(126-133 lbs.) G.O.A.T. MATNESS: NCAA Champs
🥇 Barry Davis ‘85 (IOWA) 43-1
🥈 Vito Arujau ‘23 (COR) 25-1
🥉 Terry Brands ‘92 (IOWA) 35-0
Barry Davis (58%) over Vito Arujau
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!
The FINAL is set!
Final Matchup and Semifinal results:
Barry Davis '85 (IOWA) 43-1 VS. Vito Arujau '23 (COR) 25-1
Barry Davis (91%) over Pat Milkovich
Vito Arujau (53%) over Terry Brands
Semifinals matchups and Quarterfinals results:
Barry Davis '85 (IOWA) 43-1 VS. Pat Milkovich '74 (MSU) 25-1
Vito Arujau '23 (COR) 25-1 VS. Terry Brands '92 (IOWA) 35-0
Barry Davis (72%) over Roman Bravo-Young
Pat Milkovich (51%) over Dwayne Keller
Vito Arujau (84%) over Johnny Thompson
Terry Brands (51%) over Eric Guerrero
Quarterfinals matchups and 2nd round results:
Barry Davis '85 (IOWA) 43-1 VS. Roman Bravo-Young '22 (PSU) 22-0
Pat Milkovich '74 (MSU) 25-1 VS. Dwayne Keller '70 (OKST) 17-0
Vito Arujau '23 (COR) 25-1 VS. Johnny Thompson '02 (OKST) 37-2
Terry Brands '92 (IOWA) 35-0 VS. Eric Guerrero '99 (OKST) 31-0
Barry Davis (95%) over Cory Clark
RBY (54%) over Randy Lewis
Pat Milkovich (65%) over Jeff McGinness
Dwayne Keller (57%) over Sanshiro Abe
Vito Arujau (96%) over Dan Cuestas
Johnny Thompson (52%) over Nahshon Garrett
Terry Brands (57%) over Jordan Oliver
Eric Guerrero (88%) over Jayson Ness
2nd round matchups and 1st round results:
Barry Davis '85 (IOWA) 43-1 VS. Cory Clark '17 (IOWA) 20-3
Roman Bravo-Young '22 (PSU) 22-0 VS. Randy Lewis '79 (IOWA) 36-0
Pat Milkovich '74 (MSU) 25-1 VS. Jeff McGinness '95 (IOWA) 30-0
Sanshiro Abe '96 (PSU) 29-0 VS. Dwayne Keller '70 (OKST) 17-0
Vito Arujau '23 (COR) 25-1 VS. Dan Cuestas '82 (CSUB) 32-1-1
Nahshon Garrett '15 (COR) 37-0 VS. Johnny Thompson '02 (OKST) 37-2
Jordan Oliver '11 (OKST) 29-0 VS. Terry Brands '92 (IOWA) 35-0
Jayson Ness '10 (MINN) 31-0 VS. Eric Guerrero '99 (OKST) 31-0
Barry Davis (71 %) over Kendall Cross
Cory Clark (67%) over Nick Gallo
RBY (78%) over Tony Ramos
Randy Lewis (74%) over Coleman Scott
Pat Milkovich (52%) over Seth Gross
Jeff McGinness (74%) over Jim Martin
Sanshiro Abe (56%) over Matt Valenti
Dwayne Keller (78%) over Franklin Gomez
Vito Arujau (93%) over John Fritz
Dan Cuestas (52%) over Brad Penrith
Nahshon Garrett (60%) over Eric Juergens
Johnny Thompson (89%) Jason Kelber
Jordan Oliver (93%) over Kevin Darkus
Terry Brands (92%) over Mike Land
Jayson Ness (67%) over John Azevedo
Eric Guerrero (91%) over Cody Brewer
Here is the list of competitors and 1st round matchups:
—Wrestler’s Name/‘Year (College) Season Record (#FALLS*)(Career Record)—
Barry Davis '85 (IOWA) 43-1 (14*) (162-9-1) VS. Kendall Cross '89 (OKST) 33-2-1 (9*) (112-27-3)
This version of Barry Davis in 1985, (now wearing RED Asics which = STYLE points with us) represents IOWA wrestling at its most ruthless. Fresh off capturing his 3rd NCAA title and the OW award, Davis enters with a staggering 43-1 record - a season where he didn't just win, he demolished opponents with 14 falls. His 162-9-1 career record still stands as IOWA's all-time wins leader, a testament to four years of relentless dominance under Gable's unforgiving system. Davis is handsy and wants to wrestle THROUGH you! He’ll often finish his leg attacks working up to a body-lock, but… could that be a fatal flaw in this matchup? Kendall Cross brings a completely different energy - the kind of wrestler who could change a match in an instant. His 33-2-1 championship season capped a 3x AA career built on explosive athleticism and an attacking style that kept opponents constantly off-balance. What made Cross special