InterMat Staff

Check out this week's Takedown TV, featuring … Freestyle World Team Interviews from World Team Camp One-on-one with Gabe Dean on his move to Greco-Roman Hall of Fame Feature on Cary Kolat One-on-one with Olympic Gold medalist and UFC flyweight superstar Henry Cejudo Watch online or on these cable networks/channels: Cablevision: Sundays at 4 p.m. Charter Cable: Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 p.m. and Monday 2:30 p.m. Comcast Cable: Friday at 5 p.m. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4 p.m. KCWI 23: Saturday 4 p.m. KWEM Stillwater, Oklahoma: Tuesday 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Long Lines Cable: Daily at 5:30 p.m. Mediacom Cable: Sundays at 10:30 a.m. MidCo Sports Network: Saturday 10 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. SECV8: Friday at 5 p.m. Suddenlink Cable: Check your local listings. Multiple air times. Time Warner Cable Sports: Saturday at 12 p.m. Western Reserve Cable: Tuesday at 11 p.m., Friday at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 10 p.m.

Last month, InterMat ran the headline "IOC punts decision for 2024, 2028 Olympic sites" when the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee deferred a decision as to which cities -- Paris or Los Angeles -- would host the Summer Games in 2024 and 2028. Today was the day many expected that decision to be announced. Instead, the IOC board basically handed off that decision to the two contenders, saying, "OK, you two decide between yourselves." Actually, IOC members voted unanimously to seek a consensus three-way deal between the two bid cities and the IOC executive board after deciding Tuesday it could award the rights for both the 2024 and 2028 Olympics at the same time, going against more than a century of tradition of naming only one Olympic host city at a time since the first Modern Olympics in 1896. The general consensus is that Paris will get the nod to host the 2024 Games, and Los Angeles will welcome the 2028 Olympics. If the two bid cities and the IOC fail to come to an agreement this summer before the next IOC meeting Sept. 13, only the 2024 Olympics host city will be named.

PHILADELPHIA -- Two-time NCAA All-American Chase Pami, who recently finished third at the US Open Freestyle Championships at 70kg, has been added to the Penn Wrestling coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach as announced by head coach Roger Reina today. Chase Pami“We are very excited to announce that Chase is joining the Penn Wrestling coaching staff,” said Reina. “He has achieved high levels of success in both folkstyle and freestyle wrestling, and has represented the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center proudly in both domestic and international competitions. Chase believes in the direction of our program and I have great confidence in his ability to develop our student-wrestlers at Penn.” Pami has trained with the Pennsylvania RTC since 2015, recently finishing third at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas to qualify for the World Team Trials where he finished fourth in the Challenge Tournament at 70kg. In January, Pami won gold at the Paris International. Pami had a tremendous 2012 cycle, wining gold at the NYAC International, finishing second at the Dave Schultz Memorial and qualifying for the Olympic Team Trials where he finished fourth. A member of the 2012 and 2013 USA World Cup teams, Pami was fourth at the 2013 World Team Trials. “I am honored to have this opportunity to step into a coaching role with such a tremendous collegiate wrestling program,” said Pami. “Over the past year, I have had the privilege or working with many of the Penn student-athletes as we've trained together with the Pennsylvania RTC under Roger Reina and Brandon Slay. There is a big vision happening at Penn, a dedication to our sport, and a strong desire to achieve in each member of this team. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to assist in this program in unlocking its fullest potential.” Before transitioning to the international scene, Pami competed collegiately at Cal Poly where he was a two-time All-American. In 2010, Pami was runner-up at NCAAs at 157 pounds for the Mustangs. Pami has collegiate coaching experience from a stint as volunteer assistant at the Air Force Academy during the 2015-16 season. While training at the Illinois Regional Training Center from 2013-15, Pami coached at multiple club and high school programs. Pami joins assistant coaches Mike McMullan and Bryan Pearsall on head coach Roger Reina's staff entering the 2017-18 season.

Dylan Peters battles Darian Cruz in the opening round of the NCAAs (Photo/UNI Sports Information) MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Former Northern Iowa standout Dylan Peters has joined coach Tom Borrelli's Central Michigan wrestling coaching staff. Peters, a two-time All-American at UNI, will serve as a volunteer assistant, replacing Joe Roth. Peters earned a bachelor of arts in movement and exercise science in May from UNI, where he was a four-time NCAA Championships qualifier and the 2014 Mid-American Conference champion at 125 pounds. He was a four-time MAC finalist, was three times named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team, and a two-time Academic All-MAC pick. Peters, who hails from Denver, Iowa, completed his collegiate wrestling career in 2017, finishing with an 85-26 record at Northern Iowa. His 38 career pins rank fifth all-time in UNI history.

