(118-125 lbs.) G.O.A.T. MATNESS: NCAA Champs
Final results
… And the winner(s) of the inaugural G.O.A.T. MATNESS (118-125 lbs.) is:
🥇 - SPENCER LEE ‘21 (IOWA)
🥈 - STEPHEN ABAS ‘02 (FRES)
🥉 - GENE MILLS ‘79 (CUSE)
Spencer Lee (76%) over Stephen Abas
Special thanks to: Matt McDonough, Teague Moore, Joe Dubuque, Nathan “NATO” Tomasello, Sammie “The Bull” Henson, “Mean Gene” Mills, Jake Herbert, BEG Wrestling, PA Power Wrestling for sharing in the action!
To our fans: Another great turnout! Please help us recruit your fellow fanbases to make the voting even juicier! Stay tuned for the (177-184 lbs.) G.O.A.T. MATNESS: NCAA Champs, which is coming very soon!
Finals matchup and Semifinals results:
#1 Spencer Lee '21 (IOWA) 12-0 (5FALLS) (98-6) VS. #2 Stephen Abas '02 (FRES) 35-0 (12FALLS) (144-4)
For the first time in G.O.A.T. MATNESS history, the #1 and #2 seeds will meet in the final. Although both wrestlers are seen here showing off their top game, it is IOWA’s Spencer Lee with the strong advantage in that position. This man can turn anyone for back points and he’ll need to, in order to defeat 3x NCAA Champion Stephen Abas. The advantage on the feet goes to Abas in our opinion and by the end of the 1st period, he would most likely be up in points by grabbing the first takedown. Regardless of who’s choice in the 2nd period, I believe the decision would be to defer to their opponent. Lee is either choosing Top or Bottom while Abas is definitely choosing Bottom or Neutral. Abas won’t lack in confidence, especially if he’s leading after one period and could choose bottom to distance himself by at least another point. That choice could prove deadly. The Fresno State coaching staff should advise Abas to forget about the escape point and make Spencer “beat you on his feet.” If Spencer is forced to choose in the 2nd period, the decision very well could decide the match. I mean, it’s not like Lee is inept on his feet and he probably feels as though he can score points via takedown, thus choosing bottom. However, that could block the Hawkeye from ever getting to his best position. Either way, this match is close and we’ll all be on the edge of our seats to the very end.
Spencer Lee (80%) over Gene Mills
Stephen Abas (70%) over Anthony Robles
Semifinals matchups and Quarterfinals results:
#1 Spencer Lee '21 (IOWA) 12-0 (5FALLS) (98-6) VS. #5 Gene Mills '81 (CUSE) 37-0 (ALOTFALLS) (144-5-1)
#14 Anthony Robles '11 (ASU) 36-0 (2FALLS)(122-23) VS. #2 Stephen Abas '02 (FRES) 35-0 (12FALLS) (144-4)
Spencer Lee (98%) over Matt McDonough
Gene Mills (75%) over Ricky Bonomo
Anthony Robles (69%) over Sammie Henson
Stephen Abas (66%) over Nick Suriano
Quarterfinals matchups and 2nd Round results:
#1 Spencer Lee '21 (IOWA) 12-0 (5FALLS) (98-6) VS. #8 Matt McDonough '12 (IOWA) 36-1 (12FALLS) (122-9)
#5 Gene Mills '81 (CUSE) 37-0 (ALOTFALLS) (144-5-1) VS. #4 Ricky Bonomo '85 (BU) 34-2 (116-12-3)
#14 Anthony Robles '11 (ASU) 36-0 (2FALLS)(122-23) VS. #11 Sammie Henson '93 (CLEM) 34-0 (11FALLS)(111-8)
#7 Nick Suriano '23 (MICH) 16-0 (3FALLS) (83-7) VS. #2 Stephen Abas '02 (FRES) 35-0 (12FALLS) (144-4)
Spencer Lee (94%) over Troy Nickerson
Matt McDonough (65%) over Travis Lee
Gene Mills (79%) over Jesse Delgado
Ricky Bonomo (70%) over Pat Glory
Anthony Robles (75%) over Greg Johnson
Sammie Henson (53%) over Nathan Tomasello
Nick Suriano (70%) over Jack Cuvo
Stephen Abas (90%) over Nico Megaludis