wasn't just his ability to score in bunches, but his knack for rising to the biggest moments. In my opinion this matchup comes down to whether Davis can impose his methodical, pressure-heavy style or if Cross can create enough explosive moments to build a lead. The key battleground would be the first period - if Davis can establish his pace and control early, his conditioning advantage becomes massive by the third period. But if Cross can build an early lead through his dynamic attacks or counters, he can wrestle more tactically and force Davis to chase points. “Let’s get it on!” - Mills Lane
Cory Clark '17 (IOWA) 20-3 (4*) (98-15) VS. Nick Gallo '77 (HOF) 36-3 (104-14)
Nick Gallo is a legend in the state of New York. Hailing from Long Island, Gallo stayed local to wrestle for Hofstra. His trajectory was always upward, from his 8th grade year when he got his start in the sport, until he reached that climactic senior season. He took a 31-3 record into the ‘77 NCAA Championships, methodically dismantled the field to secure a national title with an OW cherry on top, making him the 1st and only national champ in school history. Gallo brings a full gas tank and is punishing on top, which could prove decisive. If anyone can match the grit and endurance of Gallo, it would be this Hawk-GUY (see what I did there?). Our GOAT bracket hosts (8) IOWA wrestlers (a GOAT MATNESS record 😮), and Cory Clark is showing out in this bout. Clark just competes, always in the mix, proof in him negotiating his way into the NCAA finals 3 times and winning it ALL in his final attempt against Seth Gross (🐐). Clark will frustrate opponents with a severe case of hand fighting, just biding his time until a mistake is made. He can dogfight from all positions, but if there’s a weakness, it could be from the defensive/bottom position. Oh wait, isn’t riding Gallo’s strength? 😳
Roman Bravo-Young '22 (PSU) 22-0 (4*) (100-10) VS. Tony Ramos '14 (IOWA) 32-2 (101-24)
Oh how I love when the PSU vs IOWA 🐐’s lock horns! This one is especially juicy given the disdain that the fanbases have for the wrestler wearing the opposite colors. Roman Bravo-Young (RBY) is a name not allowed to be spoken at dinner tables in Hawkeye country due to the numerous defeats over IOWA legend and fan favorite Austin DeSanto (not a 🐐). In these battles (resembling a game of “Stratego” more than anything else), RBY used a clever game-plan combined with patience to pick and choose when to use his lightning speed to grab the lone takedown of the bout, often resulting in the match deciding points. DeSanto isn’t the only legend that this Nittany Lion denied 🐐 status either. RBY would go on to defeat Daton Fix (4x finalist) twice in the NCAA finals. Again, incredible wrestling awareness and insane athleticism were the difference. If there is anyone who’s NOT listening to any of that praise and skipping over RBY’s bio, it’s Tony Ramos. This guy has ZERO “You know what’s” to give. He is a trained KILLER and wants to remind you that HE is the one responsible for your demise -each and every time he visits your grave. Extremely physical and always pushing forward, Ramos is sure to have the IOWA faithful screaming “STALLING” 👊 as early as the 1st period. A 3x AA, Ramos is credentialed but nonetheless, is seen stomping the mat while staring daggers through the calm demeanor of RBY, using every opportunity to intimidate his opponent. They shake hands and Ramos immediately slaps RBY across the head, RBY smiles as he adjusts his headgear and dances out… and we ALL slide our butts to the edge of our seats. LFG!
