Final X: Rutgers Greco-Roman championship series preview
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by Mike Willis, USA Wrestling
Pat Smith and Kamal Bey battle at the 2019 U.S. Open. They have a rematch series at Final X: Rutgers. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
Final X: Rutgers will showcase half of the Greco-Roman championship series, with five weights on the card. The majority of the action is featured in the 12:00 noon session, which will contain four matches. The 6:00 p.m. session will have the fifth and final Greco-Roman match, featuring Junior World champion Kamal Bey at 77 kg, who placed seventh at the 2017 Senior World Championships.
Two past Olympians are on the Rutgers card, with two-time Olympian Ben Provisor at 87 kg and 2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman at 67 kg. Both are past World Team members, along with Joe Rau at 87 kg, plus Bey and Pat Smith at 77 kg. Seven Greco-Roman wrestlers at Rutgers have made an age-group level World Team. Three of the five matches feature rematches from the 2019 U.S. Open
We provide a preview for each of the men’s Greco-Roman matchups below for Final X: Rutgers.
Session One – 12:00 noon
Bout 1: Men’s GR 87 kg – U.S. Open champion Joe Rau (Chicago, Ill./Titan Mercury WC/Chicago RTC) vs. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion Ben Provisor (State College, Pa./New York AC/Nittany Lion WC)
Kicking off the Final X Greco-Roman battles will be long-time rivals Joe Rau and Ben Provisor. The pair have squared off numerous times over the past several years. Rau, who was unable to compete at the 2018 World Team Trials due to injury, won their most recent match in the 2019 U.S. Open semifinals, 1-1.
The pair met in the Open finals in 2018 with Provisor winning 14-10. In 2017, Provisor defeated Rau, two-matches-to-none, to make the World Team.
Provisor is a two-time Olympian, and 2017 Senior World Team member, while Rau is a 2014 Senior World Team member. Both make age-group World Teams, and both have extensive international experience. A key to this match will be which wrestler sets the tone for the match, whether it is wide-open like Rau often likes, or a slugfest, which is more Provisor’s style. Rau proved at the 2019 U.S. Open that he is able to stay with Provisor in a close, rugged battle, so it will be interesting to see what adjustments have been made going into Rutgers.
Past Senior World Teams
Rau - 2014 Senior Worlds (23rd at 80 kg)
Provisor- 2017 Senior Worlds (21st at 85 kg), 2016 Olympics (12th at 85 kg), 2012 Olympics (11th at 74 kg)
Past Age-Group World Teams
Rau - 2014 University Worlds (10th at 85 kg)
Provisor- 2010 Junior Worlds (12th at 84 kg), 2008 Junior Worlds (19th at 74 kg)
Recent head-to-head matches
April 2019- U.S. Open semifinals- Rau -1-1
April 2018- U.S. Open finals- Provisor 14-10
April 2017- World Team Trials Finals Bout 2 – Provisor, 4-3
April 2017 - World Team Trials Finals Bout 1 - Provisor 5-1
Bout 3: Men’s GR 82 kg – U.S. Open champion Kendrick Sanders (Marquette, Mich./New York AC) vs. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion John Stefanowicz (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps)
The 82 kg series features another U.S. Open semifinal rematch between Kendrick Sanders and John Stefanowicz. Sanders took the U.S. Open match, 7-3, and moved onto the finals, where he won his second career U.S. Open title.
Sanders has been competing on the Senior level since 2010, but has limited results over the past few years, often due to injuries. Recently, he placed third at the 2018 Bill Farrell Memorial International at 77 kg. When Sanders is healthy, he is known for his throwing style, often able to get huge lifts which lead to big points. The first job of anyone wrestling Sanders is not to let him get to that lift.
Stefanowicz has been on the National Team for three straight years. In 2018, he was No. 3 at 82 kg, and in 2017, he was No. 2 at 80 kg. By making Final X this year, he has clinched another National Team berth. Neither of these wrestlers have been on a Senior or age-group World Team, so the winner will get the chance to wrestle at the highest level with a win at Rutgers.
Past Senior World Teams
Sanders- None
Stefanowicz- None
Past Age-Group World Teams
Sanders- None
Stefanowicz- None
Recent head-to-head matches
April 2019- U.S. Open- Sanders, 7-3
Bout 4: Men’s GR 55 kg – U.S. Open champion Max Nowry (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) vs. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion Brady Koontz (Plover, Wis./Ohio RTC)
The third Greco-Roman match at Rutgers features a classic veteran against an up-and-comer in a battle with no recent matchups.