The 2017 edition of Fargo -- now officially titled as the U.S. Marine Corps Junior and Cadet National Championships -- commences this Saturday and will conclude one week from Saturday. This year's program features a significant change from previous years, with the freestyle events moving to the front end of the week, as opposed to previous years where Greco-Roman led off and freestyle followed. Given such a significant change, it will be interesting to see what -- if any -- impact it has on the overall number of participants across the tournaments. Below is a chart showing the number of competitors in each of the four major events during the Fargo week over the five previous years. Tournament Schedule The following is the schedule of events for all the tournaments during the Fargo week (all times Eastern): Cadet freestyle Saturday 7/15 -- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday 7/16 -- second weigh-in, (quarterfinal round) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., (semifinal round) 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday 7/17 -- (medal matches) 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Junior freestyle Sunday 7/16 -- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday 7/17 -- second weigh-in, (quarterfinal round) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., (semifinal round) 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday 7/18 -- (medal matches) 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Cadet women Monday 7/17 -- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., (quarterfinal round) 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday 7/18 -- (semifinal round) 10 a.m. to Noon, (medal matches) 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Cadet Greco-Roman Wednesday 7/19 -- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., (round of 16) 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday 7/20 -- second weigh-in, (quarterfinal round) 4 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Friday 7/21 -- (semifinal round) 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., (medal matches) 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Junior women Wednesday 7/19 -- 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday 7/20 -- second weigh-in, (round of 16) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., (quarterfinal round) 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday 7/21 -- (semifinal round) 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., (medal matches) 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Junior Greco-Roman Thursday 7/20 -- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday 7/21 -- second weigh-in, (round of 16) 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., (quarterfinals) 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday 7/22 -- (semifinals) 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., (medal matches) 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Junior women's duals Friday 7/21 -- 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday 7/22 -- 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cadet and Junior World Championships participants Moving on to the potential participants, a chunk of Fargo-eligible wrestlers will be on the United States' Cadet and Junior world teams in freestyle and Greco-Roman toward the end of the summer. The Junior-level events will be held in Finland at the beginning of August, while the Cadet-level events are slated for Athens, Greece in the beginning of September. More often than not, these athletes have not competed in Fargo in recent years, and it would not surprise me if that pattern continued this year. Below is a list of those that qualified for the World Championships later this summer. Kase Mauger (Idaho) -- Cadet Greco-Roman, 92 pounds Cole Skinner (Ohio) -- Cadet freestyle, 92 pounds Dylan Ragusin (Illinois) -- Cadet Greco-Roman, 101 pounds Kurt McHenry (Virginia) -- Cadet freestyle, 101 pounds Lucas Byrd (Ohio) -- Cadet Greco-Roman, 110 pounds Julian Tagg (Ohio) -- Cadet freestyle, 110 pounds Cevion Severado (Missouri) -- Junior Greco-Roman, 110 pounds Malik Heinselman (Colorado) -- Junior freestyle, 110 pounds Ridge Lovett (Idaho) -- Cadet Greco-Roman, 119 pounds Robert Howard (New Jersey) -- Cadet freestyle, 119 pounds Daton Fix (Oklahoma) -- Junior freestyle, 121 pounds Malik Johnson (Missouri) -- Cadet Greco-Roman, 127 pounds Jordan Decatur (Ohio) -- Cadet freestyle, 127 pounds Dalton Young (Washington) -- Junior Greco-Roman, 132 pounds Mason Phillips (Washington) -- Cadet Greco-Roman, 138 pounds Jacori Teemer (New York) -- Cadet freestyle, 138 pounds Dominick Demas (Ohio) -- Junior Greco-Roman, 145 pounds Will Lewan (Illinois) -- Cadet Greco-Roman and freestyle, 152 pounds; it is unknown if he will compete in one or both styles at worlds, and which style that is; Mason Reiniche (Tennessee) was runner-up in Greco-Roman Jake Hendricks (Pennsylvania) -- Cadet Greco-Roman, 167 pounds Travis Wittlake (Oregon) -- Cadet freestyle, 167 pounds Ashton Sharp (Missouri) -- Cadet Greco-Roman, 187 pounds Gavin Hoffman (Pennsylvania) -- Cadet freestyle, 187 pounds Cohlton Schultz (Colorado) -- Cadet Greco-Roman, 220 pounds; Junior Greco-Roman, 264 pounds Daniel Kerkvliet (Minnesota) -- Cadet freestyle, 220 pounds Gable Steveson (Minnesota) -- Junior freestyle, 264 pounds Returning champions Many wrestlers that won weight class titles in last year's Junior and Cadet Nationals can return for this year's event, though the vast majority of the Cadet champions will be moving up to the Junior level in next week's competitions. As a result, the Cadet National tournaments become a breeding ground for emerging stars and names to watch for in the upcoming seasons of scholastic wrestling. Cadet champions who can repeat at the Cadet level this coming year (listed by weight class in which they won their title last year): Cullan Schriever (Iowa) -- 88 pounds, freestyle Jeremiah Reno (Missouri) -- 94 pounds, freestyle Dylan Ragusin (Illinois) -- 94 pounds, Greco-Roman Julian Tagg (Ohio) -- 100 pounds, freestyle Jordan Hamdan (Michigan) -- 113 pound, Greco-Roman Braxton Amos (West Virginia) -- 195 pounds, freestyle and Greco-Roman Cadet champions that move up to the Junior level: Sam Latona (Alabama) -- 88 pounds, Greco-Roman Ridge Lovett (Idaho) -- 100 pounds, Greco-Roman Corey Gamet (Michigan) -- 106 pounds, freestyle Jace Koelzer (Kansas) -- 106 pounds, Greco-Roman Colton Yapoujian (Colorado) -- 113 pounds, freestyle Jordan Decatur (Ohio) -- 120 pounds, freestyle Theorius Robison (Colorado) -- 120 pounds, Greco-Roman Nick Raimo (New Jersey) -- 126 pounds, freestyle and Greco-Roman Jacori Teemer (New York) -- 132 pounds, freestyle Mason Phillips (Washington) -- 132 pounds, Greco-Roman Brock Hardy (Utah) -- 138 pounds, freestyle Will Lewan (Illinois) -- 138 pounds, Greco-Roman Jared Franek (North Dakota) -- 145 pounds, freestyle Dawon Andrews (Arizona) -- 145 pounds, Greco-Roman Frankie Gissendanner (New York) -- 152 pounds, freestyle James Rogers (Washington) -- 152 pounds, Greco-Roman Aaron Brooks (Maryland) -- 160 pounds, freestyle and Greco-Roman Travis Wittlake (Oregon) -- 170 pounds, freestyle and Greco-Roman Ryan Karoly (New Jersey) -- 182 pounds, freestyle and Greco-Roman Cohlton Schultz (Colorado) -- 220 pounds, freestyle Tyler Curd (Missouri) -- 220 pounds, Greco-Roman Montana Phillips (Oklahoma) -- 285 pounds, freestyle Spencer Trenary (Iowa) -- 285 pounds, Greco-Roman Junior champions whom are eligible to compete again: Malik Heinselman (Colorado) -- 100 pounds, freestyle Brendon Garcia (Colorado) -- 100 pounds, Greco-Roman Jason Holmes (Arizona) -- 106 pounds, freestyle Jaret Lane (Pennsylvania) -- 106 pounds, freestyle Nico Aguilar (California) -- 113 pounds, freestyle Dack Punke (Illinois) -- 113 pounds, Greco-Roman Gavin Teasdale (Pennsylvania) -- 120 pounds, freestyle Austin Gomez (Illinois) -- 126 pounds, freestyle Nick Lee (Indiana) -- 138 pounds, freestyle Anthony Artalona (Florida) -- 145 pounds, freestyle Jake Allar (Minnesota) -- 160 pounds, freestyle Anthony Mantanona (California) -- 160 pounds, Greco-Roman Thomas Brackett (Tennessee) -- 170 pounds, Greco-Roman Haydn Maley (Oregon) -- 195 pounds, Greco-Roman Brandon Metz (North Dakota) -- 285 pounds, Greco-Roman Rising freshmen to watch in Cadet Nationals As mentioned earlier in this article, the Cadet Nationals serve as proving ground for many an emerging star. Yes, that does include incoming ninth graders. Last summer, five wrestlers combined to win six stop signs at the Cadet Nationals before stepping on the high school mats. Among the top Class of 2021 wrestlers, some of the more likely to capture a stop sign include: No. 1 Carson Manville (Minnesota): He has already demonstrated clear ability to compete against wrestlers older in age, as seen by winning a high school state title in Minnesota's big-school division as an eighth-grader. Furthermore, he was second in freestyle and third in Greco-Roman at the UWW Cadet Nationals in Akron, a competition that adds the birth year right before those that are Fargo Cadet eligible. In USA Wrestling level Cadet competition, Manville won double titles at three different regional tournaments, and was undefeated in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at the Cadet duals last month. No. 2 Travis Mastrogiovanni (New Jersey): He was the only wrestler to keep it remotely competitive with Manville between the regional tournaments and the Cadet Duals, as he led 6-0 early in freestyle at the Cadet Duals, before losing by technical fall. Should he stay below Manville in weight class, Mastrogiovanni would be a favorite for gold. 2016-17 was an excellent year for him in Junior High age group competition winning titles at the Super 32 Challenge, Tulsa KOC and Tulsa Nationals while going undefeated at the VAC event. No. 3 Ryan Sokol (Minnesota): Already a two-time state placer in high school varsity competition, he went undefeated at the Cadet Duals in freestyle with a pair of high quality wins over state champion Jacob Lindsey (Illinois) and National Prep champion Trevor Mastrogiovanni (New Jersey). No. 4 Padraic Gallagher (Ohio) and No. 5 Alex Facundo (Michigan): It would not at all be a surprise to see both these wrestlers competing in the same weight class in Cadet freestyle; Facundo is likely to attempt a double in Fargo, while Gallagher is likely to be "freestyle only". While Gallagher placed eighth in the UWW Cadet freestyle tournament competing at 63 kilos, one could argue Facundo had the higher quality results in the tournament. The wrestlers split folkstyle matches at major tournaments this year, Gallagher won at Tulsa, while Facundo won at the Tulsa KOC. It should be noted that Facundo was a champion in Cadet folkstyle, and is in the hunt for a Triple Crown, and was undefeated in both styles at the Cadet Duals last month. No. 6 Isaac Salas (California): Already earned the first leg of the Cadet Triple Crown with a folkstyle national title, which included wins over a pair of returning Cadet National freestyle champions (Schriever and Reno). He was also runner-up in freestyle at the UWW Cadet Nationals last month competing at 50 kilograms. Salas would be a joint or slight favorite at either 106 or 113 pounds (presuming Julian Tagg does not compete at 113, so he can focus on the World Championships in Athens at the beginning of August). How to follow the event Due to the change in structure of the media rights with USA Wrestling, FloWrestling now has control of both the streaming and bracketing rights. As a result, the tournament will no longer be on Trackwrestling for bracketing, which means to follow the proceedings on Flo Arena; while continue to go to Flowrestling for the streaming broadcast. Fargo coverage Keep your eye glued onto InterMat for Fargo coverage throughout the coming week including some event-specific previews and recaps, and well as a broad recap of the whole group of tournaments after the festivities are complete.