Coleman Scott '08 (OKST) 33-4 (4) (120-24) VS. Randy Lewis '79 (IOWA) 36-0 (19*) (127-11-1)
Coleman Scott knew there was one coach that could maximize his growth and potential of winning a national championship, and that coach was John Smith (🐐). Stylistically it was a match made in heaven, cultivating into 4X AA honors, 2X NCAA finals appearances with one title over Scott’s career. In line with the theme of wrestler/coach connection, Scott unleashes low-leg attacks with crisp finishes, and once on top, he tends to stay in control with a suffocating leg ride, techniques emanating from his exceptional range and length. The OKST Cowboy will need to draw on these strengths to neutralize this opening round opponent. Randy Lewis, ANOTHER Hawkeye in this GOAT bracket, is bringing the IOWA way with him, meaning opponents are getting an “in-your-face”, unorthodox, and relentless assault on their well-being. With 64 career FALLS, scoring and maybe more accurately devastation are on the menu, as Lewis will invent unconventional attacks in real time. Lewis also boasts 4X AA honors with 3 finals visits, in which 2 of them resulted in titles. Expect fireworks from the whistle. Lewis’ unpredictability could frustrate Scott, but Scott’s precision and tactical discipline could expose Lewis’ openings. Maybe this match sees OT?!
Pat Milkovich '74 (MSU) 25-1 (96-7-4) VS. Seth Gross '18 (SDST) 29-1 (12*) (117-22)
Seth Gross is self-proclaimed as “God’s Wrestler” and that may be true because all I know is, his scrambling is miraculous. Gross won’t WOW you with a body chiseled out of stone or an intimidating look, but he’s scary from any position on the mat. This Jackrabbit’s creativity helped him advance to the NCAA finals twice. Seth lost to Cory Clark (🐐) in 2017 but won it all in 2018 (1st in school history) against a future World Champ Stevan Micic. Do yourself a favor and watch the 1st minute of that match, the technical skills and his hand-strength that resemble a pair of Vice-Grips are on FULL display… and on the eighth day, God created Seth Gross. However, prayers weren’t answered because Gross GOT MILK-ovich 🙄🤦 -in an unfortunate 1st round draw. Pat Milkovich is a 4x finalist from Michigan State who wrestled for “Sparty” in the 70’s. He’s one of only (9) wrestlers to place that high in all years of college and is STILL the youngest NCAA Champ (18 years and 3 months) with his title in 1972. We’re using 1974 as the “Prime Year” in which Milkovich won a stacked bracket (including a couple of 🐐 ‘s -Mike Frick and John Fritz) as a #5 seed. Pat is long and lanky, just like his opponent, so I see these two rolling around the mat for several minutes. Whomever can catch the other on their back for some swipes, should be the difference.
Jim Martin '88 (PSU) 41-1-1 (7*) (155-9-4) VS. Jeff McGinness '95 (IOWA) 30-0 (8*) (127-16)
Yet another IOWA wrestler in this GOAT bracket? Jeff McGuinness locked down a spot in the Hawkeye lineup thru the mid to late 90’s, claiming AA honors (5th place) as a true freshman, before winning it all his sophomore season, posting a 💯% winning percentage along the way. The next year was going swimmingly, taking a #2 seed into the Tournament, before an early round upset knocked him into the consolation gauntlet, where he ran into a young freshman by the name of Eric Guerrero (🐐), losing in the blood round and hence ending his season. A redshirt year would follow, after which McGuinness jumped up a couple weight classes to procure his 2nd national title. His successes stem from being a pure wrestler, solid in all positions. In fact, in his 1st championship, a tough ride on Sanshiro Abe (🐐) secured the riding point and the cushion needed to earn the win. But if “you wanna wrestle?”, this next contestant is game. Dr. Jim Martin got a degree in wrestling from Penn State University in the late ‘80’s, where he earned AA honors four times (4th, 2nd, 1st, 3rd), while making the finals twice and winning 1 championship. In his junior season, when he made the bump up to the 126 lbs. class, he posted a real gem of a season, with a 41-1-1 record to score his title. The Nittany Lion will match strength with strength, as he is known for his “slippery hips” on bottom and control from the top. Guess this match comes down to that proverbial -lone takedown.
