The 2015 World Championships should be a similar success. USA Wrestling is working around the clock to ensure that athletes, fans and press all have access to what they need to enjoy the championships. Based on what was seen at the World Cup the level of production will be extraordinarily high and there is every reason to think that #VegasWorlds will be a top notch international event.
Despite the increased attention to Olympic style wrestling, many watching the World Championships in the United States will be largely unaccustomed to watching freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's wrestling. Save a few spectacular spring matchups many wrestling fans focus almost entirely on the NCAA season.
To better understand the differences in folkstyle and the Olympic styles it's helpful to think of American folkstyle wrestling as more akin to grappling or jiu-jitsu than to any one of the international styles. For starters folkstyle developed from catch-as-catch-can wrestling and had no previous relationship with freestyle -- the closer cousin of the two styles. The schism between catch and folkstyle began at the turn of the 20th century when schools wanted to endorse the sport, but needed more governing rules. Though the split is now noticeable, many of catch's traits can be seen in today's folsktyle, most notably, "riding" opponents and the idea of "control."
As opposed to American folkstyle, international wrestling is based on the idea of rewarding techniques rather than control. For example, exposing an opponent's belly to the sky is always two points in the Olympic styles, where extended control in American folkstyle can be worth as many as four points. The Olympic styles promote action by requiring a new move for each set of points.
The rules can seem confusing to first-time fans, but make somewhat more sense when through the lens of rewarding technique rather than control. For example, Wrestler A will double leg Wrestler B and earn four points for also exposing their back during the technique. That technique is worth four points because it's from the feet to the back. However, there will be scramble-like takedowns with follow-up exposures from the same position (no gut wrench, etc.) that may only score two points. One technique results in one set of points.
There is a pushout rule in all three styles, though no push -- defined as arms at full extension -- should be rewarded. This is strictly enforced in Greco-Roman but is more lax in freestyle and women's wrestling since there is more action on the mat re: leg attacks and tougher to distinguish intent.
Challenges must be registered within a reasonable time frame of the action in question -- roughly five seconds depending on if the call in question was the final action in the sequence or in the midst of a flurry of action. You cede a point for losing a challenge. You retain your challenge if you win and are allowed a subsequent challenge. These rules are why many tight matches will end with an angry coach tossing out the challenge block. There is little to lose and sometimes those last-second calls can be complicated.
There is no overtime. The criterion for deciding the winner of a match with the same numerical score is 1. the highest value of holds; 2. the least amount of cautions; 3. the last technical point(s) scored. The criteria is always known throughout the match with the winning wrestler enjoying an underline under their score on the scoreboard.
Technical falls are 8 points in Greco-Roman and 10 points in freestyle and women's wrestling; repechage is a follow-the-leader style of wrestleback; full results, video and wraps are available on UnitedWorldWrestling.org via a dedicated event page. InterMat will also be providing coverage throughout the event.
There are plenty of other differences in the styles, but as a general introduction this should get you started. Be sure to follow the action and join the conversation with the hashtag #VegasWorlds!
To your questions …
Q: Correct me if I am wrong, but there has never been an individual who has won four Olympic gold medals in any of the styles. I am curious if Saori Yoshida (Japan), Kaori Icho (Japan), or Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) have any plans to compete in Rio 2016. It certainly would be a treat to see one, two, or three individuals achieve such an amazing accomplishment!
-- Jacob R.
Foley: Yoshida and Icho will both compete in the 2016 Games and are each heavy favorites to win their fourth Olympic gold -- something has never been accomplished in the sport of wrestling.
The cool thing is that Yoshida will almost certainly go for her fifth in 2020 as the Games are being hosted in Tokyo. Icho is less certain to compete another four years, but were she to attempt a fifth title would also be the favorite. She hasn't lost since the 2004 World Championships and is on a 153-match winning streak.
As for Taymazov …
Artur Taymazov (Photo/Andrew Hipps, InterMat)-- Mike C.
Foley: Artur Taymazov from Uzbekistan is the most likely candidate. He's still large and though Taha Akgul has been dominant for a few seasons I think Taymazov sees little downside to throwing his name into the Olympic competition.
Uzbekistan's current heavyweight is not nearly as talented and the idea that Taymazov could win a fourth Olympic title must be compelling many within the Uzbeki ranks to compel him to compete.
His comeback would be a huge news story for the sport of wrestling.
MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME
Kaori Icho highlights
Artur Taymazov vs. Tervel Dlagnev at 2012 Olympic Games
Q: Ronda Rousey is the biggest star in MMA. Do you think a women's freestyle wrestler will ever be USA Wrestling's biggest star?
-- Mike C.
Foley: I'd like to believe it was possible for a woman to be the biggest star, but unfortunately there aren't yet enough opportunities for women to be seen before reaching the international stage. Where Jordan Burroughs had four years to make his name at the NCAA level, even the top-tier women like Adeline Gray don't enjoy that same exposure.
For a woman to be the most marketable entity for USA Wrestling would require an undefeated record, brash personality, and (sorry to say) beauty. I think our current women are incredibly talented, well-marketed and beautiful. But for them to overcome the NCAA head start that Burroughs, Ramos and others enjoy is a bridge too far.
By the way, in terms of superstardom Ronda Rousey now says things that make NyMag. Can any female athlete do the same? No.
Q: What is your prediction for the Bulgarian 74-kilo wrestler who wrestled for Boise State? I can't his remember name.
-- @Will_J_157
Foley: Georgi Ivanov the Bulgarian Nightmare. Talented, young and well-prepared for international competition. Should he end up making the trip I'd expect him to give some of the top ten guys a challenging match, though I doubt he's on the level of Jordan Burroughs or Aniuar Geduev.
Q: If you were an AD starting a new Division I wrestling program and you had the choice of any current coach to lead your new program, which coach would you pick?
-- Mike C.
Foley: Cael Sanderson and whoever he chose as his top assistant. You can't argue with his success on the mat, relationship with alumni, public image, etc. There are myriad qualified candidates (Zeke Jones) but Coach Cael is as surefire a choice as there is in the collegiate coaching ranks in any sport.
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