WTT Trial Finals Thread

[PAFAN01 50]

Has Nolf IMar started?  Can someone provide update? 

[BigTimeFan 1,032]

Thanks to Pamela to alerting me I've been hanging around in the wrong thread.

[BigTimeFan 1,032]

Just now, PAFAN01 said:

Has Nolf IMar started?  Can someone provide update? 

Nolf is down 2-7 with two minutes to go

[BigTimeFan 1,032]

Nolf scored at the end of the first period and that was about it

[headshuck 2,306]

Steveson OW? Youngest as well?

[BigTimeFan 1,032]

Just now, headshuck said:

Steveson OW? Youngest as well?

Gable apparently turns 19 in a few weeks so he's the youngest by a lot.

[DocBZ 97]

Hmm..expected a better 3rd match from Nolf.

[BigTimeFan 1,032]

Just now, DocBZ said:

Hmm..expected a better 3rd match from Nolf.

Yeah me too, but I still think he's going to be a force at 74kg. He just moved up and hasn't yet figured out the game. If he fully fills out and learns to do what he did in folk, I think he's the man. 

[DocBZ 97]

18 minutes ago, BigTimeFan said:

Yeah me too, but I still think he's going to be a force at 74kg. He just moved up and hasn't yet figured out the game. If he fully fills out and learns to do what he did in folk, I think he's the man. 

Dunno Imar handled him pretty easily today and its not like he's much older than Nolf, 1 year I think. You could argue the Imar controlled all three matches and won 2 decisively. I mean I would have picked Nolf over Imar at the beginning of the day and been dead wrong. Maybe Nolf is injured? I'm not convinced his talent translates as well to Free as some would presume. Anyone know why Nolf went 74 instead of 70kg? 

Edited May 19, 2019 by DocBZ

[Plasmodium 1,679]

I was surprised by the number of mismanaged matches in this tournament.  

[scramble 153]

I thought I-Mar looked as good as I have ever seen him.  He was a lot more dynamic on his leg attacks and re-attacks.   Plus his upper body game has always been good.  I don't think that he beats JB, but I feel much different than previously about him potentially taking over when JB retires.

With that said, I too think Nolf will be a force.  What I saw in this as the biggest factor was strength and his mat game.  The need for par terre improvement isn't unique for our guys.  Also, because there has been such a gap between Nolf and the college world, entering into national training camps and competing on the senior level will help him make another jump. Nevertheless, it will take a little time, and he will need to fill into the weight. Other than that clutch 4-point Imar completely controlled everything.  Had that not been with time running out Imar would have won that.  Nolf still has an immature body.  A year or two working his strength and putting on Muscle and he will be a force.  He probably has the biggest upside, it is just going to take a little bit to get there. 

I know there is Cenzo also, but I don't think he will be at this weight.  I think he will get too big.

[pamela 1,334]

I thought Nolf looked huge next to Zain during warm-ups but I can totally see him getting horsed around internationally at 74. He'll definitely grow into the weight, but I wonder if it'll be a significant adjustment for him. Look at how much DT's wrestling changed since he moved up to 86 (although his was a much much bigger weight difference). Between now and next year I hope he goes out and competes internationally. Again, take a page out of Taylor's book and go wrestle at the Spanish Grand Prix and what not to acclimate to the move up.

[Full Nelson 67]

20 minutes ago, scramble said:

I thought I-Mar looked as good as I have ever seen him.  He was a lot more dynamic on his leg attacks and re-attacks.   Plus his upper body game has always been good.  I don't think that he beats JB, but I feel much different than previously about him potentially taking over when JB retires.

I think Askren said on one of his podcasts that JB said IMar is greatly improved the past year and he is taking him very seriously.

[wamba 36]

Nolf did not look healthy to me. If he has ankle issues I’m sure they really affect him, especially going against someone like Imar who is so explosive. 

Imar looked great though. Can’t wait to see him and Jordan go at it. 

Ringer looks like a man on a mission. If Dale isn’t 100% he could get steamrolled. Other than Yanni he’s the hottest wrestler in the country.

Gable’s clearly jumped levels and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t medal in the olympics. He may even be the favorite by then if he continues to improve.....

[GoNotQuietly 1,000]

Imar can beat JB if he can hold absolute discipline in an Geduev gameplan for two entire matches. Stay super low and be ready for your face to be tenderized while you catch shots with underhooks or head blocks.  Dake had some luck with that strategy as well. Imar generally seems to be the type of guy who just wrestles how he wrestles, though, and that seems like a good way to give up some big point TDs to laces against JB. 