Matt Valenti '06 (PENN) 36-2 (7*) (136-23) VS. Sanshiro Abe '96 (PSU) 29-0 (9*) (125-15)
Prediction: this bout comes down to the riding point! Sanshiro Abe is at home on his feet. The Nittany Lion’s high attack and finish rate swing odds in his favor in the neutral position. Lightning quick singles come from all angles and setups. Abe AA’d four times, placing 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and finally 1st in consecutive order. He came close to becoming a 2X champion, if he could’ve managed to get out from under Jeff McGinness (🐐) in a timely fashion. “Sonny” won the standing position, but the riding point he surrendered ultimately lost him the bout. Question: Will Penn’s Matt Valenti also dominate the mat wrestling in this opening round contest? The Quaker is known for his cerebral style and relentless pace, so managing Abe’s leg attacks shouldn’t be a problem, but again, he’ll most likely need to outpace his opponent on the mat. He’s a 2X champion so winning on the big stage is in his DNA, time will tell if it translates to a deep run in this GOAT bracket.
Franklin Gomez '09 (MSU) 27-2 (1*) (119-15) VS. Dwayne Keller '70 (OKST) 17-0 (6*) (64-1)
Franklin Gomez took his talents to East Lansing from Florida, after moving to the United States via Puerto Rico, where the Spartan collected 3 AA’s and a national title. Gomez is lightning fast, coupled with an explosive offense that delivers flair and finesse on the mat. His international-style proficiency lends him the agility and adaptability to scramble out of tough positions, which sets up yet another “counter wrestling” versus “positional control” matchup. Dwayne Keller is one of the 3 wrestlers appearing in this bracket belonging to the “GOAT BROS” club. Along with his identical twin Darrell (🐐), the Kellers combined for 4 individual national titles in 5 finals appearances in addition to 2 team titles for their Oklahoma State squad. Dwayne was the lighter of the two, winning his 1st title in ‘68, and again in ‘70, while finishing 2nd in ‘71. His no-frills approach entails the grinding down of his opponents with superior mat awareness and stamina. However, the Cowboy has never seen the scrambling prowess like that of Gomez and lacks emphasis on speed and dynamic transitions, so I guess it comes down to who can get to their game first.
Vito Arujau '23 (COR) 25-1 (2*) (93-9) VS. John Fritz '75 (PSU) 27-2 (3*) (126-29)
John Fritz is a 3x AA and the National Champ in 1975, defeating Pat Milkovich (🐐) in the finals. Fritz is a company man, as he coached the Nittany Lions years after wrestling for them. John is a legend in Happy Valley and deservedly so, but let’s not sugar-coat this. I don’t know that even PSU fans could ever pick Fritz over fellow Nittany Lion great Roman Bravo-Young in any prime season, and in this matchup he’s facing the MAN who completely decimated RBY in 2023. Vitali VITO Arujau is a modern-day wrestling champion with old school mentality and upbringing. Vito, who is a member of the Big Red, is a stellar opponent regardless of year, but in 2023 -Vito had one of the greatest years in USA wrestling history. Arujau was on an absolute heater! Besides dominating both Daton Fix and RBY in the NCAA tournament for Cornell, VITO went on to win a World Championship! From the neutral position, his speed and accuracy were unmatched. His ability to finish so quickly often produced extra back points. Honestly, given the “PRIME Year” aspect to the GOAT MATNESS Bracket series, it’s going to be hard to pick against Arujau here. The large “C” on his chest could have been replaced w/ a large “S” because he was Superman.
Brad Penrith '86 (IOWA) 14-1 (2*) (86-11) VS. Dan Cuestas '82 (CSUB) 32-1-1 (9*) (71-3-1)
Fun fact: This GOAT MATNESS bracket features 3 wrestlers who have brothers (2 of them being identical twins) in our previous brackets. Dan Cuestas was always the standard for his brother and (🐐) Adam, first in high school and then later at Cal State-Bakersfield, reuniting again after transferring there from their respective programs. “The hardest thing was following my brother,” Adam said. I guess when your big brother is winning state, then D1 national titles, as well as making world freestyle teams, it can be a little daunting. The 2X (plus 2 DII titles) champ is a tactical and counter-heavy wrestler, as was the culture in the CSUB wrestling room thru the early ‘80’s, so he’ll be looking to let the match come to him here. And once again, this creates a stylistic clash between opponents, as so many of these 1st round matchups seem to do. Brad Penrith is a Hawkeye, so…, you guessed it, he is aggressive and high-paced, applying relentless pressure thru unmatched conditioning. He was a cornerstone for Coach Gable’s dynasty teams of the mid 80’s, but in an era when 150+ career bouts was commonplace, Penrith couldn’t manage to break 100. Nonetheless, he DID manage to make the finals 3 times at NCAA’s, winning his title in the 1st attempt. He’s sure to try and get to his explosive double or high-crotch early and wear Cuestas down with a tough ride, but if that doesn’t materialize, it could allow for this Roadrunner to outwit the Coyote again.
