InterMat Staff

This week on Global Wrestling News: Freestyle World Team Trials recap and reaction Penn RTC Head Coach and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Brandon Slay U.S. World Team member B.J. Futrell Kevin Jackson joins U.S. National freestyle staff University of Northern Iowa and Fresno State join the Big 12 Tony Ramos hints at retirement The show is hosted by Tony Hager and Scott Casber and is scheduled for online distribution each Friday on TheMat.com, TMWC1.com and TakedownWrestle.com Each episode will also be posted on Takedown Wrestling's YouTube Channel. In addition, Global Wrestling News is aired on these television networks. All air times are in central time zone. 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. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4 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. Suddenlink Cable: Check your local listings. Multiple air times. The production of Global Wrestling News/TMWC is handled by Takedown Media, which produces Takedown Wrestling TV and Takedown Wrestling Radio.

Colby Covington made a confident statement inside the Octagon and outside too with a unanimous decision over a top-ten opponent at UFC Fight Night 111 in Singapore Friday night. Colby CovingtonThe national junior college wrestling champ and NCAA All-American defeated seventh-ranked Dong Hyun Kim in a three-round welterweight (170 pounds) main-card match, 30-25, 30-26, 30-27. Fox Sports reported, "Making no mystery at his game plan, Covington rushed across the Octagon as soon as the fight started looking to get the fight to the ground while using his vast wrestling history against the top 10 ranked welterweight." "The American Top Team representative was suffocating in his showdown with Dong Hyun Kim, landing eight takedowns and controlling virtually all the grappling exchanges with the South Korean judoka," according to Sherdog.com. "Covington's relentless pressure continued throughout the fight while mauling Kim against the cage, using his superior grappling to keep the Korean welterweight from opening up much offense at all," continued Fox Sports. Covington's confidence was on display afterward too. "I'm the uncrowned king of this division," Covington shouted after the win. "Dana [White], I'm a 32 waist -- get that belt ready for me!" The former Oregon State mat star also called out the current UFC welterweight champ and fellow former collegiate wrestler from the University of Missouri. "I know Tyron Woodley got tired just watching this at home," Covington said. "The last time I trained with him, it wasn't even competitive. He gets tired just watching this. I'll break him in half." Covington has now won four fights in a row to build a 12-1 professional MMA record. Prior to launching his MMA career in Feb. 2012, Colby Covington made an impression in amateur wrestling, first as an Oregon high school state champion. He then headed east to Iowa Central Community College, where he won an NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) title. He returned to Oregon where he enrolled at Oregon State, becoming a two-time Pac-10 champ and All-American at the 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

An assistant wrestling coach at Oak Park-River Forest High School -- along with the principal of the suburban Chicago school -- has been reprimanded after an off-campus sexual incident involving students allegedly took place last summer at the coach's home when he was not home, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday . A school investigation completed last December -- but released only recently -- determined the coach, Mike Powell, a former Indiana University wrestler and National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, engaged in "misconduct by allowing a current district student to spend an evening at [Powell's] residence while [he] was out of town and informing the student that he could have other students over to [the] residence that same evening." Mike Powell coaching at The Clash (Photo/The Guillotine)OPRF school officials said the incident took place Aug. 27, 2016, at Powell's home when he was not there. School administrators learned of the incident four days later which they described as a "sexual misconduct" incident that allegedly occurred at a party consisting of students. In November 2016, Powell released a statement confirming his temporary coaching suspension from Oak Park River Forest High School, stating that an incident "may have happened while students were in my home without my knowledge or permission when I was not there." At the time Powell said the suspension was "not disciplinary in nature." By December, Powell had returned to his assistant coaching position, according to school officials. The OPRF superintendent, Joylynn Pruitt-Adams, described Powell's conduct as "unprofessional" and constituted a display of "poor professional judgment." Pruitt-Adams has asked Powell to refrain from having district students on his property and not retaliate against any employee or student for participating in the district's investigation. The superintendent also asked Powell to conduct himself in a professional manner, use professional judgment as a district employee, comply with all school policies, practices, guidelines and school rules related to proper interactions and relationships with district students. While the OPRF school district's investigation into last summer's incident is complete, Oak Park police Commander LaDon Reynolds told the Chicago Tribune that their investigation is "still ongoing." Just last week, the OPRF school board approved new school policies for the reporting of sexual misconduct, harassment and bullying. Mike Powell has deep roots with Oak Park-River Forest High School. In 1994, Powell won an Illinois state wrestling title for the school located in suburbs immediately to the west of the Chicago Loop. Powell then headed south to Indiana University, where he earned NCAA All-American honors in 1996, and compiled an overall record of 68-21 for the Hoosiers. After graduation, Powell returned to his high school alma mater, serving as an assistant coach at OPRF from 1999-2004 before taking over as head coach for the 2005 season. In a decade at the helm, Powell led the Huskies to two dual team state championships, a dual team runner-up finish, a total of six appearances in the dual team state finals tournament, and top team scores at the individual state wrestling tournament four times. Powell coached 10 individual state champions and 31 all-state wrestlers. His overall dual meet record was 213-44. In 2014, Powell resigned from the head coaching position at OPRF but has remained with the program as an assistant coach. He is listed on the coaching roster at the official OPRF wrestling website as "guru." In June 2015, Powell received the Medal of Courage from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla. for continuing his involvement in wrestling despite a 2009 diagnosis of polymyositis, a chronic inflammation of the muscles is a progressive autoimmune disease. In its bio for Powell, the Hall of Fame wrote, "Doctors don't know what causes it or how to cure it, but Powell persevered in spite of the greatest physical challenge of his life."

Matt Hughes, former UFC middleweight champ and All-American wrestler, was airlifted to a trauma center after the pickup truck he was driving collided with a train Friday morning. The Belleville (Illinois) News-Democrat reported Hughes was in critical condition at HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield, the state capital. Matt HughesThe hospital issued a statement Friday evening, saying its its trauma team "stabilized him and continues to help him in his recovery." The statement went on to state, "Hughes' family asks that you respect their privacy during this difficult time. They ask that you keep Matt in your thoughts and prayers." UFC president Dana White told ESPN.com he had been in contact with Hughes' family, saying, "Apparently he has head trauma." According to Illinois State Police, 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" at 10:43 a.m. Central Friday. The Belleville newspaper reported the crossing was marked by a crossbuck railroad crossing sign, without lights or gates. 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. Hughes then started his college career at Southwestern Illinois College. After the school eliminated its wrestling program, Hughes transferred to 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. UPDATE 6/19/17 The following message was posted on Beth Hughes Ulrici's Facebook page Sunday: "Official Family Statement "Our family is overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support. "Please understand that there are many false reports out there by people who say they are close to the family. We will post another update here when we have more news. Matt is stable and has no broken bones or internal injuries. He has some minor lacerations and bruising and is currently being weaned from his ventilator. He is not yet awake and not responding as we would like to see but we see the fight in him. Matt's strength and determination along with God's Mercy and Grace will bring him through this. "We ask that you all continue to pray."

Josh Barlage has been promoted to the head coaching position of the nationally-ranked wrestling program at Apple Valley High School, the Minnesota-based school announced Friday. Josh Barlage, seated right, has served on the Apple Valley coaching staff since 2007 (Photo/David Peterson)Barlage, who had served as varsity assistant wrestling coach at Apple Valley since 2007, replaces Dalen Wasmund, who announced his retirement from coaching in May. (Wasmund will remain an instructor at the suburban Twin Cities school.) In the decade Barlage has been a member of the Apple Valley coaching staff, the team has won 10 state championships, 45 individual state champions and 113 state qualifiers. Just this year, Barlage was selected as the Section 3AAA Assistant Coach of the Year. Prior to coming to Apple Valley, Barlage spent three seasons as assistant varsity wrestling coach at Lakeville North High School. Barlage wrestled at Farmington High School, where he was a two-time qualifier for the Minnesota state wrestling championships. He then continued his athletic and academic career at Augsburg, where he wrestled at 174 pounds for the NCAA Division III powerhouse. After graduating with his bachelor degree in 2003, Barlage attended Minnesota State University-Mankato, where he earned his Master's. In addition to coaching the Apple Valley mat program, Barlage will continue his career as a special education instructor at Apple Valley High.

Thomas Gilman, 2017 U.S. freestyle World Team member, is among the guests to be featured on the Takedown Radio broadcast this Saturday, June 17. Join Scott Casber, Tony Hager and Brad Johnson along with special co-host Dom Bradley for the two-hour broadcast from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Central available on KXNO 1460 AM radio and online at www.KXNO.iHeart.com or TakedownWrestle.com Here's this Saturday's guest list: 9 a.m. Lisbon High School (Iowa) head wrestling coach Brad Smith along with wrestlers Cobe Siebrecht, Cooper Siebrecht and Kaden Kilberg 10 a.m. Pure & Clean Sport's Ryan Freeman, and Chief Medical Officer Dr. John "Bucky" Buckner 10:20 a.m. Thomas Gilman, University of Iowa wrestler who will be representing the U.S. at 57 kilograms/125 pounds at the 2017 World Championships in Paris.

