The event is one of a handful that has been launched since the start of the COVID pandemic and will be the second such event on FloWrestling. The concerns for safety and rule following seem to be at the top of the billing, starting with the location in New Jersey in part being determined by New York State's stringent guidelines for activities (jiu-jitsu and wrestling aren't acceptable yet).
The testing, on-the-mat protocols, and health requirements all being met is an incredible testament to the organization that they are once again able to pull together a card and get athletes ready for the spotlight. It's more than just an event -- it's a fundraiser and the monies help to provide programming and opportunities for the young wrestlers of New York City.
Our community spends a lot of time discussing innovation and nowhere is it better seen at the grassroots level than in New York City. Yes, they are able to support the purchasing of gear and mats, as well as the education of coaches, but where they really excelled is in addressing the changing needs of the wrestling population. Nowhere is that better seen than in the implementation of mixed gender dual meet teams.
With fewer overall competitors per school, Beat the Streets worked with the PSAL via Ken Bigley to implement a mixed gender program. This would allow for one coach to teach both styles, for the athletes to remain on the mat in their school, and to eliminate the unappealing look of a forfeit. Also, it allowed for the general population who may have skipped the women's side of the sport to also see them compete, and hopefully become fans.
That simple idea was scaled and its now a reality in the largest public-school system in the United States. Would that also be possible in Pittsburgh, or Denver, or Orlando? Well, it's now been tested so it just requires adoption by local and state officials.
As we move forward with the hype for the match there will be plenty of guessing (I do some below) but remember that behind this great event is a large organization that is directly impacting the lives of youths across New York, while also providing a roadmap for positive change in other wrestling communities around the country.
Support as you can.
To your questions …
Daton Fix talks to Oklahoma State assistant coach Chris Perry during the NCAA finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Q: What is the deal with Chris Perry and the Ostarine in the Daton Fix case?
-- Eddy P.
Foley: The fact that the consent award reads that Chris Perry recommended the use of Ostarine is very, very interesting. There really isn't much to know, but I don't think that tidbit provided any extra clearance for Daton in the eyes of USADA or WADA.
The excuse that maybe resonated was the water bottle in the fridge. I highly doubt that USADA or WADA would accept that at face value so there would have needed to be proof of a prescription that was dated and verified. There are also likely supporting details that were left out of the brief.
I don't know much about the Ostarine, but I think it's the same drug that got Obe Blanc a two-year ban in 2014 after a positive test at the World Team Trials in Stillwater.
The good news is that Daton Fix is eligible to compete in the 2021 Olympic Team Trials, which I think will improve the field and the chances that the United States could medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Q: What are your thoughts on the Beat the Streets card? Any predictions?
-- Mike C.
Foley: I'm super excited to see live wrestling in the tri-state area and this card has plenty of top-level action for the fans.
Vito Arujau vs. Jack Mueller: Mueller looked a little slow in his match against Roman Bravo-Young, but I think he will be in a better competitive spot against the slightly smaller Arujau. Still, I'm bullish on Arujau and think that his two world silver medals in age group categories gives some insight on his ever-growing chance of being a world team member before he leaves college. Who knows? Maybe an Olympic team.
Gable Steveson vs. Trent Hillger: If focused, maybe nobody in the country can beat Gable Steveson in freestyle. I'm not certain of his future plans, but in some previous online posts it seemed that MMA and WWE were attractive professional opportunities for him to pursue, post-college. However, I think that he can make the team in 2021 and 2024, with a legitimate chance to medal. Gwizdowski is the guy to beat and he has the potential to win a medal, so by the transitive property Steveson would upset Gwiz and have that same opportunity or set his sights on winning an Olympic gold.
Joe Colon vs. Seth Gross: Don't get taken down! Both these wrestlers are fantastic on top, with Colon possessing an especially wicked, rib popping gut wrench. Look for a slow match out of the gate, but some decent single leg defenses that convert to quick scoring opportunities. Genuinely unsure who is the favorite here.