Max Nowry has been on four Senior National Teams, and is looking to push through to make his first Senior World Team. Nowry was No. 2 in 2018, No. 3 in 2017, No. 3 in 2014, and No. 2 in 2012. A past University World champion, Nowry most recently was the 2019 Pan-American Champion. When UWW brought back the 55 kg, it gave new life to Nowry’s career, since he was a bit undersized at 59 kg.
Koontz is a two-time age-group World Team member, who is making his first serious run at the Senior level. He made the 2018 Junior World Team at 55 kg and the 2015 Cadet World Team at 46 kg. He surprised many with his excellent performance at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. Koontz is going into his redshirt sophomore year at Ohio State University where he has compiled a 27-10 record at 125 pounds in his first two college seasons. He is proving that the Ohio RTC can produce top Greco wrestlers, in addition to its strong freestyle program.
Past Senior World Teams
Nowry- None
Koontz- None
Past Age-Group World Teams
Nowry- 2013 World University Games (5th at 55 kg), 2012 University Worlds (gold at 55 kg), 2010 University Worlds, (9th at 55 kg), 2010 Junior Worlds (5th at 50 kg), 2009 Junior Worlds (6th at 50 kg)
Koontz - 2018 Junior Worlds (13th at 55kg), 2015 Cadet Worlds (17th at 46 kg)
Recent head-to-head matches
None
Bout 5: Men’s GR 67 kg – U.S. Open champion Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) vs. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion Jamel Johnson (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps)
The final Greco-Roman match of the first session will be Ellis Coleman vs. Jamel Johnson, both proven veterans who represent the U.S. military. Johnson started his military career with the U.S. Army, then moved on to the U.S. Marine Corps to join his college coach, Jason Loukides. Coleman has represented the U.S. Army, joining after a stint as a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Coleman is a 2012 Olympian and three-time Senior World Team member. He also holds two Junior World bronze medals. He has been one of the top American Greco-Roman wrestlers in recent times, and seems to thrive in the 72 kg weight class.
Johnson has been one of the most consistent performers at this weight class. He placed third at the 2018 U.S. Open, won the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial, and placed third at the 2019 Open. The pair recently met at the 2019 Armed Forces Championships, where Coleman won by technical fall, 9-0. The key for Johnson is to find a way to score on Coleman, and not allow him to use his powerful gut wrench to put the match out of reach.
Past Senior World Teams
Coleman - 2018 Senior Worlds (12th at 67 kg), 2017 Senior Worlds (12th at 66 kg), 2013 Senior Worlds (25th at 66 kg), 2012 Olympics (14th at 60 kg)
Johnson - None
Past Age-Group World Teams
Coleman- 2011 Junior Worlds (bronze at 66 kg) 2010 Junior Worlds (bronze at 66 kg)
Johnson- 2012 University Worlds (bronze at 60 kg)
Recent head-to-head matches
February 2019 - Armed Forces Championships – Coleman, 9-0
Session Two – 6:00 p.m.
Bout 2: Men’s GR 77 kg – U.S. Open champion Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/OTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament Pat Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm)
The whole Greco-Roman slate for Final X is must-see wrestling, but in particular, the Kamal Bey vs. Patrick Smith series is one any wrestling fan worth their salt should be watching. The pair had a heated U.S. Open final in April, with Bey emerging victorious 7-5. Both are experienced and talented, with different skill sets, and both are capable of beating top international wrestlers should they make the 2019 World Team.
Bey has been one of the most accomplished age-group level wrestlers in the country, taking gold at the 2017 Junior World Championships and falling in the bronze-medal match of the 2018 Junior World Championships. Last year, he also competed in the Senior World Championships while he was still Junior eligible. Except for 2018 World silver medalist Adam Coon, Bey was the only other American to place in the top 10 at the Senior Worlds, with his seventh place finish. His loss at the Senior Worlds was close, and he is currently ranked No. 5 in the UWW Greco-Roman Ranking Series.
Pat Smith is a 2017 Senior World Team member and a five-time National Team member. He won the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial International at 77 kg, and has finished runner-up at the past two U.S. Opens. Last year he was competing primarily at 72 kg, where he was No. 3 on the National Team. He has since committed entirely to 77 kg, which will be the weight where he makes his Olympic run in 2020.
Expect a war here. Bey will try to get some big throws, which is his trademark, and Smith will grind away, looking for openings to score.
