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Jesse Mendez vs Seth Gross!


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6 hours ago, SWINfan said:


Much more interesting would be how it plays out with Lee, RBY, Daton Fix and Vito Arujau (who is also rumored to be bumping to 133).  That's a deep weight if it happens.  

Lee vs rby is insane to think about!

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I've not heard about Lee going 133.  I've read that he has said he's a career 125 lber and that he walks around at 130-132.  Lee will be at 125 for the Hawkeyes next year.

 

As far as Mendez goes, freestyle and folkstyle are two different animals, especially at the NCAA level.  I think if tOSU plugs in Mendez at 141 as a true freshman, he will take some lumps.  We all saw how Micic did when he bumped to 141 this past season.  If the plan is to wrestle 141, then I believe he would benefit from a redshirt season to build his body into full sized 141.  I think a folkstyle match between him and Bouzakis would likely be a very close match that would go either way.  I think those two will probably wrestle off for 133 and hit the opens at 133 to decide who gets the spot.  Or they could both redshirt.

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Freestyle and folk style are two different styles yes, but who at jesses age is doing what he is doing? Who is competing with the goats of the sport that hasn’t even hit 19 yet?

jesse is amazing in neutral which I don’t see changing at all in college. Add on riding time from his rides? Definitely a contender. 

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1 hour ago, Wrestlingfan937 said:

Freestyle and folk style are two different styles yes, but who at jesses age is doing what he is doing? Who is competing with the goats of the sport that hasn’t even hit 19 yet?

jesse is amazing in neutral which I don’t see changing at all in college. Add on riding time from his rides? Definitely a contender. 

Micic, who wrestled in the Olympics and has had success at Euros, tried bumping to 141 and found it to be tough going being a bit undersized.  Can Mendez adjust to the weight quickly, sure.  But like all incoming freshman, how he does on bottom will go a long way to determining how he does his true freshman year.  If he can't get out, that will be a problem (and historically, tOSU has had their issues with guys being able to get off bottom).  I hope he proves me wrong and makes the adjustment to the weight quickly.  I just think we have to temper our expectations until we see him wrestle 141.  The last Swiderski match should make us pause a little.

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J Tsirtsis benefited from a redshirt year big time.  I saw him at the midlands his true freshman year and he had a little trouble on bottom.  Then his redshirt freshman year at 149 he won because he was able to escape from the best riders.  I think Jesse should do the same. 

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One more consideration no one's mentioned: there's a good chance the possibility of taking an Olympic redshirt in his second year of university (2023-24) is on Jesse's mind in all of this. It would allow him to focus that year fully on being a true 65kg/143lb guy (no 61kg at olympics) and making a real run at being our rep.

 

Ways he could qualify for that redshirt if it's the same as last cycle (no weight class stipulations were on any of these):

 

1. Top 8 at 2023 US Open.

 

2. Top 3 at NCAAs in 2023 AND top 2 at U23 WTTs.

 

3. Medal at World juniors or World U23s next year (or this year if Bouzakis were unfortunately injured in training and Jesse went instead).

 

That option #1 seems very attainable and an Olympic redshirt is probably a significant part of discussions between Jesse and his camps.

Edited by maligned
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On 6/7/2022 at 10:54 AM, Wrestlingfan937 said:

Freestyle and folk style are two different styles yes, but who at jesses age is doing what he is doing? Who is competing with the goats of the sport that hasn’t even hit 19 yet?

jesse is amazing in neutral which I don’t see changing at all in college. Add on riding time from his rides? Definitely a contender. 

I feel like we see that semi frequently between young guys beating older studs in freestyle and then struggling in folkstyle. Recent examples are Beau Bartlett and Carter Young. 

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11 hours ago, maligned said:

One more consideration no one's mentioned: there's a good chance the possibility of taking an Olympic redshirt in his second year of university (2023-24) is on Jesse's mind in all of this. It would allow him to focus that year fully on being a true 65kg/143lb guy (no 61kg at olympics) and making a real run at being our rep.

 

Ways he could qualify for that redshirt if it's the same as last cycle (no weight class stipulations were on any of these):

 

1. Top 8 at 2023 US Open.

 

2. Top 3 at NCAAs in 2023 AND top 2 at U23 WTTs.

 

3. Medal at World juniors or World U23s next year (or this year if Bouzakis were unfortunately injured in training and Jesse went instead).

 

That option #1 seems very attainable and an Olympic redshirt is probably a significant part of discussions between Jesse and his camps.

I have to believe the an ORS is in the plans.  But I just think there are too many hurdles for him to get over to make the team in 2024.  Yianni, N. Lee, Oliver, McKenna, Zain, Eierman, Gross probably goes up instead of down to 57 kg, maybe Fix, Henderson.  That's a steep hill to climb for this cycle.  2028 seems more realistic.

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1 hour ago, ReformedPoster said:

I have to believe the an ORS is in the plans.  But I just think there are too many hurdles for him to get over to make the team in 2024.  Yianni, N. Lee, Oliver, McKenna, Zain, Eierman, Gross probably goes up instead of down to 57 kg, maybe Fix, Henderson.  That's a steep hill to climb for this cycle.  2028 seems more realistic.

I agree, not saying Jesse can't hold his own but I think his best shot is in '28. Give him a chance to mature mentally and physically and I think if he's healthy there won't be too many people that would enjoy being on a wrestling mat with him!

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9 hours ago, ReformedPoster said:

I have to believe the an ORS is in the plans.  But I just think there are too many hurdles for him to get over to make the team in 2024.  Yianni, N. Lee, Oliver, McKenna, Zain, Eierman, Gross probably goes up instead of down to 57 kg, maybe Fix, Henderson.  That's a steep hill to climb for this cycle.  2028 seems more realistic.

I don't disagree. I just bring it up because the extra olympic redshirt training opportunity probably affects the decision as to whether he also sits out the upcoming season. 

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