2019 U.S. Open Preview 65kg: Chaos Is A Ladder
2019 U.S. Open Preview 65kg: Chaos Is A Ladder
Previewing the 2019 US Open at 65kg, the deepest weight in Vegas and one where a Final X berth is on the line for the champ.
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The freestyle season is a game of thrones, with characters of all kinds vying for world team spots with the hope of ultimately sitting at the top of the ladder. At 65kg, the winner of what promises to be a chaotic U.S. Open gets a massive headstart to sit on the iron throne.
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April 25-27 | 9:00 AM Pacific
It is very interesting that perhaps the most anticipated weight of this freestyle season is the one with the longest medal drought in this country. The last medal won by an American was Bill Zadick's gold 2006, when it was still 66kg.
Since the weight changed to 65kg, the only one to wrestle for a medal was Frank Molinaro at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Back then, Frank was still training at his alma mater Penn State and competing for the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club; now he's with the Oklahoma RTC. The past half decade has had a decided Big Ten flavor to it, as you can see below. With Molinaro now living in Norman, and two stars residing in Ithaca, could that change this year?
Past Five World/Olympic Team Members
2014: Brent Metcalf, Hawkeye WC
2015: Brent Metcalf, Hawkeye WC
2016: Frank Molinaro, Nittany Lion WC
2017: Zain Retherford, Nittany Lion WC
2018: Logan Stieber, Ohio RTC
It should be pointed out though that when the Gorilla Hulk was wrestling at this weight, it was day before weigh-ins. He has yet to make 65kg flat day of, and the rules this year are that athletes must make scratch weight on both days of a tournament. So far this year, he’s won the Dave Schultz and lost the bronze match at the Dan Kolov, weighing in under 70kg for both events.
Meanwhile, Jordan Oliver made 65 both days of the Dan Kolov. He also competed at the Ziolkowski in Poland last September, but that was with a +2kg allowance. Oliver has beaten Molinaro twice on the senior level: at the Bill Farrell in 2015 and in the Open finals in 2017 (the latter result was vacated). Oliver is not qualified for the World Team Trials, but Molinaro is by virtue of his Schultz title.
All of the drama of 2017 ended with Zain Retherford taking out Molinaro in three matches in the WTT finals that year. Like Oliver, Retherford is not qualified for the Trials, but has competed twice overseas recently. He went 0-1 at the Yarygin, losing to two-time world silver Gadzhimurad Rashidov of Russia and then going 4-0 at the World Cup.
U.S. Open Previews: 57kg | 61kg
There's a kid who still has Junior eligibility who can be viewed among the primary challengers. That young man is two-time Cadet world champion Yianni Diakomihalis, who has now also won two NCAA titles in his time at Cornell. This will be Yianni’s senior level debut and comes on the heels of some disappointing freestyle seasons for him.
Back in 2016, his final year of Cadet eligibility, he entered the Junior division at the Open. That year he lost to Jaydin Eierman in the round of 16 in one the most controversial matches of that tournament, one that may have gone differently had his corner been able to throw a challenge brick. Yianni would come back and beat Eierman for third, but did not enter the Junior Trials. Eierman of course would go on to become a nemesis for Yianni in college, and someone we’ll get to later.
In 2017, Yianni fell in the semis to Ryan Deakin, surrendering two takedowns in the final minute to the eventual world silver medalist. Then last year he tore his ACL at NCAAs and had to sit out all summer. So he is chomping at the bit to get back to freestyle, and may even wind up taking an Olympic Redshirt to pursue his senior level aspirations further. Also depending on how he does in Vegas will likely determine if he tries to make the Junior and/or U23 teams as well.
