Thoughts on Taylor at 86kg

[maligned 528]

I, like the rest of us, didn't get to see Taylor's second match today.  And he's got his bronze match with Lashgari of Iran still to come.  But his first match left me with a few impressions:

 

Positives:

1. Great body!  He looks fantastic physically at 86.  I wish he would have made the jump even sooner.  

 

2. His balance, flexibility, and scrambling seem to translate to 86.

 

Negatives:

1. His injury struggles seem to have followed him up a weight (bad back a significant factor).

 

2. His conditioning was awful.  I understand his back was bothering him, but a guy with a hurt back that's not sucking wind stands, moves, and has much different posture from a guy whose back is killing him while he's also gassed.  The back issue was surely accentuating the struggle for breath, but clearly his conditioning has not caught up to his added strength and muscle.  

 

 

[mightymousejm125 7]

The good news is that he has the time to get things squared away before the US Open, barring any setbacks.  The gas tank issue is an easy fix for someone of his caliber. 

[LemonPie 1,368]

Did he get bronze?

[wrestfan 810]

Did he get bronze?

 

nope, Lashgari teched him in less than 3 minutes

[LemonPie 1,368]

Yikes

[pamela 1,334]

Lashgari teched him 10-0 in the first period. He looked much bigger and stronger than Taylor and simply had his way with him. For a little while, it looked like Lashgari was going for a Karelin reverse body lift due to the physiological differential.

 

I think Taylor is learning that he's going to have to make some big adjustments to his technique or get bigger. His scramble positions and usual step-over shot counters are not effective like they were at 74kg/165lb in college. And unfortunately, those step-over counters were a big part of both his defense and scoring repertoire.

Edited November 27, 2015 by pamela

[BigTimeFan 1,141]

vs Lashgari it wasn't even close. Taylor wasn't even close to scoring and Lashgari took him down and turned him at will. 

[PRyan2012 347]

Dake and Taylor simply have no shot. Would be much easier beating Burroughs. Burroughs would have been teched also. They are lucky we do not have a medal contender at 189 or they would have no chance to make our team either. The Iranian simply bullied him. But honestly Dake and Taylor are up two weight classes in reality. Adam Satiev who is about their size did it but that is very rare. Plus I honestly don't think they could medal at 163 either. But at least would have a shot. 

[Cletus_Tucker 890]

Dake and Taylor simply have no shot.

 

The Iranian simply bullied him. But honestly Dake and Taylor are up two weight classes in reality. 

 

 

 

In reality you expect Taylor down at 70 kg? 

[AnklePicker 643]

It just goes to show how tough international competition is.  For Taylor to not score in two matches is hard to imagine for those who watched him in college.  It had to have crossed his mind that he owns a win over the guy who won the 74kg gold medal.  Definitely a humbling back to the drawing board loss.  Respect to Lashgari, he's a great, seasoned wrestler.  Love this tournament.  Small but super tough.  

[Hubbard 426]

Excellent tournament for Taylor to compete in.  Like Dake in Russia, it tells him where he is at right now and where he needs to be.

 

A harsh welcome to the world of 86 (like Dake).

[headshuck 2,587]

Foster beat Lashgari last year I believe. 

[rlw028 106]

It just goes to show how tough international competition is.  For Taylor to not score in two matches is hard to imagine for those who watched him in college.  It had to have crossed his mind that he owns a win over the guy who won the 74kg gold medal.  Definitely a humbling back to the drawing board loss.  Respect to Lashgari, he's a great, seasoned wrestler.  Love this tournament.  Small but super tough.  

 

When did he beat Burroughs? He's been close, but has yet to beat Dake, let alone JB. 

[rlw028 106]

Foster beat Lashgari last year I believe. 

 

He did beat him at the World Cup, also beat 2013 World Champ Aldatov.

 

That said, Lashgari is very tough and a 2x Bronze. Bear in mind that Taylor annihilated Livan Lopez (3x Bronze, 1x Silver) and got mauled by a guy who's a long shot to make Irans team this year. He's going to need another year before the jury is out on his bump. 

[2td3nf 582]

Didn't see any of the matches yet, and it sounds like Taylor took a drubbing from Lashgari, but I'm not giving up on Taylor yet. He's just getting his feet wet at 86, and Lashgari is an Olympic silver medalist and World bronze medalist at 86 already. And besides, look at Clayton Foster - isn't he one of the favorites to win the 86 trials, and he went one and done here.

 

Yes, looks like Taylor has a major gap to close within a few months, but I think he can do it. (Ok, maybe I'll change my mind after I see the video of Lashgari ragdolling him, but even then, maybe not.)

 

Have no idea what Taylor's coaches have in mind, and maybe I'm wrong, but I would think the Yarygin would be another very helpful prep as well as another litmus test against some of the best 86 kgs in the world.

[AnklePicker 643]

When did he beat Burroughs? He's been close, but has yet to beat Dake, let alone JB. 

 

I meant Hasanov from AZE who won gold today at 74kg in a tough weight.

[rlw028 106]

I meant Hasanov from AZE who won gold today at 74kg in a tough weight.

 

Duh, my mistake.

[wrestlingjunkie 10]

No its the weight class gap again. Both dake and tayor are making a 26lb jump. Because thats the next weight class up from 74kg. 

[headshuck 2,587]

Maybe it's a head fake?  Both Dake and Taylor plan to go 74kg and try to catch Burroughs off guard.

[wrestlingphish 1,018]

Has Harbert ever lost to Lashgari?

[rlw028 106]

Has Harbert ever lost to Lashgari?

 

To my knowledge, they have never competed against each other. If Herbert had won his repechage bout in London, he and Lashgari would have wrestled for Bronze

[maligned 528]

US and Iran at 86/84kg:

 

2015: 

Karimi bronze

Herbert one and done vs. Aminashvili (bronze)

 

2014:

Mohammadian bronze

Ruth 1-1, loses 7-4 to Mohammadian

 

2013:

Lashgari bronze

Gavin 1-1, destroyed by Marsagashvili, who is then destroyed by Lashgari

 

2012:

Lashgari bronze

Herbert 1-2, loses 5-4 in the third to Bolukbasi, who loses 3-2, 3-0 to Lashgari

 

2011:

Goudarzi 3-2, loses to Sanderson 6-0, 1-0

Sanderson 5th place

 

2010:

Lashgari and Herbert both 0-1, losing to Stefan and Salas, respectively

 

2009:

Mirzaei 0-1, loses to Salas

Herbert silver

 

2008:

Yazdani 1-1, loss to Temrezov

Hrovat 1-1, loses 2-2 in the third to Salas

[jstock 125]

It looked to me like the injury to Taylor's back severely hampered his wrestling. It looked like he was in quite a bit of pain in that first match. Taylor took quite a long injury time and the trainer used about 1/2 a can of cold spray! He was not able to change levels at all after that. Would like to see how he would do without injury. I think his results were good considering his injury. He didn't look small in his first match, didn't see the next match. Lashgari is a house compared to DT though.

Edited November 28, 2015 by jstock

[Hubbard 426]

Ghadhziev wrestled 96 earlier this year and Taylor 74.   The math.

[justafan 123]

I dont see him  beating Herbert Ruth Dake Gavin Foster Hamlin  Chris Perry Richard Perry at 86kg 

Edited November 28, 2015 by justafan