Does anybody honestly believe Zain could hang with Metcalf

[TobusRex 1,862]

14 hours ago, Cementmixer103 said:

I'm a Metcalf fan, personally. We're the same age, he was the real deal since his sophomore year of HS. I'm a fan of guys who don't quit attacking (almost literally in his case) when trailing in a match with 5 seconds left. Ha

I always admire a "goer". Metcalf fits that description. That said I never liked him when he was in college because he was a hothead, it was only after he was gone that I started to actually like the guy. But I always admired his effort on the mat, same as DeSanto.

[Rookburger 7]

I’ve been rewatching some old mat videos of both. Brent was susceptible to take downs from super quick opponents and Zain is pretty slick when he grabs an ankle. I could see him getting a takedown quickly into the first period and again in the second. 

 

[Fink26 2]

Zain’s competition wasn’t that bad. The 2008 bracket turned out to be great but that was because of what many did years in the future.  Zain got bonus in his only matches against Two #1 seeds in 2020 — Deakin and Lugo.  Plus 149 was weakened by people avoiding the bracket  probably as big a compliment as can be given  

No one would gas Zain and Metcalf could be ridden and even turned.  See Palmer match senior year. Zain was taken down 3 times in duals his senior year and only 7 wrestlers lasted 7 minutes against him  and only those who finished 2-4 holding him to a decision.  

Zain was 3-0 with three pins against Alec Pantaleo (3x), 6-0 against 4x Sorensen, majored Deakin in only bout, TF against 3x Mayes, pinned Lugo (AA and #1 seed in 20), two TF against 3x Micah Jordan, TF against Lewallen, major decision against Tsirtsis (3x and NC), TF over Evan Henderson (2x) plus 1-2 against Stieber.

 

 

[bnwtwg 484]

While it will never be seen in real life, I'm pretty sure that Zain holds an edge in every quantifiable statistic other than number of times pinned

[Antitroll2828 570]

13 hours ago, MSU158 said:

I would still bet that if Caldwell and Metcalf wrestled 10 times, Metcalf would have won the majority. He was simply at our near his best almost all the time. Caldwell wasn’t even close to his less than half the time. 

Pretty bold statement considering they wrestled 3 times and caldwell leads the series 2-1 Including pinning him once.

[MSU158 1,537]

1 hour ago, Antitroll2828 said:

Pretty bold statement considering they wrestled 3 times and caldwell leads the series 2-1 Including pinning him once.

Yep, but I believe it simply because Metcalf was always ready to go and, sadly, Caldwell often wasn’t. Say what you will, but you can’t deny that Metcalf was always on his game and Caldwell was, both, inconsistent and injury prone. 

The above is why I don’t like judging these matchups solely on their peak performance. Some guys just can’t/couldn’t hit their peak on a regular basis.  That is why it is so ridiculously hard to go undefeated in a season, let alone a career. 

[VakAttack 2,763]

Metcalf.

But of course Zain could "hang" with him.  Match up wise this just favors Brent.  He's better in neutral, and was awesome on bottom.  Zain is better on top and also awesome on bottom (not that it was likely to matter against Metcalf).  People are seriously discounting Metcalf's greatness.  Also, FRL just did this, with all panelists voting for Metcalf, including the Funky One himself.

[Plasmodium 1,603]

5 hours ago, MSU158 said:

Yep, but I believe it simply because Metcalf was always ready to go and, sadly, Caldwell often wasn’t. Say what you will, but you can’t deny that Metcalf was always on his game and Caldwell was, both, inconsistent and injury prone. 

The above is why I don’t like judging these matchups solely on their peak performance. Some guys just can’t/couldn’t hit their peak on a regular basis.  That is why it is so ridiculously hard to go undefeated in a season, let alone a career. 

Do you feel Metcalf's NCAA peak exceeded the level Caldwell was at during their championship match.?

[MSU158 1,537]

19 minutes ago, Plasmodium said:

Do you feel Metcalf's NCAA peak exceeded the level Caldwell was at during their championship match.?

Do I think he could beat that version? Yes. He would need to wrestle a more calculating match in the 1st period and stay clean on his high crotches to not let Caldwell turn the corner. 

Still, I would probably slightly favor that Caldwell if he can get a lead early like he did that match. But, as I said before, I don’t think he could maintain that level day in and day out. 

