This is definitely true, but I also think there is a lot to be said for having the freedom from pressure to develop, refine, and hone new technique and gameplans in the space between major competition. Our wrestlers have very little of that compared to their international competition. They spend much of their senior careers competing as if it were just an extension of the college schedule and at the college wrestling pace. Internationally, their competitors plan, pace and prepare for continental qualifiers and worlds as if it were a boxing or MMA event. Long runway, much better load management, and more free time away from the mental strain.
It also doesn’t help that we have such a folkstyle-adjacent freestyle mindset. Prepping to beat american freestyle competition is very different from prepping for the styles of the rest of the world.
Wrestlers who innovate succeed. Despite complete overhaul of folkstyle techniques 3x over in the past 15 years, we are still really rudimentary in freestyle. Our par terre has gotten worse since the advent of the push out, and I think Dake and molinaro are the only wrestlers in 20 years who had a reliable chest wrap, head pinch or crotch lift. I generally root for NLWC guys, but they suuuck in par terre. They don’t even try. Cael wasn’t any good there, and his style flows down through the team. They are wizards on the feet, and liabilities to themselves when attempting any turns.
I bag on the brands a lot for folkstyle stagnation, but Tom’s iconic olympics throw was off an opportunistic leg defense neutral exposure throw. They have the most complete freestyle knowhow, and are why our 57kg guys have the best par terre of the whole team year in and year out.