InterMat Staff

Dom Bradley

Brian Smith

With his degree and college eligibility completed, Michigan State University graduate Rex Kendle is looking for a new avenue for competition. Following in the footsteps of many former amateur wrestlers and former Spartans Rashad Evans (former UFC light heavyweight champion), Gray Maynard (undefeated UFC star), and the up-and-coming heavyweight Nik Fekete. Kendle has turned to the sport of mixed martial arts. In March, Kendle was featured as Rex the 19th in an appearance in Jim Rome’s Rex Streak. In the series of interview, Rome featured twenty athletes named Rex. A large portion of his appearance on the show focused on the MSU wrestlers who have gone on to have success in MMA. The highly-decorated Spartan will make his MMA debut on August 15 at the Capital City Cage Fighting event in Lansing, Michigan. Kendle, spent most of his senior year ranked in the national polls and recorded a hard fought victory over Iowa’s third-ranked Ryan Morningstar on the way to qualifying for the NCAA tournament. His status as a student athlete includes several academic awards, such as recognition by the Big Ten and a spot on the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s Academic All-American team. Capital City Cage fighting has been the start for some of Michigan’s best MMA competitors and features a deep talent pool including Brandon Johnson, Sean Baker, and Jennifer Kelly. Kendle will face Rob Letson who has a boxing and wrestling background and is also making his debut. A native of Edwardsburg, Michigan, Kendle was a high school state placewinner that walked on to the Spartan Wrestling team, earning a starting spot as a sophomore and becoming a leader on the mat and in the classroom. He will be sponsored by Border Wars Wrestling for the event.

NHSCA Junior Nationals champion Mitchell Port verbally committed to Edinboro earlier this week. The senior-to-be at Bellefonte High School in Pennsylvania has qualified for the Class AAA state tournament all three years of his high school career, including a fourth-place finish this past season at 119 pounds. His 40-4 junior campaign included a tournament title at the King of the Mountain Tournament, where he ended an 100-match win streak of Shane Young from Penn Trafford Pennsylvania. At the time, Young was a two-time defending state champion.He went on to close out his career as a three-time state champion this past March. Port was also a Cadet National freestyle All-American in the summers of 2007 and 2008, and placed eighth at the Super 32 Challenge this past fall.

ANKARA, Turkey -- Missouri grappler Dominique Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo./Sunkist Kids) won a gold medal at 120 kg/264.5 pounds on the final day of the six-day Junior World Championships. The Junior World Championship feature the world’s best wrestlers ages 17-20 years old. Bradley defeated Giorgi Sakandelidze of Georgia in the championship finals on Sunday night, 2-0, 4-0. Dom Bradley“The first period of the finals was slow,” Bradley said. “I won 2-0, on a takedown and a pushout. I didn’t feel as confident in that period. In the second period, I scored in 20 seconds, then scored again. I hit a blast double to finish off the match.” Bradley won three preliminary matches to reach the gold-medal finals and opened the tournament with a victory over Bazarboy Utambetov of Uzbekistan, 6-0, 2-0. In the second round, he stopped Mikhail Gazayev of Azerbaijan, 2-0, 5-0. His semifinal victory was over Maradyn Kushkhov of Ukraine, 2-2, 1-0. “I wrestled very well. I am excited that I am the best in the world,” Bradley said. “The difference is my style of wrestling, which is scoring takedowns, takedowns and takedowns. Just don’t let up, just keep scoring.” “Dom had the performance he trained for. We couldn't be more proud of him," U.S. coach Eric Guerrero said. “Dom executed today. When it came to crunch time, he executed. When he got the leg, he finished. When they shot on him, he scored.” The Univ. of Missouri student is having a strong freestyle season this year. Bradley was third at the U.S. Senior World Team Trials, and was fourth in the U.S. Senior Nationals. He also won the FILA Junior World Team Trials and the FILA Junior Nationals. “This will make me better than where I was last year. I want to be the guy. These freestyle events have given me an extra season to prepare for next year,” Bradley said. During the six-day event, the United States won five medals.

Badger sophomore Andrew Howe is bringing home some hardware for the U.S. and the Wisconsin wrestling team. The Cedar Lake, Ind., native won a bronze medal Saturday at the 2009 Junior World Championships in Ankara, Turkey in the 74 kg/163 lbs. freestyle division. The Cedar Lake, Ind., native met Igor Jakypbekov of Krygyzstan in the bronze-medal bout and shut him out 3-0, 2-0. Howe, who was wrestling in his first international competition, was one of two Americans on the freestyle team to win bronze. Jordan Oliver wrestles for Oklahoma State collegiately and also took third at 60 kg/132 lbs. Howe started the tournament with a 2-0, 7-0 shutout of Romain Jollien from Switzerland and then knocked off Hayk Karapetyan from Armenia, 3-1, 5-0. In the quarterfinals, Howe only allowed one point again with a 4-0, 4-1 victory over Zhambolat Magzumov of Kazakhstan. Howe's lone loss came in the semifinals when he lost to 2008 Junior World champion Magomed Zubairov from Russia with a 2-0, 1-0 score. Howe and fellow sophomore Travis Rutt were the two Badgers that had the opportunity to compete at this year's Junior World Championships. Rutt wrestled in the Greco-Roman competition earlier in the week and was also competing in his first international tournament. These two Badgers return to the team for the 2009-10 season, which is just around the corner with the first dual of the year, Nov. 13 at the UW Field House against Old Dominion. Be sure to stay tuned to UWBadgers.com in the coming weeks as the team gets ready for the season.

ANKARA, Turkey -- Oklahoma State wrestler Jordan Oliver won a bronze medal today at the Junior World Championship in Turkey. Oliver, a redshirt freshman for the Cowboys, won his third-place freestyle match in the 60kg/132 lbs. division as he defeated Mongolia's Batchuluun Batmagnia, 2-1, 5-0. He finished the tourney with a 4-1 record, his lone loss coming in the semifinals to Aghahuseyn Mustafayev of Azerbaijan. "It was get a medal or none at all. It was all or nothing. That was my gold-medal match," Oliver told USA Wrestling's Gary Abbott after winning the bronze medal. "I went out and worked my stuff, what I do best, my motion and getting off my attacks. That is what I lacked in the semifinals." The Junior World Championships feature the world's best wrestlers who are 17-20 years old.

