Iowa lineup in January, and made his presence immediately known with an impressive 22-2 overall record. Lee not only won the 125-pound title at the 2018 NCAA Division I championships as a true freshman, but also earned a number of honors, including Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Amateur Wrestling News All-Rookie honors, and InterMat Freshman of the Year for 2018. Lee and Stewart were among the athletes selected by each varsity sports team at each of the fourteen Big Ten schools to receive a Sportsmanship Award. From each university's list, two Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners were then selected; in the case of University of Iowa, those two honorees were Spencer Lee and Hannah Stewart. According to the Big Ten, all of the Sportsmanship Award honorees have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, these student-athletes must be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Spencer Lee is only the second Iowa wrestler to have been named Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award in the 15-year history of the honor ... following in the footsteps of Joe Johnston, who received the award for the Hawkeyes in 2005. Lee isn't the only wrestler to have earned the Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award for his school this year. Nate Tomasello, four-time NCAA All-American and 2016 NCAA champ at 125 pounds, was named the male recipient of the same honor for Ohio State.

Easton Area High School head wrestling coach JaMarr Billman will be joined on the sidelines by two familiar faces next season: Steve Powell and Robbie Rizzolino. Powell, head coach for Red Rovers wrestling for more than three decades, will serve as an advisor to the storied wrestling program ... while Rizzolino will be an assistant coach to Billman. Easton Wrestling announced the new staff members on Twitter Thursday. Here's the tweet heralding the arrival of Rizzolino, a 2013 Easton grad who wrestled at Oregon's Clackamas Community College for two years before completing his collegiate career wrestling for the North Carolina State Wolfpack: @EastonWrestling "We are very excited and proud to announce that @PackWrestle graduate and our very own @RobbieRizzolino will be joining our coaching staff. He is an excellent and complementary addition to our family! Can't wait to have him working with our wrestlers!#EastonPride" Steve PowellMinutes later, @EastonWrestling shared the news of Steve Powell's return: "One more announcement: We are proud to have back on the coaching staff in an advisory role someone everyone in Easton Wrestling is familiar with. We are proud to have my mentor and coach back in the program. Welcome back @eahsmatrat (Coach Powell)#EastonLegend" As the tweet -- and a news story in The Morning Call -- made clear, Powell -- who could claim 534 dual meet wins and 19 Pennsylvania state champs in his 32 seasons as Easton's head coach -- will serve as a team advisor rather than in an official capacity as an assistant coach. This past season was a challenging one for coach Billman and his Red Rovers, culminating in an incident at the 2018 PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) Wrestling Championships in Hershey the second weekend of March. One of Billman's wrestlers failed to make weight for the finals. The wrestler's family reacted angrily, with reports that the grandfather attempted to choke Billman and hurled racial slurs at the African-American coach. (Charges have been filed against the alleged attacker in Dauphin County, home to the Pennsylvania state tournament.) Days after the incident, Easton Area High administrators responded by firing Billman and his assistant coaches on Tuesday, March 13. However, by that Friday, the school had changed its mind, and announced Billman had been rehired. As head coach at Easton for the past two seasons, Billman compiled an overall record of 24-13, 13-5 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. The Red Rovers claimed two District 11 Class 3A champions this past year. However, the traditional powerhouse mat program went without a state medalist for the second straight season for the first time since 1967. Before becoming a wrestling coach, 39-year-old JaMarr Billman was a two-time PIAA state champ for Easton. In college, he was a three-time NCAA All-American, first at Penn State, then at Lock Haven University.

The first of three Final X events goes down Saturday night in Lincoln, Neb. Headlining the evening is four-time world champion and 2012 Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs in a best-of-three series against Isaiah Martinez at 74 kilograms. That's a new opponent for JB, but few expect a different outcome. While the hometown and national press will follow along as Burroughs tussles toward another U.S. World Team, there are a number of other compelling matchups, namely Nebraska's James Green vs. Jason Chamberlain at 70 kilograms and Daton Fix vs. Thomas Gilman at 57 kilograms. For fans the Fix vs. Gilman matchup is made by their opposing collegiate loyalties and personality differences. But for fans of the international scene it's an important battle that could forecast Team USA's ability to defend their team gold in 2018 and help determine a trajectory for Tokyo 2020. Gilman, who earned silver at the 2017 World Championships in Paris, is the highest lightweight placewinner since Henry Cejudo in 2008. Before that Sammie Henson took bronze at 55 kilograms and Mike Zadick took silver at 60 kilograms in 2006. That's a solid finish, but after a pair of losses at the World Cup in Iowa City the Gilman style might be exposed to the international community, which could affect future outcomes. At 57 kilograms that matters. For those who've been tuning into the early season freestyle action across the world, there is a definitive dearth of talent at the lightest freestyle weight class. The world's top talent has either gone up a weight class in response to same day weigh-ins, or simply aged out. That leaves a talent vacuum that the USA -- with a proven track record of same day weigh-ins -- could capitalize upon with their new lightweight talent. That's not to say nobody remains. Yuki Takahashi of Japan is worthy of praise, but the separation between Takahashi and Fix/Gilman isn't as great as say the separation the USA felt in 2016 when Dan Dennis represented the USA and Vladimer Khinchegashvili won the gold for Georgia. To that point, Olympic bronze medalists Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan) and Hassan Rahimi (Iran) have both since vacated the weight and were replaced in 2017 by bronze medalists Andrey Yatsenko (Ukraine) and Bekhbayar Erdenebatyn (Mongolia). Both are talented, but nowhere near the talent pool of 2016 and before. So it's the opportunity for world gold that really makes the Fix/Gilman match special. Who wins there has a higher chance of placing in Budapest than all but Snyder, Burroughs and Green. The winner will be in the driver's seat leading into the 2018 World Championships and set the trajectory heading into Tokyo 2020. To your questions … Adam Coon will attempt to make the World Team in both freestyle and Greco-Roman (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: So Adam Coon is wrestling at the Greco World Team Trials in Oklahoma then has to turn around and wrestle in the Final X in Pennsylvania the next night. This seems like a tall task. I love it when wrestlers go ironman. How much will this travel and competition hinder Coon in his match with Nick Gwiazdowski? -- Robert W. Foley: Yeesh. It's a short flight, but anytime you are asked to compete two days in a row there would be an expectation that performance would be impacted. Coon is about the most self-confident competitor in the nation and I'm sure Coach Bormet has him primed for the challenge, but you have to expect that time spent traveling to and from airports and jamming into seats made for men half your size will affect the big man's energy level. Unless Coon's flying private, in which case he's Bruce Wayne and totally fine to pull back-to-back matches for a spot on the national team. Q: Now that the U23 freestyle team is set, rank the medal chances from most likely to least likely. -- Mike C. Foley: 61 kilograms: Vitali Arujau 92 kilograms: Michael Macchiavello 70 kilograms: Hayden Hidlay 86 kilograms: Myles Martin 97 kilograms: Kollin Moore 65 kilograms: Mitchell McKee 57 kilograms: Jack Mueller 74 kilograms: Alex Smythe 79 kilograms: David McFadden 125 kilograms: Youssif Hemida I really can't tell how they'll fair overall until I see