Three-time state placer, 2015 state champion, Gerard Angelo (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) verbally committed to Cornell late on Monday afternoon. The No. 96 overall Class of 2018 wrestler was a Cadet freestyle All-American last summer placing fourth at 138 pounds. He finished second at state this past season, third as a sophomore, and was champion as a freshman. Angelo projects to compete collegiately as a 149/157.

A fire caused significant damage to the Blackman (Tenn.) wrestling building A fire caused "significant damage" to the building used by one of the top wrestling programs in Tennessee Sunday night. The freestanding building contained mats, weights and other equipment used by the wrestling program at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Murfreesboro firefighters responded to the school shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday. When crews arrived, they found heavy black smoke in a detached metal building behind the school. There was extensive damage to the building but no injuries, the Daily News Journal reported Monday. Here's how the website for the Blackman High School wrestling team -- ironically named the Blaze -- reported on the fire: "On Sunday, July 9th, the Blackman Wrestling building caught fire and suffered significant damage. We are heartbroken. Thanks to everyone for your words of encouragement and support. We will assess our options and in the coming days, we will develop a plan for rebuilding and heart mending! Go Blaze!" The fire remains under investigation. Since Blackman High School first opened in 2000, the Blaze wrestling program has made its mark in Tennessee, with 26 state medalists, four runners-up and five state champions. Murfreesboro is located southeast of Nashville. Update 7/11/17 According to Tuesday's Daily News Journal, the fire was accidental, and appears to have been caused by a defective exhaust fan. The building and its contents were declared a total loss. The building had been used by four wrestling teams which will now need a new facility. There are some encouraging aspects to come out of the loss. For starters, brand-new wrestling mats, recently delivered, were stored in another location and were undamaged... and Blackman assistant wrestling coach Eric Sacharczyk reported that the school is already hearing from wrestling programs around the country, offering support. A GoFundMe page has been established to help Blackman wrestling rebuild its facility and replace contents destroyed by the recent fire.

Two-time state runner-up Matthew Grippi (Fox Lane, N.Y.) verbally committed to North Carolina State on Monday afternoon. The No. 88 overall Class of 2018 wrestler joins No. 77 Jakob Camacho (Danbury, Ct.) and No. 86 Tyler Barnes (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) to make it three top 100 commits for the Wolfpack so far in this class. The 2016 class brought in by head coach Pat Popolizio and staff - featuring five top 100 recruits - was the nation's No. 1 recruiting class. Grippi has also placed seventh at the 2016 Flo Nationals, and was one match away from placing at the Super 32 Challenge this past October. He projects to compete collegiately as a 165 pound wrestler.