Event: UFC 101: Declaration Date: August 8, 2009 Venue: Wachovia Center (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) The UFC Monster will be in attendance when two of the best MMA fighters on the planet will be featured in a co-main event in Philadelphia’s first hosted UFC event. BJ Penn, at 155 pounds will be defending his title against an East Coast rising star in Kenny Florian, and Anderson “Spider” Silva will once again be going up in weight to fight former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin. The rest of the 11-fight card is also loaded with interesting fights, which is now becoming a UFC trademark, as the sport grows and Dana White’s empire continues to be flooded with great fighters. I have been looking forward to this event for months. It is my challenge to pick winners and turn them into cash. So let’s do a little bragging, as I netted a $327 profit on the last UFC 100 card, and that brings my InterMat total to a shining $575.50 profit for UFCs 98/99/100, as posted on this very same Web site. For those of you who have followed me, you should all have earned enough for lifetime Premium subscriptions by now. Can we hit four in a row, for the grand slam? Let’s take a look at the fights and betting odds. As mentioned previously BJ “The Prodigy” PENN (13-5-1) is defending his lightweight title against Kenny “Ken-Flo” FLORIAN (13-3-0) in a five-round match. BJ is coming off the most disappointing performance of his career with a beating he took from Georges St. Pierre in Las Vegas on Superbowl eve. He is hungry and fit. His new trainer is the 67-year father of Todd Marinovich. Remember him? The burned out former USC quarterback who was groomed since birth to be a professional athlete. Why does this matter? A fit BJ is a dangerous animal. BJ’s skill set is legendary; his fitness is always questioned, but not here. He is as fit as never before and his focus may have transcended his skills. I think Ken-Flo is in deep water here. After a few moments of probing each other, BJ will stun Florian with a potent jab that sends him to the mat. BJ will swarm him like a bear on honey, leading to a near-naked choke that will almost break Ken-Flo’s neck. I got on early at –160, but today’s high price is still a value at –250, as I give an improved Ken-Flo little chance of pulling the upset in front of his fans. UFC Monster with Forrest GriffinIs there a more lethal striker in the UFC than Anderson “Spider” SILVA (24-4-0)? I think not, as he has made a career of making great fighters look bad. He has destroyed “his” middleweight division (185 lbs) and has had to move up to find fights that even hold his interest. Former champion Forrest GRIFFIN (16-5-0) is one such guy, as his trademark relentless, in-your-face” style, has made him a fan favorite. There is no quit in Forrest and his often bloodied and bettered face will testify to that! Spider has looked disinterested, almost bored, in his last two wins, but Griffin’s style is tailor-made for some toe-to-toe action. A stunning knock-out by a powerful slugger or a submission on the mat will be Forrest’s goal. But that goal will fade by the lights that Forrest will see a motivated Anderson Silva lands a stunning kick to send his opponent flying, setting up the trademark barrage of accurate bombs that ends this quickly in the very first round! Take Spider and lay whatever you have to (currently –350). Former four-time All-American and two-time NCAA wrestling champion Johny HENDRICKS brings his 5-0 mixed martial arts record into the ring in his UFC debut at welterweight (170 lbs). He will be fighting Amir SADOLLAH (2-0-0) who is a product of the Ultimate Fighter reality show. This is wrestler against jiu-jitsu expert. Has Hendo learned enough jits defense from Randy Couture to hold off Sadollah? The oddsmakers have it near even. Interestingly, this fight may be a standing affair, as Hendricks loves to throw leather. His quickness and years of mat training will make him a formidable foe. Wrestlers have done extremely well in this sport. I think “Hendo” will join the parade. Let’s take him at even money to get a surprising KO midway through the second period. He wins in a mild upset. Another TUF fighter is Kendall “Da Spyder” GROVE (12-5-0), a lanky 6’6” middleweight, who likes to swing wildly, who takes on Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert, Richard “Big Dog” ALMEIDA (10-3-0), who wins his fights by submission. History has shown that lanky appendages make for good submission fodder. This fight will be no exception. I look for Grove to search for his ranger just long enough before Almeida takes him to the mat where it will be over before the bell sounds to end the first round. Big Dog’s a value at –150. Kendall Grove will forever be the answer to the trivial question, “Who did the late Evan Tanner fight in his last fight?” Another dangerous striker, lightweight Josh “The Dentist” NEER (25-7-1) has won half his fights by KO, and half by submission, with a few decisions mixed in. He is a well-rounded fighter, who will try to be the first to ever KO Kurt “Batman” PELLEGRINO (19-4-0), another East Coast fighter, who makes submission the name of his game. Can he fend off the striking power of Neer long enough to head to the mat? I doubt it, as I see the Dentist knocking some teeth out here before he sends me to the winner’s window to cash at –200. That completes the main card; let’s now take a quick look at the interesting undercard … In a rematch, lightweight Shane “Sugar” NELSON (13-3-0) is forced to take a fight that he wasn’t interested in against journeyman Aaron RILEY (27-11-1), who was victimized by a quick call on a knockdown that ended their first battle. Revenge in sports is beautiful, and fighting a fight you don’t want is lethal. I like Riley to win a convincing three round decision at –150. Lanky, 6’ 4” welterweight Tamdan “the Barn Cat McCRORY (12-2) will take on John “Doomsday” HOWARD (11-4). Avoiding the punches long enough to apply a second-round armbar submission will win this for McCrory as a –175 favorite. Fellow Brazilian Thales LEITES (14-2) is the last fighter to lose to Anderson Silva. Tonight’s one-dimensional striker and professional boxer Alessio “Legionarius” SAKARA (17-7-1) will be a much better match for him, as it pits a pure striker against a jiu-jitsu black belt. This one ends quickly on the mat with a body triangle choking the life out of Sakara. One of the night’s biggest favorites wins at –325. Two unknown fighters, welterweights Matt RIDDLE (2-0-0) and Dan CRAMER (1-0-0) will try to launch successful careers in the UFC with Riddle winning a close decision as a –150 favorite. And in an upset, Jesse “The Ox” LENNOX (14-1-0) will stun Danillo “Indio” VILLEFORT (9-2-0) with some second round ground-and-pound to cash for ‘dog bettors at +160. In a battle of Georges lightweights, George SOTIROPOULOS (9-2-0) should get a submission somewhere in the first round to defeat George ROOP (9-5). For some reason, there is no betting line posted, hence there is no bet. This one we’ll watch for fun. Okay, let’s go to the scoreboard where I am laying most of my eggs in the baskets of the two main event favorites. If they win, we win. Here’s our breakdown of wagers from our fictitious $1000 bankroll: Let’s lay $200 to win $80 on BJ Penn to stay unbeaten at 155 lbs. Let’s lay $210 to win $60 on Anderson Silva to drop Forrest like a big tree. Let’s lay $50 to win $50 on Okie State’s Johny Hendrick to beat Amir. Let’s lay $75 to win $50 on Big Dog Almeida submitting Grove. Let’s lay $60 to win $30 on Josh Neer to do some dental work on Batman. Let’s lay $60 to win $40 on Aaron Riley getting his revenge over Nelson. Let’s lay $105 to win $60 on Barn Cat McCrory. Let’s lay $130 to win $40 in a bridge jump on Thales Leites. Jits beats boxer. Let’s lay $60 to win $40 on Riddle over Cramer. Let’s lay $50 to win $80 on Lennox in an upset. Let’s look for a bookie that will take action on George Sotiropoulus. In total, we are risking $1000 to win $585 in a favorite-loaded card. Let’s not forget to share our winnings with your local youth wrestling club, where future champions are born. Enjoy the fights see you at the winner’s window! The UFC Monster

NCAA champions Pat Smith and Terry Steiner will be radio show guests Wednesday night. Pat Smith became the first of only two wrestlers ever to win four NCAA titles as an Oklahoma State Cowboy in the early 1990s. Wrestling at 158 pounds, Smith compiled a collegiate record of 121-5-2. He is currently running the Arkansas Wrestling Academy in Little Rock and has brought hundreds of athletes into the sport of wrestling. Smith is a member of the most successful wrestling family in American history that includes older brothers Lee Roy and John, and younger brother Mark, who combined to win seven NCAA titles and 14 All-American honors at Oklahoma State University. Terry Steiner was a three-time All-American and 1993 NCAA champion at 150 pounds for the University of Iowa. Originally from Bismarck, North Dakota, Steiner was a two-time state champion for Century High School and was a gold medallist at the 1996 Pan American Championships. Steiner has been in his role as USA Wrestling’s full-time National Women’s freestyle coach since 2002. Steiner and the women’s freestyle team are currently training in Poland and will be competing in a tournament there on August 13 & 14. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show.