James C. McCloughan A former high school wrestling coach and referee who once took to the mats at Michigan's Olivet College has been selected to receive the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest personal military award for valor. James C. McCloughan, 71, of South Haven, Mich. will be presented with the Medal of Honor by President Donald J. Trump in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on July 31. McCloughan was an Army medic who is credited with saving the lives of 10 members of his platoon during the Battle of Nui Yon Hill in Vietnam nearly 50 years ago. Back in May 1969, McCloughan, then 23 years old, returned to the battlefield multiple times to retrieve wounded soldiers despite having been hit with shrapnel from a grenade and being shot in the arm. Growing up in rural southwest Michigan, McCloughan was a four-sport athlete at Bangor High School. He then continued his academic and athletic career at Olivet College in Olivet, Mich. where he first took up wrestling. McCloughan wrestled for the Comets for four years at 130 pounds, compiling an overall record of 32-11-1. During his junior and senior seasons in 1967 and 1968, McCloughan served as team captain, won MIAA championships, and was voted Most Valuable Wrestler by his teammates. After graduating from Olivet in 1968, McCloughan was about to start a teaching/coaching job at South Haven High School. However, that summer, McCloughan was drafted by the U.S. Army. With his college coursework in kinesiology, physiology and advanced first aid, McCloughan became an Army medic. "I think they thought that maybe if I knew how to tape up an ankle, and had gone through those strapping classes that I'd gone through, that I might have a little bit of a heads up on some things that I was going to be facing," McCloughan said in a recent interview with the Army Times. In that same interview, McCloughan also credited his athletic background as being vital as a medic to care for his fellow soldiers. "I wouldn't say that I wasn't scared, because everybody's scared. But I've always said that I owe it to high school and college football and college wrestling," he said. "Those sports prepared me for the mental discipline I need in those situations, to go out and do my duty." Two months after arriving at basic training at Fort Knox in Kentucky, McCloughan was assigned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to complete advanced training as a medical specialist. On his last day of training, McCloughan received deployment orders to Vietnam. He was assigned as a combat medic with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. His Vietnam tour was from March 1969 to March 1970. It was just two months into that tour that McCloughan saved the lives of ten soldiers who were under attack by the North Vietnamese Army over the course of a two-day battle in May 1969. (A complete account of McCloughan's heroics is available online.) Once discharged from the Army -- where he earned a number of honors, including a Combat Medics Badge, two Purple Hearts, and three Bronze Stars -- McCloughan returned to South Haven High School where he had originally signed a contract in 1968, to begin a decades-long career as an instructor, football coach, and, for 22 seasons, the school's wrestling coach, before retiring in 2008. In addition, he spent 25 years as a Michigan High School Athletic Association wrestling official. Along the way, McCloughan earned a number of honors, including the Wolverine Conference Distinguished Service Award for his coaching. He was welcomed into the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Olivet College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987. McCloughan learned he would be receiving the Army Medal of Honor with a call from President Trump on May 30. According to the Army Times, Medal of Honor recipients are regularly asked to serve in a role as ambassadors for the Army, speaking at and attending official events. McCloughan appears to be eager to again serve his country in that capacity. "The next few years will challenge me to make sure that I give that medal the proper honor, and that I use that medal to continue to serve others, and to continue to love those that need to be loved," McCloughan said. "This medal I'm only going to be wearing for the 89 men that went into that battle." "This medal is all about love. It's a love story so deep in my soul that it's truly immeasurable." The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who distinguished themselves by acts of valor. James C. McCloughan is not the first former wrestler to be bestowed with this honor. Tom Norris, former University of Maryland wrestler who won back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference titles (1965, 1966) for the Terps, was presented with the Medal of Honor for his actions as a U.S. Navy SEAL in the ground rescue of two downed U.S. pilots in April 1972.