who else is competing at the U23 World Championships. However, remember that we are still several months away from this tournament and these guys are only going to improve in that time, with most traveling to Colorado Springs and other RTC's for selective training. They'll also have some collegiate training to keep them warm. Q: What is stopping more Division I guys from going Greco? -- R.M. Foley: More than 90 percent of current NCAA wrestlers don't train any Greco-Roman throughout the season. It's too far removed from folkstyle, which is where most American wrestlers choose to focus their time and efforts. For guys to get good at Greco-Roman takes more than just self-determination, too. Training partners, coaching staff and a budget to train with other top-level athletes would also need to be in place should any college athlete want to make the move to Greco. That structure is part of the reason Northern Michigan has a Greco-only program and that USA Wrestling is working hard to get the best Greco prospects tracked from an earlier age. Q: Do you expect Yoel Romero to get revenge this weekend against Robert Whittaker? Or is Whittaker just a bad matchup for him? Romero is 41 years old, so I'm not sure how many more years he has left. -- Mike C. Yoel RomeroFoley: Expect revenge? No. Wishing Yoel wins? Yes I think Yoel has the opportunity to put Whittaker away early, but that largely comes down to his game plan and willingness to execute. Yoel tends to put people away in the third round. They're exhausted and battered, while he's still peaking. But with Whittaker it won't be as easy since the Kiwi showed a willingness to go the final ten minutes full hearted -- something that affected Yoel's output as much as physical conditioning. No matter the outcome I will always love Yoel. Incredible wrestler and he did the world a favor when he smacked down wackadoodledoo Tim Kennedy. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Romero vs. Kennedy Q: What are your thoughts on the growth of wrestling in South Carolina since we found out this week Lander University is adding a men's Division II team and Presbyterian College with the first Division I women's wrestling team added this past year? There were only two in 1998 when I graduated from high school. Now we have seven. -- @hillcrestwrst Foley: More wrestling opportunities in South Carolina is wonderful. Good luck to those schools and future wrestlers. That said, a word of caution ... While the growth is encouraging we should all recognize that wrestling didn't suddenly become one of the fastest growing sports for Division II, III, NAIA and the community college circuit by the force of the sport's merits. In large part the growth has been driven by enrollment-based schools who offer the sport as an incentive for attendance. With the government ensuring loans for any student looking to attend college, the risk to the college is minimal. In essence the colleges are enticing students to attend, get paid up front and then leave students to carry the debt. Student loan debt in American is now larger than credit card debt. I don't have an objection to wrestling being part of that model, but we need to look at the issues of student loans and ask ourselves what is and is not the right path forward for our youngsters. Q: RUDIS keeps teasing their soon-to-be-released shoes on social media. It's exciting to see a new company in the wrestling shoe market. I know Kyle Snyder will have his own shoe. Do you think Isaiah Martinez will too? -- Mike C. Foley: Designing and producing one shoe (from scratch) is probably enough of a financial risk for RUDIS. Imar represents the brand's desire to work with wrestlers they trust who have a good brand to sell. I think we'll see T-shirts and the rest with some Imar branding, but mostly he'll just be a RUDIS-sponsored wrestler who reps the brand's major gear, maybe even Kyle Snyder's shoe. Q: How are college volunteer assistants paid and what is the pay range for the job? -- @jlstock_james Foley: Volunteer assistants are in an interesting spot. As the name implies the school can't pay for their services, so they are usually paid a salary by the adjoining club. For the upper echelon of NCAA programs the volunteer assistant gig could mean $80,000 with the expectation that you are full-time employee who also runs the local club practices. Most volunteer coaches make far less than $80,000, with many not expected to work a full 40-hour week for the program. They might get extra income from camps, be in school, or even use tuition remission to offset the lack of pay. Overall, not a great source of income, but for young coaches its often the place they need to start if they ever want to take over a program. As a reference point to the massive pay disparities in the sport, the first assistant coaching job I took was as a second assistant making $14,000 a year (plus housing). I know of one assistant coach in 2018 who makes more than $150,000 a year. That's the most dramatic example possible, but does help illustrate the pay gap. Overall, most assistant coaches are paid between $40,000 and $70,000 depending on experience, location and the school's funding. For long-term assistants at places like Michigan, Iowa and Virginia Tech you could assume they are making north of $100,000 (including camps, etc.). For a new assistant at a smaller cap school that number will be much more modest.

Three suspects in the shooting of a California college wrestler were arrested this week as police continue to search for the alleged gunman. Daylon Walker, a college wrestler who had recently moved back to Southern California to help care for his partially paralyzed stepfather, remains in critical condition after being shot in an attempted robbery/carjacking outside a gas station in an eastern Los Angeles suburb last week. Police arrested a woman and two men -- one of them, identified as the driver of the getaway car -- who allegedly were involved in Walker's shooting. Police said they are still searching for the shooter, identified as 34-year-old Rigoberto Perez, of Azusa, Calif. Anyone with information about Perez's location was asked to call 911, police said. Walker, a 165-pound wrestler at Mt. San Antonio College in southern California remains hospitalized in critical condition. According to police, the shooter approached Walker at an ARCO gas station in Pomona, asked him for money, then opened fire in what police said was an attempted carjacking. The Mt. San Antonio College wrestling website lists Daylon Walker as a freshman, originally from Diamond Ranch High School. Mt. San Antonio College is a public two-year college located in the Los Angeles suburb of Walnut, Calif. with an enrollment of approximately 36,000 students. The Mounties wrestling program competes in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA).

A separate girls' state wrestling championships could be a reality in New Jersey as soon as 2019. The NJSIAA -- the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, the governing body for high school sports in the state -- is likely to add a separate state wrestling championship for girls starting next year, assistant director Bill Bruno said Wednesday. The proposal to add a girls' state tournament will be heard by the NJSIAA's Program Review Committee in September, and if approved by that committee, will go to the Executive Committee for readings in September and October. Numerous details would need to be worked out in the coming months, including determination of weight classes, how to handle regional tournaments, and a possible schedule change at the state championships. Bruno believes the time is right to create a separate wrestling state championship for girls. "I think it's time we start to look at it since we already have 10 to 12 states on board with full-fledged (girls state tournament) programs. Why not now? Why wait any longer?,'' Bruno said. "I've never felt comfortable with girls wrestling boys to begin with. I think it's a losing situation for both (boys and girls). Bruno told the media there were 128 girls who wrestled for predominantly boys' teams in the state last season. According to the National High School Federation's Participation Survey Results for 2016-17, 310 schools in the state of New Jersey have wrestling programs, with a total of 9,220 wrestlers. As for separate girls' high school programs in New Jersey ... there were none listed in the NHSF document. In recent months, a number of states have announced plans to set up separate state championships for girls, including Arizona, Colorado and Oregon.

