From all over the country, competitors flock to Las Vegas to put it all on the line for the annual slugfest known as the U.S. Open. No other domestic tournament attracts a field as deep and varied as the Open.  

Perhaps no weight class better exemplifies that dynamism than 70kg, which has everything from blue-chip recruits who have yet to wrestle a varsity NCAA match, to seasoned pros trying to stay relevant on the senior circuit. Emma Lazarus herself would approve of this bracket, truly a new colossus of wrestling talent.

Watch the 2019 U.S. Open Live On Flo

April 25-28 | 12 PM ET

Historical Perspective

Nick Marable was the first American to wrestle 70kg in a world championship since 1968 when UWW reinstated the weight class in 2014. In 2015, four-time All-American James Green would claim the weight class, and it's been his ever since. Marable and Green's placements at the World Championships are below.

2014: Nick Marable, DNP

2015: James Green, bronze

2016: James Green, DNP

2017: James Green, silver

2018: James Green, DNP

James Green has been the boss of 70kg in the USA for the last four years. But challengers abound! After all, it wouldn't be a sport without challengers!

Green has the international hardware to back up his domestic domination. At the 2015 World Championship in Las Vegas, Green smashed his way through the quarterfinals with three consecutive tech-falls. In the semis, he hit a roadblock by the name of Hassan Yazdani, who sent Green to the third-place match after a 9-4 victory. There, Green would beat Miroslav Kirov of Bulgaria to win his first world medal.

Green would get on the medal stand again in 2017 in Paris. There, Green would defeat Japan's Yuhi Fujinami in the semifinals to wrestle in his first and so far only World Championship gold-medal match. Frank Chamizo proved to be too much, however, and Green would have to settle for a silver.

U.S. Open Previews: 57kg | 61kg | 65kg | 74kg

Registered Contenders

James Green was unable to find the podium in Budapest, thus he will have to earn his way back to Final X either by winning the Open or the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, which he has already qualified for. It would appear that Green wants to punch his Final X ticket early, as he is registered to compete in Vegas.

Jason Chamberlain, who came so very close to making the world team last season before dropping a 2-0 and 2-1 in Final X - Lincoln last year to Green, is also registered for the Open. Chambo and Green were training partners in Lincoln for a spell, which led to two very defensive battles between the familiar opponents. 

The Nittany Lion Wrestling Club kept folks waiting before registering their squad, but when they did, the wrestling world took notice, as they will be bringing quite a few hammers to South Point Hotel Casino & Spa, one of whom is three-time NCAA champion Jason Nolf. Nolf took a year off from freestyle after placing third at the team trials in 2017 and making the national team. 

Watch Nolf beat Nazar Kulchytskyy to make the national team at the 2017 World Team Trials:

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The aforementioned Nazar Kulchytskyy could also contend for the stop signs they award to the Open winners. Kulchytskyy has also been out of action for about a year due to injury, but he looked healthy and ready to roll when we saw him at the Minnesota Storm RTC practice prior to the Big Ten Championships. 

Watch Nazar win the 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial Invitational over Dylan Ness at 74kg:

Recent Michigan grad Alec Pantaleo could also cause problems in this bracket. Pantelo will look to improve on his finish at the 2018 Open, the 2018 Team Trials, the 2019 Big Tens, and the 2019 NCAAs, in all of which Pantelo finished third.  

Unregistered Contenders

Recently minted NCAA champion Anthony Ashnault is slated to take on fellow New Jerseyan James Green at this year's Beat the Streets NYC event, so it's no great surprise that Ashnault is not registered for the Open, as he has already qualified for the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament thanks to his 149-pound title. A full list of Team Trial qualifiers can be found here.

Also noticeably absent from the list of registered 70kg participants are Dylan Ness, Griffin Parriott, and Kyle Ruschell, who all made the Challenge Tournament last year. Frank Molinaro is registered, but down at 65kg, which is big news in and of itself. You should read the 65kg Preview to learn more about it if you haven't already.

Other Notable Entries

An incomplete list of other wrestlers to keep an eye includes a mix of youths and veterans alike. David Carr is coming off his redshirt freshman season at Iowa State, though he is also registered in the junior tournament, so it's possible we only see him in one or the other. Deakin, Sorenson, Kindig, Jack, and Mayes have 12 All-American honors between them, with Mayes and Kindig both having made the finals.

Ryan Deakin

Brandon Sorenson

David Carr

Josh Kindig

Kevin Jack 

Lavion Mayes

Spey's Spredictions

1) James Green

2) Jason Chamberlain

3) Jason Nolf

4) Nazar Kulchytskyy