Two-time state champion and three-time state finalist Real Woods (Montini Catholic, Ill.) verbally committed to Stanford early Monday afternoon. Ranked No. 26 overall in the Class of 2018, Woods won state titles as a freshman and junior, while also winning the 2015 Walsh Jesuit Ironman in December of his sophomore season. Woods is has also won USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals titles each of the last two years, and represented the United States at the Cadet World Championships in Greco-Roman last year. He projects to compete collegiately as a 133/141 pound wrestler, and joins No. 18 Shane Griffith (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) as a Cardinal commit in this recruiting class.

Bill Zadick with Tony Ramos at the Beat the Streets Gala (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Bill Zadick and J.J. Dillon will be guests for the "On The Mat" broadcast this Wednesday, July 12. Zadick, 1996 NCAA champion for the University of Iowa, is currently U.S. freestyle wrestling national team coach. James J. Dillon, former pro wrestling manager of the Four Horsemen, and the 2016 recipient of the Lou Thesz World Heavyweight Championship Award, given to an individual in wrestling who has taken the skills of the sport into the realm of public service. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa this Wednesday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com.

The high school wrestling program that produced Damion Hahn is fighting for its life. At Lakewood, Damion Hahn won three state championships, compiled a career record of 131-3 and was named New Jersey's Wrestler of the Century by the The Star-LedgerWrestling at New Jersey's Lakewood High School is about to be eliminated unless the Lakewood Board of Education can come up with funds to save it. "For me, wrestling was a platform to get me where I am," Hahn, associate head wrestling coach at Cornell University, told the Asbury Park Press Friday. Hahn is arguably the most successful wrestler to come out of Lakewood in the more than a half-century of Piner wrestling. He was a three-time New Jersey state champion for Lakewood High from 1997-99 who went on to become a two-time NCAA champion at the University of Minnesota, a four-time NCAA All-America and an alternate on the 2008 United States Olympic Wrestling Team. "Any time the sport gets cut, it hurts, but even more so here because this is where I grew up -- the place I wrestled," Hahn said. "It hurts." The Lakewood Piners wrestling program isn't the only interscholastic sport to find itself in a predicament. When students return to Lakewood High this fall, baseball, softball, basketball and wrestling teams will be dissolved, as the district continues to struggle financially. The school board refused to approve the budget for the 2017-18 school year; however, state monitor David Shafter overruled board members' objections and adopted the $143 million spending plan. While that might seem like a lot, it's about $30 million less than the previous school year. The one sport that escaping these budget cuts unscathed is football. The Lakewood Township Committee has pledged to pay $84,000 to ensure the high school will have a football program this fall. It's not just sports that are taking the hit. Among the other budget cuts: there will be six fewer librarians at Lakewood High. In the big scheme of things, wrestling takes up a tiny fraction of the school district's overall budget. The high school program runs on about $35,000 and the middle school program has a budget of $17,000, which adds up to just over $50,000 out of $143 million budget. The final decision regarding the budget is expected to be made at the Lakewood Board of Education on July 19.

You're about to witness the birth of a new sports league for the first real sport, wrestling. In the past few days, you may have seen references to PROWL in social media. There have been photos of top amateur wrestlers, online polls asking fans to cast votes for cities within states that are wrestling hotbeds ... with no real explanation. This writer first came across PROWL at Xander Schultz's Twitter account. Xander is considered to be a key member of the wrestling community. Only son of beloved Olympic gold medalist Dave Schultz and Nancy Schultz who has maintained her late husband's memory by continuing with the wrestling club that bears his name. Nephew of Mark Schultz, Olympian champ and author of the "Foxcatcher" book which inspired the Oscar-nominated film of the same name. Xander Schultz is an entrepreneur who has launched multiple ventures in Silicon Valley. Now he's putting that entrepreneurial experience to work for the sport that is very much a part of his family. A couple months ago, Schultz has joined Mike Novogratz, a major figure in USA Wrestling, and his brother Matt who have been working the past nine months to create a venture which Xander described as "unique in wrestling, and unique in all sports." That venture is PROWL. "Our mission is two-fold," Schultz told InterMat. "First of all, PROWL will allow wrestlers to be true professional athletes that can solely focus on being the absolute best they can be. Secondly, PROWL is going to make it a ton more exciting and fun to be a wrestling fan." "What we are developing is a bigger, grander vision than might have ever been attempted in the past, both in terms of production, and in its structure." As Schultz sketched out the framework of PROWL, this writer immediately thought of past attempts to grow wrestling and provide wrestlers with an opportunity to continue in the sport and make a living at it ... specifically asking about some of those ventures from recent times as well as those from a decade or more ago. "If you're thinking Real Pro Wrestling or other more recent ventures, you're not thinking big enough," Schultz replied. "Nothing against those ventures, but we are taking a different approach than what's been tried in the past." "We want to bring matches that matter to the people in wrestling hotbeds. There's something amazing about the shared experience of taking in a sporting event in person with fellow fans." "We want to make wrestling awesome for fans. We want wrestling fans to have a great experience for their sport, with the same kind of excitement and production elements that fans of other sports already enjoy." "Our focus is on individual wrestlers -- who are modern-day samurais -- rather than on teams or leagues," Schultz continued. "We love how the NBA has taken an athlete-first approach. We have some of the best athletes and role models in the world, and want to put them front and center in our promotion." While Schultz and the Novogratz brothers seek to incorporate elements from other sports that have proven successful with fans, they are working to make PROWL uniquely appropriate to wrestling. "Authenticity is key to wrestling," Schultz said to InterMat. "What we're creating is truer to the ethos of wrestling." "We're putting together something that wrestlers, fans and the entire wrestling community can get behind. Something that will ultimately generate more exposure and interest for the sport, and help grow participation and interest in wrestling at all levels, especially high school and college." "It matters to me that we create something that helps the sport succeed and sustain itself over time." Specifics of PROWL will be revealed over the next few months. However, Xander Schultz is confident that wrestling fans will like what he and Mike and Matt Novogratz are working on. "If you're an authentic wrestling fan, you'll love the product we're developing." For the latest information, readers interested in PROWL can enter their email at www.prowl.tv and follow PROWL on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Yoel Romero, world-class wrestler who won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics, lost a unanimous decision to Robert Whittaker in the headline event at UFC 213 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Saturday night. All judges scored the five-round bout 48-47 for Whittaker, who now holds the UFC interim middleweight (185-pound) title. Yoel RomeroMultiple media reports indicate that the 40-year-old Cuban native was in control in the first two rounds, appearing to have injured Whittaker's left knee with a series of side kicks in the first round, then using his wrestling expertise in the second. "All his work came at a price," reported Sherdog.com. "Romero's pace slowed to a crawl over the third, fourth and fifth rounds, his muscle-bound frame starved for oxygen. Even wounded, Whittaker managed to capitalize. He ripped into Romero with a punishing jab, mean left hooks upstairs and front kicks to the body." According to MMAFighting.com, "When Romero got him to the mat, Whittaker popped back to his feet each time. He picked up the pace in the third and began throwing frequent kicks with his right leg. This threw off Romero's timing, and Whittaker picked up the pace over the third and fourth rounds." In the fifth round, Whittaker knocked down Romero, then took top position, wearing down the Olympian with strikes. After the bout, the two combatants offered their analysis of the action. Referring to his injured knee, Whittaker said, "It definitely was impacting my game. I was trying to establish the jab. It was pretty bad, but champions are made of this stuff." "I think he's the champ," Whittaker added. "I think he's a veteran and tough and a champ for a reason." "It was very close," Romero said. "But he won the fight. It happens for a reason." With the win, Whittaker -- a 26-year-old from New Zealand -- not only claimed the interim middleweight title, but earned his eighth straight victory to compile a 19-4-0 pro MMA record ... while Romero, who was on an eight-match win streak, is now 13-2-0 overall. Prior to launching his MMA career in December 2008, Yoel Romero was one of the most powerful freestyle wrestlers in his weight class. The chiseled Cuban was a two-time Olympian, winning the silver at the 2000 Sydney Games (losing to Adam Saitev in the finals), and placing fourth in Athens in 2004. During his freestyle career, Romero defeated three different Olympic gold medal winners, and five different world champions. Among those he beat: Cael Sanderson and Les Gutches.

