Who you got in BTS Battle of New Jersey tonight – James Green or Anthony Ashnault?
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Photos of James Green (left) and Anthony Ashnault (right) by Tony Rotundo.
One of the themes of the Beat the Streets ‘Grapple at the Garden’ this year is matching current U.S. Senior World Team members against the current NCAA champion. One of the more intriguing battles which emerged is the 70 kg match between two-time World bronze medalist James Green and 2019 NCAA champion Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers.
They have one huge thing in common. They are both from New Jersey, Green from Willingboro and Ashnault from South Plainfield. In a year in which the wrestling community from New Jersey made some very big news, this all-star match-up is stirring up some big-time interest.
“It is great. The fact is that we are both from New Jersey. At the NCAA’s, with the number count where the all-Americans are coming from, Jersey is always up there. Now, one of the best events that happens for America, you have two guys from New Jersey. Two guys who were all-Americans. He’s a national champ. I’m a World medalist. It is good for the state of New Jersey, and shows we are producing some good athletes. We are going to compete, not just with each other, but with the world,” said Green.
Ashnault not only looks forward to facing a fellow Jersey wrestler, but also likes the chance to test himself and show the world what he can do in freestyle.
“I have an opportunity to show people where I am at, and how good I am. Yeah, he’s the best, but I want to wrestle the best. I feel I am there and I am ready. Coming off an NCAA title, it was a really cool accomplishment. I feel I have more to prove right now. I feel like I am a little bit of an underdog, so I am excited for that. It has been a little while. I want to turn some people’s heads when I wrestle my opponent because of his accolades. I think I can surprise a lot of people,” Ashnault said.
Although they have not had a match in the past, this won’t be the first time that have spent time together as they progressed through the ladder of success.
“I would go to South Plainfield when I was coming up in high school. Ashnault was 103 and I was wrestling 135. We never really wrestled, but we were coming up, always in the same room. Last year, before Beat the Streets, I went to Princeton and Rutgers and we rolled around and practiced together. To actually think we would wrestle, we never thought that would happen. It’s funny, two guys from New Jersey and now we will scrap,” said Green.
Ashnault made a decision recently to pursue his freestyle goals this year at 70 kg, the weight that Green has been the top dog in recent years. With Green taking second at the U.S. Open to Ryan Deakin, and with Ashnault now focused at this weight class, they might meet again very soon after tonight’s bout, perhaps as early at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. in less than two weeks.
“If I win this match, it puts me in a really good spot. I probably get a really good seed at the Trials and the goal will be to win that tournament and get to the Final X against Ryan Deakin. That is the goal. But I have this match tonight. He is a competitor I may be competing against a lot the next couple years,” said Ashnault.
Green and Ashnault have been very active on the mat recently. Green comes off the U.S. Open, while Ashnault went to the Pan American Championships, where he came home with the gold medal. For Green, there is no problem wrestling often during this time of the season.
“It is not hard at all. College wrestling prepared us for it. I actually prefer it. It helps with the weight management. I came in here and made weight. I just made 70 kg at the Open. That was just easy. With me taking second (at the Open) and having to go to North Carolina, it is good. I get to get a little scrap in. You don’t get to enjoy a break, but I stayed a couple extra days in Vegas. You don’t get the vacation time you want but its still fun. It is good to compete and train. It is something that I love to do. Any opportunity that presents itself, I always make the best of it,” said Green.
Ashnault has also been very busy, not only training and competing but also doing media interviews and helping promote the success of the Rutgers program. This Beat the Streets event fits perfectly with how he likes to roll.
“Keeping the momentum going. Training when I am not competing. Just trying to improve, and get stronger, faster, better at wrestling. That has been the goal every day going into practice. We have so much momentum behind what we are doing at Rutgers. I am steamrolling ahead. I enjoy what I do. I enjoy competing against really good competition. This is a huge opportunity for me and I am looking forward to it,” he said.