[LifeintheRed 53]

1 minute ago, GoNotQuietly said:

Imar can beat JB if he can hold absolute discipline in an Geduev gameplan for two entire matches. Stay super low and be ready for your face to be tenderized while you catch shots with underhooks or head blocks.  Dake had some luck with that strategy as well. Imar generally seems to be the type of guy who just wrestles how he wrestles, though, and that seems like a good way to give up some big point TDs to laces against JB. 

I heard IMAR already reached out to Franklin Gomez as a training partner! :D 

[tbert 561]

1 hour ago, Full Nelson said:

I think Askren said on one of his podcasts that JB said IMar is greatly improved the past year and he is taking him very seriously.

JB is a real respectful guy, and that was a nice thing to say.  

IMAR chances have improved from zero to maybe 1/100.

[maligned 470]

29 minutes ago, GoNotQuietly said:

Imar generally seems to be the type of guy who just wrestles how he wrestles

This is the truest thing you said. IMar depends on upper body ties and asserting his horsepower. He once again won't be able to do these things against JB. JB isn't a good matchup for anyone, but he really isn't a good stylistic matchup for IMar.

[maligned 470]

1 hour ago, wamba said:

Gable’s clearly jumped levels and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t medal in the olympics. He may even be the favorite by then if he continues to improve.....

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Coon lost easily to Nelson in the True 2nd match too. And Taha Akgul is way, way beyond Gwiz's level. Let's see if Gable has closed the gap to Gwiz before we start thinking about him becoming any sort of favorite globally just yet.

[cjc007 702]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Coon lost easily to Nelson in the True 2nd match too. And Taha Akgul is way, way beyond Gwiz's level. Let's see if Gable has closed the gap to Gwiz before we start thinking about him becoming any sort of favorite globally just yet.

He's tapping into man strength. His dominating performance was spectacular.

 

Look where he is at progression wise to Nolf.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[spladle08 751]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Coon lost easily to Nelson in the True 2nd match too. And Taha Akgul is way, way beyond Gwiz's level. Let's see if Gable has closed the gap to Gwiz before we start thinking about him becoming any sort of favorite globally just yet.

Yeah, Coon looked a little like trash...
Even if he beats Gwiz, the HOPE is still for a medal. Those top heavies are something else.
I'd love for him to take gold but dont run wild with expectations

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[headshuck 2,306]

Coon and Nelson split matches the past few weeks.

[Full Nelson 67]

I'd like to see both height and weight for the top 10 heavyweights worldside and see where Steveson fits in.

Steveson just handled the giant Coon, but the upper echelon will be more athletic.  (not that Coon is a slug)

[de4856 361]

Well, after watching 61, this morning Congrats to Graff, but after watching BtS, I am wondering what the outcome would have been if Suriano had been here. 

65, Zain vs JO, pretty good matches, but I think Zain is going to have to figure out something if he's going to get by Yianni. 

70, with Nolf going up and Hidlay letting his match against Ashnult get away from him, Green was able to battle his way back to Final X. I wish that Nolf had stayed at 70, but he didn't so it is what it is.  

74, IMar wins and moves on to face JB, although it does appear that IMar has improved significantly, I think it'll be long odds for him to get past JB. 

79, Ringer looked good, he certainly handled Zahid, and with Dake being off the mat since the World's has a lot of people speculating. However, I think Dake will put enough together to keep his spot. 

86, I have to say PD3, has never looked better, congrats to him. I think DT's attacks and scrambles will win the day though. 

92, Nickal provides a very interesting match up against Cox, and I guess it'll come down to who can execute their game plan. 

97, Gadson is off to face the Man, and I believe that the Man will dominate in two matches to none. 

125, Wow I never thought Gable would jump levels like that, but congrats to him, I think Gable vs Gwiz should be a very competitive affair. We will have two Big men that can move and score, I think this match up should provide some fireworks. I do have to say, that I wish Cassar had been here, I am not saying that he would've won, but at least we would know rather than wonder about it. 

57, Gilman vs Fix, well we shall see if Gilman can make the necessary adjustments, this should also be very interesting. 

[GoNotQuietly 1,000]

1 hour ago, maligned said:

This is the truest thing you said. IMar depends on upper body ties and asserting his horsepower. He once again won't be able to do these things against JB. JB isn't a good matchup for anyone, but he really isn't a good stylistic matchup for IMar.

Tieing up Burroughs upper body and asserting horsepower is exactly how you beat him though.  The only reason that IMar has a bad stylistic matchup with JB is that he doesn't really institute the stance and tactical discipline, but the underhooks and short offense are absolutely the way to go, IMO.