U.S. Open preview: Wide-open 97 kg field; Rey looks to fend off pack of 125 kg contenders
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: Zach Rey fends off a single leg from Nick Gwiazdowski in the semifinals of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa. Photo by John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com.
LAS VEGAS – The men’s freestyle season kicks into high gear tomorrow with the U.S. Open Championships kicking off at the South Point Hotel and Casino.
Up for grabs are seven qualification spots for the U.S. World Team Trials in all eight weight classes. On top of that, champions at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., 65 kg/143 lbs., 70 kg/154 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs. and 125 kg/275 lbs. earn automatic berths to the U.S. World Team Trials best-of-three championship series.
The event will run through the semifinals in all eight weights on Friday with the medal rounds and championship finals set for Saturday.
Flowrestling will provide a live stream of all the action and maintain event brackets and results on its FloArena platform. A FloPro subscription is required to watch the U.S. Open live stream.
USA Wrestling will preview all eight men’s freestyle weight classes in the lead up to the event. Today we feature the final two weight classes, 97 kg and 125 kg.
97 kg/213 lbs.
The past two years Kyle Snyder has topped the world at 97 kg, making U.S. history throughout the process. In 2015, Snyder blitzed the field in Las Vegas to become the youngest World champion in U.S. history at age 19. A year later, he continued the trend in Rio and became the youngest American to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling at age 20.
Snyder is without questions one of the top stars of the sport worldwide. He will not be competing in Las Vegas this weekend because he has already advanced to the U.S. World Team Trials finals by way of his Olympic gold.
Also out of the 97 kg mix this weekend is 2012 Olympic champion Jake Varner, who has been Snyder’s largest domestic obstacle the past two seasons.
All indications are, four individuals enter Las Vegas as serious contenders to claim the U.S. Open title.
The most credentialed wrestler in the field is Dustin Kilgore (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), who finished in third place at the Olympic Trials behind Snyder and Varner. He has been on the cusp of being the No. 1 guy in this weight class several times.
Kilgore is a University World silver medalist, two-time Pan American champion, four-time U.S. National Team member and NCAA champion. Kilgore picked up a gold at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in February.
Also a past NCAA champion, Kyven Gadson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) presents a huge threat to everyone at 97 kg with his superb technical skillset and big move potential. Gadson has earned bronze medals at the Cerro Pelado International and Dave Schultz Memorial International in recent months.
The other two major contenders entering Las Vegas are the brothers Burak, both of whom have performed well throughout international competition this season.
Micah Burak (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) was the fourth-place finisher at the Olympic Trials at 97 kg. He earned bronze at the 2016 Bill Farrell International and took fourth at the Dave Schultz Memorial International earlier this year. Burak was fifth in the U.S. Open last season.
Nathan Burak (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) emerged on the senior-level scene in January with a silver-medal outing at the Paris International. He followed that up with a fifth-place finish at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial, placing ahead of both his brother Micah and Kilgore. Burak was a three-time NCAA All-American for Iowa.
Threats to the four established favorites are Kallen Kleinschmidt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), Blaize Cabell (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Panther WC) and Nikko Reyes (Fresno, Calif./Valley RTC).
The most interesting addition to the 97 kg field is Virginia Tech’s three-time heavyweight All-American Ty Walz (Cleveland, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC). If the weight cut goes well for Walz, then he will undoubtedly play a factor in Las Vegas this weekend.
Video: Dustin Kilgore vs. Kyven Gadson at 2016 U.S. Open
Ranked U.S. Athletes Registered at 97 kg
3. Dustin Kilgore, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
4. Kyven Gadson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
5. Nathan Burak, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
6. Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)
8. Kallen Kleinschmidt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
9. Blaize Cabell, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Panther WC)
125 kg/275 lbs.
With two-time World bronze medalist and two-time Olympian Tervel Dlagnev moving on from active competition, 2015 World Team member Zachery Rey (Bethlehem, Pa./Lehigh Valley WC) takes the torch as the top heavyweight in the U.S.
Rey finished as runner-up to Dlagnev at the Olympic Trials and World Team Trials the past three years. He is a three-time Pan American champion and has medaled at a plethora of international events since jumping onto the Senior level in 2009. Rey has picked up a bronze medal at the Paris International and competed at the Freestyle World Cup so far this year.