Eric Juergens '00 (IOWA) 30-1 (10*) (120-13) VS. Nahshon Garrett '15 (COR) 37-0 (11*) (149-12)
If you’ve taken the time you read all the 1st round writeups, you can skip this sentence, because you already know we have 8 Hawkeyes in this bracket. Each HAWK stakes legitimate claims to GOAT status, but this next combatant might be the most dominant of them all. Eric Juergens was a 4X, undefeated Iowa state champ, who does any good Iowa boy would do…, go to IOWA. He went on to finish every collegiate season with a win, placing 3rd, 3rd, 1st and 1st consecutively . Here’s a fun game; let’s rattle off the GOATs (🐐) he beat at NCAA’s to accomplish this feat: Stephen Abas (🥈 118/125lbs GOAT) TWICE!, Eric Larkin, Aaron Holker, and Johnny Thompson. His ‘02 junior season was pure gold, going 31-0 with 7 FALLS to win his first title. Juergens explodes thru his shots, and once on top, he usually remains there unless he turns you and pins you. Not a bad formula for success aye? Well, the man across the mat ain’t buying that. Nahshon Garrett knows his way around the mat too, albeit in a slightly different styling, but extremely successful just the same. Garrett won 1 title while wrestling for the Big Red of Cornell, defeating (🐐) Cory Clark in the finals his senior year. A 4X AA’er, and a 2X finalist, he was always hinting at the top spot. Relying on his agility and defense, he is a tough nut to crack. He’ll be looking to score off of a scramble most likely, but one might fear trouble for Garrett if he ends up underneath Juergens and can’t muster a quick escape.
Jason Kelber '91 (NEB) 34-2 (123-30) VS. Johnny Thompson '02 (OKST) 37-2 (9*) (127-14)
Johnny Thompson was steady for Okie St. over the 4 years as a starter. Out of the gate, he came out guns ablazing, with a 32-3 record with 9 FALLS. That was punctuated with a finals appearance, where he ultimately fell to (🐐) Eric Juergens 10-7. So Thompson followed that up with back-to back title runs in ‘02 and ‘03. In his senior season, he took an upset loss in the quarterfinals, but battled back to take 3rd, or we’d maybe have a runaway GOAT finalist on our hands. Thompson knew how to show up in the big moments, and once he gets that patented high-paced and dynamic style ignited, it was tough to snuff out. Opposite of him, from the University of Nebraska, Jason Kelber. The Cornhusker doesn’t quite match the level of career consistency of Thompson, but he did grace the finals twice, hence splitting the series with fellow (🐐) Terry Brands in those sequential seasons. Kelber doesn’t flash often, which may work to his advantage, as that methodical approach could stunt Thompson’s brand of unconventional scrambling. This one may come down to a riding point.
Jordan Oliver '11 (OKST) 29-0 (11*) (127-6) VS. Kevin Darkus '84 (ISU) 46-0-1 (118-12-6)
THAT DUDE JO is different. We don’t typically like to reveal our biases but Jordan Oliver is one of our favorites, I mean how could he not? Hailing from the wrestling factory of Easton HS in Pennsylvania, Jordan took his talents to Stillwater, where he is a 4x AA, 3x Finalist, and a 2x Champion. Some would say he’s actually a 3x champ (referee’s decision) and those people wouldn’t hear any argument from us. Anyway, let’s talk style shall we? Oliver has power with his blast double, slickness with his duck-under, perfect build for this weight, and a killer sock/shoe game to go with a fully-tatted frame. The various hair-do’s and facial hair sculptures are really the 🍒 on top! Kevin Darkus is a 3x AA and a great wrestler for the Cyclones of Iowa State. Darkus is not heralded as an all-time great career wise but in 1984, his season is heralded as an all-time great. Darkus was near perfect with a 46-0-1 record and defeated a Michigan man Joe McFarland, the “Silver Fox” (Nickname courtesy of Shane Sparks) in the NCAA finals. This was a bracket which included John Smith (🐐) and Rocky Bonomo (🐐)! Let us not forget that Kevin also has a win over #1 seed Barry Davis as well. Nonetheless, given the size advantage for JO and the recency bias, we consider Darkus the Darkhorse.