There is no denying the fact that Martin Floreani has had a significant impact on the wrestling media industry in a relatively short period of time. On May 17, 2006, Floreani, on his 26th birthday, launched Flowrestling, a video-driven national wrestling Web site with interviews from the sport's biggest names. The site has continued to expand and roll out new features, including blogs, an online community called Flowrestlr that allows wrestlers, coaches, and fans to connect and upload their own wrestling videos, and Technique Wave, a constantly growing collection of wrestling technique videos from the best wrestling technicians in the U.S. Floreani, an Illinois native who wrestled collegiately at Cal Poly, is an entrepreneur, innovator, promoter, and wrestling fanatic. His passion and enthusiasm for the sport is apparent to anyone who crosses paths with him. InterMat recently talked to Floreani about Flowrestling, his critics, FloNationals, the future of the sport, and much more. Martin FloreaniWhat was your motivation behind starting Flowrestling? Floreani: I started Flowrestling for two reasons. The first reason was that I wanted something of my own and I thought, 'Why not do something where you work with something you love?' The second reason was that I wasn’t a very good wrestler. I thought I could achieve great things in wrestling. I can outwork anybody and I have a very deep fire and passion for the sport. So when I fell short, I didn't understand. It bothered me and I guess Flowrestling was a way for me to talk to the greats of the sport and really understand what was missing in me for me to be great in wrestling. When you reflect back on your all you have done with Flowrestling, what are you most proud of? Floreani: I'm proud of trying to take wrestling to a new level, trying to make it different by connecting the underground cult of wrestlers throughout the nation and world with video, trying to give something to the wrestling community that no one else has. It deserves it because wrestling is the most exciting sport in the world. I think we have made some difference in the last couple years. I think we have a long way to go. But if I look at the advancements, that’s what I'm most proud of. You have been outspoken about how wrestling can't follow the mold of different sports in terms of media coverage. Why does wrestling have to be different? And how can the sport receive the media coverage that wrestling fans believe it should? Floreani: Wrestling has to be different because every sport is competing against each other. That's just a fact. Americans only have so many hours, so many minutes a week that they can dedicate to being fans of something. So it has to be different. It has to change the mold because it's behind. Wrestling is losing. You have to do something differently if you're losing. That's why it needs to be different. If two sailboats are in a race and one is behind, the sailboat that is behind has to do something differently because it's going to lose if it just follows what the boat the first place boat is doing. Right now, by wrestling just following the mold of trying to get on TV or doing the typical stuff that the old guard has continued to do despite the ever-changing world around them, then it's going to end up losing like the sailboat that is behind. Even in the 2000s, I think it has taken steps back in general, losing big name programs like the University of Oregon. It's hard to replace the University of Oregon, even with Utah Valley State coming in. I've been to Utah Valley State and I love it. But it's just hard to replace the University of Oregon with Utah Valley State. There's a big difference there. I think wrestling is losing, so it has to do something different to win. Flowrestling has a huge following of loyal supports. You have received praise from the biggest names in the sport. However, Flowrestling also has its critics. You have had rifts with members of major wrestling organizations, including members of USA Wrestling and the National Wrestling Coaches Association. How do you respond to your critics? Floreani: Whenever you have change, Andrew, you're going to have critics. Why? Because there is going to be a shift in power and structure. So whenever someone is advocating change in almost any field, you're going to have critics, people who say, 'That's very bad.' Why? Well, it's not in their self interest that this change is occurring. That’s why I have critics ... because it's not in their self interest. I would say that they don’t know what's in their self interest. They think it's not in their self interest. Some of these people have an old-guard type of mentality. They don’t see a couple steps down the line. The fact is ... you run a different organization with InterMat, formerly RevWrestling.com. For me to call you my competitor in wrestling at this stage in the game, I think is a little silly. What we would really be fighting over is something so small. We really need to work together and grow this sport. Your success will hopefully translate into wrestling's success, which will hopefully reverberate right back to me. Yes, there is some competition between different media outlets. But really the most important thing is the media outlets have to work together. When people are trying to close doors at the expense of wrestling because they view Flowrestling as a competitor, or InterMat as a competitor, or any other media outlet as a competitor, that hurts wrestling, and in the end it hurts them. Earlier this summer, you announced the creation of FloNationals for high school wrestlers, which will debut March 27-28, 2010 at Walsh Jesuit High School in Ohio. With so many national events for high school wrestlers already in place, why have FloNationals? Floreani: We saw an opportunity where we feel like people weren’t doing it right. They were trying to take advantage of the sport to really make money. I'm not a socialist by any means, Andrew. I'm a thriving capitalist. But my philosophy is you better put out an awesome product ... and especially when I have one as emotionally attached to as I am with wrestling. You better treat wrestling right ... and then make money. You better have a foundation of putting out an amazing product ... and then if you can make money off that, then that's great. Billy Barger and I came together ... actually we've been talking about this for a while. We felt like the people out there weren't putting out a great product. We felt like there was an opening to put a great product and really do great things for the sport. It took me a while to come around to it and say this is really something we want to do. Once I made the decision, it was just right. It will add value to the sport by bringing a true national championship to the high school level ... and that’s in line with our main philosophy. That's what we want to do. Martin FloreaniWhat has the response from wrestlers, coaches, and fans throughout the country? Floreani: They love it. The philosophy we have is putting value first ... and they know that. They know we're going to run it right. If anyone has ever been to the Ironman, it's one of the most well run tournaments in the nation. Maybe even in the world. It is smooth. Those guys have a great system. I have always admired how they treated the fans there ... and the overall atmosphere of the tournament. The response has been extremely positive. People are really excited. You have a unique content feature on Flowrestling called Technique Wave. Explain what Technique Wave is all about and why people should use it? Floreani: Technique Wave is great because it's a unique place where people can go to see technique from all different kinds of wrestlers and coaches. They're able to sort technique, like a single leg, for example, and see 10 different examples of single legs ... single leg counters ... scoring backpoints off single legs. It's very dynamic in that way. It allows kids to basically get an overview from all these different technicians in one place. That's completely unique. Nothing else has that. I have a big belief that little things make a big difference in kids' careers. If they can take a small little piece from Technique Wave, or if they learn something that helps them win one more match in the sectional ... and that allows them to get more experience so that maybe the next year they can win more and get to state, place, and now go to college off of it. So little things make a difference. That's why I think Technique Wave is an extremely powerful tool for kids and coaches throughout the country. They're able to see all these different coaches from all over the country give examples of their best technique. And that's powerful. You can come to one place and see it all. It's constantly growing too. We're committed to constantly add new technique to it. A lot of wrestling fans appreciate the fact that Flowrestling covers the Russian Nationals. What is your motivation behind covering that event? Floreani: Russia has the best wrestling right now in the world. It's really hard to argue. The results speak for themselves. Flowrestling wants to showcase the best wrestling in the world. We mainly do things in the United States, but we would love to be international and do things across the world. Wherever the best wrestling in the world is, Flowrestling wants to be there to give to our audience. You and your staff are all over the place, covering wrestling events of all types and ages, but you and your staff were noticeably absent from the Junior & Cadet Nationals in Fargo this summer. Why did Flowrestling choose not to cover the Junior & Cadet Nationals this summer? Floreani: One of the reasons was that Joe (Williamson) was just getting back from Russia. He was pretty exhausted. So turning around and going to Fargo would have been pretty difficult. Another one of the reasons is ... USA Wrestling is starting to support us a little bit. But in the past, it hasn't been the most pleasant thing being at their events relative to other events. At other events, we're definitely taken care of. We're appreciated. Sometimes we feel like we're treated with hostility at USA Wrestling events. It's a little more stressful because we're kind of walking on pins and needles. I'll say that. We're constantly working on changing that. We want to work with USA Wrestling. Joe is trying to develop those relationships where he feels comfortable being at those events. We love what we do. It's not pleasant if we feel a little bit stressed out at a place because the relationship isn't as smooth as it can be. So it's a combination of factors. The U.S. Freestyle Team is coming off a disappointing Olympic Games performance. Some attribute the U.S. struggles to the fact that our athletes have not been compensated well enough for them to be able to make a full-time commitment to training. Obviously, the Living the Dream Medal Fund was created to help address that issue. Others believe that folkstyle wrestling holds the U.S. back in terms of development in the international styles. In your opinion, why has the U.S Freestyle Team struggled in recent years? And what's it going to take for the U.S. Freestyle Team to become a stronger force on the world stage? Floreani: I think it's a leadership issue. I have a firm belief that if Flocasts doesn't do well, I don't really pin it on anyone else's shoulders. I'm one of the founders of Flocasts and I put the responsibility on myself. I think it all starts from the top in every aspect. That's with the NWCA, USA Wrestling, and state organizations. I think everybody has to take responsibility. It starts from the top. The leaders have to take responsibility. We have to hold the leaders accountable. And I think they want to be held accountable. If they're good, they want to be held accountable. We're in America. We're in the greatest country in the world. Hands down. I just got back from Brazil ... just to understand and appreciate everything that we have in the United States. Brazil is beautiful and great in its own way, but at the same time, I love getting back in the United States after I've been gone for a while. It's the greatest country in the world. I don't think there's an excuse for this country to be No. 2. When you look at it, it has start at the top. That's phase one of your question. Do I believe folkstyle holds us back? Absolutely not. I really don't believe it. On compensation, I believe wrestlers, if they can find a different opportunity somewhere, they're going to find a different opportunity. We have to take care of our athletes. We have to figure out ways where they can make money. We have to be proactive in building up the sport so that our best athletes can make a great living. Not only that, but our No. 5 and No. 6 athletes have to be making a decent living where they can go home at Thanksgiving and be proud of how much they make. Not having to say, 'I only make $13,000,' and almost feeling ashamed or guilty for continuing to wrestle because they are limiting their family's opportunities. It's not just about treating the No. 1 guys right, but it's also about treating the No. 5 guys right. I mean, those are the fifth best guys in the nation. There are only a few weight classes in freestyle and Greco. So we have to treat them right. They have to be proud to be wrestling, not feeling guilty for limiting their family's options. Those guys have to be pushing the No. 4 guys. The No. 4 guys have to be pushing the No. 3 guys. The No. 3 guys have to be pushing the No. 2 guys. And the No. 2 guys have to be pushing the No. 1 guys. I think you will have that if every weight class has 10 or 12 guys who are scrambling just to get in the top 5. When steel sharpens steal, then I think we'll be right back with the Russians. Last year, you took a poll of Division I college wrestling coaches as well as members of the wrestling media to determine the top 10 college wrestling coaches in the country and the top 10 college wrestling coaches on the hot seat. What was your motivation behind that poll? Martin FloreaniFloreani: We need accountability on all levels. There are instances where coaches stay too long. With the University of Oregon, that's kind of the consensus and a big reason why the program was dropped. Some coaches stay too long. Nobody wants to say it. Nobody wants to be the unpopular guy. But the fact is, just like the top people at USA Wrestling, the NWCA, InterMat, and Flowrestling want to be held accountable, these head coaches have to be held accountable for their jobs. Being pushed, I think that's a great thing. I think it's a great thing when there are three guys battling it out for the No. 1 spot. Or if the No. 1 guy on the team is feeling pressure from the No. 2 guy. I think the same thing needs to happen with coaching. If people are staying too long and people are feeling too comfortable in their positions, that's not a good thing for wrestling. No one should feel comfortable. They should always be striving and pushing forward. No one wants to write anything bad in this sport. But you can open up a newspaper for all kinds of publications that write about major sports, and writers are calling for coaches heads left and right. In wrestling, because we're such a small cult community, no one wants to do that. At the same time, it needs to be done. I don't think it should be done in a belligerent way or in too negative of a way, but performance needs to be addressed. And if we don't address it, we're dealing with complacency. And we all know where complacency gets us. It gets us to dropped wrestling programs. I'm not the most popular guy for writing that. But I think it's healthy for the sport. Flocasts' vision and fundamental principle is what is good for the sport is good for us. So we try to stick by that even if it's unpopular. What is the relationship between wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA) as you see it? Is the rise in popularity of MMA helping or hurting amateur wrestling? Floreani: I don't know, Andrew. I think as leaders of our sport, we can make it so that it helps. As far as what it's doing, I think it helps in general. But I think it's all how we approach it. I don't want to blend the disciplines at all. If I go to an MMA event, I just don't get as excited as I get when I go to a great wrestling event. I think wrestling is the greatest sport in the world. I'll say that again. I think wrestling is the greatest sport in the world. If we can use MMA to market wrestling that still keeps us independent, I think we should. Wrestling is different than MMA and needs to be different but I think we can still use MMA to our advantage while still keeping a strong independence from MMA.