I'm in Taiwan this week to cover the Asian Junior Championships, and though I'm recovering from a World Team Trials hangover, jet lag that feels like botulism of the eyeballs and anxiety that the next rainstorm will wash away the building -- I can honestly say this tournament has been reinvigorating. Back home much of the conversation around wrestling revolves around money in the sport, perceived biases of governing bodies and the personalities who comment on the mat. There is also the discussion about rankings and a myriad high-level complaint about NCAA schools and organizational structure. While those discussions have their place in the discourse around the sport, they can obscure why we love wrestling and who the sport should serve. Wrestling is a significant sport for many Asian countries. Despite its cultural importance only a handful of nations have the resources to support the growth of their freestyle and Greco-Roman programs. Most do not. Even nations with plenty of money (i.e Singapore, Korea) don't have the institutional support to provide more for their athletes and grow interest in the sport. Too often the nations with money and resources lack the ability to grow interest, and those with ability to grow interest lack the money and resources. The Asian Junior Championships is a glimpse into how improvements to that balance are slowly being developed. Vietnam, a small country with traditionally limited funds, has used early success to spur additional resources, mined for funding from the Olympics and United World Wrestling and today is growing in both on-the-mat success and regional growth. Taiwan, eager to find more Olympic medals, has used the success of women's wrestling in Japan and China to receive more funding for their program. Today they put a wrestler in the 51-kilogram bronze medal finals for women's wrestling. Turkmenistan, a country OBSESSED with belt wrestling, has started the process of converting some to Greco-Roman. Yesterday, they won their first-ever continental gold medal in Greco-Roman. That success is 100 percent guaranteed to spark more support and grow the sport of wrestling worldwide. These advancements are encouraging, but it's even more fulfilling to see how much these athletes enjoy the competition. Most have never left their country and all seem to be obsessed with the sport. To see them reaching for their goals is an inspiration for me as a professional, but also as a former wrestler. I still won't be able to sleep tonight. The jet lag is like an earthworm boring deep into my temples, but for what I'm seeing here I'm happy to make that trade. To your questions … Q: I've been a huge supporter of freestyle and donated a good amount when wrestling was dropped from the Olympics, but after watching the World Team Trials I am done. I am glad they dropped spots for Tokyo and hope the sport is gone by 2024. Extremely disgusted with it. -- Steve M. Foley: Yikes! To what are you owing this disgust? I enjoy sipping on the contrarian tea as much as the next man, but the World Team Trials seemed above reproach in terms of excitement and showmanship. What you may be referring to is the poor officiating in the J'den Cox vs. David Taylor match. That was unacceptable. From calling out-of-bounds at the wrong time, to ineffective mat chairmanship (someone to check the referee's bad call and white paddle), to the incredible non-call at the end there was plenty to make fans upset. But throwing out the sport due to their poor officiating seems overdramatic. There will always be bad calls and disappointment in wrestling, but the quality of the action and the general fairness of the rules should give you some reason to come back. David Taylor points at official Sammy Julian after losing to J'den Cox (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Did David Taylor and Cael Sanderson overreact on the officials? I did not see the match. It appears from reading articles Cox was stalling without penalty points. -- Mike Z. Foley: I think that both Taylor and Cael, with the benefit of time and distance, will tell you that they overreacted. However, wrestling is an emotional sport and these were terrible calls that directly cost Taylor the chance to represent the United States. That stings long term, but in the moment that is an acute feeling -- to think that you've been intentionally hosed. Not to go overboard, but take this all a step further. David Taylor wrestled in (and won) the U.S. Open. He then enters the challenge tournament and wins four matches. He's also represented the United States in Iran and defeated two Olympic champions and another Olympic medalist. Then, he beats Cox handily in the first match, gets edged in the second and in the third -- after all that wrestling for that many months -- gets hosed by terrible officiating. Overreaction? Maybe. Justified frustration? Yes. Q: If 97 kilograms pans out like it should at the World Championships in Paris who do you think wins out, Kyle Snyder vs. Abdulrashid Sadulaev? Their styles collide and conditioning goes in Snyder's favor, but matchup wise it appears Saduleav has an advantage. So how do you see a potential match with these two athletes? Can this be an actual rivalry where both athletes can win at any given time or will it be "rivalry" where one athlete seems to have the best of the other? -- Marcus R. Foley: First, let me remind everyone that if Sadualev is up at 97 kilograms for the World Championships he will enter as an unseeded wrestler. Snyder will enter as the top seed. We can hope that they are separated, but there are no rules in place to secure that outcome. The rivalry will persist no matter who wins the first matchup, or how. Just look at Dake and Burroughs. The former has only beaten the latter once and yet it's the most hyped rivalry in American wrestling. The overall series record is 7-1 which is hardly competitive, but since Dake had success in college and keeps the matches close, fans (and the media selling the matches) pump it up. On the mat, I think Sadulaev has a clear speed and tactical advantage. Snyder will be in better condition, stronger and be able to thwart Sadulaev's gut wrench. The outcome is anyone's guess, but I'm assuming we see a 2-0 or 4-0 lead early by Sadualev but that Snyder makes headway with a positional battle that will make it a one point match with little time remaining. Though I'm often criticized for being un-American with my selections, even I'm going with the Stars and Stripes during their first meeting. Snyder just has too much horsepower, even for "The Tank" Sadualev. Q: Thoughts on Jordan Burroughs' medal chances in Paris? -- Mike C. Foley: 95 percent. Jordan Burroughs won gold medals when the whole world was taking aim at his throne. As the underdog, pressure-free and dropping in to the World Championships without a seed? Watch out, world. 2017 Junior World Team (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: The Junior World Team is set. Extremely talented team with Mark Hall, Gable Steveson, Zahid Valencia, Daton Fix, Kollin Moore, Mitchell McKee and others. Scary to think Spencer Lee could have been on the team too. What's the over/under on medals won by the U.S. in freestyle? -- Mike C. Foley: In total, four medals with two being of the golden variety. For most fans that might seem light, but the world is a big and bad place with freestyle savvy talent tucked into every nook of the Caucus Mountains and throughout Asia. This is the best Junior team I've seen, but the reality is that these wrestlers will be away from home, randomly inserted into tough brackets and behind the curve in terms of on-the-mat tactics and gamesmanship due to a career focus on folkstyle. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Big move from Asian Junior Championships Q: Just wondering about the status of Aaron Pico. He was absent from the World Team Trials. Are his amateur wrestling days over in favor of MMA? Or does he still plan on competing? -- Jared W. Foley: Aaron Pico is making his MMA debut on June 24 Bellator card at Madison Square Garden. He is done wrestling. Q: Are Kyle Dake and David Taylor the two best and most accomplished NCAA wrestlers never to be on a World Team? -- MC Foley: With four NCAA championships, Kyle Dake and Pat Smith are the most decorated college wrestlers to not make a world or Olympic team. The other two four-time NCAA champions, Cael Sanderson and Logan Stieber, won Olympic and world gold medals. Taylor, while widely lauded, was a two-time NCAA champion and there are dozens of two-time NCAA champions who have never made a team. Q: So last week's mailbag rant was an interesting read and in an ironic sense prepared me for the two interviews that Thomas Gilman gave in which he referred to Rei Higuchi as a "Jap." While I do recognize that he did apologize, I find it to be excuse plagued and rather empty. Moments like these can be very teachable, not just in the sense of an individual learning they should not use racist words to describe their opponent. Rather this moment should be used by the perpetrator to learn more about what makes the word so hurtful. Gilman's apology shows nothing to indicate he will do so. This leaves me skeptical to believe any real change of behavior will occur. -- Jacob R. Foley: Gilman is 23-year-old who has been celebrated for his candidness in front of the camera. He was hyped, didn't know how to get the best response and reached into Pearl Harbor nomenclature to evoke a response from his audience. None of this is acceptable, but this is part of the Villain Gilman image that he was trying to cultivate and stays in-step with the recent increase in speak-your-mind philosophy prevalent in today's politics. The catch here is that USA Wrestling got into his ear and made sure that he gets his act together. Theirs is now a symbiotic relationship and they don't want negative press any more than Gilman wants to be needlessly dogged by the hysterics of sensitive snowflakes (sarcasm font). As to broader, societal issues his comments reflect a broad acceptance by many Americans to make racially insensitive comments about Asians. I'm close to that issue, but am still surprised by how many people consider these comments acceptable. But, like you said, hopefully this is a learning tool for Gilman and others in the wresting community. Q: Hayden Zillmer made the U.S. National Team in both freestyle and Greco-Roman this year. Very impressive. When was the last time this happened? -- Mike C. Foley: This is a great query. To the comments section! Q: I heard Dustin Kilgore is retiring. Have you heard of any other wrestlers retiring after the World Team Trials? -- Mike C. Foley: Yes, he announced it on social media. He has a lot to celebrate in his career and I'm sure he'll be as successful in his next career no matter the focus. Congrats to Dustin! There may have been more, but I can't seem to remember at the moment. The vast majority won't have dramatic exits, but will instead slowly start prioritizing other aspects of their life and fade away from competition. On a related note, I hear a lot of belly aching about "careers as a wrestler" not being an option for many Americans. Nothing is further from the truth. While wrestlers 3-10 on the depth ladder cannot make a living by traveling to 1-3 international tournaments a year, there is a substantial and lucrative support system in place for them to maintain their career while making money. Between camps, coaching and sponsorships big and small wrestlers in America are not starving. No, they aren't professional football players making $350,000 the first year out of college, but the number of professional football players making $350,000 or more after three years is preposterously small when compared to participation rates. The sport of wrestling is not a place to get rich, but there is money available. I do hope to see more direct payments being made to athletes, but first we need to understand only one organization in the sport is raking in millions of dollars of profit … and it's not United World Wrestling or USA Wrestling. RANT SENT BEFORE WORLD TEAM TRIALS By Pat H. Maybe this is a rant rather than a question, but I think it's borderline disrespectful to hype the Jordan Burroughs-Kyle Dake match the way most people have. Burroughs is 5-0 against Dake! I don't care how close the matches were! Burroughs had ONE bad weekend in five years and we're ready to say that someone who has accomplished very little on the senior freestyle circuit is going to beat him? Now we are having hype videos for a series that has gone 0-5! Dake obviously is the No. 1 contender and will give Burroughs a great match and is capable of beating Burroughs, but I think we need to show a little more respect to one of the greatest American wrestlers of all time. He is the king until he is dethroned.

Steve Bleise is a two-time NCAA qualifier (Photo/Northern Illinois Sports Information) Minnesota today announced that Steve Bleise, a two-time NCAA qualifier while at Northern Illinois, will join the Gophers this fall. Bleise was a part of the Husky program for three years, redshirting in 2014-15 before competing for NIU the past two seasons. Bleise was one of Northern's top performers both years in the lineup, starting with a 27-10 redshirt freshman season that saw him ranked as high as No. 10 nationally at 141 pounds during the season and earn a No. 13 seed for the NCAA tournament. Bleise followed up on that rookie campaign with an outstanding sophomore season last winter, going 29-10 wrestling at 149 and winning three matches at NCAAs. Bleise led the Huskies in wins each of the last two seasons, and was either first or second on the team in dual wins, dual points and major decisions both years. Prior to his collegiate career, Bleise was four-time, all-state selection wrestling for Chelsea (Mich.) High School. He lost just one match during a 45-1 junior season before an undefeated run to the state title as a senior. Bleise brings two remaining years of eligibility with him to Minnesota. Bleise is now the eighth wrestler signed by Minnesota in its incoming class. He will join Augsburg transfer Owen Webster, as well as six high school signees (November signees Jakob Bergeland, Alex Crowe and Brent Jones and April signees Jake Allar, Bailee O'Reilly and Tyler Watterson). Check out our releases on Webster, the November signing class and the April signing class. GopherSports.com is your home for all Gopher Wrestling news, including the latest addition to the roster. Be sure to follow Gopher Wrestling on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates.

Joey Munos after winning his third state title (Photos/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) Services have been announced for Joey Munos, three-time Minnesota high school state champ who wrestled at Ohio University and Rochester (Minn.) Community and Technical College. The Guillotine, a newsmagazine and website that covers wrestling in the state of Minnesota, reported Thursday that "Joe Munos, 23, of South St. Paul passed away unexpectedly on June 13, 2017." Visitation for Joseph R. "Pogie" Munos will take place Sunday, June 18 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at River Valley Church, 875 Blue Gentian Road, Eagan, Minn. Funeral services will be held at the church on Monday at 10:00 a.m., with one hour of visitation prior to the service. Joey Munos compiled a record of 209-27 at South St. Paul (Photos/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) Munos won three consecutive Minnesota state wrestling titles (2010-2012) for South St. Paul High School, where he compiled a 209-27 record concluding on a 112-match win streak. After graduating from South St. Paul High in 2012, Munos headed to Ohio University in Athens, where he wrestled for the Bobcats at 133 pounds. He later transferred to Rochester Community and Technical College where he competed at 141 pounds for the Yellowjackets. According to his Facebook page, Munos worked at St. Paul Regional Water Service. His obituary in the St. Paul Pioneer Press described Munos as an avid outdoors man who loved fishing, hunting and four-wheeling. Dakota Tom, three-time Minnesota state mat champ who was a long-time friend and teammate of Munos' at RCTC, posted this message on his own Facebook page: "After taking all day to try to process the horrible news I was given this morning I'm at lost and so is the world. We lost an amazing person to the toxins that fill this world. My memories of us battling for state titles when we were 8 years old, training and hanging out over the years we grew up and even being college teammates will never fade but become more vivid. Will always love you Joe Munos and please say hi to my mother for me, brother. R.I.P." "Sad to hear such a great individual has left us so early," Destin McCauley, five-time Minnesota state champ and NCAA Division II titlewinner, wrote on Facebook of his friend, Joey Munos. "I remember all the times you and Jesse would come to (Apple) Valley for workouts. I got to know you and your family as time went on and it was on honor to be your friend. You were an athlete with a humble personality that made everyone love you so much. That one time your family invited mine to your family's chili cook off has always been a great memory of mine. We played football and I'm pretty sure there was some grass wrestling as well. You recently just commented on my baby boy and saying he will be a beast and no more brawl drills and I couldn't help but laugh at that. So when my boy gets older I'm not calling it brawl drill anymore, it's the Joey drill. You are missed by many my man, rest easy. Much love and prayers from the McCauley family." Randy Rager, who coached Munos at Rochester Community and Technical College, posted the following on Facebook: Munos is survived by his parents, Mike and Julie Munos, four siblings, and other relatives, along with a girlfriend, Jessaca.