2nd Round matchups and 1st Round results:
#1 Spencer Lee '21 (IOWA) 12-0 (5FALLS) (98-6) VS. #16 Troy Nickerson '09 (COR) 25-0 (12FALLS) (97-8)
#9 Travis Lee '03 (COR) 34-0 (5FALLS) (143-13) VS. #8 Matt McDonough '12 (IOWA) 36-1 (12FALLS) (122-9)
#5 Gene Mills '81 (CUSE) 37-0 (ALOTFALLS) (144-5-1) VS. #12 Jesse Delgado '14 (ILL) 30-2 (7FALLS) (101-16)
#20 Patrick Glory '23 (PRIN) 25-0 (4FALLS) (97-9) VS. #4 Ricky Bonomo '85 (BU) 34-2 (116-12-3)
#3 Greg Johnson '72 (MSU) 16-0 (52-3-2) VS. #14 Anthony Robles '11 (ASU) 36-0 (2FALLS) (122-23)
#11 Sammie Henson '93 (CLEM) 34-0 (11FALLS) (111-8) VS. #6 Jeff Prescott '91 (PSU) 22-1 (8FALLS) (88-15-2)
#7 Nick Suriano '23 (MICH) 16-0 (3FALLS) (83-7) VS. #10 Jack Cuvo '89 (ESU) 45-0 (164-7)
#15 Nico Megaludis '16 (PSU) 31-3 (5FALLS) (118-20) VS. #2 Stephen Abas '02 (FRES) 35-0 (12FALLS) (144-4)
Spencer Lee (100%) over Kelvin “Not Kevin” Jackson
Troy Nickerson (95%) over Gary Breece
Travis Lee (78%) over Teague Moore
Matt McDonough (89%) over Sheldon Thomas
Mean Gene Mills (95%) over Jack Griffin
Jesse Delgado (60%) over Joe “Gonzo” Gonzales
Pat Glory (56%) over Joe Dubuque - “Battle of Princeton”
Ricky Bonomo (86%) over Dan Sherman
Greg Johnson (81%) over Carl DeStefanis
Anthony Robles (76%) over Jeremy Hunter
Sammie Henson (76%) over Nathan “NATO” Tomasello
Jeff Prescott (67%) over Darian Cruz
Nick Suriano (95%) over Jason Powell
Jack Cuvo (76%) over Angel Escobedo
Nico Megaludis (56%) over Paul Donahoe
Stephen Abas (98%) over Adam Cuestas
Okay, here we go! We here at Wrestle MATNESS found ourselves twiddling our thumbs, bored stiff with inactivity this off-season, so we dreamed up a way to get the MATNESS firing again. We’ve created a new “fantasy” event format in which our users will determine the outcome through their popular votes. And for our first fantasy event…., G.O.A.T. MATNESS!
Don’t we all love to debate who’s the best ever? For GOAT MATNESS, we’ve gone and seeded the top NCAA champions from 1970 to the present day, based on what we consider to be their prime year and weight of competition. The criteria used to determine seeding was, in this order of importance:
# of NCAA titles
# of outstanding wrestler and/or Hodge trophies
Additional finals appearances
Additional AA’s placed (highest to lowest)
Prime season record
Prime season number of FALLS
Career Record
It’s been absolutely exhilarating taking the deep-dive into the stats of the NCAA’s all-time greats, getting a 10,000ft view of the historical landscape of the sport we love. The first criteria is the years of eligibility. We settled on 1970-present, the post-Gable era, for a couple of reasons. This timespan allots for enough eligible champions to fill a 32 man bracket. Also, 1970 is the year the NCAA went to 10 weight classes that directly correlate with the present day weight classes that came to be in 1999. It’s a bit of a challenge finding accurate stats for some of the wrestlers from the 70’s, although the NCAA HoF website has been a godsend. Some schools keep better records than others and their sites help to fill in holes, but we quickly learned that some stats, like falls, were not officially kept by the NCAA in the 70’s, so accuracy is not guaranteed. In fact, through our research, we learned Gene Mills’s fall record is self-proclaimed and Wade Schalles is still the certified record holder at 106 career falls.