A talented quartet of heavyweights are nipping on Rey’s heels as we enter the crucial first year of a new Olympic cycle.
Many consider offensive big man Nick Gwiazdowski (Raleigh, N.C./New York AC) as the top threat to Rey in Las Vegas this weekend. Gwiazdowski was a two-time NCAA champion for North Carolina State and has fared well on the Senior level thus far. His top international performance this season was a silver-medal win at the Intercontinental Cup held in Khasavjyurt, Russia, last October.
While Gwiazdowski may be Rey’s highest-regarded competition in the public eye, but do not sleep on Anthony Nelson (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) and Dom Bradley (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), both of whom are ranked in the World by United World Wrestling.
Nelson, a two-time NCAA champion for Minnesota, is fresh off a gold-medal win at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial. He also picked up the Bill Farrell gold last November, downing Bradley in the finals. Nelson enters the U.S. Open with a large chunk of momentum behind him and will be a threat to win it all.
Bradley has medaled at three international events since finishing in third place at the Olympic Trials last April. He earned gold at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, silver at the Bill Farrell International and bronze at the Cerro Pelado International.
Also among the list of contenders is past Iowa All-American Bobby Telford (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC), who has grown substantially as a Senior-level competitor over the past two seasons. Telford earned a silver medal at the Cerro Pelado International and took fifth at the Paris International this year. In Paris, Telford took Rey to the brink, only losing 1-1 on criteria. His development against domestic competition will be something to pay attention to.
Other heavyweights in the mix will be Arizona State All-American Tanner Hall (Meridian, Idaho/Sunkist Kids), Dave Schultz Memorial International runner-up Justin Grant (Easton, Pa./New York AC) and 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Nathan Butler (Leavenworth, Kan./Stanford RTC).
Video: Zach Rey vs. Nick Gwiazdowki at 2015 U.S. World Team Trials
Ranked U.S. Athlete Registered at 125 kg
1. Zachery Rey, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley WC)
2. Nick Gwiazdowski, Raleigh, N.C. (New York AC)
3. Anthony Nelson, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
4. Dom Bradley, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
5. Bobby Telford, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
7. Tanner Hall, Meridian, Idaho (Sunkist Kids)
8. Justin Grant, Easton, Pa. (New York AC)
LAS VEGAS – The men’s freestyle season kicks into high gear tomorrow with the U.S. Open Championships kicking off at the South Point Hotel and Casino.
Up for grabs are seven qualification spots for the U.S. World Team Trials in all eight weight classes. On top of that, champions at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., 65 kg/143 lbs., 70 kg/154 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs. and 125 kg/275 lbs. earn automatic berths to the U.S. World Team Trials best-of-three championship series.
The event will run through the semifinals in all eight weights on Friday with the medal rounds and championship finals set for Saturday.
Flowrestling will provide a live stream of all the action and maintain event brackets and results on its FloArena platform. A FloPro subscription is required to watch the U.S. Open live stream.
USA Wrestling will preview all eight men’s freestyle weight classes in the lead up to the event. Today we feature the final two weight classes, 97 kg and 125 kg.
97 kg/213 lbs.
The past two years Kyle Snyder has topped the world at 97 kg, making U.S. history throughout the process. In 2015, Snyder blitzed the field in Las Vegas to become the youngest World champion in U.S. history at age 19. A year later, he continued the trend in Rio and became the youngest American to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling at age 20.
Snyder is without questions one of the top stars of the sport worldwide. He will not be competing in Las Vegas this weekend because he has already advanced to the U.S. World Team Trials finals by way of his Olympic gold.
Also out of the 97 kg mix this weekend is 2012 Olympic champion Jake Varner, who has been Snyder’s largest domestic obstacle the past two seasons.
All indications are, four individuals enter Las Vegas as serious contenders to claim the U.S. Open title.
The most credentialed wrestler in the field is Dustin Kilgore (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), who finished in third place at the Olympic Trials behind Snyder and Varner. He has been on the cusp of being the No. 1 guy in this weight class several times.
Kilgore is a University World silver medalist, two-time Pan American champion, four-time U.S. National Team member and NCAA champion. Kilgore picked up a gold at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in February.
Also a past NCAA champion, Kyven Gadson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) presents a huge threat to everyone at 97 kg with his superb technical skillset and big move potential. Gadson has earned bronze medals at the Cerro Pelado International and Dave Schultz Memorial International in recent months.