NORFOLK, Va. -- Monarch head wrestling coach Steve Martin announced Thursday afternoon the promotion of Daryl Thomas to assistant head coach on his staff. Thomas spent the last year as assistant coach for ODU. Daryl Thomas“We are very excited to promote Coach Thomas to the top assistant job. In a very short time period he has stamped a blueprint on the program that is very impressive,” expressed Martin. “His connections in Illinois and throughout the nation has become very evident over the last 12 months from a recruiting stand point. I know he is very excited and passionate about helping ODU Wrestling achieve new heights.” Thomas will be replacing Mike Dixon who is returning to his alma mater, Indiana University to take over as associate head coach. Dixon spent 13 years with ODU making an instant impact to the ODU wrestling program. “I am extremely humbled and excited for this opportunity. I'd like to thank Coach Martin and the ODU administration for their trust and belief that I can fill the role that Mike Dixon had such a huge impact on,” Thomas said. “Watching and learning alongside him this past year has proven to be an invaluable experience. I look forward to the future and can't wait to continue to grow this program to new heights alongside Coach Martin.” Thomas joined the ODU coaching staff in 2017 after serving one season as head coach at Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois. At Lincoln, Thomas led the team to a fourth place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament. In that time, he led five wrestlers to All-American status and was named NJCAA Midwest District Coach of the Year. Prior to his head coaching position at Lincoln, Thomas spent two years at Northern Illinois as an assistant. Thomas coached five NCAA qualifiers throughout those two seasons at NIU. Before making the transition to collegiate coaching, Thomas was an assistant coach at Edwardsville High School in Illinois. Prior to his coaching career, Thomas wrestled at Illinois where he was an NCAA qualifier and was ranked a career-best No. 7 at 133 pounds. He compiled a 53-47 record at the Big Ten school and earned a degree in Communications in 2013. In just his first season at ODU, Thomas has recruited seven wrestlers from the state powerhouse of Illinois for the class of 2018. Thomas works primarily with the lower weights, coaching 125-pound Michael McGee to a MAC Championship and becoming an NCAA qualifier as a true freshman. McGee went on to be named 2018 MAC Freshman of the Year.

Jordan Burroughs celebrates after win at the Freestyle World Cup (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) You could hear a pin drop in the United States warmup area at the 2010 World Championships in Moscow, Russia. The U.S. had just completed one of its worst performances in its storied history. The Americans finished an unthinkable 22nd with five points. The U.S. won a total of just four matches. Shortly after the final American match, wrestling legend Dan Gable stood in the warmup area trying to make sense of it all. "I never in my lifetime thought I would see a performance like that," a downcast Gable said. One of Gable's first questions was how does the U.S. team improve. A short time after that, U.S. assistant coach Brandon Slay posed the same question to me. My response? Jordan Burroughs. Slay, an Olympic gold medalist, wasn't quite as convinced that day. But he soon would be. Burroughs still had a year of college eligibility left, and he had very little freestyle experience at that point. But even in his early 20s, he already had all of the intangibles of a future superstar on the international level. Burroughs obviously was a tremendous athlete who was explosive with a lethal double-leg takedown. But he also was a smart, driven and hungry wrestler who was mentally tough and had a strong work ethic to match. He also was in excellent shape and didn't seem to wear down physically in a match. Jordan Burroughs was the kind of guy who could put fear in the minds of foreign opponents the way guys like Gable, John Smith and Cael Sanderson did. Burroughs has accomplished that, and then some, in a fabulous career very few people would have ever envisioned. He has already had a Hall of Fame career with an Olympic gold medal and four world titles to his credit. Burroughs has a perfect 27-0 career record in the World Cup. Jordan Burroughs was dominant at the Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) He led the U.S. to its first world team title in over two decades last year. And he helped the American squad win the 2018 World Cup. Now he heads into Saturday night's Final X event on his home mat in Lincoln, Neb. as the favorite to make his eighth straight world-level team at 74 kilograms. Burroughs will battle a tough young opponent in Isaiah Martinez, a two-time NCAA champion and 2017 U23 World Team member. The winner will represent the U.S. at October's World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Even though Burroughs already is a legend in the sport, there is still plenty he wants to accomplish. Heavily favored to win his second straight Olympic gold medal, Burroughs stunningly dropped back-to-back matches and fell short of winning a medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Burroughs broke down in tears during an emotional post-match interview on Aug. 19, 2016. "I feel a lot of disappointment, embarrassment and disgrace," he said that day. "I let myself down most." The disappointment of 2016 still stings. Burroughs said recently it is too painful to look back at it "so I avoid it at all costs." The suddenly unflappable, unbeatable Burroughs had his share of doubters after the Olympics. Some wondered if he would beat up-and-coming standout Kyle Dake to make the 2017 World Team. And many wondered if he could recapture his past form at the 2017 World Championships in Paris. He did both. Jordan Burroughs won a world title in Paris last August (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) "I knew I was still the best wrestler in the world on August 19, 2016," Burroughs said last month. "I just didn't compete at my highest level. Things just didn't come together for me." Burroughs showed his mettle by powering through a brutally tough bracket to win his fourth world title last year in France. He came from behind in all five matches to capture gold at 74 kilograms. He also led the American team to its first world team title in freestyle in more than two decades. Burroughs' exploits on the mat are impressive when you look back at what he has accomplished: He lost his first wrestle-off at the University of Nebraska and didn't place at his first NCAA tournament. But he came back to win two national titles and the Hodge Trophy for the Huskers. Just a few months after finishing his college career, Burroughs knocked off two-time world champion Denis Tsargush of Russia en route to winning his first world title in 2011. He delivered the biggest triumph of his career, defeating Tsargush again on his way to winning a 2012 Olympic gold medal in London. With wrestling in danger of being kicked out of the Olympics, he played a huge role as a spokesperson and by wrestling in events that ultimately led to wrestling staying on the Olympic Games program. He's one of the best ambassadors this sport has ever had. Just four weeks after breaking his ankle, he somehow returned to the mat to win his second world title with an improbable and incredible performance in 2013. Despite suffering a significant knee injury in his opening match, and with his leg heavily wrapped, Burroughs somehow won a bronze medal at the 2014 worlds. After the loss in 2014, he came back with a vengeance to win the 2015 world title in front of a boisterous home crowd in Las Vegas. Following a stunning setback in Rio, Burroughs proved at age 29 that he is still the king by winning his fourth world title last year. Now Burroughs is focused on another Olympic run. With the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan just over two years away, Burroughs is eyeing a fifth world title this year. "Jordan has had an incredible career and he's wrestling as well as he ever has," Nebraska coach Mark Manning said this week. "Jordan bounced back to have a great season (in 2017) and he's continued to wrestle at a very high level this year. It's pretty remarkable what he's done." Jordan Burroughs shakes Frank Chamizo's hand before their Beat the Streets match (Photo/Juan Garicia) Burroughs is coming off a thrilling, come-from-behind win over two-time world champion Frank Chamizo of Italy at the Beat the Streets event last month in New York City. Chamizo came out strong, scoring a pair of early takedowns on a very slick mat before Burroughs rallied after being down 4-0 early and 5-2 in the second period. "No doubt about it, he's a good wrestler," Burroughs said of Chamizo. "It's going to be tough for me to defeat him moving forward. The bottom line is you have to be prepared to beat the best guys on their best days. "The reason I've gotten to this point in my career is because I've always lived outside of my comfort zone and I've always lived right beyond my edge. I really have to continue to do that if I want to be the best wrestler this country has ever seen." The Cuban-born Chamizo has bumped up a weight class after winning a world title last year at 70 kilograms. "Jordan battled through a lot of adversity in that match with Chamizo," Manning said. "He was down, but he dug down deep and found a way to get it done. That's what Jordan Burroughs does. He's an outstanding competitor." Jordan Burroughs has won four world titles and an Olympic gold medal (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) If Burroughs earns world gold this year, he would equal John Smith's