He would still always have that puncher’s chance because he is such a dangerous pinner, but I would favor Metcalf against that version.  if he stuck to the proper adjustments. 

[Rookburger 7]

That match, too many stoppages. That was really the only way Caldwell was going to win. But damn what a match. 

[wrestleFan12 10]

On 4/5/2020 at 8:14 PM, shieldofpistis said:

I gotta go with Zain.  If they wrestled 10 times when both were seniors Zain would win 8 out of 10.

Beating someone 8 out of 10 times is a display of dominance. While I believe Zain and Metcalf are comparable, there is no way Zain is that much better than Metcalf. If one were to believe Zain would get the best of Metcalf in a 10-match series, Retherford probably wins no more than 6 times. In my humble opinion, of course.

Edited April 7, 2020 by wrestleFan12

[smitty11 16]

I like Metcalf 3-2.  I love how everyone says Metcalf was a hothead. When Zain wrestled Pico he tried to punch him.  Pico dominated Zain

[hammerlockthree 2,042]

the real supermatch is yianni vs metcalf.

And I'm sure its been said before but metcalf couldn't get away from lance palmer.....

[TheWrestlingGonad 16]

After Zain's first title I asked Metcalf how he would do against Zain,. All he said was "I wouldn't take down"

[headshuck 2,200]

Metcalf would have beaten Zain
If he didn’t himself first.

[VakAttack 2,763]

the real supermatch is yianni vs metcalf.
And I'm sure its been said before but metcalf couldn't get away from lance palmer.....

Metcalf got away from Palmer every time they wrestled except one. Oh and in the NCAA Final he chose neutral.

Yianni-Metcalf is super interesting. I think, if Yianni has the proper size, I favor him slightly. Metcalf would have to almost exclusively use his sweep single, because his crackback high c finish would be death against Yianni.

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[Rookburger 7]

I just listened to CP and company in Flow discuss this from last week. Found the audio using a google search as I don’t have a pro subscription. Interesting. One thing they discussed was putting Zain in the NCAA tournament from 08-10, and Metcalf 16-18. To face back to back to back Palmer, Burroughs, and Bubba. That’s a tough row to hoe my friends, even against sophomore versions of these kids. Guess what:  not happening. Although I do believe Zain could’ve ridden Bubba. 

[fadzaev2 322]

On 4/5/2020 at 12:41 PM, ionel said:

Does Zain know the spladle ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

That wasn't a pin....Brent was sitting up on Caldwells torso...he was shocked when the pin was called.

 

[fadzaev2 322]

I like both of them too much to even make the comparison....2 of my favorites of all-time.  

[Bodyd 7]

44 minutes ago, fadzaev2 said:

That wasn't a pin....Brent was sitting up on Caldwells torso...he was shocked when the pin was called.

 

Exactly, that's why it's know as the phantom pin

[IronChef 751]

A lot of people in this thread are not suitably impressed with a guy who won 94 matches in a row and won two Hodge trophies without getting pinned in either season he won them. He also managed to not get put on his back while losing the conference finals his senior year.

Last 3 NCAA tournaments
Zain 15-0, 5 falls, 7 tech falls, 1 major, 2 dec, Dominance Score 5
Brent 14-1, 3 F, 0 tech falls, 4 major, 7 dec, Dominance Score 3.47

Undefeated seasons
Zain 3
Brent 0

[bnwtwg 484]

Zain is what happens when you put Metcalf in a lab and remove his weaknesses, and add the nastiest ride quite possibly ever seen.

[VakAttack 2,763]

Zain is what happens when you put Metcalf in a lab and remove his weaknesses, and add the nastiest ride quite possibly ever seen.

This is just not true. Very different styles.

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[Plasmodium 1,603]

Both are very good from neutral, so I don't see Metcalf having a significant neutral advantage.  Metcalf was much better when conditioning became a factor, which would be never in this matvhup

[Fletcher 702]

On 4/6/2020 at 8:41 AM, tightwaist said:

Zain wins 7 of 10 from Metcalf.  His top game is absolutely legendary.  Do you remember what he did to Micah Jordan (4xAA) when they wrestled?  It wasn’t pretty.  16-1 and 20-5.

 

 

Breaking Bubba > breaking Micah