Zain Retherford (Photos/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The Zain Train keeps on rolling ... and picking up honors along the way. On top of all the awards and titles Zain Retherford has earned this past season, the Nittany Lion mat champ has been selected as Male Student-Athlete of the Year for 2017, Penn State announced Wednesday. It's the second straight year Retherford has earned the honor, having been named Male Student-Athlete award for the 2015-16 school year as well. What's more, another wrestling winning streak is kept alive, as Retherford's selection as PSU Male Student-Athlete of the Year marks the sixth consecutive year that one of head coach Cael Sanderson's wrestlers has earned the award. David Taylor won the award in 2012, followed by Ed Ruth in 2013, then Taylor again in 2014, Matt Brown in 2015, and Retherford in 2016 and 2017. This latest honor caps off yet another incredible year for Zain Retherford on and off the mat. The Benton, Pa. junior was crowned 149-pound champ at the 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, along with earning the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler award, and being named NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler for the entire 2016-17 season. Retherford also won the Big Ten title at 149, along with Outstanding Wrestler honors. Just last weekend, Retherford became a 2017 U.S. World Team Trials champion in freestyle. For these athletic accomplishments and more, Retherford was honored with the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's top collegiate wrestler ... as well as being named InterMat Wrestler of the Year. Retherford also demonstrated winning performance in the classroom by being named 2017 Academic All-Big Ten, 2017 CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District (at-large), 2017 CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American (at-large), and NWCA (National Wrestling Coaches Association) National All-Academic Team. Penn State also named Steph Lazo, women's lacrosse All-American, as the school's Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Retherford and Lazo are now in contention for the Big Ten Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year. Retherford will be going up against Kyle Snyder who was named Ohio State Male Athlete of the Year earlier this week.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Brown University wrestling has added Matt Meuleners as an assistant coach, Brown head coach Todd Beckerman announced on Wednesday as the two-time NCAA Division II national champion joins the Bears from the University of Nebraska where he served as an assistant coach for the past four seasons. Matt Meuleners"I am extremely excited to have Matt join our coaching staff," Beckerman said. "From his storied athletic career to his coaching experience, he brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to our team. Matt will make an immediate impact working with our upper weight classes." Serving as a volunteer assistant coach at Nebraska from 2013-17, Meuleners worked primarily with the upper weights and helped Nebraska to a 49-13 dual record and four top-12 finishes at the NCAA Championships. Meuleners served in a variety of roles for the wrestling program and assisted with the Nebraska Regional Wrestling Training Center and summer camps. "Coach Beckerman has built a strong program at Brown, and I am looking forward to joining a team that has such positive momentum," Meuleners said. "My experience as a coach at Nebraska and career on the wrestling mat will help me to support our student-athletes as they strive for success." Meuleners wrestled at 197 lbs. and heavyweight while attending Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., for five years. During his tenure, Meuleners won back-to-back NCAA Division II national titles and graduated as a four-time NCAA All-American. A native of Young America, Minn., and product of Central High School, Meuleners graduated with a degree in human performance and fitness from Northern State in 2013.

Nate Jackson (Photo/Ben Solomon) Nate Jackson, a two-time All-American who won more than 100 career matches for Indiana University, will join the Princeton wrestling staff next season as a volunteer assistant coach. Jackson replaces Nick Heflin, who recently made the U.S. National Team and will move on to the Oklahoma coaching staff. "Within about a minute after Nate left his interview, we decided he was the one we wanted to join our staff," head coach Chris Ayres said. "He couldn't be a more ideal replacement in the fact that he wants to continue to compete, he wants to coach as a profession, and he can work with our big guys. There was a lot of synergy on his visit, as if he had already been here for some time. It just felt completely right. I'm certain when he gets here we are going to hit the ground running." Jackson completed his stellar collegiate career with his second straight All-American honor at the 2017 NCAA Championships. A two-time captain for the Hoosiers, Jackson is a former Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honoree, as well as a former University Freestyle Nationals All-American. "Foremost, I thank God for continuing to empower my journey," said Jackson, a former Illinois state champion. "Further, I am thankful to Chris Ayres and the administration at Princeton for the opportunity to coach at Princeton University. Princeton is one of the most storied academic institutions in the world. The athletes here are second to none in drive, talent and class. I relish the prospect of connecting with this distinguished group and being a positive element that adds to the success of the program." Jackson brings a pair of connections to the Tiger wrestling family. He wrestled with former Tiger and 2015 EIWA finalist Chris Perez '16 last season while Perez did a graduate school year with the Hoosiers. Prior to that, Jackson earned a top honor within the program -- the Joe Dubuque Most Outstanding Wrestler (Dubuque, currently an associate head coach at Princeton, was a two-time NCAA champion with the Hoosiers). "What attracted me most about the program is its trajectory," Jackson said. "The leadership and vision of Chris and his staff has enabled the program to reach great heights. The fun part is that things are only getting better. Moreover, this awesome staff will help me to get the most out of myself as I begin my coaching and international wrestling careers. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by driven individuals at a time when the program is gaining momentum. The future is bright in Princeton! I would also like to thank my wife, Raychelle, for her willingness to move across the nation to help student-athlete realize lofty goals." Ayres and his staff is excited to see what Jackson can bring to this vastly improved program. Last season, Princeton sent a program-record seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, and it earned its highest finish at the EIWA Championships (third) since 1978. The Tigers have brought home an All-American in each of the last two seasons, including reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year Matthew Kolodzik.

