Jason Bryant of Mat Talk Online wins journalist prediction contest for 2018 World Championships in Budapest
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Every year, USA Wrestling asks international journalists to predict the winners of the World Wrestling Championships in all three styles. This year, with the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, 29 journalists participated, representing eight different countries.
Finishing in first place with 14 correct World champion predicted was Jason Bryant of Mat Talk Online from the United States. Bryant also served as the public address announcer at the World Championships in Budapest.
Bryant selected four men’s freestyle champions, eight women’s freestyle champions and two Greco-Roman champions correctly. He was the lone person to select Takuto Otoguro of Japan as the champion at 65 kg in men’s freestyle. Nobody else had eight of the 10 women correctly selected.
Placing second in the contest was Mike Willis of USA Wrestling with 13 selections. Willis got four men’s freestyle champions, seven women’s freestyle champions and two Greco-Roman champions predicted.
Four journalists had 11 correct selections, Tigran Avanian of Russia, Joseph Dashou of 49 North Wrestling in Canada, Ikuo Higuchi of the Japan Wrestling Federation and Taylor Miller of USA Wrestling.
Men’s freestyle was the most difficult style to select. Only Jason Bryant, Taylor Miller and Mike Willis, all from the United States, got four men’s freestyle selections correct.
Tigran Avanian of Russia was the only journalist to select five of the 10 Greco-Roman champions accurately.
Correct Champion Selections
14 – Jason Bryant (Mat Talk Online-USA)
13 – Michael Willis (USA Wrestling)
11 – Tigran Avanian (RUS), Joseph Dashou (49 North Wrestling-CAN), Ikuo Higuchi (Japan Wrestling Federation-JPN), Taylor Miller (USA Wrestling)
10 – Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling), Tommy Baranoski (Bloodround-USA), Sina Etemadi (USA fan), Dan Fickel (Wrestling USA Magazine-USA),
9 – Eric Asselin (49 North Wrestling-CAN), Bat Baigali (Mongolian Wrestling Federation-MGL), Tom Franck (InterMat-USA), Andy Ross (49 North Wrestling-CAN), Tony Rotundo (Wrestlers Are Warriors-USA), Alex Steen (The Open Mat-USA)
8 – Cameron Drury (IndianaMat.com-USA), Mark Lundy (Lutte Lens- USA), Mehdi Rostampour (Radio Free Europe-DEN), Willie Saylor (FloWrestling-USA), Lars Underbakke (IA Wrestle-USA)
7 – Ali Feizasa (Iranian Student News Agency-IRI), Mike Finn (WIN Magazine-USA), Earl Smith (The Open Mat-USA), Byambaa Tsagaanbaatar (SPS Mongolia-MGL)
6 – Andrew Hipps (Intermat-USA), Petr Pavlov (RUS), Larry Slater (Slater Photography-USA), Per-Kristian Stovring (Mattekanten-NOR)
Finishing in first place with 14 correct World champion predicted was Jason Bryant of Mat Talk Online from the United States. Bryant also served as the public address announcer at the World Championships in Budapest.
Bryant selected four men’s freestyle champions, eight women’s freestyle champions and two Greco-Roman champions correctly. He was the lone person to select Takuto Otoguro of Japan as the champion at 65 kg in men’s freestyle. Nobody else had eight of the 10 women correctly selected.
Placing second in the contest was Mike Willis of USA Wrestling with 13 selections. Willis got four men’s freestyle champions, seven women’s freestyle champions and two Greco-Roman champions predicted.
Four journalists had 11 correct selections, Tigran Avanian of Russia, Joseph Dashou of 49 North Wrestling in Canada, Ikuo Higuchi of the Japan Wrestling Federation and Taylor Miller of USA Wrestling.
Men’s freestyle was the most difficult style to select. Only Jason Bryant, Taylor Miller and Mike Willis, all from the United States, got four men’s freestyle selections correct.
Tigran Avanian of Russia was the only journalist to select five of the 10 Greco-Roman champions accurately.
Correct Champion Selections
14 – Jason Bryant (Mat Talk Online-USA)
13 – Michael Willis (USA Wrestling)
11 – Tigran Avanian (RUS), Joseph Dashou (49 North Wrestling-CAN), Ikuo Higuchi (Japan Wrestling Federation-JPN), Taylor Miller (USA Wrestling)
10 – Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling), Tommy Baranoski (Bloodround-USA), Sina Etemadi (USA fan), Dan Fickel (Wrestling USA Magazine-USA),
9 – Eric Asselin (49 North Wrestling-CAN), Bat Baigali (Mongolian Wrestling Federation-MGL), Tom Franck (InterMat-USA), Andy Ross (49 North Wrestling-CAN), Tony Rotundo (Wrestlers Are Warriors-USA), Alex Steen (The Open Mat-USA)
8 – Cameron Drury (IndianaMat.com-USA), Mark Lundy (Lutte Lens- USA), Mehdi Rostampour (Radio Free Europe-DEN), Willie Saylor (FloWrestling-USA), Lars Underbakke (IA Wrestle-USA)
7 – Ali Feizasa (Iranian Student News Agency-IRI), Mike Finn (WIN Magazine-USA), Earl Smith (The Open Mat-USA), Byambaa Tsagaanbaatar (SPS Mongolia-MGL)
6 – Andrew Hipps (Intermat-USA), Petr Pavlov (RUS), Larry Slater (Slater Photography-USA), Per-Kristian Stovring (Mattekanten-NOR)