Mike Land '78 (ISU) 48-0 (150-13-1) VS. Terry Brands '92 (IOWA) 35-0 (14*) (137-7)
In a bracket filled with 🐐’s, sometimes the most compelling matchups come down to pure numbers. Here we have two of the most dominant single seasons in NCAA wrestling history - Mike Land's flawless 48-0 junior campaign at Iowa State in 1978, and Terry Brands' equally perfect 35-0 senior season at IOWA in 1992. Land’s 150-13-1 career record places him 2nd in ISU history for career wins, but it's that perfect junior campaign that defines his legacy. The kind of sustained excellence that's almost impossible to achieve - no off nights, no close calls that go the wrong way, just pure domination for an entire season. However, everyone in the gym feels the energy coming from across the mat. If you want to understand what Dan Gable's IOWA program was about, watch the Brands Bros. wrestle (Terry and Tom - 🐐 🥈 134/141 lbs.). Pure intensity weaponized into wrestling excellence. His 35-0 senior season with 14 falls represented everything IOWA stood for - relentless pressure, superior conditioning, and a refusal to accept anything less than complete domination. Brands didn't just win matches; he broke opponents. His 137-7 career record reflects four years of that patented Hawkeye consistency, but his senior season was something special. This matchup asks a fundamental question: What happens when two wrestlers who simply didn't lose that season face each other? You decide.
Jayson Ness '10 (MINN) 31-0 (19*) (148-15) VS. John Azevedo '80 (CSUB) 53-0 (23*) (125-4)
We may need to speak to the seeding committee, this can’t be correct?! These two combatants posted single season marks that top all-time leaderboards for all weight classes, and here they are toe-ing the line across from each other in the opening round. Ridiculous. The name Ness is synonymous with FALLS, and Jayson holds the school career record for the University of Minnesota with 73. The Gopher is a 4X AA and a 2X finalist, winning his title in his senior year, with a perfect 31-0 record and 19 FALLS while taking home the Hodge Trophy to boot. Ness will need to capitalize on his explosive scoring ability and try locking up his devastating cradle early for a few swipes, or maybe even the FALL, because his opponent will be looking to exploit positional advantages if this match stays tight. John Azevedo is known for strategic and disciplined style, in which he looks to control ties, slow aggressive opponents (like Ness) down and lull them into his technical web of leg attacks, most notably a single-leg. After a lackluster freshman season at Oklahoma State, Azevedo transferred to Division 2 powerhouse, Cal State-Bakersfield, where he went on to win 3 DII titles while making the D1 finals 3 times. It’s his astounding 53-0 perfect senior season, when he won his only D1 title and put up 23 FALLS along the way, that qualifies him for this GOAT tournament. He only lost 4 times in his illustrious collegiate career, but 1 of those was a :30 second FALL surrendered in the ‘78 118 lbs. finals. Hear that? That’s Ness licking his chops.
Cody Brewer '15 (OU) 22-1 (2*) (95-22) VS. Eric Guerrero '99 (OKST) 31-0 (115-13)
Cody Brewer put the college wrestling world on notice when, in his 2015 junior season, the Sooner came roaring out of the #13 seed, knocking off the #4, #12, #1, and ultimately the #3 seed, Cory Clark (🐐), in the finals to win a NCAA title. The 4X AA’er is a long shot in a field of 🐐’s, but Brewer thrives in this space by deploying a frenetic and creative style of high- risk, high-reward offense. And so will be the case for Brewer in this lopsided Big 12 showdown in the 1st round. Eric Guerrero was “the favorite” through the majority of his decorated career at OKST, winning 3 consecutive national titles over the period. Guerrero is stylistically opposite of his opponent here, as the Cowboy is known for his technical mastery, mat control, and elite positioning. It would appear he should negate Brewer’s strengths as long as he manages to avoid the initial chaos that is.