'25 U20 World Championships, 8/17-24

[PSUPetch]

Clearly Blaze isn't regressing based upon his U20 performance. But, he has recent losses (yes, in freestyle) against a guy who may be in his weight class this upcoming season and another guy who got completely dominated by a young man who will still be in high school next year (and who Blaze may have to face in college) in his next match. At 18, he's still human. Blaze is one of the top recruits/prospects in the last decade, but crowning him a certain non-redshirting undefeated 4-timer before he has wrestled a single match in college (which has been done multiple times recently on this board) is a little premature.

Mendez is dropping to 133?

 

[Anon1683312534]

Didn't the reigning U20 world champion lose 3 matches and place 3rd at NCAAs for PSU, last season? Blaze will likely have to deal with the reigning U.S. senior champion and someone who just beat him, just two people who could potentially beat him at some point in his collegiate freestyle wrestling career, and it wouldn't be some upset or discount that he's one of brightest young stars in U.S. wrestling.

Ease up on the homerism and let him be an 18yr old phenom with a great future. If he losses a match or two in NCAAs, like all but one person in history has, are you going to be disappointed?

Devastated, might have to cut off my texting finger!

 

[Psalm 1 guy]

Max looked great this tournament. His ability to consistently get to the legs, and more importantly to finish those shots, was impressive. In an interview at the tournament J'den Cox mentioned that Max's coaches told him that Max had only competed in approximately ten freestyle tournaments ever prior to U20, so I would not be at all surprised to see him making some big freestyle jumps as his career progresses.

 

[Cali_Nittany1]

Clearly Blaze isn't regressing based upon his U20 performance. But, he has recent losses (yes, in freestyle) against a guy who may be in his weight class this upcoming season and another guy who got completely dominated by a young man who will still be in high school next year (and who Blaze may have to face in college) in his next match. At 18, he's still human. Blaze is one of the top recruits/prospects in the last decade, but crowning him a certain non-redshirting undefeated 4-timer before he has wrestled a single match in college (which has been done multiple times recently on this board) is a little premature.

The only time I saw someone speculate about Blaze being a 4x undefeated was in reference to taking a redshirt first season.

 

[El_Jefe]

The only time I saw someone speculate about Blaze being a 4x undefeated was in reference to taking a redshirt first season.

Sometimes burning down a straw man means first building it.

 

[WPIALBrwnPSU]

Must of written that one in my sleep.

 

[Bosco2]

Didn't the reigning U20 world champion lose 3 matches and place 3rd at NCAAs for PSU, last season? Blaze will likely have to deal with the reigning U.S. senior champion and someone who just beat him, just two people who could potentially beat him at some point in his collegiate freestyle wrestling career, and it wouldn't be some upset or discount that he's one of brightest young stars in U.S. wrestling.

Ease up on the homerism and let him be an 18yr old phenom with a great future. If he losses a match or two in NCAAs, like all but one person in history has, are you going to be disappointed?

This isn't a football board. We'll be fine and deal with whatever happens.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Psalm 1 guy]

Thanks Tom. I always enjoy Jason's technique breakdowns. It never ceases to amaze me how intricate the steps are for these techniques. I am sure top-level wrestlers and coaches like Jason can see most of these steps in real time. I normally have to go back and watch the sequence(s) repeatedly and in slow motion to see all the details. I'm glad Jason used PJ's U20 gold medal match for several of his examples. That match really showed PJ's ability to generate offense against a very good opponent who was hard to open up. PJ's hand fighting and physicality are continually improving, which will be so important as he is starting out on his Senior freestyle career. P.S., I also enjoyed Jason's Anchorman reference at 8:12

 

[SleepyLion]

Thanks Tom. I always enjoy Jason's technique breakdowns. It never ceases to amaze me how intricate the steps are for these techniques. I am sure top-level wrestlers and coaches like Jason can see most of these steps in real time. I normally have to go back and watch the sequence(s) repeatedly and in slow motion to see all the details. I'm glad Jason used PJ's U20 gold medal match for several of his examples. That match really showed PJ's ability to generate offense against a very good opponent who was hard to open up. PJ's hand fighting and physicality are continually improving, which will be so important as he is starting out on his Senior freestyle career. P.S., I also enjoyed Jason's Anchorman reference at 8:12

Sex Panther. That stuff is illegal in 9 countries.

 

[Dren007]

Sex Panther. That stuff is illegal in 9 countries.

60% of the time it works everytime.

 

[PSUPetch]

60% of the time it works everytime.

 

[Tom McAndrew]