We noticed some other interesting trends through our research as well. Pins seemed to “fall” out of favor (get it?) in the late 80’s, through the 90’s and into the early 2000’s, however, during this same time period, we see an uptick in overall bout totals in their career records.
Start thinking of your picks and be sure you Join the MATNESS to receive an email when G.O.A.T MATNESS is ready to go!
Here is the list of competitors and 1st round matchups:
—Seed/Wrestler’s Name/‘Year (College) Season Record (#FALLS)[Career Record]—
#1 Spencer Lee '21 (IOWA) 12-0 (5FALLS) (98-6) VS. #32 Kelvin Jackson '95 (MSU) 42-4 (69-9)
In our 1st round match of the lightweights, we have arguably one of the best wrestlers of this generation versus the ever-exciting, record setting stud in Kelvin Jackson. The WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League) hometown hero Spencer Lee, is a PROBLEM on the mat. Spencer is known for winning 1 of his 3 NCAA titles with 0 ACLs, coining the iconic phrase from his interview “excuses are for wussies.” He’ll face off against MSU’s Kelvin Jackson who earned his respect by not only winning an NCAA title, but setting MSU’s all-time single season wins record with 42! Gone are the days of collegiate wrestlers racking up those kind of totals. What will be interesting in this matchup is seeing how Lee can handle Jackson’s slew of offense and how Jackson can handle Lee’s smothering top game. If Lee gets on top, that’s a dangerous game for Jackson.
#17 Gary Breece '74 (OU) 18-1-1 (61-9-3) VS. #16 Troy Nickerson '09 (COR) 25-0 (12FALLS) (97-8)
Here’s a fun little nugget! Gary Breece, combatant in this #17 vs. #16 seed matchup, was the first in NCAA history (at least partially due to timing of his participation and the freshmen eligibility rule change of ‘68) to become a 4X all-american. The Sooner’s 1974 senior season culminated in a national title, qualifying him for “G.O.A.T. MATNESS”. Being part of history won’t guarantee a win in this contest though. Opposite him is one of Big Red’s finest, in Troy Nickerson. Nickerson was highly touted coming out of high school, winning 5 New York state titles and a Junior Hodge trophy. He matriculated this success into the collegiate ranks, holding a “straight” with (4) all-american bids of his own, placing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th throughout his career. In his 2009 junior season, he completed the coveted perfect season with a 29-0 record and 12 FALLS. This historically close scuffle deserves to come down to the wire, but if history teaches us anything, Breece has a recency bias “MOUNTAIN” to climb.
#9 Travis Lee '03 (COR) 34-0 (5FALLS) (143-13) VS. #24 Teague Moore '98 (OKST) 25-3 (101-24)
On paper, Cornell’s Travis Lee appears to have the stats to support a victory in the first round. The Big Red lightweight is a 4X All-American, a 2X champion, and a point-scoring machine, ranking 5th in the school’s history in that category. Lee’s well-rounded, he even managed the jump up a weight class to stand on the highest step again. His opponent however, knows how to turn it ON when under the bright lights. Teague Moore “found himself” in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he soaked up the knowledge of a proven winner like Coach John Smith, and hardened himself thru the grueling go’s with Cowboy teammates like (🐐) Eric Guerrero, so he’d be ready if/when he stood on that “big stage”. And so, when he made the ‘98 NCAA final match, he was ready. In the early seconds of the 1st period, Moore hit an inside trip and never looked back, securing the title. He’ll need that kind of performance again in this opening matchup, if he hopes to advance.
#25 Sheldon Thomas '96 (CLAR) 32-4 (124-18) VS. #8 Matt McDonough '12 (IOWA) 36-1 (12FALLS) (122-9)
The Thomas/McDonough struggle is true clash of styles. Clarion’s Sheldon Thomas, with his calm and calculating demeanor, looks to turn good defense into offense. His strength is hard to contend with, and as opponents attempt to cope, he might just surprise them with a leg attack of his own. Meanwhile, Matt McDonough is the prototypical Iowa Hawkeye, with a persistent attacking style and dogged pace. That persistence carried him to 3 finals appearances, winning twice. McDonough’s 2012 season shines the brightest, as he was nearly perfect with 36 wins to a single loss, 12 by FALL, and defeated PSU’s Nico Megaludis (🐐) in the championship bout.