Kevin Jackson coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Olympic champion, two-time World champion and respected coach Kevin Jackson has been named National Freestyle Developmental Coach for USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States. He will work within USA Wrestling's National Teams Department, and on the staff of USA Wrestling's National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick and alongside newly hired Manager of Freestyle Programs Joe Russell. Jackson will be working with USA Wrestling's elite age-group freestyle wrestlers, including launching the new Elite Accelerated Program at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He will also assist in coaching U.S. freestyle wrestlers on the Senior level. Jackson will start with USA Wrestling after the July 4 holiday. "It's my pleasure to announce and welcome Kevin Jackson and his family to USA Wrestling's freestyle staff. Kevin comes back to USA Wrestling with a mountain of experience including three gold medals as a competitor, having coached World and Olympic champions, as well as several years as a head coaching experience in collegiate and international roles. His knowledge and experience will deepen the pool of thought from which to grow the National Team Developmental and Senior athletes, our Elite Accelerated program at the Olympic Training Center, as well as bring additional philosophies to bear. It's a great opportunity when I'm able to add someone of Kevin's caliber to our staff," said National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick. It will be Jackson's second stint on the USA Wrestling National Coaching Staff. Jackson previously served as USA Wrestling's National Freestyle Coach from 2000-2008, and as the National Freestyle Resident Coach from 1998-2000. "We are excited to welcome Kevin Jackson back to the USA Wrestling family. Kevin's character and reputation in the sport is impeccable. We are confident that he will have a huge influence on the establishment and continued development of our Elite Developmental Program," said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. "I am excited about the opportunity to come back to USA Wrestling. They were some of the best years of my life, in regards to my family, and some of the most fun times, being in Colorado Springs and coaching Team USA with USA Wrestling. I have many friends there and family in the area. In the big picture, I had to make a decision where I could make the biggest impact on wrestling in this country. USA Wrestling is where I believe I can make the biggest impact," said Jackson. As National Freestyle Coach, Jackson coached the USA at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, Jackson led the USA to three medals, with Cael Sanderson winning gold, and silver medals won by Stephen Abas and Jamill Kelly. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, the USA was led by Olympic champion Henry Cejudo. In the five World Championships under his leadership as National Freestyle Coach, the USA won 11 World medals, including a gold medal from Bill Zadick at the 2006 World Championships, plus four silver medals and six bronze medals. The USA did not compete in the 2002 World Championships in Iran due to a specific safety threat to the team if it attended. As a team, the USA won two World Championships trophies in men's freestyle under Jackson, placing second in 2003 and third in 2006. The team also finished fourth, fifth and eighth in the other World events. As National Freestyle Resident Coach, Jackson served as the primary coach for 2000 Olympic gold medalist Brandon Slay. "I had a great opportunity last year to work with the Cadet World Team as its volunteer coach along with Brandon Slay. I was able to work with that Cadet World Team in training camps all summer and take them to the World Championships. It was refreshing to see a group of young athletes, with the positive attitude, the energy and the passion and the love they have for the sport. We saw them put it on the line, and we had a great World Championships. I can see the potential we have at the Cadet and Junior level, as well as the Senior level," said Jackson. He returns to USA Wrestling after serving eight years as the head coach at Iowa State University. Jackson coached four Cyclone NCAA champions, 14 All-Americans and nine Big 12 champions at Iowa State. His first ISU team finished third at the NCAA Championship and boasted two national champions (Jake Varner and David Zabriskie). His other two national champs were Jon Reader (2011) and Kyven Gadson (2015). While at Iowa State, Jackson coached numerous top wrestlers in freestyle with the Cyclone Wrestling Club. Prior to joining Iowa State, Jackson was the freestyle coach for the Sunkist Kids. Early in his coaching career, prior to his first stint with USA Wrestling, Jackson also served as an assistant wrestling coach at Iowa State and at Arizona State. Jackson is considered one of the greatest wrestlers in U.S. history, winning a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. He also won a pair of World Championship gold medals, in 1991 and 1995. He is one of only six U.S. men's freestyle wrestlers to claim three career World-level titles. Jackson competed on four U.S. World Teams, also taking fourth at the 1993 World Championships. He was a member of both U.S. Freestyle World Teams which won World Team titles in 1991 and 1993. Jackson won three World Cup gold medals, two Pan American Games titles and two Pan American Championships gold medals. He was an NCAA runner-up for Iowa State Univ. in 1987. He was also a three-time All-American for Louisiana State Univ. from 1983-85, before transferring to Iowa State after LSU dropped wrestling. Originally from Lansing, Mich., Jackson won two state high school titles for Lansing Eastern High School and was a Junior National Greco-Roman champion. Jackson is a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the UWW International Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame, among others. Jackson has won many major awards, including the 1995 John Smith Award as USA Wrestling Freestyle Wrestler of the Year. "I think Bill Zadick is a great guy. We have a great relationship and rapport. As an athlete, he made the decision to leave Iowa City and come train with our resident program to put himself in the environment that he felt would make him the best wrestler in the world. It happened for him, and I was extremely proud of him for that. I have spoken with Bill about his vision for USA Wrestling and what he sees as my role in that. We can communicate at the highest of levels. I will assist Bill in any way he needs me to assist him. His vision is strong, and he has a plan to lead our athletes to perform to their highest potential," said Jackson. Jackson is committed to helping lead the USA to the top of the podium as a team at the World Championships and Olympic Games. "You have to be really good to win a medal at the World Championships and Olympics. Wrestling is as strong and as competitive as ever. Iran has stepped up its competition to a higher level. Turkey is coming on like they used to be and Russia is Russia. You also have the former Soviet-bloc countries investing in the sport to get champions. The world has gotten better. I have been on a couple of World Teams which won World Championships. I have also been on teams with three or four gold medalists. If you look up and down our lineup now, when you look at Logan Stieber, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, James Green and J'den Cox, and some of the young wrestlers, you have a team where half of them have a World or Olympic medal. The potential is there. The credentials are there as well. It is all about putting it together and getting them to operate at a high level. Now it is about fulfilling that potential and bringing home those medals," said Jackson. When considering the USA Wrestling position, Jackson had the opportunity to remain in Iowa State as an administrator, or pursue a freestyle coaching position with Regional Training Centers in New Jersey and in Minnesota. Jackson wants to formally thank those wrestling leaders for their support and for offering those opportunities to him.

Jonathan Jackson has been named head wrestling coach at Truett McConnell University, the Georgia-based school announced Tuesday. Jackson replaces Marcus Cobbs who headed up the wrestling program at TMU for the past two seasons. Jackson brings coaching and on-the-mat experience to his new position. He served as an assistant coach and interim coach at his college alma mater, Georgia's Anderson University, from 2010 to 2016. Prior to that, Jackson won the 157-pound title for Anderson at the 2010 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. In addition to his coaching duties, Jackson will also serve as an instructor of exercise science at the Pilgram Marpeck School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. He graduated from Anderson with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology in 2011. Truett McConnell University is a four-year private, Christian college located in Cleveland, Ga. Founded in 1946, Truett McConnell has an enrollment of 2,100 students. The school launched its NAIA wrestling program in 2011.

Check out this week's Takedown TV, featuring … 2017 World Team Trials recap and interviews Northern Iowa head coach Doug Schwab on the Panthers' move to the Big 12 One-on-one with Roger Reina about his return as head coach at Penn 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.

Wrestling in the Big 12 Conference is about to become bigger. The wrestling programs at the University of Northern Iowa and Fresno State will be joining the Big 12 as affiliate members, effective for the 2017-18 season. An official announcement is not planned until July 1. However, in recent days, various media outlets in Iowa have been reporting that the Big 12 was welcoming the UNI Panthers. IAwrestle.com, a website covering wrestling in the state of Iowa, late last week provided a wider picture of the conference expansion that goes beyond the Cedar Falls, Iowa-based university. "The Big 12 will also add the newly reformed team out of Fresno State to its ranks, Associate Big 12 Commissioner Bob Burda told IAwrestle.com in a phone interview earlier today ..." California State University, Fresno resurrected its wrestling program which had been eliminated due to budget cuts in 2008. This fall, the Fresno State Bulldogs will take to the mats for the first time in nearly a decade. "With the addition of our other affiliates (the Big 12 added the old Western Wrestling Conference schools five years ago) we were looking for other options to expand," Burda told Iawrestle.com. "With the addition of Northern Iowa and Fresno State the conference will be stronger going forward." With these changes effective this fall, there will now be twelve wrestling programs in the Big 12, including full-fledged members Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and West Virginia ... as well as wrestling affiliate members Air Force, Northern Colorado, Wyoming, Utah Valley, South Dakota State and North Dakota State which were part of the Western Wrestling Conference ... and, now, Northern Iowa and Fresno State. UNI has already notified the Mid-American Conference that it would be leaving its present conference home of the past five years. (The MAC recently announced it would be welcoming the wrestling program at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.) Northern Iowa wrestling has attempted to join the Big 12 in the past, most notably five years ago ... and then again just last fall. "We tried to get in the Big 12 before and they weren't open to it and now they are," UNI head wrestling coach Doug Schwab told the (Cedar Rapids) Gazette this week. "I'm excited because you do have perennial powers like Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Iowa State, an in-state rival. I think that's something to me. Not that I need too much to get excited for competition but I think having that is a big deal." "There's a lot of pieces to it. It wasn't just one thing," Schwab continued. "We were kind of looking at the big picture, too. It's not just going to be a benefit for a year or two, but for 20, 30 and 40 years from now. "It's one of the premier conferences in the sport. It elevates the program in a lot of ways." UNI Athletic Director David Harris also weighed in on the move, telling IAwrestle.com, "We are extremely excited that our wrestling program has been accepted into the Big 12 Conference as an affiliate member. "The Big 12 is one of the best conferences in all of college athletics and it contains some of the very best student-athletes and coaches within the sport of wrestling. We look forward to the challenge of competing in the Big 12 and expanding the brand of UNI wrestling."

Cliff Warden is leaving a West Virginia high school wrestling program with four consecutive state team titles for a school that has racked up 17 straight state championships in Virginia. The former Edinboro University wrestler has been named head coach at Virginia's Christiansburg High School, hoping to replicate that storied program's winning ways -- as well as his own win streak at the helm of Independence High in Coal City, W.Va. Cliff WardenThe 42-year-old Warden replaces Sonny Close, whose two years at Christiansburg resulted in a pair of VHSL Group 3A state titles, adding to a string of 17 championships. Warden has already announced that he plans to retain Christiansburg assistant coach Devin Biscaha, and will add Zach Epperly -- a Blue Demon and Virginia Tech mat alum -- to the staff. Epperly, who was a 2016 NCAA All-American and 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference champ at 174 pounds, had made a commitment to be an assistant coach at another school but was persuaded to return to his former high school to join Warden's staff. "That was very helpful in my decision," Warden told the Roanoke (Virginia) Times. Warden has deep roots in the Mountaineer State, having wrestled at Independence High. After his time at Edinboro, Warden returned to his high school alma mater, first as an assistant coach, then being promoted to the head coaching position in 2005, where he guided the Patriots to four West Virginia Class AA state titles and was the runner-up at the state championships the two previous seasons. In addition, Independence claimed six individual titles at the 2017 West Virginia State Wrestling Championships. His son Nate was a runner-up at 160 pounds as a freshman, and is moving to Christiansburg with his father. Warden admitted that making decision to move from his native West Virginia to Virginia was a tough one; "Warden agonized over the move for weeks" according to the Beckley (W.Va.) Register-Herald. "I'm sitting here at my dad's place looking at the log home that I sweated and bled and built," Warden told the Roanoke paper. "Same with the program. It was hard to sort of jump off a ledge and leave everything that we built and made."