American record of six combined Olympic and world titles. Burroughs, who will celebrate his 30th birthday next month, is driven to win the Olympics again and break Smith's record. "I think I'm in good position to do those things," he said. "But I have a lot of work to do until then, so these next three years are hopefully going to be my best three years. "I feel really good right now. I feel like I'm better than I've ever been as a wrestler." Manning has been in Burroughs' corner every step of the way during his international career. "Losing in Rio, it was shocking and it was devastating for Jordan," Manning said. "It took a long time for him to get over what happened at the Olympics. It was rough on him -- really rough. It wasn't easy, but he buried that experience and we saw him resurrect himself. And now he's a better version of Jordan Burroughs than we've ever seen before. "It's so amazing to see how he's evolved. It's really impressive to see how he came back after the Olympics. He's stronger mentally and physically because of the way he responded to that setback." U.S. National Coach Bill Zadick credits Burroughs for staying on top of his game. "With Jordan, everybody knows he's got great speed, but he always brings something different," Zadick said. "He has almost always been more prepared for the opposition than they've been for him. You saw that in guys like John Smith and guys that are legends in our sport." For a legend like Burroughs, his opponents are still developing specific game plans to slow him down and take him out of his game. "You have to be ready for anything whenever you step out on the mat," he said. Burroughs has said he is committed to competing through this Olympic cycle. Beyond that? "I don't know how long my career is going to last," he said after his win in New York. "As long as it does, I'm going to do my best to take chances, put on shows and I think a lot of people in the world will watch." Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.

Ed Piccola (right) has been missing since May 30 A search is underway for a former wrestler and long-time coach from New Jersey who has been missing for more than week and whose car was found abandoned in Virginia this past weekend. Ed Piccola, 36, described as a "standout wrestler" in high school who has been coaching at a wrestling training facility in New Jersey, was last seen in at a restaurant and brew pub in Sparta, N.J. on Wednesday evening, May 30. His cell phone was found the next day on the Lake Mohawk Boardwalk. A missing person's report was filed on Friday, June 1 after he failed to show up for work. On Sunday, June 3, Piccola's car was located in Luray, Va., straight west of Washington, D.C. and about a five-hour drive southwest of the New Jersey restaurant where he was last seen, according to the New Jersey Herald of Newton, N.J. Police in Virginia are using bloodhounds and helicopters to try to locate Piccola. Piccola is described as a white male, 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing between 140 and 160 pounds. He has no known ties to Page County, Virginia where his car was found, according to police. Piccola was a four-year varsity wrestler for Sparta High School from 1997 to 2000. Since graduation, he has worked as a wrestling coach at a number of places, including as an assistant at his high school for five years, and, most recently, at Buxton Athletic Training Center in Randolph, N.J., where the company's website indicates he has been involved for more than a decade and has traveled the country working with athletes of all skill levels. The Training Center is run by Jeff Buxton, long-time head wrestling coach at the nationally-ranked Blair Academy in New Jersey. Among other staff members at the facility: Lehigh NCAA heavyweight champ Zach Rey, and University of Maryland All-American Hudson Taylor. Anyone with information as to Piccola's whereabouts is asked to call the Hopatcong Borough Police Department at 973-398-5000. For updates, check out his sister Holly's Facebook page which is sharing information on the search for Piccola.

The first-ever Celebrate Wrestling event was held May 30 at a conference center in Princeton, N.J. The Princeton (N.J.) chapter of Wrestlers In Business Network (WIBN) has created a winning new way to celebrate the oldest and greatest sport ... and those who participate in it. The first-ever Celebrate Wrestling event -- held May 30 at a conference center in Princeton, N.J. -- was designed to celebrate the sport by honoring excellence from wrestlers and coaches within the area. Chris AyresThe evening began on a solemn note by honoring the late Chris Hixon, head wrestling coach and athletic director at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who was one of 17 killed in the mass shooting at the Parkland, Fla. school on Feb. 12. The heroic actions of the 49-year-old Hixon -- a Florida native who had served as a U.S. Naval reservist in Iraq in 2007 -- saved the lives of countless students and teachers at Stoneman Douglas. An American flag fashioned of metal and inscribed with a message honoring coach Hixon's heroism will be presented to the Florida school. Next, Celebrate Wrestling featured inspirational speeches from the head wrestling coaches of three NCAA Division I schools located in the area. Rider University's John Hangey talked about taking over a program after the retirement of the previous head coach ... Scott Goodale of Rutgers addressed the challenge of building a team with the help of assistant coaches ... and Chris Ayres shared the story of rebuilding the wrestling program at Princeton University. In addition, special guest Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, Team USA women's freestyle wrestler who won a bronze medal at the 2015 World championships, captivated the audience with her personal story of overcoming a harrowing childhood thanks in large part to her participation in wrestling, first as the only girl on her high school wrestling team ... then as a member of the USA Wrestling women's freestyle squad. Matt Kolodzik, Nick Suriano and Scott Delvecchio The evening concluded by honoring area wrestlers who had achieved greatness during the 2017-18 wrestling season. Fourteen local high school wrestlers who were crowned champions at a local county tournament were presented with medals. In addition, three wrestlers who earned All-American honors for New Jersey-based schools at the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships were also acknowledged: Rutgers' Nick Suriano, runner-up at 125 pounds, and Scott Delvecchio, who placed sixth at 133 pounds for Rutgers ... and Matt Kolodzik, Princeton's 149 pounder who came in third in his bracket. Why a Celebrate Wrestling event? Joe Savino of Wrestlers In Business Network's Princeton chapter had a number of reasons in mind for organizing the first-ever Celebrate Wrestling event. "I grew up as a wrestler on Long Island, where we had an honors award dinner each year," Savino told InterMat. "It had a positive, lifelong impact on me. In addition to having wrestlers be honored for their achievements on the mat, it was a great opportunity to meet coaches and business leaders and other significant individuals within the sport and the local community." "For young wrestlers in particular, it was a positive experience to see what others are able to accomplish, and provide that 'push' to do great things in the coming season and perhaps be honored at next year's event." "I believe it was about time that wrestlers in this part of New Jersey be acknowledged for their achievements and celebrated by their peers," Savino continued. "That's one of the goals of the Celebrate Wrestling event." "The mission of Wrestlers In Business Network is 'to support wrestlers in all ways.' We at the Princeton chapter believe that Celebrate Wrestling is one way we can remain true to that mission, and help grow the sport." "Wrestlers In Business Network wants to make clear that we support wrestling in all forms -- youth, high school, college, and beyond," Savino continued. "We want to make the sport more inclusive. We're supporting efforts to have girls wrestling sanctioned in New Jersey. And, we wanted to make this event inclusive, by making a point of inviting girls who wrestle to participate, as well as by featuring Leigh-Jaynes-Provisor as an inspirational guest speaker. The girls in attendance really enjoyed being a part of the event." "New Jersey as a whole has a great reputation for strong amateur wrestling programs," said Savino. However, our county is not traditionally thought of as a 'hotbed' for wrestling. We're working to change that narrative in our county. We're striving to build on our successes so that younger wrestlers can see what's being accomplished, and add to that success in the future. For example, for high school freshmen to see older wrestlers in high school and college be acknowledged for their on-the-mat achievements, they can be inspired to achieve greatness of their own." Mark Savino and Joe Savino The Princeton chapter of WIBN plan to host a Celebrate Wrestling event next spring. And they see it as the type of event that others might want to use as a model for their own end-of-season celebrations to not only acknowledge and honor success within their own region, but also help generate excitement within their respective communities -- especially among prospective wrestlers, male and female -- to help grow participation and interest in the oldest and greatest sport. Joe Savino has one bit of advice for others considering putting on a similar event. "It does take a total team effort to host these events successfully. With that in mind, I would thank our WIBN local board for doing such a great job to make a truly memorable, meaningful event."