#5 Gene Mills '81 (CUSE) 37-0 (ALOTFALLS) (144-5-1) VS. #28 Jack Griffin '90 (NW) 40-2 (156-21-1)
Jack Griffin was a true Wildcat that day in March 1990, when he hip tossed ASU’s Zeke Jones to his back in the first frame, never relenting thru the entire match to win the NCAA title. The Northwestern star, who still holds the school’s career wins mark at 156, put together a legendary run in his final NCAA tournament. He’ll need to duplicate that effort to hang in with this next legend of the sport. Self-proclaimed NCAA career FALLS (107) record holder for the Syracuse Orangemen, Gene Mills certainly did pin a lot of opponents, (that’s a fact) and the word on the street is he’s one of the meanest hombres to step on a mat. He can throw that half from anywhere, and if Griffin can’t get to his feet fast, fatigue is bound to set in. This is a dogfight, guess we’ll see who gets to the other’s throat first.
#21 Joe Gonzales '80 (CSUB) 55-0 (8FALLS) (98-1) VS. #12 Jesse Delgado '14 (ILL) 30-2 (7FALLS) (101-16)
Joe Gonzales is a takedown wizard from Cal State Bakersfield who likes to use Japanese techniques to defend and get to the legs. “Gonzo” is a 2X NCAA Div. 1 finalist and won it all in 1980. Joe also picked up a couple of Div. II titles along the way. The CSUB mascot is a roadrunner and Gonzales wrestles like one. Hard to corral, with a full offensive arsenal and endless creativity. Just watch his 1979 thrilling final against Mean Gene Mills (🐐) for exhibit A as evidence. In addition to a smooth knee block dump from the front facelock, Gonzo typically shoots singles. Whether a snatch single or outside low single to the opponent’s left side, he’ll then switch to a double to finish. That’s the important word here, FINISH! Jesse Delgado is probably the hardest wrestler in this bracket to finish a shot on. Just ask (🐐) Nico Megaludis, who met Delgado in the 2013 NCAA final. “Gato-Delgado”, a speed demon with cat-like reflexes hails from the Fighting Illini and is a 2X NCAA Champion in a golden era of 125-pounders. His flexibility, mat awareness, and the lack of “neutral danger” at the time made him nearly impossible to score on. The rubber knee gets used often and just when you think Jesse is only defensive, he’ll explode for a TD of his own for the win!
#13 Joe Dubuque '06 (IND) 28-1 (6FALLS) (114-18) VS. #20 Patrick Glory '23 (PRIN) 25-0 (4FALLS) (97-9)
Very even stylistic matchup as we approach our next matchup of old school vs new school (or coach vs wrestler) in Joe Dubuque vs Patrick Glory. Dubuque is a 2X NCAA champ for Indiana while Glory is a 1X champ for Princeton. This one can go either way, as both men can scramble for DAYS, making it hard to score on either end and making it hard to call for us predicting the matchups. The difference-maker here could be Glory’s smothering top ride vs Dubuque’s ability to hold you from scoring a takedown. An important point to note, however, is Glory has a win over an opponent that is one of the only men to defeat the #1 seeded Spencer Lee in his lone NCAA title in Matt Ramos of Purdue. In my opinion, this matchup is an even 50/50 split. That’s what makes this sport so fun to watch!
#29 Dan Sherman '73 (IOWA) 20-3 (1FALL) (69-16-1) VS. #4 Ricky Bonomo '85 (BU) 34-2 (116-12-3)
Ninjas are silent assassins, highly skilled in their craft. Ricky Bonomo is just that. The most-decorated Bloomsburg Husky wrestler in school history knew how to turn it ON come NCAA tournament time, winning 3 titles in a row, between 1985-87. Bonomo is dynamic, scoring points in bunches while always looking for the FALL. He shut out several elite wrestlers in his era from being seeded in this bracket by hoarding ALL the titles in that 3-year span. Bonomo also knocked out (🐐) Jack Cuvo in the semis of his senior title run. He’ll take that explosive, athletic style up against the branded Iowa approach displayed by Dan Sherman. In 1973, Sherman ground out a title, sneaking past (🐐) Gary Breece by 1 point in their semifinal clash. So, it seems elementary that the Hawkeye will try to turn this bout into a “knife fight in a phone booth.”