Who ya got in the Battle of New Jersey?? Check it out on FloWrestling tonight, with first whistle at about 6:30 p.m.
One of the themes of the Beat the Streets ‘Grapple at the Garden’ this year is matching current U.S. Senior World Team members against the current NCAA champion. One of the more intriguing battles which emerged is the 70 kg match between two-time World bronze medalist James Green and 2019 NCAA champion Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers.
They have one huge thing in common. They are both from New Jersey, Green from Willingboro and Ashnault from South Plainfield. In a year in which the wrestling community from New Jersey made some very big news, this all-star match-up is stirring up some big-time interest.
“It is great. The fact is that we are both from New Jersey. At the NCAA’s, with the number count where the all-Americans are coming from, Jersey is always up there. Now, one of the best events that happens for America, you have two guys from New Jersey. Two guys who were all-Americans. He’s a national champ. I’m a World medalist. It is good for the state of New Jersey, and shows we are producing some good athletes. We are going to compete, not just with each other, but with the world,” said Green.
Ashnault not only looks forward to facing a fellow Jersey wrestler, but also likes the chance to test himself and show the world what he can do in freestyle.
“I have an opportunity to show people where I am at, and how good I am. Yeah, he’s the best, but I want to wrestle the best. I feel I am there and I am ready. Coming off an NCAA title, it was a really cool accomplishment. I feel I have more to prove right now. I feel like I am a little bit of an underdog, so I am excited for that. It has been a little while. I want to turn some people’s heads when I wrestle my opponent because of his accolades. I think I can surprise a lot of people,” Ashnault said.
Although they have not had a match in the past, this won’t be the first time that have spent time together as they progressed through the ladder of success.
“I would go to South Plainfield when I was coming up in high school. Ashnault was 103 and I was wrestling 135. We never really wrestled, but we were coming up, always in the same room. Last year, before Beat the Streets, I went to Princeton and Rutgers and we rolled around and practiced together. To actually think we would wrestle, we never thought that would happen. It’s funny, two guys from New Jersey and now we will scrap,” said Green.
Ashnault made a decision recently to pursue his freestyle goals this year at 70 kg, the weight that Green has been the top dog in recent years. With Green taking second at the U.S. Open to Ryan Deakin, and with Ashnault now focused at this weight class, they might meet again very soon after tonight’s bout, perhaps as early at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. in less than two weeks.
“If I win this match, it puts me in a really good spot. I probably get a really good seed at the Trials and the goal will be to win that tournament and get to the Final X against Ryan Deakin. That is the goal. But I have this match tonight. He is a competitor I may be competing against a lot the next couple years,” said Ashnault.
Green and Ashnault have been very active on the mat recently. Green comes off the U.S. Open, while Ashnault went to the Pan American Championships, where he came home with the gold medal. For Green, there is no problem wrestling often during this time of the season.
“It is not hard at all. College wrestling prepared us for it. I actually prefer it. It helps with the weight management. I came in here and made weight. I just made 70 kg at the Open. That was just easy. With me taking second (at the Open) and having to go to North Carolina, it is good. I get to get a little scrap in. You don’t get to enjoy a break, but I stayed a couple extra days in Vegas. You don’t get the vacation time you want but its still fun. It is good to compete and train. It is something that I love to do. Any opportunity that presents itself, I always make the best of it,” said Green.
Ashnault has also been very busy, not only training and competing but also doing media interviews and helping promote the success of the Rutgers program. This Beat the Streets event fits perfectly with how he likes to roll.
“Keeping the momentum going. Training when I am not competing. Just trying to improve, and get stronger, faster, better at wrestling. That has been the goal every day going into practice. We have so much momentum behind what we are doing at Rutgers. I am steamrolling ahead. I enjoy what I do. I enjoy competing against really good competition. This is a huge opportunity for me and I am looking forward to it,” he said.
Who ya got in the Battle of New Jersey?? Check it out on FloWrestling tonight, with first whistle at about 6:30 p.m.
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