Whitney Conder and Victoria Anthony will battle in the second match at Final X June 23 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) USA Wrestling and FloWrestling have announced the order of the bouts for Final X at Lehigh, which is set for Grace Hall on the campus of Lehigh University on Saturday, June 23, with the main card starting at 7 p.m., and preliminary action at 5 p.m. The event will determine the 2018 U.S. Senior World Teams in men's and women's freestyle wrestling, featuring the nation's top two athletes in the seven weight classes on the card. It will be a best-of-three series in each weight class, with the winner earning a spot on Team USA at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, October 20-28. To purchase tickets go to the tickets tab on the official Final X website: www.FinalX.tv The final match on the card will feature 2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Helen Maroulis of the Sunkist Kids will face 2018 Junior World Team member Alex Hedrick of the Titan Mercury WC at 57 kg. Maroulis, who has won five World or Olympic medals for Team USA, was the first American woman to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal. She won four WCWA college national titles, three for Simon Fraser and one at Missouri Baptist. Hedrick currently attends Simon Fraser, where she was a WCWA runner-up as a freshman and burst on the Senior scene by winning the 2018 U.S. Open. Fans don't want to be late because the first main card matchup is expected to be explosive. 2018 U.S. Open champion Joe Colon of the Titan Mercury WC will battle past Cornell NCAA champion Nahshon Garrett of the Sunkist Kids at 61 kg. The Colon vs. Garrett bout in the 2018 U.S. Open finals featured 33 points, with Colon winning 20-13. Colon was an All-American for Northern Iowa and NJCAA champion for Iowa Central. Garrett earned four All-American honors for the Big Red and is a past University Nationals freestyle champion. Bout two features a pair of past U.S. Senior World Team members battling for the 2018 team berth, as three-time World Team member Whitney Conder of the U.S. Army WCAP will face two-time World Team member Victoria Anthony of the Sunkist Kids at 50 kg. Both are past Junior World champions, with Conder winning in 2007 and Anthony claiming Junior World titles in both 2009 and 2010. Conder was a 2015 Pan American Games champion. Anthony won four WCWA national titles for Simon Fraser. In the third bout, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2017 World bronze medalist J'den Cox of the Titan Mercury WC battles 2018 U.S. Open runner-up Hayden Zillmer of the Minnesota Storm at 92 kg. Cox has moved up to this new weight class and did not get an automatic berth in Final X because of the weight change. He edged Zillmer in the 2018 U.S. Open finals, 2-0. Cox won three NCAA titles and was a four-time All-American for Missouri. Zillmer, a North Dakota State All-American, has made the Senior National Team in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. The fourth bout features another women's battle between past Senior World Team members. Sarah Hildebrandt, a 2016 World Team member of the New York AC faces off with 2016 Olympian and 2017 World Team member Haley Augello of the New York AC at 53 kg. Hildebrandt won their battle at the 2018 U.S. Open, 6-1. Both were stars for King University, with Augello winning three WCWA titles and Hildebrandt winning two WCWA golds. Taking the fifth slot on the card is another women's freestyle showdown between star alumni from King University, 2018 U.S. Open champion Julia Salata of the New York AC and Forrest Molinari of the Titan Mercury WC at 65 kg. Salata won two WCWA titles for King (2014, 2015), while Molinari was a 2016 WCWA champion. Salata won their showdown in the 2018 U.S. Open finals, 5-0. Both have made a number of U.S. age-group World Teams. In the sixth matchup, 2017 World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski of the Titan Mercury WC faces multiple-style star Adam Coon of the New York AC at 125 kg in men's freestyle. Gwiazdowski was a two-time NCAA champion and three-time finalist for NC State, and also was an NCAA All-American as a freshman for Binghamton. Coon, a three-time All-American for Michigan, was the 2018 U.S. Open champion in freestyle and the runner-up in Greco-Roman. In 2014, Coon won Junior World bronze medals in both styles. As a best-of-three series, the first and second rounds of competition have the same order of bouts. If any weight classes are forced to a deciding third match in their series, the bouts in round three will stay in order, with a minimum waiting time of 30 minutes from the end of bout two. The wrestling action will begin earlier in the day at 5 p.m., as USA Wrestling will also hold seven National Team True Third Place wrestle-offs. A true-third wrestle-off occurs when the overall runner-up and third-place finishers from the Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament did not meet in the bracket. According to approved team selection procedures, the runner-up and third-place athlete must wrestle off to determine the No. 3 spot on the National Team. The three women's bouts will be held first, in weight order, followed by the four men's bouts, also in weight order. Among the star athletes on the card of True Third Place bouts are 2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell, two-time World Team member Tony Ramos, three-time WCWA national champion Cody Pfau, and 2018 U.S. Open champion Austin Schafer. FloWrestling will provide exclusive live and on-demand coverage of the three-event Final X series. Watch the events across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Roku, or Apple TV 4, as well as on desktop or mobile web via FloWrestling.com The other two Final X competitions are Final X in Lincoln on June 9, and Final X at State College on June 16. Tickets for all three Final X events can be purchased at www.FinalX.tv FINAL X AT LEHIGH Saturday, June 23 at Grace Hall, Bethlehem, Pa. Bout Order for Main Card at 7 p.m. Bout One - Men's freestyle 61 kg 2018 U.S. Open champion - Joe Colon, Fresno, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC/Valley RTC) 2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion - Nahshon Garrett, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) Bout Two - Women's freestyle 50 kg 2018 U.S. Open champion - Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion - Victoria Anthony, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) Bout Three - Men's freestyle 92 kg 2018 U.S. Open champion - J'den Cox, Columbia, Mo. (Titan Mercury WC) 2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion -Hayden