U.S. to compete in Grappling World Championships in Antalya, Turkey, October 10-11
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Six-time World medalist Mike Kelly, shown winning the recent Veterans Grappling World title, is among the top stars on the 2015 U.S. Grappling World Team.
The United States hopes to win a number of medals and have a strong team finish at the 2015 UWW Grappling World Championships in Antalya, Turkey, October 10-11.
The team is a mix of experienced athletes with past success at the UWW Grappling Worlds in No-Gi Grappling, as well as a number of talented newcomers to Team USA.
Returning to the World Championships from last year’s team at 77 kg is Michael Kelly of Edge MMA and Fitness, who has won six World Grappling medals for the United States, a silver and five bronzes.
2013 World bronze medalist Matt Holt of Checkmat will compete at 66 kg. Holt was a talented Greco-Roman wrestler before pursuing his Grappling career.
Three-time Grappling World champion Jeff Monson is entered at 100 kg. Monson won UWW Grappling titles in No-Gi in 2007, 2008 and 2012.
Seven of the team members are competing on their first U.S. World Teams. On the men’s side, the new team members include Chris Chandler of Leicester at 62 kg, Mitch Peterson of Edge MMA & Fitness at 71 kg, Scott Wendel of Pan Am Wrestling at 84 kg, Frank LaVoie of Littleton at 96 kg and Gabe Beauperthuy of Edge MMA and Fitness at Unlimited.
Both women’s athletes are also on their first World Teams, Jessica Philippus of K2L Grindhouse at 53 kg and Bethany Marshall of Modern American MMA at 58 kg.
Winning gold medals at the 2015 Grappling World Team Trials in North Carolina in May were Holt, Peterson, Kelly, Lavoie, Beauperthuy and Marshall. Placing second at the Trials were Chandler and Wendel.
The 10 athletes on the roster will compete in the No-Gi Grappling competition on Saturday, October 10. Five of the team members will also compete in the Gi Grappling division, which is set for Sunday, October 11.
Coaching the team will be Sheldon Marr of Denver, Colo., who has been on the coaching staff for all of the past U.S. World Teams in Grappling.
The United States is the defending World champions in No-Gi Grappling (which was last contested as Pankration-Submission as part of the Pankration World Championships event in Budapest, Hungary in October 2014). The United States also won No-Gi Grappling World Team titles in 2010 in Krakow, Poland, 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2008 in Lucerne, Switzerland and 2007 in Antalya, Turkey.
GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Antalya, Turkey,
U.S. Men’s No-Gi roster
62 kg – Jack Chandler, Leicester, N.C. (Leicester)
66 kg – Matt Holt, Temecula, Calif. (Checkmat)
71 kg – Mitch Peterson, Gering, Neb. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
77 kg – Mike Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
84 kg – Scott Wendel, Charlotte, N.C. (Pan Am Wrestling)
92 kg – Frank Lavoie, Littleton, Colo. (Littleton)
100 kg – Jeff Monson, Olympia, Wash. (American Top Team)
Over 100 kg – Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
U.S. Women’s No-Gi roster
53 kg – Jessica Philippus, Glenwood, Iowa (K2L Grindhouse)
58 kg – Bethany Marshall, New Port, Va. (Modern American MMA)
U.S. Men’s Gi roster
66 kg – Matt Holt, Temecula, Calif. (Checkmat)
84 kg – Scott Wendel, Charlotte, N.C. (Pan Am Wrestling)
92 kg – Frank Lavoie, Littleton, Colo. (Littleton)
Over 100 kg – Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
U.S. Women’s Gi roster
53 kg – Jessica Philippus, Glenwood, Iowa (K2L Grindhouse)
U.S. Coach – Sheldon Marr, Denver, Colo.
Referee – Laura Edler-Hill, Joliet, Ill.
The United States hopes to win a number of medals and have a strong team finish at the 2015 UWW Grappling World Championships in Antalya, Turkey, October 10-11.
The team is a mix of experienced athletes with past success at the UWW Grappling Worlds in No-Gi Grappling, as well as a number of talented newcomers to Team USA.
Returning to the World Championships from last year’s team at 77 kg is Michael Kelly of Edge MMA and Fitness, who has won six World Grappling medals for the United States, a silver and five bronzes.
2013 World bronze medalist Matt Holt of Checkmat will compete at 66 kg. Holt was a talented Greco-Roman wrestler before pursuing his Grappling career.
Three-time Grappling World champion Jeff Monson is entered at 100 kg. Monson won UWW Grappling titles in No-Gi in 2007, 2008 and 2012.
Seven of the team members are competing on their first U.S. World Teams. On the men’s side, the new team members include Chris Chandler of Leicester at 62 kg, Mitch Peterson of Edge MMA & Fitness at 71 kg, Scott Wendel of Pan Am Wrestling at 84 kg, Frank LaVoie of Littleton at 96 kg and Gabe Beauperthuy of Edge MMA and Fitness at Unlimited.
Both women’s athletes are also on their first World Teams, Jessica Philippus of K2L Grindhouse at 53 kg and Bethany Marshall of Modern American MMA at 58 kg.
Winning gold medals at the 2015 Grappling World Team Trials in North Carolina in May were Holt, Peterson, Kelly, Lavoie, Beauperthuy and Marshall. Placing second at the Trials were Chandler and Wendel.
The 10 athletes on the roster will compete in the No-Gi Grappling competition on Saturday, October 10. Five of the team members will also compete in the Gi Grappling division, which is set for Sunday, October 11.
Coaching the team will be Sheldon Marr of Denver, Colo., who has been on the coaching staff for all of the past U.S. World Teams in Grappling.
The United States is the defending World champions in No-Gi Grappling (which was last contested as Pankration-Submission as part of the Pankration World Championships event in Budapest, Hungary in October 2014). The United States also won No-Gi Grappling World Team titles in 2010 in Krakow, Poland, 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2008 in Lucerne, Switzerland and 2007 in Antalya, Turkey.
GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Antalya, Turkey,
U.S. Men’s No-Gi roster
62 kg – Jack Chandler, Leicester, N.C. (Leicester)
66 kg – Matt Holt, Temecula, Calif. (Checkmat)
71 kg – Mitch Peterson, Gering, Neb. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
77 kg – Mike Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
84 kg – Scott Wendel, Charlotte, N.C. (Pan Am Wrestling)
92 kg – Frank Lavoie, Littleton, Colo. (Littleton)
100 kg – Jeff Monson, Olympia, Wash. (American Top Team)
Over 100 kg – Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
U.S. Women’s No-Gi roster
53 kg – Jessica Philippus, Glenwood, Iowa (K2L Grindhouse)
58 kg – Bethany Marshall, New Port, Va. (Modern American MMA)
U.S. Men’s Gi roster
66 kg – Matt Holt, Temecula, Calif. (Checkmat)
84 kg – Scott Wendel, Charlotte, N.C. (Pan Am Wrestling)
92 kg – Frank Lavoie, Littleton, Colo. (Littleton)
Over 100 kg – Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
U.S. Women’s Gi roster
53 kg – Jessica Philippus, Glenwood, Iowa (K2L Grindhouse)
U.S. Coach – Sheldon Marr, Denver, Colo.
Referee – Laura Edler-Hill, Joliet, Ill.