We're closing out 2017 with a bang, bringing you live coverage of the 55th annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on Dec. 29-30. The event begins at 9:30 AM Central time for your viewing pleasure.

We're closing out out weight class previews with the the big boys at 184, 197, and 285 pounds.

Remember, we do not yet have pre-seeds, so the top four placements are based on our best guess. However, we do have the "top contenders" for each weight, listed along with their rank, school, and grade.

Lightweight Preview + Predictions | Middleweight Preview + Predictions

184 Pounds

Top Contenders

#8 Ricky Robertson (Wisconsin), SR: 13-3

#10 Emery Parker (Illinois), JR: 5-1

#11 Nick Gravina (Rutgers), JR: 5-0

#15 Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan), SR: 11-5

#17 Joe Heyob (Penn), SR: 7-1

Kordell Norfleet (Arizona State), JR: 4-4

CJ LaFragola (Brown), JR: 6-2

Dylan Reynolds (Edinboro), SO: 4-4

Mitch Bowman (Iowa), JR: 4-2

Mitch Sliga (Northwestern), SR: 10-4

Who ya got at 184? ?#Midlands55 pic.twitter.com/BixLlFpJIi

— The Midlands (@MidlandsChamps) December 24, 2017

Commentary: There's a bit of a rock/paper/scissors situation at the top, with Ricky Robertson losing to Jordan Ellingwood at the Michigan State Open and then beating Emery Parker at the Roadrunner Open. But we might see Parker seeded to wrestle Ellingwood in the semifinals; Parker has beaten Ellingwood in each of the past two seasons.

The one most hard to seed, and generally evaluate heading into this, is Nicky Gravina of Rutgers. He lost to both Ellingwood and Parker last season, and always has the possibility of his shoulder popping out during a match.

Joe Heyob rounds out the ranked wrestlers competing this weekend. An NCAA qualifier who finished seventh at EIWAs, he has some unfinished business to attend to at Midlands. Now a senior, Heyob was 0-2 as a freshman in his only prior appearance in the tournament.

Kordell Norfleet continues to be a trendy dark horse pick, though he only went 2-2 at CKLV. CJ LaFragola has a ranked win over Michael Coleman of Navy and would love a shot at avenging his CKLV loss to Robertson.

Nomad's Picks: 1) Jordan Ellingwood  2) Ricky Robertson  3) Emery Parker  4) Nick Gravina

Spey's Picks: 1) Nick Gravina  2) Emery Parker  3) Ricky Robertson  4) Jordan Ellingwood

197 Pounds

Top Contenders

#6 Nate Rotert (South Dakota State), SR: 4-1

#8 Cash Wilcke (Iowa), SO: 6-0

#13 Corey Griego (Oregon State), JR: 7-2

#15 Frank Mattiace (Penn), SR: 11-2

Pat Downey (Iowa), SR: 0-0

Patrick Brucki (Princeton), FR: 9-3

Christian Brunner (Purdue), SO: 9-4

Kevin Mulligan (Rutgers), FR: 7-4

Chris Weiler Lehigh

Hunter Ritter Wisconsin

Last year, Nate Rotert came up just short.

Will #Midlands55 be his year? ? pic.twitter.com/y2TUgNYTuw

— The Midlands (@MidlandsChamps) December 24, 2017

Commentary: The return of PD3. The one and only Pat Downey, the enigma, the past All-American, the perceived bad boy, the former junior world silver medalist. If he shows up, which we have been hearing for months now he will, he should be the favorite. We'll all be watching to see how his gas tank is, how many people he sends for a ride (Air Downey), and if he can outplace/beat current Iowa starter Cash Wilcke and Hawkeyes stud freshman Jacob Warner.

Nate Rotert was the No. 1 seed last year, only to fall in the finals to the since graduated Aaron Studebaker. It appears Rotert will be the one seed once again, joining his teammate Seth Gross. South Dakota State is likely to finish fourth or higher as a team in its first major test as a team outside the Minnesota dual.

Rarely is there a roster battle as strange as the one that will play out in Illinois. Wilcke was thrust into the starting role last year and wound up in the round of 12. He's now in the top eight at what many consider a depleted weight class, though he lost a wrestle-off to the freshman Warner, who will be wrestling in his home state. Warner also has a win over No. 2 Willie Miklus. And then of course there is Downey.

Outside Rotert and Downey, the field has been pretty hot and cold. Wilcke has a loss to Christian Brunner from last season, and Brunner has fallen out of the rankings after looking like he'd be a mainstay in them at the beginning of the year. Corey Griego and Frank Mattiace have their moments, and freshmen Pat Brucki and Kevin Mulligan might end up being safer bets. It appears Chris Weiler is being sent to Midlands instead of the Scuffle.

Nomad's Picks: 1) Pat Downey  2) Nate Rotert  3) Jacob Warner  4) Christian Brunner

Spey's Picks: 1) Nate Rotert  2) Pat Downey  3) Cash Wicke  4) Frank Mattiace

285 Pounds

Top Contenders

#4 Tanner Hall (Arizona State), JR: 6-2

#8 Sam Stoll (Iowa), JR:

#12 Billy Miller (Edinboro), JR:

#13 Youssif Hemida (Maryland), JR: 7-0

#15 Shawn Streck (Purdue), FR:

#19 Matt Stencel (Central Michigan), FR:

#20 Gage Hutchison (Eastern Michigan), SR:

Jake Gunning (Buffalo), JR: 5-1

Conan Jennings (Northwestern)

Deuce Rachal (Illinois)

Last but not least.

Who's got the advantage at heavyweight? #Midlands55 pic.twitter.com/CG8lxKKJ4u

— The Midlands (@MidlandsChamps) December 24, 2017

Commentary: Half of last year's champs return, with Arizona State big man Tanner Hall rounding out the crew. There will be no Adam Coon in the field, who has been Hall's only stumble this year, though the junior will certainly want another crack at the mammoth Michigan man come March.

Sam Stoll is hoping for revenge from last year's semis loss to Hall, which in turn could help Iowa overcome its biggest threat to its fifth straight Midlands team title. He has five pins on the year thus far.

We have no idea what to make of Billy Miller of Edinboro. If he wrestles, it will be his first action of the year coming off an injury. Miller is hard to hold down and doesn't mind pushing for upsets, but this isn't the easiest place to make your season debut.

Youssif Hemida won his only test of the year so far, a 3-1 victory over Nathan Butler in the Stanford dual. Iowa forfeited to him with the dual out of reach, though Stoll beat Hemida 15-4 at the end of the 2016 season. Hemida has been the lone bright spot for Maryland this season.

There is an interesting potential quarterfinal between Shawn Streck of Purdue and Matt Stencel of Central Michigan. Streck is higher ranked but fell 4-3 to Stencel in a recent dual meet.

Though not ranked, Jake Gunning is a MAC champ who may mind himself on the podium.

Nomad's Picks: 1) Tanner Hall  2) Sam Stoll  3) Youssif Hemida  4) Shawn Streck

Spey's Picks: 1) Tanner Hall  2) Amar Dhesi  3) Youssif Hemida  4) Sam Stoll