Michael Poeta (right) with head wrestling coach Jim Heffernan CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois wrestling head coach Jim Heffernan announced the addition of former Illini Mike Poeta to his coaching staff on Tuesday afternoon. A three-time All-American and two-time Big Ten champion, Poeta will join current assistant coach Jeremy Hunter on the Fighting Illini wrestling staff, pending completion of university hiring processes and Board of Trustees approval. It is with great pride that we announce Mike Poeta will be returning to Illinois as our new assistant coach," Head Coach Jim Heffernan said of the hire. "Mike is one of our all-time greats, and has built a highly successful wrestling club that reflects his talents as a coach. and most importantly, he is an Illini that cares first and foremost about the betterment of our program. Mike has proven that he can build relationships and trust with student athletes; he is very knowledgeable and an outstanding teacher. He will be an active participant in the overall development of our student athletes and understands that everyone involved in our program is a resource, rather than just a commodity." "I'm excited to have Mike back and I know our guys will respond extremely well to Mike's positive leadership abilities," said Coach Heffernan. "I can't wait for him to have the opportunity to meet the team and share his enthusiasm about calling Champaign home again. From a personal perspective, I have great trust in Mike, a strong belief in his approach and look forward to the impact he will have on our program." Poeta returns to the University of Illinois following five years as the owner and head coach of the Poeta Training Center in Lake Forest, Illinois. During its inaugural year, Team Poeta grew from 40 wrestlers to 200 wrestlers. Since then, the training center has produced 19 high school and junior high state champions. "This is a dream job, and I feel so lucky to part of this great program and great group of young men," said Poeta. "I have an amazing mentor in Jim Heffernan and so much admiration for Jeremy Hunter, both guys that coached me at Illinois. It's going to be fun learning from, and working along side, them." As the former owner of the team and training center, Mike Poeta brings both administrative and coaching experience to the Illinois staff. Financially, Poeta managed the clubs' budget and the payroll for its 10 assistant coaches, while also directing fundraising events for non-profit organizations that benefit young wrestlers in the Chicago area. Additionally, Poeta has built strong connections with some of the top high school athletes and coaches in the state of the Illinois through various recruiting combines and clinics. "I'm looking forward to the challenge of continuing to make Illinois wrestling a dynasty, developing champions on and off the mat, and keeping all of our great Illinois high school wrestlers in the state of Illinois," continued Poeta. "I'm excited for this opportunity, motivated, and ready to get on the mat with the wrestlers. Everything is just talk right now and we have to get to work and go out and perform." Prior to creating the Poeta Training Center, Mike Poeta spent three years wrestling professionally. In 2010, Poeta represented the United States at the 2010 World Cup in Moscow, Russia. Two years later, Poeta competed at 2012 Olympic Trials. A 157-pounder from 2004-2008 for the Illini, Poeta became one of the most successful wrestlers in Fighting Illini history and was a member of Illinois' 2005 Big Ten championship team. Individually, Poeta was a three-time All-American, two-time NCAA finalist and two-time Big Ten champion. Poeta left Illinois ranked second all-time in career win percentage, and currently ranks. Poeta graduated from the College of Applied Health Sciences with a bachelor's degree in community health in 2009. A native of Highwood, Illinois, Poeta was rated the No. 1 pound-for-pound high school recruit in 2004 after winning three High School National Championships and two IHSA state championships.

Kyle Snyder at the NCAAs (Photos/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) For Kyle Snyder, it's a matter of wrestle, receive awards, repeat. For the second straight year, the Buckeye big man -- who capped off the 2016-17 college wrestling season with his second Big Ten and NCAA Division I titles on the heels of winning an Olympic gold medal - has been named 2017 Ohio State Male Athlete of the Year, the Columbus-based Big Ten school announced Tuesday. Snyder, who won the award in 2016, is the fourth wrestler in a row to receive the Male Athlete of the Year award, with Logan Stieber being the recipient in 2014 and 2015. In addition, J Jaggers -- past Ohio State mat champ and current assistant wrestling coach -- was named Male Athlete of the Year in 2009. Francesca Di Lorenzo of the women's tennis team was named Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year for the 2016-17 school year. Snyder just completed his junior year at Ohio State in spectacular style, compiling a 17-0 record, with 13 of those victories resulting in bonus points. The Maryland native finished the season by claiming his second NCAA heavyweight title, defeating Wisconsin's Connor Medbury in the finals. Prior to returning to the Ohio State campus last fall, Snyder made history in his freestyle wrestling career by becoming the youngest World champion, then Olympic gold medalist at 96 kilograms/211 pounds at the 2016 Rio Games this summer. Snyder was also a finalist for two major national awards: the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, given annually to the nation's top amateur athlete, and Dan Hodge Trophy, considered the Heisman of collegiate wrestling. Snyder and Di Lorenzo are now in the running for the Big Ten Athlete of Year honors.

Olympic wrestler. Three-time NCAA All-American at Penn State. Well-known for the wrestling camps and training center that bear his name. Those are just some of the best-known highlights of Ken Chertow's career in wrestling. Now the West Virginia native long associated with the sport throughout the nation can add another element to his already impressive wrestling resume as he launches a brand-new wrestling program as inaugural head coach at Queens University in Charlotte. Located in North Carolina's largest city, Queens is a private, four-year university founded in 1857 as a school for women. Queens is now coed, and has a student enrollment of 2,300. The school boasts of an average class size of 14 students, and a student/teacher ratio of 9:1, according to its official website. Queens' sports teams -- now numbering 24 with the addition of wrestling -- compete in NCAA Division II under the name Royals. Wrestling comes to Queens In March, Queens University announced that it was launching an intercollegiate wrestling program ... and had selected Ken Chertow to head up that new program which would take to the mats during the 2017-18 school year. "Ken will make an immediate impact on our new wrestling program," said Queens Director of Athletics Cherie Swarthout in the announcement issued by the school in March. "There is not a better person to start this effort and to foster an environment of excellence. Ken has been successful in all of his endeavors and we look forward to him leading our program and building a strong foundation." Ken Chertow"I am excited to be starting a wrestling program at Queens," Chertow is quoted in the announcement. "Queens is clearly committed to building champions in the classroom, athletics and life. When my wife Laurie and I toured the beautiful campus we were very impressed with the new athletic facilities, environment, and the many supportive people we talked to. I would like to especially thank Athletic Director Cherie Swarthout, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Student Services Tim Burke, and Vice President James Bullock for the opportunity to launch and lead the Queens wrestling program at their outstanding university." In a recent interview with InterMat, Chertow offered further explanation about the birth of wrestling at Queens University. "The idea of starting a wrestling program at Queens got great support from school administrators," Chertow said in June. "The vice president wrestled in high school." "He reached out to the NWCA and Mike Moyer (chairman of the National Wrestling Coaches Association) to help them establish a program," Chertow continued. "Moyer recommended they talk to me." Making the move to Queens How did Chertow come to take on this new challenge of building a wrestling program at Queens? "I've long considered returning to college coaching," the former assistant coach at Penn State and Ohio State told InterMat. "I had thought about heading up an existing program but liked the idea of starting a new program, building it from scratch." "My wife (Laurie) and I thought it was a good fit," Chertow continued. "Our kids are in college, and we've been talking about moving to the South." "In fact, taking the head coaching job at Queens takes care of at least three things on my 'bucket list': 1. Move to the South; 2. Return to college coaching; 3. Start a new program." Beyond answering three elements on Ken Chertow's ultimate "to do" list, what makes Queens University so attractive? Chertow pointed out to InterMat that ten schools in the state of North Carolina offer intercollegiate wrestling. Yet he brought up a number of aspects that help differentiate Queens University and its new wrestling program from other schools -- public and private -- within the Tar Heel State. "It's a school with high-quality academics," said Chertow. "It's comparable to Davidson, Duke, Northwestern." (Davidson is a private university in North Carolina, located just outside Charlotte. Its wrestling program competes in NCAA Division I.) "Queens has a paid internship program, that offers students hands-on learning opportunities in a real-world environment. Over 95 percent of students get jobs in their chosen fields." "There are incredible cultural opportunities in Charlotte." Chertow also cited Queens University's rich tradition of successfully bringing together athletics and academics. "Thirty percent of students at Queens are athletes," Chertow continued. "There's a focus on Olympic sports. There's no football program." "The school prides itself on offering students the opportunity to excel in academics and athletics. It offers personalized instruction in the classroom, and I plan to offer the same attention to our wrestlers." Chertow is already reaching out to potential athletes from across the country. "Because Queens is a private school, we have a national recruiting reach." "We already have at least 15 scholarship-athletes signed up." "I'm excited to work with top-notch guys," Chertow told InterMat. "Guys focused on a clean lifestyle and academic success." "I want to recruit clean-cut, hard-working and smart young men who want to be a part of a very special culture," Chertow said in a feature article in the June 15, 2017 issue of Amateur Wrestling News. "We've already signed some state champions and several guys who placed at their respective state tournaments." Chertow to continue with wrestling camps Ken Chertow has earned a nationwide reputation for his wrestling camps which he established two decades ago ... and plans to continue those ventures in his new capacity as Queens University head wrestling coach. In late April, Queens hosted a Brawl on the Border freestyle and Greco-Roman tournament in Fort Mill, S.C., where Chertow conducted a training session prior to the tournament. For young wrestlers who want to experience Queens University in person, Chertow will be holding his Gold Medal Training Camp at Queens the week of July 2-6, with 2-5 day camp options available for this event as well as group discounts and team camps. Chertow will also conduct additional wrestling camps this summer, starting with a Gold Medal Training Camp at West Liberty University in West Virginia on June 21-24 ... in State College, Pa. at the Ramada Inn Convention Center July 16-29 ... and Shore Regional High School in West Long Branch, N.J. July 29-30. Details on Chertow's camps available at his official camps website. www.kenchertow.com Queens = beginning of a new chapter Ken Chertow being named first-ever head coach of the brand-new wrestling program at Queens University is the beginning of a new chapter in his life and career ... and, hopefully, help to fuel growth of the sport, especially in smaller schools and in regions of the country with few options for student-athletes to continue their educational and wrestling careers. Ken Chertow working as a broadcaster for the Pac-12 Network at the 2017 Pac-12 Wrestling Championships in Palo Alto, Calif. (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)"Our nation is hungry for more college wrestling programs and I am glad to know Queens wants a successful program and has a commitment to succeed in wrestling and school," Chertow told Amateur Wrestling News. "The southeast, in particular, needs more college wrestling programs and Queens is an ideal location to build a national powerhouse in the sport ..." "This is a special and exciting opportunity for me to give back to the wrestling community and the sport that I have dedicated my life to," Chertow added. "I am excited to be able to give more wrestlers the opportunity to compete and help them live their dreams." "There's an effort to get more Division II and III programs added," Chertow told InterMat. "There's more momentum in smaller schools to add the sport." "If I can do well here, it can serve as a model for other schools to add wrestling."