Marcus Cobbs ATCHISON -- Benedictine College Athletic Director Charlie Gartenmayer has announced the hiring of Marcus Cobbs to become the next head wrestling coach at Benedictine. "We are excited to have Marcus join the staff at Benedictine," Gartenmayer said. "He has been around NAIA wrestling as both a coach and student-athlete and knows what it takes to excel in the classroom and on the mat. We look forward to where he will take the Raven wrestling program moving forward." Coach Cobbs comes to Benedictine from Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, Ga., where he served as the head coach from April of 2014. While at Truett McConnel, Coach Cobbs guided the program to 14 All-Academic Conference selections, eight Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete selections and two top five finishes in team GPA on the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic team, which included a top finish at the end of the 2015 season. "Benedictine College has a strong tradition of not only successful athletics but succesful academics," Coach Cobbs said. "The strong faith base and the opportunity it allows students to grow in their faith and to spread the gospel is an important quality to me." Prior to Truett McConnell, Coach Cobbs spent time as an assistant coach at Cumberland University while also serving as the interim head coach at Concordia (Neb.) University. In his time at Cumberland and Concordia, he helped coach a combined 21 national qualifiers, a two-time NAIA Champion, and nine NAIA All-Americans while also helping guide the programs to high academic all-conference marks and team GPA recognition by the NWCA. "We're going to build on the pillars within the mission of the school both athletically and academically," Coach Cobbs said. "I also look forward to building a connection with the campus community and the Atchison community. "I would to thank Mr. Gartenmayer, President Minnis and the Benedictine community for the opportunity to become the next wrestling coach." Coach Cobbs has a Bachelor's in Physical Education with an emphasis in Strength & Conditioning from fellow Heart member William Penn University. He received his Master's in Sports Management from Cumberland. He will begin his duties as head coach immediately. Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college nestled in the bluffs of the Missouri River in Atchison, Kan., Raven Athletics competes in the NAIA as a member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

Logan Luft, a wrestler who was to enter high school in Charles City, Iowa, died this week after sustaining a serious brain injury from an ATV accident on Tuesday, July 4. He was 15. Logan LuftAs a designated organ donor, Luft was kept on life support at Mayo Clinic-St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minn. until Friday as his recipients were being chosen. "We know that God has a plan and has had a plan for him his whole life but maybe, just maybe, he has another plan for somebody else," Logan's mother Wendy Luft told KAAL-TV. In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Wendy Luft described the two passions that defined her eldest son: fishing and wrestling. She added that Logan was incredibly committed to everything from wrestling to school, saying, "He was a very dedicated person." In that same newspaper, Heath Grimm, head wrestling coach at Upper Iowa University and family friend of the Lufts, used the words "smile," "determination" and "energy" as major aspects of Logan Luft that he will remember, describing him as a wrestler who was "second to none." Logan Luft was a top-flight wrestler, as demonstrated by this post to his Facebook page on May 11: "Last weekend I qualified to represent the state of Iowa at Fargo Nationals and Cadet duals in Pennsylvania. Would you be willing to support me on my trip? I'm selling raffle tickets for either cash prize or an all-inclusive trip to Mexico. Thank you for your support!!" The Facebook page for IAWrestle.com -- a website that covers the sport within the state of Iowa -- featured this tribute: "We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of young wrestler Logan Luft who would have been a freshman next season at Charles City. He was a very good wrestler and by all accounts an even better young man! Gone too soon but not forgotten." The citizens of Charles City paid tribute to Logan Luft with a twilight vigil which concluded with the lighting of a Chinese lantern. The wrestling community plans to honor Logan with a "Funk, Flash and Throws" benefit wrestling camp to be held Monday, July 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the West Gym at University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. The already-scheduled camp promises that "every dime" will go to the Luft family. Online registration is available. Update 07/10/17 The Mason City (Iowa) Globe-Gazette reported Monday that five individuals have received organs from Logan Luft. Others will benefit from tissue donations in the future. A visitation for Logan Christian Luft will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at the new Charles City Middle School competition gym. The Celebration of Life service will take place immediately following the visitation at 2 p.m. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery. Everyone is welcome for a celebration of Logan's life with fellowship and food at the Enrichment Center at the Floyd County Fairgrounds following the burial. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hauserfh.com.