#3 Greg Johnson '72 (MSU) 16-0 (52-3-2) VS. #30 Carl DeStefanis '84 (PSU) 39-1-1 (114-16-1)
The dawning of the ‘70’s decade yielded few wrestlers as dominant at their weight as our next competitor. From the era when freshmen were ineligible to compete in NCAA varsity sports, Michigan State’s Greg Johnson was a national champion every chance he got. The Spartan only lost thrice (plus two draws) in his collegiate career. Adjectives like “gritty” and “mean” are often used to describe Johnson and though his wins didn’t come easy, he typically had the stamina to outlast his opponent. Outlasting his first round opponent in this matchup of 🐐’s however, will probably be off the table. Carl DeStefanis is a “coach’s dream” as he approaches wrestling (as well as life), the right way. This Nittany Lion’s “try harder” attitude lifted him to a national title in 1984, when he kept stacking blocks until it added up to a 39-1-1 record in that senior season. He’ll have to wrestle squeaky clean if he’s going to stave off the pain Johnson’s about to bring.
#19 Jeremy Hunter '00 (PSU) 33-1 (8FALLS) (123-17) VS. #14 Anthony Robles '11 (ASU) 36-0 (2FALLS) (122-23)
Jeremy Hunter is all offense. A buttery technician on his feet, he can score quick and often. Not overly imposing, yet somehow never seems to be outmatched, his mat awareness and use of leverage always keeps him in good position. A 2X finalist for the Nittany Lions, Hunter walked away as a NCAA champion in 2000. His challenge in this matchup is how to score on maybe the most inspirational wrestler in the entire “G.O.A.T. MATNESS”. Anthony Robles doesn’t know the definition of the word “impossible”, so don’t try to tell him he won’t be the “best ever” when it comes to the lightweights. He accomplished the impossible as he safeguarded his perfect 36-0 record and defeated defending champion, Matt McDonough (🐐), in the 2011 NCAA finals. As McDonough harshly discovered, the Sun Devil is virtually impossible to score on. Then, as you try like hell to do so from the defensive position on the mat, you realize you’re getting arm bar tilted for more back points. Maybe Hunter has “watched the tape” on that finals match and found a way around Robles’ defenses.
#11 Sammie Henson '93(CLEM)34-0(11FALLS)(111-8) VS. #22 Nathan Tomasello '15(OHST)32-4(5FALLS)(113-8)
These are two guys that know how to scrap! Henson, a 2X NCAA champ for Clemson (yes, Clemson had a wrestling program), is particularly effective in scrambles and has a knack for quick takedowns. His ability to transition from offense to defense definitely makes him a problem for anyone in front of him. Then you have the 4X All-American and 4X Big Ten champ, Nathan Tomasello, who’s constantly in a dog fight! Aptly dubbed “NATO”, this guy who can bench press a gymnasium, also has got crazy mat awareness and a wicked arsenal of takedowns in his pocket. What he’s gonna have to do here against Henson will be to control the pace because Henson’s gonna be coming after him with smothering pressure and quick feet. Exciting that we get to see two greats go at it in a DAWG on DAWG matchup!
#27 Darian Cruz '17 (LEH) 31-2 (6FALLS) (120-20) VS. #6 Jeff Prescott '91 (PSU) 22-1 (8FALLS) (88-15-2)
Built perfect for the weight, Darian Cruz could win in any era. Cruz is known to be great from all positions, SOLID in his stance and extremely quick. All three attributes are on display in the title match of the 2017 NCAA finals. What can’t be seen is Cruz’s determination and resolve, helping the Mountain Hawk to advance to the finals as the 4th seed and claim victory over a wrestler who defeated Darian by major decision earlier in that season. In that match, Cruz and the Lehigh coaches executed a gameplan of staying off bottom to perfection. They’ll want to use the same strategy here against Penn State’s Jeff Prescott. Prescott is a 2X NCAA Champion and in 1991, Jeff earned the Outstanding Wrestler award due to his 14-0 massacre in the finals. In addition to his normal attacks, Prescott uses a lethal throw-by which puts him in great position to start the ride when returned back to the mat. The crab ride, deep half-nelson could work well against Cruz, stacking him up for back points but something tells me Cruz won’t allow himself to fly into that spiderweb.