Thomas Gilman and Rei Higuchi (Photos/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) World Team member Thomas Gilman issued a statement on his references to Olympic silver medalist Rei Higuchi of Japan at the Freestyle World Team Trials this past weekend. "I meant no disrespect when referencing Japanese wrestler Rei Higuchi," said Gilman. "The context of my comment was intended to pay respect to one of the top wrestlers in the world, but my choice of words contradicted that message. It was a mistake and I apologize."

Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com While the wrestling community was immersed in the action at this past weekend's World Team Trials in Lincoln, Neb., the sport took a hit at the hands of the International Olympic Committee. Lost amid the coverage of the IOC's announcement late Friday of new sports being added to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics -- including 3-on-3 basketball and BMX freestyle cycling -- some traditional Olympic sports learned they will have fewer athletes competing at the Summer Games in three years. Wrestling is among those sports, with 56 fewer places available for competitors in Tokyo than at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Wrestling isn't the only sport to be affected. A total of 285 athlete places will be lost compared to last summer's Olympics, with track and field losing 105 spots, weightlifting giving up 64 slots, sailing and shooting will each lose 30 and swimming will have 22 fewer. Competitive opportunities for wrestlers in 2020 At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, there will be a total of 288 slots for wrestlers in a total of 18 competitions -- six in men's freestyle, six in women's freestyle, and six in Greco-Roman. This translates to 16 wrestlers per weight class. To compare to the 2016 Rio Olympics... there were 18 competitions, but a total of 344 wrestlers at last year's Games, for a loss of 56 available slots comparing 2020 vs. 2016. The six Olympic men's freestyle weight classes are 57 kilograms/125.4 pounds; 65 kilograms/143 pounds; 74 kilograms/163 pounds; 86 kilograms/183 pounds; 97 kilograms/213 pounds; and 125 kilograms/275 pounds. The six weight classes for women's freestyle wrestling are 48 kilograms/105.6 pounds; 53 kilograms/116.6 pounds; 58 kilograms/127.6 pounds; 63 kilograms/138.6 pounds; 69 kilograms/152 pounds; and 75 kilograms/165 pounds. The six Olympic Greco-Roman weight classes: 59 kilograms/130 pounds; 66 kilograms/145 pounds; 75 kilograms/165 pounds; 85 kilograms/187 pounds; 98 kilograms/216 pounds; and 130 kilograms/286 pounds. Wrestling's loss at the expense of new sports Over the past decade or so, the IOC has had a goal of approximately 10,500 athletes competing in the Summer Games. The target for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is 10,616 athletes in 28 core sports. Even while trying to maintain this total number of participants, the IOC has expanded its roster of sports for the Summer Games which take place in three years. On Friday, the IOC announced the addition of 3-on-3 basketball and BMX freestyle cycling for 2020. These are in addition to these sports the IOC added in August 2016 for the next Summer Olympics: baseball-softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing. In addition, there are some new specific events added to existing sports, such as men's and women's Madison racing for track cycling, while swimming will add men's 800-meter freestyle and women's 1,500-meter freestyle. There will also be new mixed gender competitions, including a 4x100-meter mixed medley relay for swimming, and a 4x400 mixed relay on the track. According to the IOC, these changes are being made to make the Olympics more equitable in terms of gender participation (the IOC expects women to make up 48.8 per cent of all athletics at the 2020 Olympics), along with an attempt to make the Summer Games more appealing to a wider segment of the population by adding sports designed to attract young, urban athletes and fans. "I am delighted that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will be more youthful, more urban and will include more women," IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement issued Friday announcing changes for the 2020 Olympics. Why the cuts? Why is wrestling -- which can trace its roots to ancient times, and has been a part of the Summer Games since the first modern Olympics in 1896 -- losing 56 slots at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics? Websites covering other Olympic sports offered possible reasons. Yahoo! Sports weighed in with this explanation: "The IOC is pushing for more gender balance among its sports and made several adjustments to the number of both events and athletes to do so. 2020 Tokyo will feature 285 fewer athletes than Rio. Weightlifting and wrestling were hit the hardest with a total of 120 athletes 'reduced' to 'reach gender balance.'" BallinEurope.com, a website covering amateur and professional basketball in Europe, offered an explanation as to why 3-on-3 basketball was added at the apparent expense of other sports, such as wrestling, which had been eliminated from the Olympics by the IOC Executive Committee in February 2013 but restored later that year. "One of the sports set for the chop was wrestling and the movement that followed in order to save Olympic wrestling (and rightly so, the Olympics have enough issues without dumping a sport that fires what remains of its soul) led to a change of tact from the IOC," according to BallinEurope.Com. "Instead of reducing sports, the goal would be to increase the total number of sports while reducing the number of events per sport." To see the full list of sports and the number of athletes that can compete in each event for each sport at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, click here.