Zillmer, Crosby, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) Bout Four - Women's freestyle 53 kg 2018 U.S. Open champion - Sarah Hildebrandt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion - Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC) Bout Five - Women's freestyle 65 kg 2018 U.S. Open champion - Julia Salata, Bristol, Tenn. (New York AC) 2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion - Forrest Molinari, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC) Bout Six - Men's freestyle 125 kg 2017 World bronze medalist - Nick Gwiazdowski, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC) 2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion - Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC) Bout Seven - Women's freestyle 57 kg 2017 World champion - Helen Maroulis, New York, N.Y. (Sunkist Kids/NYCRTC) 2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion - Alex Hedrick, Fair Oaks, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) NATIONAL TEAM TRUE THIRD PLACE BOUTS (5 p.m.) NOTE: A preliminary card of True Third matches for the 2018-19 U.S. National Team will be held starting at 5 p.m. A true-third wrestle-off occurs when the overall runner-up and third-place finishers from the Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament did not meet in the bracket. According to approved team selection procedures, the runner-up and third-place athlete must wrestle off to determine the No. 3 spot on the National Team. Women's freestyle 53 kg: Runner-up Cody Pfau (Titan Mercury) vs. third-place Gabrielle Weyhrich (Bearcat WC) 59 kg: Runner-up Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids) vs. third-place Lauren Louive (Hawkeye WC) 68 kg: Runner-up Yvonne Galindo (Aries WC) vs. third-place Alex Glaude (Bearcat WC) Men's freestyle 57 kg: Runner-up Tony Ramos (Sunkist Kids) vs. third-place Zach Sanders (Minnesota Storm) 65 kg: Runner-up Jaydin Eierman (Titan Mercury) vs. third-place Andy Simmons (New York AC) 86 kg: Runner-up Richard Perry (New York AC) vs. third-place Pat Downey (Titan Mercury) 97 kg: Runner-up Austin Schafer (New York AC) vs. third-place Ty Walz (Titan Mercury)

For fans of wrestling and other combat sports who can't get enough mixed martial arts action, plan to spend your Thursday nights with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), making its debut on NBCSN (NBC Sports Network) this Thursday, June 7. Live from the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Thursday's Season One debut of PFL is the first of seven 2018 regular-season events each Thursday night in June and July. The 2018 PFL season will feature a total of 126 fights on Thursday nights in seven regular-season events. There will be 12 athletes in each of six different weight classes. For example, on this Thursday's premiere event, there will be a total of 24 heavyweight and featherweight fighters, competing in a total of 12 bouts that first night. All are vying to claim a spot in PFL's bracket-style "win or go home" playoffs, and, ultimately, their share of a $10 million post-season prize pool, the largest prize pool in the history of MMA, according to the Professional Fighters League. Eight fighters from each weight class will earn their way into the PFL playoffs… with one fighter in each division earning the title of champion. U.S.-based and international fans will be able to watch all PFL regular season, playoff, and championship fights -- over 66 hours of live action -- for free. In the United States, all of the PFL regular-season events will air live on Thursday in primetime exclusively on NBCSN, and stream live on NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and pflmma.com. Outside the U.S., Facebook will stream up to six hours of free, live coverage for each event. In the U.S., fans can watch the first three hours of coverage of each event on Facebook. Lance Palmer: One of the fighters at Thursday's PFL debut One of the fighters featured on Thursday's Professional Fighters League debut that college wrestling fans and MMA mavens will immediately recognize is Lance Palmer. The former four-time NCAA All-American for Ohio State who competed in PFL's predecessor, World Series of Fighting (WSOF), hopes to win the featherweight (145-pound) crown at the conclusion of Season One of Professional Fighters League. Here's the message Palmer posted on Twitter Wednesday morning: Lance Palmer"Weighed in, ready to go! Don't miss it tomorrow night (6/7) on @NBCSports. Main card starts at 9 pm eastern!" Palmer described featherweight as "definitely one of the most competitive" weight classes in the first season of PFL. "Other than featherweight, I think 155 is the other highly competitive weight class," the former Buckeye mat star told FanSided MMA. "I'm excited for it. I'm excited to see guys who I have already fought for World Series of Fighting that are in this league format. You have Alexandre de Almeida, (Andre) Harrison, you've got (Steven) Siler, those are three guys I've already fought. It will be exciting to see where everybody stacks up and how they perform as we head into postseason competition." All that said, Palmer sees himself as the guy to beat. The 31-year-old Palmer -- known as "The Party" in his MMA career -- will get a solid test in his first bout in the kick off of the PFL regular season against 21-fight veteran Bekbulat Magomedov on Thursday night. "I think the matchup is great for me, not so much for him," Palmer told FanSided MMA. "Obviously, I think he's tough, he's 19-1, only has one loss -- to one of my good friends, Josh Hill -- he's tough. There's a lot of good that's going to come out of this fight on June 7, for me, and it will be a good way to show that I am the top dog for this season. There's currently 12 guys competing to try to make it to this postseason in October and this fight will be a great stepping stone for that." Lance Palmer is not only confident about his future in Professional Fighters League, but the future of FPL itself, which describes itself as "an MMA league," not a promotion nor an organization that merely hosts tournaments. "People are always going to have doubts about an organization, or a league, and how successful it's going to be," Palmer said. "All I can say is tune in on Thursday night and watch us get the ball rolling. This regular season structure is June and July for us, then the postseason starts in October. It's something that fans, media and everybody else can get behind and follow throughout the year. It is not just something where you watch one night and you don't have anything to follow in MMA. This is something where you can get behind someone for an entire season and we don't have that in our sport."