Funeral services have been announced for William "Chipper" Grogg, a wrestler at Sandy Valley High School in eastern Ohio who was killed in a one-car crash Thursday morning. He was 15. William "Chipper" GroggVisitation will take place Sunday, July 9, 2017 from 1-3 p.m. in the Kreighbaum-Sanders Funeral Home on South Cleveland Ave. in Canton, Ohio. Grogg was a passenger in a car that crashed on State Route 171 in Carroll County, Ohio, according to the Canton Repository. William G. "Chipper" Grogg II was born May 26, 2002 in Canton, Ohio. He was about to start his junior year at Sandy Valley High where he played football and wrestled. "We're gonna miss him," said Sandy Valley Superintendent David Fischer. "Whether you saw him out there wrestling ... or as No. 35 on the football field, he's going to be missed." The Sandy Valley wrestling team posted this message on its Facebook page: "I sorrowfully report that one of our brothers has passed. SV Wrestler and Football player Chipper Grogg passed away last evening due to injuries sustained from a car accident. Our program sends out prayers and condolences to all of his family and friends. Chipper will be dearly missed by everyone in our program. I cannot explain how unique of an individual he was. Everyone knew Chipper and Everyone loved Chipper. He had a huge heart and if you are one of the individuals to experience knowing Chipper you are very lucky. The SV Wrestling Community loves you to the fullest and you will never be forgotten. REST IN PEACE CHIPPER GROGG!!!!" A GoFundMe page has been established to help the Grogg family with funeral expenses for their son.

Ray Takahashi LONDON, Ont. -- Ray Takahashi, the long-time leader of the Western Mustangs wrestling program, has decided to retire after 32 seasons as head coach. Scott Proctor, who's served as an assistant coach with the Mustangs since 2005, will take over as the team's new head coach. "I have been fortunate to represent wrestling for the past 32 years and I consider myself very lucky to have coached so many student-athletes who strive for excellence while maintaining a strong balance with their studies and athletic goals," said Takahashi. "I know too, that I have personally developed through the educational sport process at Western by 'rubbing shoulders' with my coaching colleagues, as well as with the faculty members in the School of Kinesiology. "Scott Proctor knows the program well, and he will lead the program with a full and easy transition. Scott is capable, reliable, and hard-working, and he is likely the most underrated coach in U SPORTS. I am happy that he will have the opportunity to lead Western Wrestling." "We are thankful for the leadership and commitment that Ray Takahashi has had for the Mustangs wrestling program over the past 32 years," said Chuck Mathies, Manager of Intercollegiate Athletics. "Few have had the impact on Mustang Athletics that Ray has had as both a student-athlete and coach, and although he's stepping away from his role as head coach he will always be part of the Mustangs family." Takahashi is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in both the history of wrestling and athletics in general at Western. Arriving at Western in 1978, Takahashi dominated the university wrestling circuit, winning four CIAU Championships in his four years as a Mustang. His efforts were recognized by the university in 1982 when he was named the winner of the Dr. Claude Brown Memorial Trophy, alongside fellow Mustang legend Greg Marshall, as the male student-athlete who has made the greatest contribution to intercollegiate athletics at Western. Along with his success at the university level Takahashi excelled on the international stage as well, earning titles at the Pan Am Games, Commonwealth Games, and was a three-time Olympic team member. He was also a multi-time Canadian Champion at both the junior and senior levels, and was named Canadian Wrestler of the Year in both 1978 and 1984. In 1991 he was inducted into the Wrestling Canada Hall of Fame. In 1985, Takahashi returned to Western to pursue his MA in Coaching and also took the reins of the Mustangs wrestling program. Takahashi continued to build the men's program into one of the top teams in the country, and established the Mustangs women's team in 1996-97. In his years at the helm he's led the purple and white to five OUA men's championships and two OUA women's championships, along with a CIAU men's championship in 1990. He's been recognized for his coaching success as a 10-time OUA Coach of the Year and the 1990 CIAU Coach of the Year award. He'll hand the leadership of the program to Proctor, who himself has decades of experience as a Mustang. A three-year captain of the Mustangs, Proctor is a two-time medalist at the then CIAU championships, earning silver in 1997 and bronze in 1998. Upon graduation Proctor was recognized for his athletic accomplishments with a Purple Blanket, presented to student-athletes that are judged to have made an outstanding contribution to Western Athletics. "I'm very excited for this opportunity and am honoured to have the chance to be a head coach at Western," said Proctor. "I'm looking forward to a great season, we have a strong team with a number of great wrestlers and we will be looking to build off our strong showings from last year at the OUA and U SPORTS championships. Following his time as a student-athlete, Proctor transitioned to a coaching, joining the Western squad as an assistant coach in 2005. Considered by Takahashi to be his 'right-hand man,' Proctor handled everything from day-to-day coaching responsibilities to running and organizing events. Passing on the skills he learned as a competitor and nationally accredited coach, Proctor has a wealth of experience in teaching the current generation of Mustangs, something that he plans to continue to build on as head coach. "I've had the opportunity to be an assistant coach alongside Ray for the last 10+ years and have learned a tremendous amount under his mentorship. I will work hard to build on the strong foundation Ray has established". Although Takahashi stepped down from his coaching role on July 1, he'll still be close by as he continues to serve as a lecturer in Western's School of Kinesiology as well as a volunteer assistant coach with the Mustangs.

