Two excellent points. Takahashi wasn't just U23 elite, he was Senior level elite. Takahashi was the wrestler that most concerned me in terms of Mesenbrink's chances at U23.
Mesenbrink beats most people on a combination of skill, relentless attack, and excellent conditioning. He had no business beating Hamiti last season, as Hamiti scored repeatedly on him. Mesenbrink got lucky, so to speak, in that his conditioning was far superior than Hamiti's was, which enabled him to stage a great comeback. Mesenbrink's best defense is his relentless offense. He'll need to improve his D to be able to compete against elite wrestlers.