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Right, some international kids have crossed over from free to folk. But if college was free I think you’d see a lot more. It would be great wrestling, and recruiting would be way more interesting.

Preparing athletes for international success is only one reason for switching to freestyle. Other reasons include: freestyle is a better product freestyle opens up recruiting to the rest of the world (which would elevate everything here & give US fans more athletes to cheer for). Imagine how much more interesting the college season could be if a school lands a bunch of English-speaking Cubans or Indians or Russians. freestyle open up coaching positions to the rest of the world (which would elevate everything here) freestyle opens competitions with Canadian colleges

Maybe sustaining unnecessary brain damage is cool to some people. But certainly not everyone.

Folkstyle and freestyle both developed from catch wrestling. The difference is that different governing bodies were in charge of regulating the sport. Catch wrestling was popular at American carnivals in the late 1800s and early 1900s. That's why the US won five of seven freestyle gold medals in the 1904 Olympics.

According to reports, when Geno was only 11, he was kidnapped by unknown men in South Ossetia — a conflict zone — and kept in a basement for three months. He was given just enough food and water to not die. At one point he was chained to a wall and beaten. When he released, he was hardly able to walk due to malnourishment and mistreatment. I can only imagine that coming out of something that horrible puts a sport into perspective. And yet, even with the bigger picture in mind, and even with the trauma he almost certainly carries with him to this day, he became an Olympic champ. Just an incredible story.

Do Zain and Seabass wrestle again today?

The solution is to cheer for Japan. They are firing on all cylinders. EDIT: Firing on most cylinders.

Burroughs has ruined your expectations. It's not normal for a dude to rack up gold after gold. You guys started think your favorite NCAA guy could do the same. Nearly 100% of the time, it's just not so.

Right. Burroughs definitely has tremendous technical ability from neutral. As for Burroughs's leg lace, I think you're referring to their 2015 WTT match.

If a person wins 7 world-level golds, they are a certified great technician.

USA conditioning not looking super awesome. I wonder what the deal is.

The women are doing well in part because their college style is freestyle. Perhaps it's time to reform folk so it's more like free. (That would also give English-speaking international wrestlers a better chance to compete here -- which would give US fans a great show.)

Amouzad in the finals, which pulls Zain back in. Amouzad has looked ridiculous this tournament. 8-0 over Zain. 11-0 over Dudaev. 10-0 over Musukaev. Jeez.

Kiyooka wins. Seabass pulled into repechage.

Zahid has had some interesting results. A few I can find are: In 2021 lost to Paris gold medalist Ramazanov 7-8 In 2021 beat Amine 7-1 In 2022 beat Paris #1 seed Dauletbekov 2-2

Right. And for the rest of their lives they can put "Olympian" on their resumes. That will certainly separate you from people with roughly similar qualifications.

If I were Cruz -- and I am not Cruz -- I would retire right now. 5th at the Olympics is a good note to leave on.

How did all the American expats do at this Olympics? Micic -- withdrew Cruz -- 5th RBY -- 0-1, eliminated Rivera -- 1-1, will be pulled into repechage if Kiyooka (Japan) wins Gomez -- 0-1, eliminated Amine -- 5th Ramos -- 0-1, eliminated Smith -- 0-1, eliminated Mutuwa -- 0-1, eliminated As of now, it looks like the process of switching countries won't result in a medal -- pending the results at 65kg, of course. But remember, this is a brutal tournament. Only 16 can qualify, and it's everyone's lifelong dream to win.

Let's say Zahid had chosen to represent Mexico and qualified for the Olympics. How would he have done?

Yazdani conceded his gold-medal match and seemed to genuinely congratulate his opponent.

What a phenomenal wrestler. You can tell that competing is his passion, and that should be an inspiration to us all. With this Olympic cycle coming to close for him tomorrow, what does the future look like for him?

Yaz appeared to be injured and was down by six with little time left. Conceding and congratulating your opponent in that situation is the noble thing to do. Spazzing out and throwing your medal away and being upset for the rest of your life is not the noble thing to do. It is instead the ignoble thing to do.

Politics and all that side, Yazdani is one noble dude.

Amine is about to go Bob Ross mode.