The biggest addition to the Dana College wrestling program for the 2009-2010 season may not be a person that can score even a single point. Jimmy Rollins ('08) has signed on to join the coaching staff for the upcoming season. Rollins returns to the program after a one year absence. Jimmy RollinsJimmy Rollins spent the 2008-09 season as an assistant wrestling coach with the newly formed Iowa Lakes Wrestling Program. Rollins help lead the Lakers program to a seventh place finish at the NJCAA National Championships in 2008-09. While at Iowa Lakes he helped produce 4 All-Americans and a National Finalist. Prior to last season, Rollins worked on the Dana College coaching staff as a student assistant. During that time he helped produce 13 NAIA All-Americans as well as five Academic All-Americans. In the 2006-2007 season, the team was GPAC and North Region Champions. The Vikings ended the season with a fourth place performance at the National Tournament, but finished the season with the top grade point average in the Nation. In the 2007-2008 season, Dana repeated as GPAC Champions and finished the season in fifth place at the NAIA National Tournament. Before beginning his coaching career, Rollins began his collegiate wrestling career at Gloucester County College in New Jersey. As a freshman, he was the first ever undefeated National Champion in the school history winning the NJCAA crown at 125lbs. While at GCC, his team also won the Division III Junior College National Championship in 2002. In his sophomore season, he won the Mid-Atlantic region title, but was injured in his semi-final match forcing him to pull out of the tournament and finished in sixth place garnering another All-American season. Rollins then transferred to Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. During his junior season, he won GPAC and Central Region titles and finished 3rd in the NAIA national tournament. As a senior, Rollins defended his Central region crown and capped off his career on top of the podium winning the 133lb title at the NAIA national tournament. That season Dana College also won the NAIA team title with a record breaking performance of 193 points. "We are very excited to have Coach Rollins back on staff," commented Dana College Head Coach Beau Vest. "He brings a wealth of experience and energy to the room. Jimmy will help everyone in our room move to that next level." Rollins is a 2008 graduate from Dana College with his Education degree in Physical education. Dana College has won three straight Great Plains Athletic Conference titles.

