Making a U.S. world team this year will be no easy feat.
The first step of qualifying for the 2018 world team certainly demonstrated that when a total of 30 champions -- 10 in each style -- were crowned this past weekend in Las Vegas.
There was no shortage of top-notch competition as wrestlers gained momentum heading into the final qualifiers that will determine this year's world team.
Here are 10 takeaways from the U.S. Open:
Isaiah Martinez cruised to a U.S. Open title, beating Dan Vallimont in the finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)10. Martinez impressive as his focus turns to freestyle
Two-time NCAA champion Isaiah Martinez didn't finish his college career the way he wanted after suffering a second straight NCAA finals loss.
But Martinez certainly has plenty of competitive fire left. That was evident when he powered to the Open title at 74 kilograms.
Martinez steamrolled veteran Dan Vallimont with a 10-0 win by technical superiority in the finals. He scored three takedowns and two turns to make quick work of Vallimont.
It will be interesting to see how Martinez matches up in a potential Final X matchup with Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs.
9. Greco Olympians still chasing medals
The U.S. has struggled in Greco-Roman wrestling over the past decade, but this could be the year the Americans turn their fortunes around.
Two-time Olympian Ben Provisor, along with Olympians Robby Smith and Ellis Coleman, looked strong in earning championships in Vegas. They now take aim at qualifying for Budapest at the Greco World Team Trials in Tulsa, Okla.
All of those wrestlers are still competing at a high level and are capable of winning world medals.
Sarah Hildebrandt won her U.S. Open title by defeating Olympian Haley Augello (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)8. Hildebrandt knocks off Olympian
Sarah Hildebrandt earned Outstanding Wrestler in women's freestyle after downing 2016 Olympian and 2017 World Team member Haley Augello in the Open finals at 53 kilograms.
Hildebrandt, a 2016 world team member, scored a pair of takedowns in the first period and another in the second period to win her first U.S. Open title.
This may be the year Hildebrandt lands a spot on the world podium. She's a talented and aggressive wrestler who is capable of that type of performance.
7. Ramos outlasts young stud Fix
Tony Ramos has cut back down to 57 kilograms and he had his hands full in winning the U.S. Open.
Ramos scored a second-period takedown late in the match to edge 2017 Junior world champion Daton Fix 2-2 on criteria in the finals.
Kudos to Ramos for looking to bounce back after falling to eventual world silver medalist Thomas Gilman in last year's world team trials. They could meet again for this year's world team spot.
And kudos to Fix, who still has four years of college eligibility left, for turning in a strong showing in a top-level Senior event.
6. Conder hits jackpot by downing Anthony
Three-time world team member Whitney Conder may have found a home at the new weight class of 50 kilograms.
Conder won her fifth U.S. Open title by downing past world fifth-place finisher Victoria Anthony 7-3 in the finals. Conder controlled the match on her feet while enjoying a size advantage in the bout.
Conder previously wrestled at 53 kilograms and Anthony was in the former 48-kilogram class. Conder could be a force internationally in this women's freestyle division.
5. Colon, Garrett light up scoreboard with combined 33 points
In a match filled with big moves and huge momentum swings, Joe Colon emerged with a wild 20-13 win over Nahshon Garrett in the finals at 61 kilograms.
Colon, a past All-American for Northern Iowa, actually trailed after the first period before executing a succession of turns to take control in the second period.
Colon won a loaded class that included the last four NCAA champions at 133 pounds. He was named Outstanding Wrestler in men's freestyle.
Kamal Bey won his second straight U.S. Open title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)4. Don't turn away when watching Bey
The maturation and progression of talented young Greco star Kamal Bey continues. And that's bad news for his opponents.
The Junior world champion continues to turn in sparkling performances and he put on another show in winning his second straight U.S. Open.
The explosive Bey scored back-to-back spectacular four-point throws in cruising past Peyton Walsh in the finals at 77 kilograms. He celebrated his win Friday night with a backflip. Don't be surprised if you see him doing that same move again in a few months at the worlds.
3. Gray returning to championship form
Three-time World champion Adeline Gray has stormed back onto the women's freestyle scene this year, finishing ahead of the reigning Olympic and world champions this season.
As expected, Gray dominated the field at 76 kilograms in prevailing in Las Vegas. The women's wrestling legend, a five-time world medalist and 2016 Olympian, is going to be very tough to beat by anyone on the planet this year.
Once Gray scores a takedown, the match is virtually over because she is so lethal at turning her opponents. She has bounced back in a big way after missing last season with a shoulder injury.
2. Dake holds off Dieringer in classic finale
There was a reason the finals match between four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake and three-time NCAA champion Alex Dieringer was the last bout of the tournament.
The battle at 79 kilograms lived up to its billing as Dake, coming off wins over two world silver medalists at the World Cup, earned a hard-fought victory.
A wild scramble late in the match resulted in two points apiece for both wrestlers and Dake won on criteria after the match ended in a 5-5 deadlock. It would've been fun to see an overtime decide this match instead of criteria.
Dake landed a spot in the Final X event which will determine the world team spot. Dieringer is a top freestyle prospect who is a past Junior world silver medalist.
Adam Coon defeated Jake Varner in the U.S. Open freestyle finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)1. Coon nearly strikes it rich twice in Vegas
Most wrestlers go their entire career without defeating an Olympic gold medalist. Adam Coon has now done it twice in the same year.
Coon capped a phenomenal weekend by downing 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner 3-1 to win the U.S. Open freestyle title at heavyweight. Coon enjoyed a big size advantage over Varner, who previously competed at a weight class below.
That win came a night after Coon placed second to Olympian Robby Smith in the Greco-Roman tournament.
Coon knocked off 2016 Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder during the college season before Snyder came back to edge Coon twice in the postseason.
The massive 6-foot-6 Coon, a past Cadet world champion and Junior world medalist, could be a force in both international styles for years to come.
Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.
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