Past Senior World Teams
Bey- 2018 World Championships (7th at 77 kg)
Smith- 2017 World Championships (15th at 71 kg)
Past Age-Group World Teams
Bey- 2018 Junior Worlds (5th at 77 kg), 2017 U23 Worlds (21st at 80 kg), 2017 Junior Worlds (gold at 74 kg), 2016 Junior Worlds (8th at 74 kg)
Smith - 2014 University Worlds (silver at 71 kg)
Recent head-to-head matches
April 2019- U.S. Open finals – Bey, 7-5
Final X: Rutgers will showcase half of the Greco-Roman championship series, with five weights on the card. The majority of the action is featured in the 12:00 noon session, which will contain four matches. The 6:00 p.m. session will have the fifth and final Greco-Roman match, featuring Junior World champion Kamal Bey at 77 kg, who placed seventh at the 2017 Senior World Championships.
Two past Olympians are on the Rutgers card, with two-time Olympian Ben Provisor at 87 kg and 2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman at 67 kg. Both are past World Team members, along with Joe Rau at 87 kg, plus Bey and Pat Smith at 77 kg. Seven Greco-Roman wrestlers at Rutgers have made an age-group level World Team. Three of the five matches feature rematches from the 2019 U.S. Open
We provide a preview for each of the men’s Greco-Roman matchups below for Final X: Rutgers.
Session One – 12:00 noon
Bout 1: Men’s GR 87 kg – U.S. Open champion Joe Rau (Chicago, Ill./Titan Mercury WC/Chicago RTC) vs. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion Ben Provisor (State College, Pa./New York AC/Nittany Lion WC)
Kicking off the Final X Greco-Roman battles will be long-time rivals Joe Rau and Ben Provisor. The pair have squared off numerous times over the past several years. Rau, who was unable to compete at the 2018 World Team Trials due to injury, won their most recent match in the 2019 U.S. Open semifinals, 1-1.
The pair met in the Open finals in 2018 with Provisor winning 14-10. In 2017, Provisor defeated Rau, two-matches-to-none, to make the World Team.
Provisor is a two-time Olympian, and 2017 Senior World Team member, while Rau is a 2014 Senior World Team member. Both make age-group World Teams, and both have extensive international experience. A key to this match will be which wrestler sets the tone for the match, whether it is wide-open like Rau often likes, or a slugfest, which is more Provisor’s style. Rau proved at the 2019 U.S. Open that he is able to stay with Provisor in a close, rugged battle, so it will be interesting to see what adjustments have been made going into Rutgers.
Past Senior World Teams
Rau - 2014 Senior Worlds (23rd at 80 kg)
Provisor- 2017 Senior Worlds (21st at 85 kg), 2016 Olympics (12th at 85 kg), 2012 Olympics (11th at 74 kg)
Past Age-Group World Teams
Rau - 2014 University Worlds (10th at 85 kg)
Provisor- 2010 Junior Worlds (12th at 84 kg), 2008 Junior Worlds (19th at 74 kg)
Recent head-to-head matches
April 2019- U.S. Open semifinals- Rau -1-1
April 2018- U.S. Open finals- Provisor 14-10
April 2017- World Team Trials Finals Bout 2 – Provisor, 4-3
April 2017 - World Team Trials Finals Bout 1 - Provisor 5-1
Bout 3: Men’s GR 82 kg – U.S. Open champion Kendrick Sanders (Marquette, Mich./New York AC) vs. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion John Stefanowicz (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps)
The 82 kg series features another U.S. Open semifinal rematch between Kendrick Sanders and John Stefanowicz. Sanders took the U.S. Open match, 7-3, and moved onto the finals, where he won his second career U.S. Open title.
Sanders has been competing on the Senior level since 2010, but has limited results over the past few years, often due to injuries. Recently, he placed third at the 2018 Bill Farrell Memorial International at 77 kg. When Sanders is healthy, he is known for his throwing style, often able to get huge lifts which lead to big points. The first job of anyone wrestling Sanders is not to let him get to that lift.
Stefanowicz has been on the National Team for three straight years. In 2018, he was No. 3 at 82 kg, and in 2017, he was No. 2 at 80 kg. By making Final X this year, he has clinched another National Team berth. Neither of these wrestlers have been on a Senior or age-group World Team, so the winner will get the chance to wrestle at the highest level with a win at Rutgers.
Past Senior World Teams
Sanders- None
Stefanowicz- None
Past Age-Group World Teams
Sanders- None
Stefanowicz- None
Recent head-to-head matches
April 2019- U.S. Open- Sanders, 7-3
Bout 4: Men’s GR 55 kg – U.S. Open champion Max Nowry (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) vs. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion Brady Koontz (Plover, Wis./Ohio RTC)
The third Greco-Roman match at Rutgers features a classic veteran against an up-and-comer in a battle with no recent matchups.
Max Nowry has been on four Senior National Teams, and is looking to push through to make his first Senior World Team. Nowry was No. 2 in 2018, No. 3 in 2017, No. 3 in 2014, and No. 2 in 2012. A past University World champion, Nowry most recently was the 2019 Pan-American Champion. When UWW brought back the 55 kg, it gave new life to Nowry’s career, since he was a bit undersized at 59 kg.