The other two major contenders entering Las Vegas are the brothers Burak, both of whom have performed well throughout international competition this season.
Micah Burak (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) was the fourth-place finisher at the Olympic Trials at 97 kg. He earned bronze at the 2016 Bill Farrell International and took fourth at the Dave Schultz Memorial International earlier this year. Burak was fifth in the U.S. Open last season.
Nathan Burak (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) emerged on the senior-level scene in January with a silver-medal outing at the Paris International. He followed that up with a fifth-place finish at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial, placing ahead of both his brother Micah and Kilgore. Burak was a three-time NCAA All-American for Iowa.
Threats to the four established favorites are Kallen Kleinschmidt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), Blaize Cabell (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Panther WC) and Nikko Reyes (Fresno, Calif./Valley RTC).
The most interesting addition to the 97 kg field is Virginia Tech’s three-time heavyweight All-American Ty Walz (Cleveland, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC). If the weight cut goes well for Walz, then he will undoubtedly play a factor in Las Vegas this weekend.
Video: Dustin Kilgore vs. Kyven Gadson at 2016 U.S. Open
Ranked U.S. Athletes Registered at 97 kg
3. Dustin Kilgore, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
4. Kyven Gadson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
5. Nathan Burak, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
6. Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)
8. Kallen Kleinschmidt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
9. Blaize Cabell, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Panther WC)
125 kg/275 lbs.
With two-time World bronze medalist and two-time Olympian Tervel Dlagnev moving on from active competition, 2015 World Team member Zachery Rey (Bethlehem, Pa./Lehigh Valley WC) takes the torch as the top heavyweight in the U.S.
Rey finished as runner-up to Dlagnev at the Olympic Trials and World Team Trials the past three years. He is a three-time Pan American champion and has medaled at a plethora of international events since jumping onto the Senior level in 2009. Rey has picked up a bronze medal at the Paris International and competed at the Freestyle World Cup so far this year.
A talented quartet of heavyweights are nipping on Rey’s heels as we enter the crucial first year of a new Olympic cycle.
Many consider offensive big man Nick Gwiazdowski (Raleigh, N.C./New York AC) as the top threat to Rey in Las Vegas this weekend. Gwiazdowski was a two-time NCAA champion for North Carolina State and has fared well on the Senior level thus far. His top international performance this season was a silver-medal win at the Intercontinental Cup held in Khasavjyurt, Russia, last October.
While Gwiazdowski may be Rey’s highest-regarded competition in the public eye, but do not sleep on Anthony Nelson (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) and Dom Bradley (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), both of whom are ranked in the World by United World Wrestling.
Nelson, a two-time NCAA champion for Minnesota, is fresh off a gold-medal win at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial. He also picked up the Bill Farrell gold last November, downing Bradley in the finals. Nelson enters the U.S. Open with a large chunk of momentum behind him and will be a threat to win it all.
Bradley has medaled at three international events since finishing in third place at the Olympic Trials last April. He earned gold at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, silver at the Bill Farrell International and bronze at the Cerro Pelado International.
Also among the list of contenders is past Iowa All-American Bobby Telford (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC), who has grown substantially as a Senior-level competitor over the past two seasons. Telford earned a silver medal at the Cerro Pelado International and took fifth at the Paris International this year. In Paris, Telford took Rey to the brink, only losing 1-1 on criteria. His development against domestic competition will be something to pay attention to.
Other heavyweights in the mix will be Arizona State All-American Tanner Hall (Meridian, Idaho/Sunkist Kids), Dave Schultz Memorial International runner-up Justin Grant (Easton, Pa./New York AC) and 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Nathan Butler (Leavenworth, Kan./Stanford RTC).
Video: Zach Rey vs. Nick Gwiazdowki at 2015 U.S. World Team Trials
Ranked U.S. Athlete Registered at 125 kg
1. Zachery Rey, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley WC)
2. Nick Gwiazdowski, Raleigh, N.C. (New York AC)
3. Anthony Nelson, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
4. Dom Bradley, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
5. Bobby Telford, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
7. Tanner Hall, Meridian, Idaho (Sunkist Kids)
8. Justin Grant, Easton, Pa. (New York AC)
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