Princeton wrestling coaches Sean Gray and Joe Dubuque Entering his 12th year at the helm of the Princeton wrestling program, head coach Chris Ayres recognizes two of the driving forces who have helped bring the Tigers back to national prominence within the sport. He was happy to announce that both Sean Gray and Joe Dubuque have been promoted to associate head coaches as the team enters the 2017 season. "Coaches Joe Dubuque and Sean Gray have been incredible for our program, and they really have the experience and skills necessary to be head coaches, but they just have not had the opportunity to be recognized more formally in that role," Ayres said. "I am thankful that we are able to change their titles to Associate Head Coach, as they have certainly earned it. For the past few years I would pitch to recruits that they should come here because it is really 'like' being coached by three head coaches (Dubuque, Gray and myself), and these new titles show how much I believe that." Both Gray (entering his seventh season) and Dubuque (entering his sixth season) have helped push Princeton back to the elite tier of programs in the EIWA, and they have helped Princeton develop a pair of All-Americans in the last two years. This past season, Princeton sent a program-record seven Tigers to the NCAA Championships, where the team finished in the Top 25 for the sixth time in school history. Princeton finished third at EIWAs, won two individual titles, and it returned to the Ivy League championship match for the second straight year. "I want to thank Coach Chris Ayres, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, and the Friends of Princeton Wrestling for the promotion of Associate Head Wrestling Coach at Princeton," Gray said. "More than anything else, I think this says a lot about who Chris Ayres is and how far along he has brought the program. I feel blessed every day to work alongside two of the best coaches in country, and I am really excited for both myself and Joe. I look forward to seeing how far we can take the program in the future." Focusing on the future has been one of the most significant successes of both Gray and Dubuque, as they have consistently brought in nationally ranked recruiting classes to Princeton. While the Tigers will be led by sophomore All-American Matthew Kolodzik next season, Princeton does have its fourth straight Top 25 class coming in for the 2017-18 season. "I am honored that Chris Ayres, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, and the Friends of Princeton Wrestling were confident in my abilities to give me the distinction of Associate Head Coach," Dubuque said. "I will attack my new set of responsibilities with even more passion and commitment that will result in the consistent production of All-Americans, national champions and Top 10 team finishes." Princeton saw eight of its 10 starters named to the 2017 All-Ivy League team, while eight also placed at the EIWA Championships. Princeton finished third in the event with 113 team points, and the Tigers were only 4.5 points behind Lehigh for second place.

When Kyle Dake and David Taylor met in the 2013 NCAA finals in Des Moines, it featured a matchup of two of the best college wrestlers we've ever seen. Both wrestlers won the Hodge Trophy and both looked to have promising futures ahead on the international level. Both guys have excelled in freestyle, and beaten Olympic and world champions in international tournaments. But neither wrestler had made a U.S. World or Olympic team on the senior level. That trend appeared to be ending when Dake and Taylor looked sharp in winning their first matches of the best-of-three finals series at the Freestyle World Team Trials on Saturday night in Lincoln, Neb. But Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champion Jordan Burroughs rallied to win two matches against Dake at 163 pounds while Olympic bronze medalist J'den Cox came back to win twice against Taylor at 189. That's how tough the Trials were this year. The event, which is one of the most underrated on the schedule, always features outstanding wrestlers with a small field that only includes the very best this country has to offer. 2017 U.S. World Team (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The eight champions at the Trials qualified for August's World Championships in Paris, France. Point blank, this may be the best team the United States will enter at the World Championships since it last won the world team title in 1995. The Americans have a legitimate shot at bringing home the gold team trophy in France. Here are 10 takeaways from what will go down as an exciting and memorable event in Lincoln: Logan ready for another run It wasn't as easy as many people, including me, expected it to be. But Logan Stieber is ready to take a shot at repeating as world champion at 134 pounds. Stieber swept past NCAA champion Kendric Maple, earning a hard-fought win in the first bout of the best-of-three finals. Stieber is a stud who is hungry to make his mark again on the world stage. No ice cream this time Reigning Olympic and world champion Kyle Snyder was thrown and pinned in the 2015 NCAA finals by Kyven Gadson, who famously declared in an ESPN interview that he just wanted some ice cream immediately following the match. There would be no repeat in Lincoln. Snyder rolled to a pair of decisive wins over Gadson, who is a very strong freestyler. Snyder is just on a whole other level, and looks poised to win another world title at 213 pounds this year. Can we please add overtime? It happened again. The hometown crowd stood and cheered as their guy roared back to tie a match. That's what Jordan Burroughs did in the first match of his finals series with Kyle Dake. Burroughs came back to tie it 6-6, but Dake won on criteria because he scored with a four-point move. It is ridiculous this keeps happening. No athletic event should end with a tie score. Have an overtime, and make someone legitimately win the match. United World Wrestling is worried overtime will make tournaments too long, and some of that makes sense, but no athlete should have their hand raised when they don't outscore their opponent. It's just silly and downright dumb to not have an overtime. Please come up with a way to add overtime. Nick Gwiazdowski comes out for his finals match at the Freestyle World Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Gwiz ready to make an impact American wrestling fans love the way heavyweight Nick Gwiazdowski wrestles. He's an aggressive wrestler who can attack the legs and score points. He's also very big and very mobile. He's a tough matchup for foreigners who want to slow down the pace. Gwiz still isn't overly experienced internationally, but he's a fast learner who can definitely win some matches on the world stage. U.S. big man Tervel Dlagnev won a bronze medal at his first worlds in 2009. Please put the World Team Trials on television No offense to the NCAA tournament, an event I love dearly, but the quality of wrestling at the World Team Trials is far superior to college wrestling's showcase event. So why isn't this event on television for everyone to see? Why do people have to pay to watch a stream of it on the Internet? The entire NCAA tournament is shown live on ESPN. It's sad that a lot of people missed out on the Trials because it isn't as accessible as it should be. Get this event on TV, and market it and promote it. These guys are too good to not be seen by more people. There has to be some sponsors out there who would be willing to pay to put this event on TV. It is difficult to grow the sport unless your big events are showcased better. James Green defeated Jimmy Kennedy to make his third straight World Team (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Veteran Green is no longer green James Green owns the 154-pound weight class in the U.S. now. He made his third straight world team and has an excellent chance to improve on his bronze-medal performance from the 2015 worlds. Green is lethal with his leg attacks, but he's also very stingy defensively. He's also very tough mentally, and he wrestles with sound tactics and techniques. He is another American who could hear the Star-Spangled Banner being played in late August. Zain Train powers down the tracks Zain Retherford is a Cadet world champion, NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner. His progression continued with a tough, gritty win over Olympic fifth-place finisher Frank Molinaro, who is a very physical wrestler who competes with a style similar to many Europeans. This day was going to come for Retherford and it may have arrived earlier than expected since he is still in college. But that doesn't mean the Zain Train won't excel at 143 pounds in France. He's another star in the making out of the loaded Penn State program. Thomas Gilman and Tony Ramos shake hands after the finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Gilman finally walked the walk Thomas Gilman even admits it. He is not afraid to speak his mind or call out an opponent. But the ultra-confident Gilman fell short at the NCAA tournament as the top seed was upset by eventual champion Darian Cruz of Lehigh in the semis. Gilman ended his college career with a third-place finish this year after losing to Nico Megaludis in the 2016 finals. The good news for Gilman is he's better at freestyle than folkstyle. He avenged both of those losses in an unreal and unlikely performance at the Trials. Gilman rolled past Cruz in his first match and dominated Megaludis in the semis. He also beat No. 1 seed Tyler Graff in the quarterfinals of the challenge tournament and then downed Nathan Tomasello in the finals. He then swept another guy who likes to talk, two-time World Team member and former Iowa teammate Tony Ramos, in two straight matches to make his first senior world team. Gilman also has made Cadet and Junior world teams for the U.S. Gilman's magical day included five wins over NCAA champions, plus he beat an NCAA runner-up in Graff. It was an amazing showing for the No. 8 seed at 125 pounds, but it wasn't completely unexpected. 'Underdog' J'den Cox 'upsets' Taylor Virtually nobody was picking J'den Cox to make his first world team before the Trials started. Even though Cox won an Olympic medal in Rio and had a bye into the finals of the Trials, David Taylor was the guy who was going to finally break through. Taylor had beaten two Olympic champs at the World Cup and has had a tremendous season. That continued when he handled Cox in the first match at 189 pounds. But Cox dug down, made some adjustments and won the next two bouts. Injured late in the final bout, with a knee injury, Cox still gutted it out to win the series. If he is healthy, Cox is a legitimate contender for world gold. Let's hope his injury isn't as serious as was originally feared. He's a tough matchup with his speed, power and amazing resolve. The good news for the U.S. is that if Cox can't go at the World Championships, the U.S. would still have a very strong entry in Taylor. It is too bad the Americans can only enter one guy per weight class in Paris because the U.S. has some studs who didn't qualify for Worlds. Jordan Burroughs works to secure a takedown against Kyle Dake in their third match (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Burroughs vs. Dake did live up to the hype Unlike the U.S. Open finals, the Jordan Burroughs-Kyle Dake matchup at 163 pounds did live up to the hype at the Trials. The two stars had three exciting matches as Burroughs' home crowd of Nebraska Cornhusker faithful cheered him on. Burroughs came back like the great champion he is to win the final two bouts to make his fifth straight world team. He previously won world titles in the odd-numbered years of 2011, 2013 and 2015. It's 2017 now, and that obviously could be a good omen. Not to mention the fact Burroughs is eager to bounce back from losing twice at the 2016 Olympics. Burroughs returned to his aggressive ways that have made him a legend in this sport. If he stays in that mode in Paris, he will definitely be in the mix to win his fourth world title. The key is to not let defensive-minded foes slow the pace of matches down and keep Burroughs from getting to his attacks.