ILLINIWrestlingBlog

@WildTurk, I wrote an article a long time ago about the first Iranian women's team to attend the grappling world championships. They actually won a few medals. This was around the time that "Wrestling Diplomacy" had opened up their country, with American teams traveling to Iran and Iranian teams traveling to America. But the Iranian women never returned. Hardliners in Iran took over, and the politics have gotten chilly. I was hoping with the Women's Revolution in Iran this past year that things would change for wrestling and grappling but so far nothing--although I did see a reference to Iranian women winning a 2019 no-belt championship--whatever that is. As you can see in the picture below, the ladies did wear a hijab, but their faces were uncovered.

Dang. Joe Rau did a great job early in the first period to put Ojog of Romania down. He went with a gut, and it looked very, very close to scoring. It wasn't, so he moved on to a grounded head-pinch, got over-extended and the Romanian pinned him. I hope the Raustler continues into the Olympic season. He's fun to watch and always looking to pin. Zac Braunagel up in two on Mat B versus Turkmenistan.

Third, folks have asked, Why did Brands out himself? Well, psychology. If you make money gambling, you have to tell the world. That's the rule. It's the same reason the Ferraris go shirtless, even on what they call "Sixpack Sundays" at church.

First, there are laws against insider trading on Wall Street, and they are there to keep folks from unfairly profiting from insider knowledge. Yes, those laws seem to be haphazardly enforced, and in the case of Congress, not enforced at all. But I think everybody agrees that the laws are necessary even though trading or selling stock in itself is not against the law. For a similar reason, university athletes can't bet on sports. Then, there are the additional policy concerns involved when athletes become addicted, blackmailed, in debt, squeezed, or are out and out cheating. There are a lot of potential problems. Second, this thread has almost reached five pages and nobody has done this?

IRAN FREESTYLE & GRECO (w/no Women's team) 1985 - 1 Medalist 1986 - 0 1987 - 0 1989 - 3 Medalists 1990 - 3 Medalists 1991 - 3 Medalists ... 1998 - 6 Medalists ... 2015 - 7 Medalists ... 2021 - 7 Medalists (just in Freestyle!) I haven't looked at the numbers for India, but they seem to be improving at an incredible clip. Same with San Marino and Bahrain!

In 1985, 15 countries won at least one medal at the Freestyle/Greco World Championships in Kolbotn, Norway. In 2005, there were 27 countries winning at least one medal. Now, that includes women's wrestling (which didn't have a championship back in 1985), but the only winners in the women's competition that didn't have a winner in the men's Free or Greco were France, Norway and, surprisingly, Japan and China. There were 81 countries that participated in 2005. In 2018, the number of countries participating went up to 88. Japan and China won medals in Greco last year, and I even saw Japanese and Indian wrestlers winning matches this year in the 72 and 77 weight classes, which make them the fattest people from their respective countries. I think it might be that the US hasn't gotten worse, but that the world has gotten better (and there's more of them). Just ask the Soviet Union!

I noticed that as well. The Iranians get special mention for starting up while their wrestlers are on deck. Then, they just whip themselves more and more like a horse in the home stretch. Good luck.

Pat Smith is out. Sad to see, as he's fun to watch. Hafizov still with a chance at repechage, but his opponent will have to beat last year's World Champion. Joe Rau still in with a very good repechage chance. On another note, some folks think that Tazhudinov's two wins over Snyderlaev were the best matches of the tournament; others go with Musukaev's gas tank performances or Giant Stevan Micic's improbable run, but the match of the World Championships is still going on: Jason Bryant's voice versus the Iranian crowd noise. So far, Bryant has held his own, but the Iranians have upped their game.

Olympic and World Championship legend Artur Aleksanyan gets the 9-0 win over Joe Rau. The American comedian was put down, even though he was closer to the center and pushing the action more often than the Armenian in that first period. Having a reputation sure helps in Greco! Aleksanyan used a gut-tilt to rack up his points for the first-period win. This was like a folkstyle cheap tilt, but the Armenian didn't have to change arm position for each score. Rau will almost surely wrestle in the repechage tomorrow. He just lost to a medal-winning maching. Josef's 1-1 in matches so far, and has a Euro Gold tomorrow who needs to be whupped!

By the way, the crowd is as loud for Greco qualification matches as they were for Freestyle medal matches. A lot of those three-dollar clarinets smuggled into the arena. These folks are pumped the F up for Greco!

Pat Smith was up 1-0 at the break. He loves to wrestle in that tiny circle, his own private phone booth. In the second, Smith is put down and the Kazakh hits two gut wrenches. 1-5 at this time. Pat started his sprint with 1:07 on the clock but couldn't crack the Kazakh's defense, although he wrestled fiercely with a strong gas tank the whole time.

We just found out Joe Rau's next opponent. Artur Aleksanyan of Armenia won his qualification match against a Euro Gold. This is no surprise as Aleksanyan is a three-time Olympic medalist and a six-time World Championships medalist. Five of those medals Gold. Either Rau shocks the world or he's a solid bet to get a repechage chance.

Joe Rau wins 4-1. He owes it all to Satan. Rau pinned this guy two years ago, and he almost did it again today. The Croatian's head was just a smidge outside the ring. Kamal Bey loses 3-3. Great effort. Almost had the Moldovan in the sprint. Bey is still a super hero.

3-2 Bey losing at break. Rau up 4-1 with two minutes to go.

Bey and Rau both up in three on Mats B and C respectively. Here's a video of Joe Rau thanking Satan for his winning a wrestling championship. It's comedy, people. *** Actually, the link goes to all of his Backstage videos. In the list, though, you can see "The Devil Sketch." That's the one.

Hafizov is down 7-0 at the break to an Iranian low-gut specialist. The American was put down and six guts. Ildar could do nothing in the second period against the Iranian, who at 60kg almost seemed as big as Stevan Micic.

Getting match number from Flo's brackets. Then, matching it with the match numbers from the ongoing matches on FloArena. By the way, Hafizov up in one on Mat B!

Kamal Bey in 6 on Mat B. Joe Rau in 5 on Mat C. Also, when you're in Chicago, don't forget tickets to Rau's Improv comedy show.

I love to watch Pat Smith wrestle (even though he's from Minnesota) because he's such a dude. Down 7-0 at the break because he caught the Pole's arm throw--until he didn't--followed by a passivity call and a turn. Then, it was all Smith time! Even though his opponent was adept at trying an arm throw whenever he was in trouble, and the ref never penalized him for it, Smith pushed him out and then pushed him out, then got a takedown and then got the pin. Go America!

Good Morning! Today, the alarm clock won. Cheers!

Bey has Gutu of Moldova next. He's almost exactly as credentialed as the Fin that Bey just beat, a 2023 Euro U23 champion. Joe Rau up in 12 matches on Mat C. Match #909.

Bey up 2-0 at the break. His first score was a pushout from a nasty underhook. His second was an activity point. Bey worked hard but couldn't turn or throw the Fin. Second period, it was Bey who went for a headlock throw. It was nasty, but it was also caught by Sarkkinen. He pushed Kamal Bey down for two. Later, Bey was called passive and put down. That made it 3-2 for the Fin, but he couldn't turn or throw the American. With a minute to go, down by a point, Bey got two takedowns to win 7-3. The additional point was a challenge lost. Go America!

Kamal Bey to start the morning in repechage, then Joe Rau, Ildar Hafizov and Pat Smith in qualification matches. Let's go greatest country in the history of history!

Bruntil in the hole for Bronze. She's got a French woman who is a three-time World medalist. Go Emma!

Amit Elor is World Champion! So strong and smart and technical! 8-2 over Mongolia.