Nine must-watch men’s freestyle matches from past U.S. Open Championships
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: From the 2014 U.S. Open, Jordan Burroughs and David Taylor gave us an instant classic in the 74 kg finals. Photo by Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.
The U.S. Open Championships return to Las Vegas, Nev. next week with the top men’s freestyle talents in America in search of national titles and prime seeding position for the U.S. World Team Trials in June.
The event will be contested at the South Point Hotel and Casino over two days with all eight weight classes running through the semifinals on April 28 and the medal rounds set for April 29.
Five automatic berths to the U.S. World Team Trials finals will be up for grabs. Individual champions at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., 65 kg/143 lbs., 70 kg/154 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs. and 125 kg/275 lbs. will earn a place in the best-of-three championship series in Lincoln, Neb. In addition, the top-seven finishers in each weight class qualify to compete at the Trials.
In anticipation of all the excitement to be had next week, here are nine of the most thrilling matches from past U.S. Open tournaments dating back to 2014.
2016 57 kg Quarterfinals – Joe Colon vs. Nathan Tomasello
2015 86 kg Semifinals – Ed Ruth vs. Jake Herbert
2014 65 kg Quarterfinals – Jordan Oliver vs. Logan Stieber
2015 97 kg Finals – Jake Varner vs. Kyle Snyder
2015 61 kg Finals – Reece Humphrey vs. Kendric Maple
2014 70 kg Quarterfinals – James Green vs. Jason Welch
2016 74 kg Finals – Andrew Howe vs. Chris Perry
2014 86 kg Semifinals – Ed Ruth vs. Clayton Foster
2014 74 kg Finals – Jordan Burroughs vs. David Taylor
The U.S. Open Championships return to Las Vegas, Nev. next week with the top men’s freestyle talents in America in search of national titles and prime seeding position for the U.S. World Team Trials in June.
The event will be contested at the South Point Hotel and Casino over two days with all eight weight classes running through the semifinals on April 28 and the medal rounds set for April 29.
Five automatic berths to the U.S. World Team Trials finals will be up for grabs. Individual champions at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., 65 kg/143 lbs., 70 kg/154 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs. and 125 kg/275 lbs. will earn a place in the best-of-three championship series in Lincoln, Neb. In addition, the top-seven finishers in each weight class qualify to compete at the Trials.
In anticipation of all the excitement to be had next week, here are nine of the most thrilling matches from past U.S. Open tournaments dating back to 2014.
2016 57 kg Quarterfinals – Joe Colon vs. Nathan Tomasello
2015 86 kg Semifinals – Ed Ruth vs. Jake Herbert
2014 65 kg Quarterfinals – Jordan Oliver vs. Logan Stieber
2015 97 kg Finals – Jake Varner vs. Kyle Snyder
2015 61 kg Finals – Reece Humphrey vs. Kendric Maple
2014 70 kg Quarterfinals – James Green vs. Jason Welch
2016 74 kg Finals – Andrew Howe vs. Chris Perry
2014 86 kg Semifinals – Ed Ruth vs. Clayton Foster
2014 74 kg Finals – Jordan Burroughs vs. David Taylor
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