The Edwardsville Wrestling Club (EWC) announces the completion of the 24,000 sq. ft. Jon Davis Wrestling Center. Built with private funds on Edwardsville School District 7 property, the Jon Davis Wrestling Center is the result of a successful collaboration between the Edwardsville School District and the EWC. A Dedication Ceremony will be held at the Jon Davis Wrestling Center on August 23rd. The public is invited to attend. The Jon Davis Wrestling Center will be home to the Edwardsville High School (EHS) Wrestling team, EWC and Illinois Southern Elite Freestyle/Greco Wrestling Club. The Center’s main feature is a 5½ mat (94’ x 104’) wrestling arena with bleacher seating for 850. The Jon Davis Wrestling Center also includes a strength and conditioning room, locker rooms, concessions, offices, conference room and auditorium. The auditorium seats 110 in either stadium or banquet style seating, and includes a theatre sound system and 14’ x 9’ viewing screen. The auditorium will also serve as the home of the EHS Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). The Jon Davis Wrestling Center will also be used on a national wrestling level. The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) and EWC will partner to host the NWCA Coaching Academy in future years. “The Jon Davis Wrestling Center is a multipurpose facility conveniently located near the easily accessible St. Louis Airport. The centralized location of the facility is perfectly suited for our coaches who will be traveling from around the nation to participate in our Leadership Academy each year,” said NWCA Executive Director, Mike Moyer. The EWC will also partner with FCA/Wrestling in their inaugural season. “FCA is excited about having the Jon Davis Wrestling Center as a “regional and national center of excellence” to help carry out FCA’s mission and vision,” said Tim Johnson, FCA Midwest Region Director. Jon Davis, for whom the Jon Davis Wresting Center is named, was a beloved Wrestling Coach and Teacher in the Edwardsville School District. Until his death in 2007, Jon had also served 30 years as the South Sectional Director of the IKWF. During his tenure, the South grew from the smallest to the second largest Section in the state. Jon’s work ethic and dedication to youth wrestling and the IKWF were of the highest standard. Jon Davis left a legacy of dedication and service for all to follow. The Edwardsville Wrestling Club is a youth wrestling club based out of Edwardsville, IL and is a member of the Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation (IKWF) and USA Wrestling. Pat McNamara is the Head Coach of the EWC. McNamara is a 3x Minnesota High School State Champion and 3x NCAA All-American at Michigan State. The current EWC roster lists 25 coaches and over 150 wrestlers.