Kyle Snyder defeated Kyven Gadson in the finals of last year's World Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) On Saturday, Team USA will send some of their best wrestlers to Lincoln (Neb.) for the first edition of Final X. The event will determine the 2018 world team representative for seven weights. All bouts will be conducted as a beat-of-three series. The following is a weight-by-weight preview of the event with predictions. 70 kilograms: James Green vs. Jason Chamberlain At last year's World Championships, Green reached the finals before falling against Frank Chamizo. He returned this year at the World Cup where he went 3-1 with his only loss coming against multiple-time World Military Championships medalist Joshgun Azimov (Azerbaijan). Green then swept his way through the Pan American Championships and defeated Franklin Maren Castillo (Cuba) at the annual Beat the Streets event. Chamberlain needed all three matches to defeat 2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro in the finals of the World Team Trials. He had previously defeated Molinaro in the semifinals of the U.S. Open. The former Boise State wrestler then went on to defeat NCAA finalist Hayden Hidlay in the finals. In his only international action this year, Chamberlain finished second at the Cerro Pelado Invitational falling in the finals against Maren Castillo. So far this year, Chamberlain has been at his best when he is keeping the score close and winning tight matches. This can be a dangerous strategy against Green. Green is not the most active wrestler, but he is able to score in bunches. If Chamberlain tries to keep it close, he could end up giving up big points at the end of periods against Green. Prediction: Green in 2 Alli Ragan (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 59 kilograms: Alli Ragan vs. Jenna Burkert Ragan picked up her second straight world silver medal last year in Paris. She made the finals but ended up falling against Olympic gold medalist Risako Kawai (Japan). Ragan continued her winning ways early this year with another silver medal performance at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix. She defeated a pair of tough European opponents before dropping the final match against Ningning Rong (China), who went on to dominate the Asian Championships at this weight. Burkert did not wrestle in the U.S. Open this year since she had already qualified for the World Team Trials. At the Trials, she made her way to the finals with a pair of technical superiority wins over Abby Nette and Lauren Louive. Burkert then defeated Open champion Kelsey Campbell in the best-of-three finals. The first match was a close 3-1 victory for Burkert. In the second match, she picked up her third tech of the tournament. Ragan should be the favorite in this match. She has been on a roll for the past two seasons. Burkert will be a tough physical test, but Ragan can score from her offense and her defense. With that being said, if any of these series were to go to three matches, it could be this one. Prediction: Ragan in 2 97 kilograms: Kyle Snyder vs. Kyven Gadson There are two ways to look at Snyder's last match. Nobody really expected the multiple-time world/Olympic champion to fall behind Reineris Salas Perez (Cuba) at Beat the Streets. Could he be slipping? At the same time, the Cuban's lead never felt safe, and Snyder battled his way back for a 9-8 victory. Is he unstoppable? Regardless of how you think about that performance, Snyder has cemented himself as one of the best wrestlers in the country and the world. Gadson has had an up-and-down year so far in 2018. He started the year with a trip to the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial where he went 1-1 and failed to advance in the repechage. At the U.S. Open, Gadson came in as the No. 1 seed, but he fell against Austin Schafer in the semifinals and ended up finishing third. The former Iowa State wrestler then picked up a silver medal at the Pan American Championships, falling to Salas Perez in the finals. At the World Team Trials, he defeated Blaize Cabell and Ty Walz to earn a rematch with Schafer, who he defeated for the spot in Final X. Snyder has not lost a domestic freestyle match in years, and he will be a big favorite in this match. However, Gadson does hold a victory over Snyder, and he will be able to feed on whatever mental edge that could possibly give him. In the 2015 NCAA final, Gadson threw Snyder to his back and pinned him. Of course, Snyder has won rematches before and should be able to take this one. Prediction: Snyder in 2 Becka Leathers won a bronze medal at last year's World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 55 kilograms: Becka Leathers vs. Jacarra Winchester Leathers slid right into Final X based on her bronze medal at last year's World Championships. At the event, she fell to eventual champion Haruna Okuno (Japan) in the quarterfinals but then knocked off a pair of opponents, Carola Rainero (Italy) and two-time European champion Bilyana Dudova (Bulgaria), to pick up the bronze. This year, she represented the U.S. at the World Cup and the Pan American Championships. At the World Cup, Leathers split a pair of matches with her loss coming against world champion Mayu Mukaida (Japan). Last month at the Pan American Championships, she swept her way to finals and took gold. Winchester made her way to Final X with victories at the U.S. Open and the World Team Trials. At the Open, she defeated three opponents by a combined 25-3 score. Then at the Trials, she bested Dominique Parrish in straight-matches. The highlight of her international season came at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial where she took home a gold medal. Winchester will have a height and size advantage in this match. However, she might have a hard time getting her hands on Leathers. The returning world medalist utilizes a lot of movement on the outside and seemingly constantly changes levels. That type of aggression might end up wearing down Winchester and opening up scoring opportunities. Also, from the top position, Leathers employs a variety of folkstyle turns that allow her to rack up points. Prediction: Leathers in 3 Thomas Gilman won a silver medal at last year's World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 57 kilograms: Thomas Gilman vs. Daton Fix Gilman returns after picking up a silver medal at last year's World Championships. Since that performance, Gilman has competed sparingly and dealt with some injuries. He returned for the first time at the World Cup. In his collegiate home gym, he went 1-2 and helped the U.S. win the tournament. Gilman then finished third at the Pan American Championships. He fell to returning U23 gold medalist Reineri Andreu Ortega (Cuba) but took care of his other opponents. This past season Fix redshirted at Oklahoma State and went 5-0 in open tournaments. He earned his spot in Final X after winning the World Team Trials. Fix had to fight his way through the challenge bracket after falling against Tony Ramos at the U.S. Open. However, it turned out that he was up to the task. Fix earned a rematch with Ramos by defeating veterans Eddie Kilmara, Zane Richards and Zach Sanders by a combined score of 33-4. He then defeated Ramos in two straight matches. While the competition has not been easy, Gilman has not really looked like himself in 2018. On the other hand, Fix appears to be improving from match to match. Against Ramos, he lost to 2-2 and then won a pair over the former world teamer 4-2 and 10-3. Fix might struggle to close the distance against Gilman's reach, but in the end, he should be able to win a takedown battle. Against Ramos, he uncharacteristically used an underhook to control the clinches. He might be able to employ different tactical strategies against Gilman. Prediction: Fix in 3 68 kilograms: Tamyra Stock vs. Randyll Beltz Stock represented the U.S. at the 2017 World Championships, but she failed to bring home a medal. She earned this spot in Final X by winning the U.S. Open. At the tournament, she defeated three opponents, including Beltz, by a combined 32-0 score. Earlier this year, Stock picked up her second Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix title with a dominant run. In the finals, she bested world bronze medalist Yue Han (China). After falling to Stock in the finals of the U.S. Open, Beltz had to win the World Team Trials for a berth in Final X. At the Trials, she made her way to the finals where she bested Yvonne Galindo in two straight matches. This season