But that didn't matter one bit.
Even if Dantzler was taking on King Kong, there was no possible way he was going to lose.
Not in front of his hometown fans at the Chicago Cup.
Dantzler pumped his right fist to the crowd as they chanted "T.C., T.C." following his dominating 3-0, 3-1 win over 2007 World champion Yavor Yanakiev at 74 kg/163 lbs. Dantzler keyed the American team to a decisive 5-1 win over Bulgaria on Tuesday night at Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena.
"That's what I do – beat World champs," Dantzler said with a laugh. "I'm right where I need to be at this point. It was an unbelievable homecoming for me, coming back and wrestling in front of all my family and friends. It was great to be able to put on a show for them."
Dantzler, from nearby Harvey, Ill., was able to crank Yanakiev to his back in the final 30 seconds of the first and second periods en route to sweeping the match which produced the loudest cheers of the evening.
Dantzler's win highlighted a huge night for the American Greco-Roman team that won the 2007 World Championships. Dantzler, 37, has made the last five U.S. World Teams and is seeking his first trip to the Olympics this year. Dantzler placed fifth in the World in 2006.
"This is a great springboard toward making the Olympic Team," said Dantzler, who was greeted by a long line of well-wishers after his win. "I have to build on this and keep working toward winning that Olympic gold medal. I'm not stopping until I get there."
The U.S. women's freestyle team scored a 3-2 win over Poland to start an exciting night of wrestling in the northern suburbs of Chicago.
Right before Dantzler's big win in Greco-Roman, American Harry Lester delivered with a big win of his own.
Lester, a two-time World bronze medalist, showcased his power and explosiveness in dismantling past World champion Nikolay Gergov 4-1, 6-0 at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
"This was the first time I've wrestled in competition since the World Championships (last September), so I wasn't sure how rusty I would be out there," Lester said. "I felt great out there and it was fun to put a show on for these fans. It's exciting to be part of a great team like this."
The night was another memorable homecoming for Lindsey Durlacher of nearby Buffalo Grove, Ill. Durlacher, despite battling the flu, came on strong to defeat Bulgaria's Venelin Venkov 0-4, 3-0, 2-0 at 55 kg/121 lbs. Durlacher beat Venkov in the bronze-medal match at the 2006 World Championships.
"It was tough out there and I wasn't feeling my best," Durlacher said. "Once I got into the flow of the match I was in good shape. He's a real tough kid and this was a good win for me in front of the home crowd. Their support gave me a real good boost."
U.S. heavyweight Dremiel Byers, a past World champion, put an exclamation point on a superb night for the Americans as he launched Ivan Ivanov with a five-point move to finish off his win at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Byers picked Ivanov up with a reverse lift and planted him to the mat, setting off a huge ovation in the arena.
The U.S. women topped a strong Poland team as Americans Stephanie Murata, Marcie Van Dusen and Stephany Lee picked up victories.
Murata beat World bronze medalist Iwona Sadowska, Van Dusen came back to beat World fifth-place finisher Anna Zwirydowska and Lee pinned World University bronze medalist Agnieszka Wieszczek.
Murata beat Sadowska 1-0, 2-0.
"This was a real good win for me against a tough opponent," Murata said. "This was a fun event and I enjoyed being a part of it. This match gives me a good boost going into the events that I have coming up."
Van Dusen, coming off a huge win over five-time World champion and Olympic champion Saori Yoshida of Japan, avenged a loss to her Poland opponent.
Van Dusen dropped the first period 1-0, but charged back to dominate the final two periods 3-0, 3-0.
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