We’ve gone this far and I have yet to mention a key bit of information: with no returning medalist, the winner will get the bye to Final X: Rutgers. So if Yianni were to finish say, fourth or worse, we might just see him wrestler Juniors in Raleigh. If he makes the finals, he might end up pulling double duty and wrestling both age levels at WTT, just like Gable Steveson did last year. His performance there gives him a couple weeks to decide on if he wants to wrestler U23s at Akron, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
Those are the main contenders, and I suggest you all read Mike Mal’s technique breakdown of 65kg from earlier this month. Additionally, I recommend you watch the video below that Mike did about a potential Yianni vs Zain matchup. We're still not sure how seeds will shake out, particularly with the news about last year's world team rep at this weight.
Last year's world team rep Logan Stieber has retired. He'll be helping out at the Ohio RTC, where one of his teammates won the Open a year ago. Joey McKenna beat Jaydin Eierman in the finals to earn his spot in Final X, which wound up being his first appearance on the senior national team. He looked dominant in Vegas last April, teching his way into the finals, not allowing a point or making it to the second period.
He kept opponents on the defensive, always attacking their right leg while also showing ability to score with both a leg lace and a gut wrench. Since then, he beat Eierman twice in the college season. The Missouri Tiger has already state his intention to take an Olympic Redshirt, and will spent this next year focusing on freestyle.
Eierman has perhaps the most upset potential of anyone in this field, particularly the first time he wrestles someone. That makes him most dangerous to someone like Molinaro or Zain or Oliver, probably the first two moreso. His unorthodox style and willingness to throw creates issues for his opponents, and the freedom to not have to return to folkstyle may help him even more.
BJ Futrell made the national team in 2017 and has always proven to be a tough out when he's healthy. Training out of the Penn RTC, Futrell is already qualified for the Trials after winning the Schultz and placing third at the Dan Kolov. He adds to the depth of an excellent weight class and his leg attacks need to be taken very seriously by the host of contenders mentioned above. Futrell beat Evan Henderson in the Schultz finals and in the Kolov repechage, but Henderson is also someone in position to potentially place Top-7 and qualify for the Trials.
A host of other senior level athletes will likely make this the toughest bracket next weekend. They include Bryce Meredith, Dean Heil, Nick Dardanes, Josh Dziewa, Joey Lazor, and Montell Marion. Also in attendance will be college age stars like Junior world teamer Dom Demas, All-Americans Nick Lee and Kanen Storr, as well as Kaden Gfeller, and Tristan Moran.
As you can see, the starpower is incredible at 65kg, and there will be All-Americans clashing in the early rounds. Seeding will be fascinating, as matchups could dictate much of how this weight goes. Not to mention that Stieber is retired and Retherford has yet to register, so the past two world team members might not be in the bracket.
I'd love to see a match like Eierman against Futrell, and I think the size and scope of this bracket means getting quick techs will come in handy as stamina will definitely come into play for all these guys. McKenna opens up more in freestyle, and Eierman's upset of Stieber last year is hard to forget.
Ultimately, I think Yianni is the future at this weight. He loves freestyle more than anyone, and has repeatedly beaten the two national team members from last year that are not much older than him. He's healthy, he's crafty, and has an impeccable relationship with Mike Grey. But he's still a boy, just 20 years old. I guess we should mention though that the defending world champ at this weight is only a year older than Yianni.
Molinaro has three kids, a mortgage, and is probably in his final quad. Oliver trains with Yianni every day, and is also likely on his last go round. Retherford took a whole year off from college to get his mind and body right for a run in 2019 and 2020.
The next generation is coming up quick, as Daton Fix and Zahid Valencia proved by making it to Final X last year. But for now, I'm sticking with the grown men. Oliver over Zain in the final, with one of them having to beat Molinaro in a semi. JO improves to 4-0 lifetime against Zain and gets the bye to Final X.
Seriously though if this weight can't get you fired up, I don't know what will, because 65kg is going to be pure chaos.
Chaos isn't a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail and never get to try again. The fall breaks them. And some are given a chance to climb, but they refuse. They cling to the realm or the gods or love. Illusions. Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is.
Nomad's Picks
1) Oliver 2) Retherford 3) Molinaro 4) Yianni