Koontz is a two-time age-group World Team member, who is making his first serious run at the Senior level. He made the 2018 Junior World Team at 55 kg and the 2015 Cadet World Team at 46 kg. He surprised many with his excellent performance at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. Koontz is going into his redshirt sophomore year at Ohio State University where he has compiled a 27-10 record at 125 pounds in his first two college seasons. He is proving that the Ohio RTC can produce top Greco wrestlers, in addition to its strong freestyle program.
Past Senior World Teams
Nowry- None
Koontz- None
Past Age-Group World Teams
Nowry- 2013 World University Games (5th at 55 kg), 2012 University Worlds (gold at 55 kg), 2010 University Worlds, (9th at 55 kg), 2010 Junior Worlds (5th at 50 kg), 2009 Junior Worlds (6th at 50 kg)
Koontz - 2018 Junior Worlds (13th at 55kg), 2015 Cadet Worlds (17th at 46 kg)
Recent head-to-head matches
None
Bout 5: Men’s GR 67 kg – U.S. Open champion Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) vs. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion Jamel Johnson (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps)
The final Greco-Roman match of the first session will be Ellis Coleman vs. Jamel Johnson, both proven veterans who represent the U.S. military. Johnson started his military career with the U.S. Army, then moved on to the U.S. Marine Corps to join his college coach, Jason Loukides. Coleman has represented the U.S. Army, joining after a stint as a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Coleman is a 2012 Olympian and three-time Senior World Team member. He also holds two Junior World bronze medals. He has been one of the top American Greco-Roman wrestlers in recent times, and seems to thrive in the 72 kg weight class.
Johnson has been one of the most consistent performers at this weight class. He placed third at the 2018 U.S. Open, won the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial, and placed third at the 2019 Open. The pair recently met at the 2019 Armed Forces Championships, where Coleman won by technical fall, 9-0. The key for Johnson is to find a way to score on Coleman, and not allow him to use his powerful gut wrench to put the match out of reach.
Past Senior World Teams
Coleman - 2018 Senior Worlds (12th at 67 kg), 2017 Senior Worlds (12th at 66 kg), 2013 Senior Worlds (25th at 66 kg), 2012 Olympics (14th at 60 kg)
Johnson - None
Past Age-Group World Teams
Coleman- 2011 Junior Worlds (bronze at 66 kg) 2010 Junior Worlds (bronze at 66 kg)
Johnson- 2012 University Worlds (bronze at 60 kg)
Recent head-to-head matches
February 2019 - Armed Forces Championships – Coleman, 9-0
Session Two – 6:00 p.m.
Bout 2: Men’s GR 77 kg – U.S. Open champion Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/OTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament Pat Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm)
The whole Greco-Roman slate for Final X is must-see wrestling, but in particular, the Kamal Bey vs. Patrick Smith series is one any wrestling fan worth their salt should be watching. The pair had a heated U.S. Open final in April, with Bey emerging victorious 7-5. Both are experienced and talented, with different skill sets, and both are capable of beating top international wrestlers should they make the 2019 World Team.
Bey has been one of the most accomplished age-group level wrestlers in the country, taking gold at the 2017 Junior World Championships and falling in the bronze-medal match of the 2018 Junior World Championships. Last year, he also competed in the Senior World Championships while he was still Junior eligible. Except for 2018 World silver medalist Adam Coon, Bey was the only other American to place in the top 10 at the Senior Worlds, with his seventh place finish. His loss at the Senior Worlds was close, and he is currently ranked No. 5 in the UWW Greco-Roman Ranking Series.
Pat Smith is a 2017 Senior World Team member and a five-time National Team member. He won the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial International at 77 kg, and has finished runner-up at the past two U.S. Opens. Last year he was competing primarily at 72 kg, where he was No. 3 on the National Team. He has since committed entirely to 77 kg, which will be the weight where he makes his Olympic run in 2020.
Expect a war here. Bey will try to get some big throws, which is his trademark, and Smith will grind away, looking for openings to score.
Past Senior World Teams
Bey- 2018 World Championships (7th at 77 kg)
Smith- 2017 World Championships (15th at 71 kg)
Past Age-Group World Teams
Bey- 2018 Junior Worlds (5th at 77 kg), 2017 U23 Worlds (21st at 80 kg), 2017 Junior Worlds (gold at 74 kg), 2016 Junior Worlds (8th at 74 kg)
Smith - 2014 University Worlds (silver at 71 kg)
Recent head-to-head matches
April 2019- U.S. Open finals – Bey, 7-5
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