Ron Pifer

Jack Spates

Wrestling runs in families. Oftentimes, a dad who wrestled competitively in high school or college introduces his sons to the sport, whether in casual "matches" on the living room floor, or by enrolling the kids in an organized youth wrestling program. Rex Peery (Photo/Oklahoma State Cowboys Ride Again)Then there are wrestling families where championship-caliber mat talent seems to be part of the DNA. Families like the Kolls (dad Bill and son Rob), the Smiths (brothers John, Pat, Lee Roy), and the Schultzes (brothers Dave and Mark). Then there are the Peerys -- father Rex, and sons Hugh and Ed. Each earned three NCAA Division I championships, for a total of nine individual titles ... making them the most decorated family in terms of the total number of national collegiate crowns. The Peerys' mat saga is also significant in that it spans two states where amateur wrestling is almost a religion -- Oklahoma and Pennsylvania ... and incorporates two wrestling programs -- Oklahoma State, and the University of Pittsburgh -- each with mat histories going back prior to World War I. This summer, InterMat Rewind plans to take a look at each of the Peerys -- their lives as a family, their individual careers in wrestling and coaching, and their lives off the mat. Let's start with the patriarch of the Peerys, Rex. Meet Rex Peery Rex Anderson Peery was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma ... an amateur wrestling town if there ever was one. After all, Stillwater is the home to Oklahoma State University, as well as the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Rex Peery competed on the wrestling team at Stillwater High School, winning two Oklahoma state titles -- the 100-pound crown in 1927, and the 107 lb. championship in 1928. Ed GallagherAfter high school, Rex worked in his father's outdoor advertising business before the stock market crash of October 1929 wiped out everything. Yet, at age 19, he married Clara. The young couple was blessed to own a small home with apartments that were rented out for income. It appears to have been destined that Rex Peery would wrestle for Oklahoma State (then officially named Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, or Oklahoma A&M for short). Not just because he grew up in Stillwater ... but, according to elder son Hugh, just two doors down from Ed Gallagher. The legendary Cowboy wrestling coach was able to make Rex an offer he couldn't refuse: A place on the wrestling team, and working as a painter for the school's maintenance department. However, coach Gallagher and his Cowboys didn't get Rex Peery on the roster immediately after high school. Because of the Great Depression, Rex waited until 1931 to enroll at Oklahoma State ... then, because of NCAA rules forbidding freshmen from competing in varsity sports, he was unable to participate in intercollegiate competition until January 1933. One thing did happen freshman year: Rex and Clara Peery became parents, with the arrival of first son Robert Hugh Peery. First, a few words on Ed Gallagher and the Oklahoma State wrestling program. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Cowboys were considered to be THE college wrestling program in the nation, with a reputation for excellence that went far beyond the borders of the state of Oklahoma. In the few short years between the time the NCAA had established its national college wrestling championships in 1928, and Rex Peery hit the mats as Oklahoma State's 118-pound starter in early 1933, the Cowboys had won both team titles the years those were awarded, and 15 individual team titles. No other college program at the time came close. Cowboy Rex As a sophomore, in the 1933 season, Rex Peery compiled an 8-0 record. According to his record posted at the website WrestlingStats.com, Rex wrestled at 135 pounds in his first few matches for the Cowboys ... but by mid-season, dropped down to 118 and remained at that weight the rest of his college career. At the 1933 NCAAs, hosted by Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, there were eight wrestlers in the 118-pound bracket, the lightest weight class in NCAA competition at the time. (Realize that the NCAAs were a much smaller event 76 years ago; according to Jay Hammond's History of Collegiate Wrestling, a record 82 wrestlers from 30 schools competed that year in the two-day championships. Today, approximately 330 wrestlers compete at the NCAAs, with 32-34 wrestlers per weight class.) In his first match at the 1933 nationals, Rex Peery got a 9:33 time advantage victory over Russ Bleakeley of Franklin & Marshall; in the second -- the semifinals -- he got a 9:09 time advantage win over Iowa State's Larry Gibson. (There was no point scoring system at the time; the only way to win a match was by time advantage (akin to today's riding time), or by pin.) In the finals, Peery won the title with a 6:09 time advantage over defending champ Joe Puerta of the University of Illinois. Peery was one of three Oklahoma State champs, along with Ross Flood at 126, and Alan Kelley at 145. The Cowboys shared the unofficial team title with Iowa State. Junior year, Rex Peery remained perfect, with a 10-0 record. The major difference from the previous season -- eight of those wins were by pin. (He had not scored any falls his sophomore year.) The 1934 NCAAs were held at the Intramural Gym at the University of Michigan. One interesting detail mentioned in an historical article posted at the Michigan Wolverine website: "Instead of competing in the normal 20-foot, roped-off ring, each mat for the championships was 24 feet square, with no ropes." There were seven wrestlers in the 118-pound weight class, with Rex Peery as defending champ. In his first match, Peery upset the hometown crowd by pinning Michigan's Carl Fiero at 9:13. In his second match, the Cowboy scored a second fall, this time at 2:10 over Alvie Natvig of Northern Iowa. In the finals, Peery won his second title with a decision over Indiana University's Howard Bush. All three Cowboys who won the 1934 NCAA title repeated in 1935 ... and Oklahoma State won the team title outright. A memorable collegiate finale In his senior year, Rex Peery won all 11 of his matches, 8 of those by fall. The 1935 NCAAs returned to Lehigh ... and the Cowboys returned to northeast Pennsylvania in grand style. According to The Cowboys Ride Again! -- a history of the Oklahoma State wrestling program by Doris and Bob Dellinger -- the "colorful wrestlers wore 10-gallon hats, overalls, and high-heeled riding boots." The same book reported that a record field of 42 teams and 142 wrestlers competed at the 1935 NCAAs ... including 13 wrestlers in the 118-pound bracket. Just before stepping onto the mat for his first match at the nationals, Rex Peery received a telegram, informing him of the birth of his second son, Edwin Clark, named in honor of his father's college coach, Edward Clark Gallagher. Proud poppa Peery pinned his first two opponents -- Brown's Ken Beaulieu at 4:10, then Rowland Thomas of Washington & Lee at 5:11 -- then got a decision over Indiana's Willard Duffy in the semifinals. In the title bout, the defending champ held onto his crown by pinning George Ledbetter of Illinois at 5:52 to become the third-ever three-time NCAA champ. With that, Rex Peery completed his college mat career with a flawless 29-0 record, with 16 of those wins by pin. In addition to those accomplishments for the Cowboy wrestling program, Rex Peery also won two national AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) titles, and was an alternate for the U.S. wrestling team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. In addition, he earned two letters playing baseball at Oklahoma State. Peery the painter In addition to wrestling, raising a family and classwork, Rex Peery kept busy with painting. His son Ed described his dad as a "very good painter -- raised in a paint store. He always had a paint job lined up on weekends. Hugh and I usually came along to help. I'd paint the closet or hold the ladder." The Dellinger book provides another story about the painting career of Peery the patriarch, originally told by Cowboy wrestler Sam Barnes about his friend, Rex Peery to Amateur Wrestling News founding publisher Jess Hoke: "It was the summer of 1933, right after Rex had won the first of his three NCAA titles. I was working downstairs in the sports publicity office in the old Aggie gym when I heard a racket upstairs." "I went up to the gym floor and far up in the rafters was Rex, in white overalls and a mask, painting a new coat of silver paint on the ceiling with a spray gun. Rex was supporting a wife and child by working on the campus paint crew." "When he saw me, he shut down and pulled off the mask." "'Just think, Sam,' he said, 'two months ago, these rafters were ringing with my name. Now I'm getting 30 cents an hour to paint them.'" A coaching career is born After graduating from Oklahoma State in 1935, Rex Peery launched his coaching career (Photo/1952 Owl Yearbook)After graduating from Oklahoma State in 1935, Rex Peery launched his coaching career. According to his son Hugh, Rex coached high school wrestling throughout the state of Oklahoma -- first at Erick for one year, then at Pauls Valley for four years, then at Tulsa Central for nine. At Tulsa, he took the helm of a powerful program that had been the domain of Art Griffith, who had left the school to assume the head coaching position at Oklahoma State when Ed Gallagher died in 1940. It was at Tulsa Central that Hugh Peery took up wrestling, competing for his dad. In Denny Diehl's profile of the Peery family in History of Collegiate Wrestling, Rex's wife Clara is quoted as saying, "Only sons of coaches can know what a disadvantage this is. They must exemplify everything idealistic the coach tries to impart to all the boys in the room. Yet once it is hurdled, it provides a sense of pride and satisfaction unequalled by any other." "It was always a family affair, Rex's job," Clara Peery continued. "Though I must admit we had many Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners wrecked during those years." The Peerys go to Pennsylvania While at Tulsa Central, Hugh Peery won two Oklahoma high school state titles in 1949 and 1950, both at 112 pounds ... but only one with his dad Rex as coach. Just before Hugh's senior year, his father, mother, brother Ed and sister Ann moved from Oklahoma to Pennsylvania, where Rex took the head coaching job at the University of Pittsburgh. "Paul Keen recommended my dad to Tom Hamilton, Pittsburgh's athletic director," according to Hugh. At the time, Keen was head coach of the Oklahoma Sooner wrestling program. Hugh Perry (Photo/1953 Owl Yearbook)"Hugh stayed behind," says brother Ed. "He had a good friend, John Eagleton. He stayed with him." "Hugh graduated from high school, came to Pittsburgh in summer of 1950." "We did the book Wrestling in 1950 for A.S. Barnes Sports Library," recalls Ed. "We posed for pictures. Hugh was a two-time state champ; I'd never wrestled a match." It was an update of the classic wrestling instructional, first written by Ed Gallagher in the 1920s. The Cowboy takes command of the Panthers Here's a year-by-year capsule summary of the University of Pittsburgh's wrestling program with Rex Peery as head coach: 1950 Dual-meet record: 0-10 Did not place at NCAAs 1951 Dual-meet record: 7-7 Did not place at NCAAs 1952 Dual-meet record: 9-2 NCAA team placement: Ninth NCAA individual champ: Hugh Peery, 115 lbs. 1953 Dual-meet record: 10-1 NCAA team placement: Sixth NCAA individual champ: Hugh Peery, 115 NCAA All-Americans: H. Peery; Charles Uram (4th place at 147); Eldred Kraemer (3rd place at heavyweight) 1954 Dual-meet record: 9-1 EIWA team placement: Team champions NCAA team placement: Second NCAA individual champs: Hugh Peery, 115; Joe Solomon, 167 NCAA All-Americans: H. Peery; Solomon; Bill Kozy (4th place at 130) 1955 Dual-meet record: 9-2 EIWA team placement: Team champions NCAA team placement: Second NCAA individual champs: Ed Peery, 123 lbs. NCAA All-Americans: E. Peery; Ed DeWitt (3rd at 157); Joe Solomon (4th at 167) 1956 Dual-meet record: 10-0 EIWA team placement: Team champions NCAA team placement: Third NCAA individual champs: Ed Peery, 123; Ed DeWitt, 157 NCAA All-Americans: E. Peery; DeWitt; Bill Hulings (2nd at 115); Vic DeFelice (3rd at 130) 1957 Dual-meet record: 9-1 EIWA team placement: Second NCAA team placement: Second NCAA individual champs: Ed Peery, 123; Tom Alberts, 167; Ron Schirf, 191 NCAA All-Americans: E. Peery; Alberts; Schirf; Bill Hulings (2nd at 115); Vic DeFelice (4th at 130) 1958 Dual-meet record: 8-2-1 EIWA team placement: Fifth NCAA team placement: Ninth NCAA individual champ: Paul Powell, 123 NCAA All-Americans: Powell; Vic DeFelice (6th at 130) 1959 Dual-meet record: 9-1 EIWA team placement: Fourth NCAA team placement: Fifth NCAA All-Americans: Larry Lauchle (2nd at 123); Bob Bubb (4th at 147); Tom Alberts (2nd at 167) 1960 Dual-meet record: 7-1-1 EIWA team placement: Champions NCAA team placement: Eighth NCAA All-American: Larry Lauchle (2nd at 123) 1961 Dual-meet record: 6-3 EIWA team placement: Second NCAA team placement: Fifth NCAA champion: Larry Lauchle at 123 NCAA All-Americans: Lauchle; Dick Martin (3rd at 123); Daryl Kelvington (5th at 147) 1962 Dual-meet record: 7-1-1 EIWA team placement: Second NCAA team placement: Fourth NCAA All-Americans: Dick Martin (4th at 123); Daryl Kelvington (4th at 147) 1963 Dual-meet record: 5-3 EIWA team placement: Third NCAA team placement: Fourth NCAA individual champion: Jim Harrison, 167 NCAA All-Americans: Harrison; Mike Johnson (2nd at 123); Tim Gay (6th at 157); Ken Barr (5th at 177) 1964 Dual-meet record: 7-2 EIWA team placement: Second NCAA team placement: 27th 1965 Dual-meet record: 4-6 EIWA team placement: Sixth NCAA team placement: 45th Rex Peery took over the University of Pittsburgh wrestling program in 1950. While the Pitt wrestling program had been launched in 1914, the Panthers had two long periods where there was no wrestling -- first, from 1918-1934, then from 1938 through 1949. During the years the Panthers put a wrestling team out on the mat, they never had a winning season ... and, in fact, had a number of winless seasons. The first year with Peery as head coach, the Panthers were 0-10-0. The 1950 Owl, the University of Pittsburgh yearbook, provided an optimistic assessment of that inaugural season: Wrestling became another entry on the Pitt sports scene as Athletic Director Tom Hamilton signed Rex Peery to coach the grapplers. After the 1950 season saw the pretzel-twisters go without a victory, neither Peery nor Hamilton were discouraged with the results. The Panthers met some of the top teams in the country and gained valuable experience for next season. The yearbook was right about the quality of competition. Among the opponents the Panthers took on in 1950: Ohio State, Lock Haven, Kent State, Penn State, Michigan, and West Virginia. And the Owl was right to forecast brighter days ahead. The 1951 season, the Panthers were in turn-around mode, compiling a 7-7 season. Among the teams they defeated: Kent State, Northwestern, and West Virginia. In 1952, Peery led his wrestlers to a 9-2 season against top programs from the East and Midwest, scoring wins over Yale, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State, and West Virginia. More impressive, 1952 was the first time ever the team placed at the NCAAs (ninth place) ... and had an individual NCAA champ, Rex's son Hugh Peery at 115 pounds. That successful '52 season sparked a trend that carried Pitt through the 1950s and into the early 60s. Not only did Peery's Panthers have a string of winning seasons up to the 1964-65 season; in terms of team titles and individual champions, they also made a name for themselves at the EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) and the NCAA championships. In his 15 years at the helm, Rex Peery's Panther matmen compiled a 116-43-3 record, winning 13 individual NCAA championships and 23 EIWA individual titles. At the end of the 1965 season, Rex Peery retired as the head wrestling coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Dave Johnson, a three-time EIWA champ under Peery, took over the wrestling program ... while Rex Peery became Pitt's men's golf coach. Peery continued to serve in the athletic department of the University of Pittsburgh as an assistant professor until his retirement. While wrestling coach at Pitt, Rex Peery worked with Arnold "Swede" Umbach on the instructional book simply titled Wrestling, published in 1961 ... and served as coach of the U.S. freestyle wrestling team at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, notable for Dan Brand winning a bronze medal at 191.5 pounds, and being the first U.S. wrestling team to have two African-American members, Bobby Douglas and Charlie Tribble. In addition to his coaching, Peery was a member of the Olympic Wrestling Committee for 12 years. Peery was one of the founders of USA Wrestling programs in Pennsylvania and served on its national governing council, as well as the board of governors of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. In 1976, Rex Peery was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class. Father and sons In reviewing Rex Peery's career as head coach at Pittsburgh, his two sons are a critical component to his success. Together, Ed and Hugh account for six of the 13 individual NCAA titles claimed by Panther wrestlers in the 1950s and early 60s. When Ed joined his dad and older brother Hugh as a three-time national champ by winning the 123-pound title in a thrilling match in the "home gym" at Pitt -- Fitzgerald Field House -- at the 1957 NCAAs, the Peerys made history by being the first two-generation family to win a total of nine individual national collegiate titles. In fact, no other single family can claim as many NCAA titles as the Peerys. Ed Peery (Photo/Pitt Media Guide)The two sons have fond memories of their father Rex even as youngsters. "He wrestled us all the time," says Hugh. Ed concurs. "Before dinner, he'd get on the rug and we'd do, say, the side roll, and he'd offer instruction and encouragement. Each time, we'd learn different things." Those wrestling matches continued even when the sons became accomplished wrestlers in their own right. Here's Hugh's recollection of a practice session with his dad Rex: "When I was freshman at Pitt, I took him down for the first time. So he had to keep wrestling until he took me down. I thought he'd have a heart attack." "He had a manner about him," remembers Ed. "He'd cause you to do your best -- very encouraging. He'd say 'You're as good as it gets.'" "Dad would get so emotional -- really tied up in our matches," says Ed. "I think it was harder on him than us." "He'd say, 'Go get 'em" and "You'll see this guy again. Whip 'em good this time. Once you've put a whippin' him, he'll dread seeing you again." "I loved wrestling for my dad," says Hugh.