was a bit of a breakout year for the Army WCAP team member. Prior to this year, her best finish at an Open or Trials had been third. Stock was all over Beltz from the start in their last match. She took her down almost immediately and held her on back for 2:48 on the first period. Beltz somehow avoided the fall, but Stock went back to work in the second period. She scored four takedowns in the first 1:35 of the second period to finish the match. It is hard to see how Beltz will be able to reverse that result. Prediction: Stock in 2 Isaiah Martinez (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 74 kilograms: Jordan Burroughs vs. Isaiah Martinez At this point, it might not even be fair to call it a comeback tour. After his disappointing performance at the 2016 Olympics, Burroughs has bounced back with yet another world title in 2017. This year, he has been as dominant as ever. He swept his way through the World Cup field. In his most recent action, he scored a come-from-behind victory over fellow returning world champion Frank Chamizo in the main event of Beat the Streets. In some ways, it is crazy to think of Martinez as only a two-time NCAA champion. During his collegiate career, he only lost three matches outside of his redshirt year. So far this season, he has continued his winning ways on the senior circuit. First, he ran through the U.S. Open. For the tournament, he outscored his five opponents by a combined 49-0 score. Martinez returned at the World Team Trials and defeated Nazar Kulchytskyy in a pair of matches. Many top wrestlers have cleared out of this weight due to the dominance of Burroughs. However, Martinez seems intent on challenging the king. This should be an interesting stylistic match. Burroughs likes to work from space, while Martinez will likely look to get to an underhook. However, he will likely struggle to move the multiple-time world champion from that position. Martinez might have some moments in this match, but 74 kilograms in the U.S. is still Burroughs' world. Prediction: Burroughs in 2

Get ready to see "less" of Ed Ruth ... as he has just signed for his next fight at a new lower weight. The three-time NCAA wrestling champ for Penn State -- who won his titles at (weight classes) -- will drop down to welterweight for Bellator 201 later this month in his first official bout at 170 pounds, according to multiple reports from MMA websites and confirmed by Bellator MMA. Ruth with face Andy Murad at Bellator 201 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. on Friday, June 29. Here's what Ed Ruth posted on his Facebook page Tuesday: "June 29th! Put the dates in your calendars! My debut fight at 170lbs. Watch me begin my welterweight run for the belt!!! @bellatormma @dethrone @dethronefresno @team_unbreakable @oakgrovetechnologies @lactigo @zinkinsportsmanagement @blackmplivingwater" Ruth brings a 5-0 overall record -- and 5-0 in Bellator -- to this match. Of the wins, three are by TKO and one by KO. Only one match -- his most recent -- went the full three rounds to result in a unanimous decision. Murad is a long-time veteran of the sport, launching his pro MMA career 15 years ago. The former California high school wrestler is 15-2 in his MMA career overall, and 2-2 in Bellator matches. Murad -- known as "the Tooth Fairy" -- is on an eight-bout win streak going back to the summer of 2014. To provide some perspective on Ed Ruth's new weight class ... as a Penn State wrestler, he was a four-time NCAA All-American (2011-14), with one NCAA title at 174 pounds (2012) and two national crowns at 184 (2013, 2014). As MMAjunkie.com pointed out, the 27-year-old Ruth started his pro mixed martial arts career at 195 pounds back in November 2016. In more recent bouts, he has fought at middleweight (185 pounds). In April, Ruth was slated to fight at welterweight (170 pounds) at Bellator 196. However, his original opponent pulled out on short notice, and the former Nittany Lion mat champ defeated replacement opponent Ion Pascu in a catchweight bout.

Mike Pucillo wrestling Roger Kish at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Mike Pucillo, 2008 NCAA wrestling champ for the Buckeyes, is one of ten athletes who will be welcomed into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame this fall. The university announced Monday that Pucillo and his fellow members of the Class of 2018 will be inducted at a dinner on Friday, Sept. 7 at the Ohio Union on the Ohio State campus. The new members of the Hall of Fame will then be honored at halftime of Ohio State's football game against Rutgers the following day. Upon learning of this latest honor, Pucillo, a native of the small town of Columbia Station, Ohio about 30 miles southwest of Cleveland, posted this message on his Twitter account: "Honored and humbled to even be mentioned alongside the members of THE Ohio State Athletic HOF. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey. #SkoooBucks" Mike Pucillo after defeating Jake Varner at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Pucillo wrestled at Ohio State from 2007-10. He was a three-time NCAA All-American and twice an NCAA championships finalist, winning the 184-pound title at the 2008 NCAAs. Pucillo was a three-time team captain for the Buckeyes who compiled a career record of 107-16. He remains ranked among the top ten Ohio State wrestlers in terms of all-time winning percentage in program history. In an interview for a 2007 InterMat feature on Mike Pucillo, head coach Tom Ryan said, "He is passionate about wrestling and Ohio State wrestling. He is a true Buckeye." In addition to Pucillo, the other former Buckeye athletes who will be welcomed into the Ohio State Buckeyes Athletics Hall of Fame in September include Greg Brown, men's rifle (1981-84); Dick Bruggeman, men's track and field (1967-70); Cassie Dickerson, women's soccer (2008-10); Linda Haussener, women's field hockey (2005-08); Ray Hupp, men's track and field (1969-71); Brian Konieko, men's tennis (2006-09); James Laurinitis, football (2005-08); Jerry Welsh, men's hockey (1970-73 as athlete; 1976-95 as coach) and Brandon Wynn, men's gymnastics (2008-11).

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Directly following its groundbreaking partnership with wrestling heavyweight Kyle Snyder, RUDIS has expanded its team of elite athletes to include U.S. Open and two-time NCAA champion Isaiah Martínez, advancing the apparel brand's position as the most authentic expression of wrestling. Isaiah MartinezIn addition to his impressive collection of national titles and collegiate accolades, what may best define Martínez's career thus far has been his audacious and gritty competition style. Fearless, his inclination for taking risks to dominate the field reflects RUDIS' own bold values. Martínez is enthusiastic about the unfolding relationship, saying: "I'm proud to announce that RUDIS will be my apparel partner along my journey for World and Olympic gold. No other brand exemplifies the wrestling spirit better than RUDIS. It is great to work with a brand created by wrestlers for wrestlers." Serving the amateur wrestling community, RUDIS has honored some of the greatest names in the history of the sport including Dave Schultz, Kyle Snyder, Cary Kolat, Russ Hellickson, Lincoln McIlravy, and more. The company's website (therudis.com) states: "Born from wrestling and built for wrestling. RUDIS was created with a single vision in mind: be the most accurate and authentic expression of the sport through apparel. The core values of wrestling govern our every action and drive us to continually innovate, serve, and connect with those who love this sport." RUDIS Co-founder and President Jesse Leng looks forward to the partnership with Martínez, saying: "Not everyone fits the mold of being a RUDIS athlete. Being RUDIS is about something greater than the medals around your neck. It is about the unwavering commitment to live a life of excellence and a willingness to always lay it on the line. Isaiah welcomes challenge knowing that the process will develop him. This mentality, combined with the way he owns every decision and outcome makes Isaiah unique and an excellent fit for the RUDIS family." On the verge of a promising international wrestling career, Isaiah Martínez has already established himself as a fierce competitor, dominating the U.S. Open and World Team Trials to secure a spot in the upcoming Final X event. RUDIS is proud to battle alongside Martínez as he furthers his legacy, and as the pair continue to serve and develop the wrestling community.