Members of the U.S. women's wrestling team -- along with Carl Adams -- will be guests to be featured on the Takedown Radio broadcast this Saturday, July 8. Join Scott Casber, Tony Hager and Brad Johnson for the two-hour broadcast from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Central available on KXNO 1460 AM radio and online at www.KXNO.iHeart.com or TakedownWrestle.com. Here's this Saturday's guest list: 9 a.m. Carl Adams, wrestler, coach and inventor 9:20 a.m. Amanda Hendey, ranked No. 9 at 63 kilograms 9:40 a.m. Sarah Hildebrandt, No. 2 ranked at 55 kilograms 10 a.m. Maya Nelson, ranked third at 63 kilograms 10:20 a.m. Julia Salata, No. 5 at 75 kilograms 10:40 a.m. Forrest Molinari, ranked fifth at 63 kilograms

The USA women's national team is in Russia this week training with that nation's women's wrestling program. The members are trading training tips and working long hours with the Russians in preparation for the 2017 World Championships in Paris. The obvious question is, "Why?" Why does wrestling so often see these international exchanges? It would seem counterintuitive. Iowa and Cornell don't pair up for a training camp in February. The answer tells us a lot about the sport in the states and other well-supported nations. When American women get to the highest levels of international wrestling there is a deficiency of training partners due to a smaller pool of eligible partners. While there are high-level partners, the numbers tend to be low, so to compensate the team travels overseas more consistently. Add in the advantage of exposure to new techniques and the simple task of wrestling while traveling and the American women are benefiting from these exchanges. For me, the interchange of wrestlers is a nice gesture to see nations cooperating and looking to better their individual athletes rather than closely guard their team's training secrets. The best nations are those that expose themselves to the most wrestling possible while still retaining discipline and their individual approach to success. Cooperation only leads to more opportunity and improved results. To your questions … Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker shake hands Q: Why the hell is Yoel Romero a betting underdog vs. Robert Whittaker this weekend? Admittedly, I haven't seen much of Whittaker, but Romero has never lost in the UFC, and his only career loss came in 2011 in Strikeforce. -- Mike C. Foley: I'm guessing there is concern that Yoel is 40 years old and that there is only so much magic left in his career. Whittaker doesn't have a big name, but can stand and trade with a flurry of kicks. Legs tend to give wrestlers problems and it seems the betting public thinks that Whittaker is better equipped to land a head kick than Yoel is to move it to the ground and finish. I'm on your side, though. It's very rare that a wrestler is kept at a distance forever. Eventually the cage moves in on the opponent there is an opportunity to transition to the ground. I see very little reason to believe that once there Whittaker will have an opportunity to submit, or recover to his feet. But again, take caution while betting, as Whittaker is one of the UFC's new favorite toys. Ryan Mango after winning a Junior National Greco-Roman title in 2009 (Photo/David Jedlicka, jedicheetah.com) Q: To your knowledge, which individuals have won the most titles in Fargo? I know that Ryan Mango from Missouri won five during his career. -- Ethan S. Foley: Your guys are Sean Hage and David Kjeldgaard with eight titles (regardless of location). Our friends over at the Open Mat put together a nice list that you can access for more information. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME You win some, you lose some Yoel More Yoel Q: There was a tweet that Iowa is the only school to inquire about Pat Downey since the full release from Kevin Dresser. Are you surprised by that? -- Mike C. Foley: Opposition research? Doubt it was a serious inquiry beyond getting to know exactly what type of grades he had. Better to know than not to know. Most people won't buy a redemption story if it's sans humility. Least of all Tom Brands. Q: What do you know about PROWL? Seems like a professional wrestling league. I have seen some tweets from Xander Schultz, Dave Schultz's son. -- Mike C. Foley: Professional wrestling is back. I think that you'll be surprised with the product, but also the concept. Could be a major development for the sport and is being led by Xander, who is an organized, well-intentioned professional.

Nicole Woody battles Clarissa Chun at the Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. -- Nicole Woody, a four-time Women's College Wrestling Association (WCWA) All-American and and former Olympic Trials qualifier, has turned her sights to coaching and it didn't take long for Campbellsville head coach Lee Miracle to make a splash. Miracle, along with CU administration, is excited to announce the hiring of Woody as the programs first full-time assistant coach. The position officially starts on July 1. Woody, 29, has made a name for herself ever since being the first female to place as a state finalist in Maryland High School history. The accolades definitely do not stop there and they have continued even after her lustrous career at Oklahoma City University. Woody has made coaching stops at Missouri Baptist as a graduate assistant and King University as a full-time assistant. Most recently, she has managed and coached Results U Gym in Maryland since Sept. 2016. "I am extremely excited to have Coach Woody on the staff," said Miracle. "She has a proven track record of success as a competitor and coach. She will be an invaluable asset to the program. "Coach Woody shares my commitment to winning a WCWA National Championship and producing World and Olympic Team members. She is a hard worker who wants to win in the right way. Coach Woody exemplifies all of the virtues that we needed in an assistant coach." Woody is no stranger to national championships as a former grappler at Oklahoma City University from 2009-2011, graduate assistant at Missouri Baptist from Dec. 2012 - June 2013, and assistant at King University from June 2013 - Dec. 2015. She helped lead the Stars to three consecutive national championships from 2009-2011, while the Tornados won their first title in 2013 and a NWCA National Duals championship in 2014. During her time at Missouri Baptist, she coached six All-Americans while the Spartans placed as high as seventh at the WCWA championship. At King University, she coached four individual WCWA national champions, two runner's-up and 14 All-Americans. Woody was a standout wrestler at Oklahoma City University where she was a four-time All-American. She was also a three-time WCWA national finalist while winning a WCWA championship in 2011. In 2011, Woody was a member of the Senior Pan Am Team, and a Senior National finalist while qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Trials. In her career at Oklahoma City, Woody compiled an overall record of 70-16. Woody was a Jim Wade Scholar-Athlete, Dean's List recipient and earned the Outstanding Senior Art Award in Photography for the Stars upon graduation. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Petree College of Arts and Science at Oklahoma City in 2011. After her college days were over, Woody has continued competing on the national and international stage, placing fourth at the 2015 Senior National Championships and fourth at the 2016 Olympic Trials. Campbellsville women's wrestling is familiar with national champions, as the Lady Tigers have six the in previous four years. CU has also finished as high as third at the NWCA National Duals and WCWA National Championship.

Check out this week's Takedown TV, featuring ... One-on-one with Northern Iowa head coach Doug Schwab Bellator MMA's Logan Storley discusses his rise at the welterweight division Sean Gray and Joe Dubuque talk their promotion to associate head coaches at Princeton National Wrestling Hall of Fame feature on two-time NCAA National Champion Andrew Metzger Frank Gotch World Catch Championships update with Raul Ramirez Watch online or on these cable networks/channels: Cablevision: Sundays at 4 p.m. Charter Cable: Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 p.m. and Monday 2:30 p.m. Comcast Cable: Friday at 5: p.m. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4: p.m. KCWI 23: Saturday 4: p.m. KWEM Stillwater, Oklahoma: Tuesday 7: p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8: p.m. Long Lines Cable: Daily at 5:30 p.m. Mediacom Cable: Sundays at 10:30 a.m. MidCo Sports Network: Saturday 10: a.m. and Sunday at 9: a.m. SECV8: Friday at 5: p.m. Suddenlink Cable: Check your local listings. Multiple air times. Time Warner Cable Sports: Saturday at 12: p.m. Western Reserve Cable: Tuesday at 11: p.m., Friday at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 10: p.m.