Emily Shilson vs. Felicity Taylor: Felicity is a sophomore wrestler at McKendree and is looking to get her career kicking into high gear with an upset of Emily Shilson. Chalk it up to confirmation bias, but after seeing Shilson wrestle several times on the international level I'm bullish on her future. At about 105 pounds, Shilson will need to pack on more muscle before becoming a serious threat at the senior level, but her technical approach to the sport and extreme focus have paid off well for her winning the Youth Olympic Games and Cadet World Championships in 2018. She also won the WCWA national championship.
Victoria Francis vs. Alexandria Glaude: Fun match. The two met in the 2019 World Team Trials semifinal with Victoria Francis taking the win, 3-2. Francis has placed in several international events and has been traveling with Team USA for several years on the senior circuit. She took fifth at the Worlds in 2019 and was on the world team in 2017. There are plenty of medals in her past, but it'll be interesting to see how she's performing in 2020 with limited training due to COVID. Another McKendree wrestler, Alexandria Glaude is a Final X runner-up and took bronze at the U23 in 2018. She's positioned to be one of America's best upper weights and could maybe take the 76-kilograms reigns from Adeline Gray after her illustrious career ends.
Yianni Diakomihalis vs. Vladimer Khinchegashvili (Georgia): Adjusting for a variety of unknowns (training schedules, weight, and COVID) I think that you have to give King Vlad a good chance of picking up the victory. However, that might be a 2019 assumption that doesn't stand to reason in 2020 or 2021 given that Vlad has been training less, has gotten older, and is coming up to 65 kilograms where he has experienced limited success. On the contrary, Yianni is in his element. At last year's event Bajrang saw just how crafty Yianni was capable of wrestling and suffered a loss. Yianni might be able to repeat that performance if he is able to successfully drag King Vlad into a match that more mirrors interpretive dance than that of freestyle wrestling. Even if Yianni is able to get into more scrambles with Vlad, it's likely that he won't finish as often as he did with Bajrang. Vlad is flexible, creative and a Hall of Fame competitor. The scrambles that Yianni needs to win can be initiated, but I'm suspect they will have the same level of success as normal.
Q: I spent my entire childhood wrestling and took up BJJ about a year ago after one of my fellow ex-wrestler friends recommended it to me. I'm still a novice but have thoroughly enjoyed my experience with BJJ during my brief time with the sport (pre-COVID, of course).
While there are certainly some similarities between wrestling and BJJ, I have also noticed some differences, particularly as it relates to the cultures of the two sports. Since you have an expertise in both sports, which aspects of BJJ culture do you think that wrestling should adopt/emulate and vice versa?
-- John G.
Foley: Wrestlers are as sensitive as jiu-jitsu guys are weird. That's the first thing to recognize. You won't find too many BJJ fighters who don't have a few screws loose or aren't constantly discussing the sport in a way that is mostly absent in the wrestling community.
The biggest thing I've noticed is that wrestling should adapt the chess-playing perspective of the best athletes and coaches in jiu-jitsu. They spend hours practicing new moves, setups, and concepts for all sorts of moves and finishes, whereas in wrestling we tend to blow past the technique and focus on conditioning and hours spent training live.
On the opposite side of that same coin, the jiu-jitsu community could do more to widen their approach to competition and have more of a killer mindset on the mat. As jiu-jitsu has been sportified, there is a temptation to play for advantages and single point wins that is eerily similar to that of wrestling pre-2013. While there are always submission hunters the rule set allows for far too much gaming of the rules, which creates what can often become boring matches played from the seat of the pants.
Jiu-jitsu could also put a greater incentive on takedowns, which I think would create more dynamic competition.
Another note is that wrestling could adapt some of the martial arts "respect" that we see in jiu-jitsu. There are elements, but it's definitely part of the culture and is something that most schools treat with a high level of seriousness.
Q: If there is an NCAA tournament next March, do you expect the arena to be full capacity? Or do you think they would limit the number of seats/tickets?
-- Mike C.
Foley: I expect there to be an NCAA tournament. I do not expect there will be fans unless there is instant testing and a vaccine. I'm doubtful that either will be available in time, or for use by the NCAA wrestling community.
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