1984 Olympic Champion Steve Fraser and 2008 Olympian Doug Schwab will be radio show guests Wednesday night. Steve Fraser became the first American wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling in Los Angeles in 1984 at 198 pounds. He became the National Greco-Roman coach in 1995 and guided the 2007 team to its first-ever World Team Championship. Fraser was a state champion for Hazel Park High School (MI) and went on to compete at the University of Michigan where he was a two-time NCAA All-American. Doug Schwab was a three-time All-American and 1999 NCAA Champion at 141 pounds as an Iowa Hawkeye. As a prep, Schwab was a three-time state finalist and 1996 state champion for Osage (IA) High School. He won a gold medal at the 2006 Pan American Championships and the 2007 World Team Trials where he went on and placed fifth at the World Championships at 145.5 pounds. A 2008 Olympian, Schwab is still competing in addition to his duties as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show.

GREELEY, Colo. -- University of Northern Colorado director of athletics Jay Hinrichs today announced that Ben Cherrington will serve as the interim head coach of the wrestling team for the 2009-10 season. “We are pleased to elevate Coach Cherrington to this most important position within our department,” said Hinrichs. “We are confident that Cherrington has the ability to continue the success of Northern Colorado wrestling has had in the past, while he achieves his personal goals of bringing NCAA Championship quality student-athletes to campus.” Cherrington has served as an assistant coach for the Bears for the past two years after joining from an extremely successful collegiate career at Boise State. Cherrington was crowned the 2006 NCAA Division I Champion at 157 pounds, winning 20 straight matches en route to the title. He won three Pac-10 Conference titles and advanced to four NCAA tournaments. He posted a record of 93-32 throughout his time as a Bronco. “I would like to thank Jay Hinrichs and the rest of the administration for giving me this opportunity,” said Cherrington. “I look forward to this upcoming season at the helm of Northern Colorado wrestling. Over the next year I will look to continue to build the Northern Colorado wrestling into a top Division I program. We have all of the necessary resources and support to become a top team. It will be my job to develop our athletes both on and off the mat, and make sure they represent UNC and the community of Greeley in a manner we can all be proud of. “I would also like to thank Jack Maughan for all he has done for UNC wrestling and for me in my two years of working with him. I realize that this will be a challenging task and it will not happen overnight, but I welcome the challenge and look forward to the immediate and distant future of UNC wrestling.” Cherrington is a well-known name in Colorado wrestling, as he wrestled for his father Cal Cherrington at Middle Park High School in Granby. There he compiled a record of 141-3 and won three state titles and was runner-up in his sophomore season. As a senior, he was named the 3A Outstanding Wrestler. Cherrington and his wife Katie reside in Greeley and are the proud parents of a newborn son, Caden.