#7 Nick Suriano '23 (MICH) 16-0 (3FALLS) (83-7) VS. #26 Jason Powell '04 (NEB) 27-2 (3FALLS) (126-29)
Wrestling’s international man of mystery, Nick Suriano comes into this matchup wearing tight corn rows and the Michigan Maize/Blue. However, this fighter traveled here by way of via: NJ >Bergen Catholic >Penn State >Rutgers >Sunkist Kids >Ann Arbor and everywhere in-between. “Nicky Brackets” has legendary toughness, and is a 2X NCAA Champion and 3X finalist. Suriano’s hit-list includes (🐐’s) Darian Cruz and Patrick Glory. He’s never in bad position and is always moving forward. Enter stage right, Nebraska’s Jason Powell who has great length that gives him an advantage on top. His trademark turn is the bar arm tilt which he can hit in big moments, in big matches. JP had quite the run in ‘04 when he capped off a dominating weekend with a 17-2 Technical Fall in the finals. The challenge for Powell remains getting past Suriano’s head/hand defense. I see a distinct advantage for Suriano on the feet, perhaps the gameplan for Powell is to choose TOP when the opportunity arises.
#23 Angel Escobedo '08 (IND) 34-1 (8FALLS) (110-24) VS. #10 Jack Cuvo '89 (ESU) 45-0 (164-7)
Staying close to home (Easton, PA), Jack Cuvo adorned the campus of East Stroudsburg. Jack went on to string-together a 89-match win streak and back to back NCAA titles in ‘88 and ‘89. Cuvo is a takedown machine with a mean streak, and his pace is relentless. Good luck finding a hole in his game. Angel Escobedo won’t need to rely on luck though, he has a strong game of his own. The Hoosier is also extremely proficient on his feet, with a “coach-like” mat sense that led to the consistency that made him a 4X All-American and helped him overcome (🐐) Jayson Ness to claim the title in 2008. If anyone can solve the “Cuvo” riddle, why not he?
#15 Nico Megaludis '16 (PSU) 31-3 (5FALLS) (118-20) VS. #18 Paul Donahoe '07 (NEB) 35-5 (12FALLS) (121-19)
We have a STANDOUT matchup with Nico Megaludis of Penn State squaring off against Paul Donahoe of Nebraska! Megaludis, a former Franklin Regional high school teammate of #1 seed (🐐) Spencer Lee, is on the Mount Rushmore of PSU 125-pounders. Nico (also the best Blind Melon album) is a 4X All-American, 2X finalist, and a NCAA champ…this guy can’t stay off the podium! He’ll have a stud in front of him though in fellow Big Ten rival Paul Donahoe. This is a guy who has an insane pace and puts up a lot of points. This tussle will definitely be interesting since you have two guys with very different styles. Donahoe is gonna push the pace and Megaludis is gonna try to capitalize on re-attacks…this is gonna be a chess match of GOATS!
#31 Adam Cuestas '83 (CSUB) 35-4 (141-24) VS. #2 Stephen Abas '02 (FRES) 35-0 (12FALLS) (144-4)
This intrastate collision between 2 of California’s best homegrown wrestlers bodes well to be action packed. Adam Cuestas accessorized his 3 DII titles with a DI title in 1983 at the 118 lbs. weight class. He reunited with older brother Dan (🐐 @ 126lbs) at Cal State-Bakersfield when they both transferred in, to find success again as they did in high school (Merced H.S.). His opponent, separated by a 2 hr. car ride and 2 decades of competition, “came up” in Cali too. Stephen Abas is considered a G.O.A.T. when it comes to California scholastic wrestling as well as in the martial arts. He kept his skill sets “in-house” (or should I say in-state), when he committed to Fresno State to wrestle for the Bulldogs. He was a 4X All-American with 3 titles, going undefeated in his last two seasons of college. Both of these athletes have brought hardware home before but can either of them deliver GOAT GOLD back to the “Golden State”?