Nick Raimo is the nation's No. 3 wrestler in the Class of 2019 (Photo/Juan Garcia) Two-time Cadet National double champion Nick Raimo (Hanover Park, N.J.) verbally committed to Arizona State on Thursday morning. The No. 3 Class of 2019 prospect is also a two-time state tournament finalist, winning a state title this past season at 126 pounds. Raimo has also placed inside the top eight the last three years in freestyle at the UWW Cadet Nationals in Akron, Ohio. He finished the 2016-17 scholastic season ranked fifth nationally at 126 pounds after a regular season in which he was runner-up at the Beast of the East and champion at the Escape the Rock Tournament.

Joel Shapiro (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa), ranked No. 51 overall in the Class of 2018, verbally committed to Iowa State on Wednesday afternoon. His form has been most excellent in recent months, starting with a undefeated state title-winning junior season, one in which he went 46-0; among the 42 contested (i.e. non-forfeit) match victories, 29 were by fall. At the end of the 2016-17 season, Shapiro was ranked No. 20 nationally at 160 pounds. During the spring, Shapiro finished third at the UWW Cadet Nationals in freestyle while competing up at 85 kilograms. He followed that performance up with an undefeated AAU Scholastic Duals winning eleven contested bouts, five of those by fall, three by major decision, and one by technical falls; among the two decisions was an overtime win over a fellow top 100 rising senior. This stretch of wrestling for Shapiro concluded with a 9-0 performance at the Junior Freestyle Duals just under two weeks ago, six of those wins coming by technical superiority and a seventh by pin. Shapiro projects to compete as a 197 pound wrestler in college, and joins No. 74 Weston DiBlasi (Park Hill, Mo.) as a top 100 verbal commit to the Cyclones in the Class of 2018.

Kellan Stout PITTSBURGH -- University of Pittsburgh head wrestling coach Keith Gavin announced Wednesday afternoon the addition of Penn State transfer Kellan Stout to the 2017-18 roster. Stout, a 197-pounder, will be eligible immediately as an incoming redshirt sophomore. "Kellan is a local guy and we are very excited that he has decided to return home and join our team," Gavin said. "He has great experience and has been well trained. We believe he will make an immediate impact on our program." Stout wrestled in open tournaments during his two years at Penn State, taking his redshirt season in 2015-16. Overall, he went 17-8 wrestling at 184 pounds his first season and 197 pounds a year ago. "Wrestling in front of a big home crowd has been a dream of mine since I started wrestling and it means so much more to have the opportunity to do it in my hometown," Stout said. "Coach Gavin and the staff made the whole process go very smoothly and I'm very excited to be a part of the Pitt wrestling family." A Pittsburgh native, Stout had a standout career at nearby Mt. Lebanon High School where he amassed a 138-18 record as a four-year starter. His senior year was highlighted by a state title at 182 pounds with a perfect 38-0 record and was ranked No. 59 out of high school by FloWrestling. Wrestling runs in the Stout family as Kellan's father, Bryan, served as a volunteer assistant on the Pitt coaching staff from 2002-11 and was a four-time All-American at Clarion. Entering his first year at the helm, Gavin takes over a veteran program with a plethora of new talent joining the 2017-18 squad. Pitt returns three NCAA qualifiers, including two ACC champions, from a year ago. Stout joins a notable incoming group featuring Nino Bonaccorsi, Dallas Bulsak, Colin Cronin, KJ Fenstermacher and Cole Rickert.

Matt Hughes, former UFC middleweight champ and wrestling All-American who was seriously injured in a truck-train collision nearly three weeks ago, is showing some signs of improvement, according to a family statement posted on Facebook Tuesday, as well as from attendees at a prayer service for Hughes in his hometown Sunday. Matt Hughes"Matt is off the ventilator and showing some small signs of improvement," according to a statement from family member Beth Hughes Ulrici on her Facebook page. "There are some stories and comments out there that are exaggerated," the statement continued. "Please don't believe everything you hear or read. This is going to be a long journey for his recovery. Please continue to keep Matt in your prayers." Meanwhile, participants at a prayer service held in Hillsboro, Ill. shared news of Hughes' situation as he remains hospitalized in Springfield, the state capital. Prayers for Matt Hughes and his family were offered by local ministers, as well as others in Hughes' hometown, as the service was live streamed to the former MMA champ's hospital room. Brian Patton provided an update on Hughes' condition for the 200 individuals at the Sunday service. The News-Journal of Hillsboro reported that Patton said "Matt's eyes were fully open and he was able to make a sweeping motion with his hand. He could push his foot in response to questions, and was able to acknowledge others present in the room by moving his eyes. He is off the ventilator." Patton added, "Matt still has a long road to go." Nearly three weeks ago, Hughes, 43, drove a pickup truck across a railroad grade crossing near Raymond, Illinois, 12 miles north of his hometown Hillsboro, "directly in front of a train and the train struck the passenger side of the truck" mid-morning on June 16, according to Illinois State Police. The crossing was marked by a crossbuck railroad crossing sign, without lights or gates.Hughes was airlifted to a trauma center hospital in Springfield where he remains. Hughes held the UFC's welterweight championship at various points between 2001 and 2006. He is recognized as one of the greatest 170-pound fighters of all time, according to ESPN. Hughes launched his pro mixed martial arts career in 1998, and had not fought since 2011. He compiled a 45-9 record in MMA, and was welcomed into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2010. Prior to entering MMA competition, Matt Hughes was an accomplished wrestler. He was a two-time Illinois Class A state champion at 145 pounds for Hillsboro High School in 1991 and 1992. He continued his wrestling career in college, first at Southwestern Illinois College, then at Lincoln College (Illinois), where he placed third at the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) National Wrestlling Championships. After graduating from Lincoln, Hughes continued wrestling at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, where he was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American, placing eighth in 1996 and fifth in 1997 at 158 pounds.