Cody Sanderson

Randy Couture

Nick Moore of Iowa City, Iowa has given a verbal commitment to Iowa. Moore, a three-time state champion for Iowa City West High School, is InterMat's No. 10 senior recruit in the country. This past season, Moore went 49-0 en route to winning the state title at 152 pounds. In three seasons, Moore has compiled a career record of 131-1. Nick's older brother, Nate, will be a redshirt freshman at Iowa. This marks the second the verbal commitment that Iowa has received this recruiting season. Jacob Ballweg of Waverly-Shell Rock High School verbally committed to Iowa in July.

For anyone that doesn’t know Adam, he lived in Shaler Twp, Pittsburgh and attended Blair Academy becoming the nation's No. 1 recruit out of high school. He attended Cornell University where he qualified for the NCAA tournament in his first two years. He was in a car accident a year ago march and during routine x-rays, they found that Adam had cancer. He has been courageously fighting this dreaded disease since. Adam has a website that follows his trials and tribulations at www.adamfrey.us We will be doing a fundraiser for Adam Frey on August Saturday 15 at Canon McMillan High School. The first part of the day will be a clinic put on by the WPIAL's own NCAA champions. As schedules allow slated are Greg Jones WVU, Robbie Waller Oklahoma, Teague Moore Oklahoma, Troy Letters Lehigh. Again this is tentative as schedules allow them to attend. This will be a hands on clinic for the youngsters with the mats open for workouts and to drill technique. Where can you attend a camp for $30 with that kind of STAFF From there some of the finest recent WPIAL collegiate wrestlers will be having exhibition matches against each other. Some of the early commitments Carl DeCantis Pitt, Troy Dolan Missouri, James Fleming Clarion, Eric Fulmer Mercyhurst, Ethan Headlee Pitt, Jay Ivanco Clarion, Dane Johnson Pitt, Colin Johnston WVU, Brian Letters Maryland. Ian McLaughlin North Carolina, Nick Nelson UVA, Ash Primus Notre Dame, Matt Ryan WVU, Mike Salopek UVA, Josh & Jordan Shields Mercyhurst, Ryan Sula Duquesne, Joe Waltko Clarion, Rob Waltko Bucknell, Shane Welsh Lehigh, Anthony Zanetta Pitt. Still many more contacts out there. Admission for the whole day $30 please have the kids bring workout gear. For the wrestling only $15 The schedule will be as follows: Doors open at 12:00 Clinic starts at 12:30 Clinic runs until 3:30-4:00 4:00-4:30 break down mats 4:30 until finished wrestling Anyone willing to help we could sure use it, I need sponsors, donations, helpers, concession people. T-Shirts will be sold, 50/50, Chinese auctions, and silent auction with great gifts are to be held. New Jersey did a great job on 7/12 and raised almost $12,000 for Adam's foundation; Western Pa will not be outdone. For more information, contact Mike Nelson at Mikenelson6@hotmail.com or 412.670.3448.

Troy Dannen

Jack Maughan

Bob Sapp

There was a time not too long ago -- high school, in fact -- when Dominique (Dom) Bradley took losses hard. Perhaps a bit too hard. Dom Bradley wrestled several ranked opponents, including Iowa State's David Zabriske twice (Photo/Joel Kowsky)Granted, the two-time 275-pound national champion at Fargo and three-time Missouri heavyweight state champion didn't lose very often. But it must have been a jarring sight for others to see an imposing 6’3, 275-pound man-child getting verklempt. These days, the Missouri sophomore is a few hours east down Interstate I-70 in Columbia, wrestling for the hometown Tigers while awaiting his turn in the spotlight. The triumvirate of Bradley, defending national champion Mark Ellis, and Tyler Perry make Missouri arguably the deepest team in the country at heavyweight. Bradley is coming off a freshman campaign in which he went 17-3 and defeated five ranked wrestlers, including then-No. 2 David Zibriskie of Iowa State at the Midlands. He and Ellis went back-and-forth in practice on a daily basis last season, giving the coaches a tough choice when it came time to select a heavyweight for the conference tournament. Ultimately, they went with Ellis, the more experienced wrestler, who later went on to defeat Konrad Dudziek of Duke to win his first national title. In the post-match press conference, Ellis thanked Bradley personally for helping him improve over the season. "It helped a lot," Ellis readily admits of his daily practice battles with Bradley. "We both helped each other become better. He's one of the toughest kids in the country to takedown, so it helped me improve on finishing my shots and competing harder." Naturally, Bradley was upset by the decision. But rather than flee to the nearest rival with an open spot, he stuck around "I stayed around because I want to be the best," Bradley said. "Nobody in the country has a room like we do (and) I didn’t want to take the easy way out. I think that I helped make him a national champ, and one day, I'll do the same." Dom Bradley finished third at the 2009 U.S. World Team Trials in freestyle at 120 kg (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)To those who truly know the quiet, reserved Bradley, the decision was not surprising. "One of Dom's greatest aspects is his competitive spirit," says Mike Hagerty, a college official and his head coach at Blue Springs High School. "No matter where it was, Dom wanted to prove his abilities. He has an inner drive to step up to the next level ... from when he first walked in his freshman year (of high school), he wanted to prove something." "His attitude was amazing, because it was hard," Missouri head coach Brian Smith said of the situation. "He's been a winner at every level, so when it came down, you'd think he would have pouted. He was extremely upset, but he came back in and helped Mark, and that shows a lot of character -- that he was that committed to the team and his teammate." It's a direct result of the maturation process Bradley has undergone since coming to college. At Blue Springs High School, a Kansas City-area wrestling powerhouse that has produced the likes of Harvard's Louis Caputo, Bradley was a larger-than-life figure, "an icon in our school," according to Hagerty. He excelled in wrestling, football and track. He won or placed multiple times both nationally and internationally, from winning a Brute/Adidas national title at 215 pounds as a freshman to a Junior Pan-Am gold in Greco-Roman after his senior year. A highly-touted recruit, Bradley was ranked No. 1 in the nation in his weight class during his whole senior campaign. Like a lot of young wrestlers who are accustomed to nothing but grand success, Bradley has had to deal with his fair share of trials and tribulations -- including the occasional loss. He says he came out of those experiences smarter and more mature. Through it all, however, he has continued to win. This past spring was a busy one for Bradley and his trophy case. He began with a title at the FILA Junior 120 kg (264.5 pounds) Freestyle Championships in early April. In late May, Bradley earned a title and a spot on the U.S. team that will travel to Turkey for FILA Junior World Team Championships in early August. Finally, Bradley made the U.S. National Team with his third-place finish at the U.S. World Team Trials in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Dom Bradley compiled a 17-3 record while splitting time at heavyweight with NCAA champion Mark Ellis (Photo/Patrick Fallon)"No, I'm not surprised at all," Coach Smith said, chuckling. "He's one of the best freestyle heavyweights in the country ... and he's not far off from being the best, as he lost in the semis in the third period (to No.1-seed Tervel Dlagnev at the U.S. World Team Trials) on a real close call. He's always won national tourneys -- whatever he’s touched, he’s won." Comparisons to King Midas aside, the staggering fact is that Bradley could very well win a Junior World title in freestyle this year, yet might not be starting on his own college team when the season begins in November. "That's still to be determined," Coach Smith says. "It's going to be whoever is wrestling the best and I'll let them decide that. Dom's going to have to beat the (defending) national champ, but he's right there." To the outside eye, Bradley and Ellis are friendly, but also seem to regard each other a bit warily, a mutual respect present amid a burning cauldron of competitive desire. They get along and appreciate the other's talents, but each wants to be top cat, and unfortunately, only one Tiger can ultimately be king of Missouri's heavyweight jungle.