U.S. wins No-Gi team title at Grappling World Championships in Switzerland
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
12/21/2008

LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND - The United States dominated the competition to capture the team title in the No-Gi style at the Grappling World Championships on Saturday, December 20.

The United States swept the gold medals in the five men’s weight classes, and added an individual champion in the women’s division to take the No-Gi team title. The USA scored 135 team points, well ahead of runner-up France with 53 points. Canada, Great Britain and Poland rounded out the top five teams.

Claiming individual gold medals in the men’s competition were:
• Matt Sanchez (Sacramento, Calif./Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness) at 62 kg/136.5 lbs.
• Ricky Lundell (Ames, Iowa/Grappler’s Edge) at 70 kg/154 lbs.
• Jacob Volkmann (White Bear Lake, Minn./Minnesota Martial Arts Academy) at 80 kg/176 lbs.
• Raphael Davis (Lomita, Calif./Team Caique) at 92 kg/202.5 lbs.
• Jeff Monson (Olympia, Wash./American Top Team) at 125 kg/275 lbs.

Sanchez had a dominant performance, winning all four of his matches by submission. He stopped Tom Barlow of Great Britain in the finals by submission.

All five of the individual champions from the United States were winners at the Dollamur U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in Rocklin, Calif. in September, and hold the No. 1 ranking in the United States.

Both Lundell and Monson won World gold medals in Grappling at the 2007 World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey. Sanchez was second at the 2007 World Wrestling Games, as well.

Two of the men’s finals were all-American contests. At 96 kg/211.5 pounds, Davis defeated Ian Murphy (Fullerton, Calif./Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness) in the finals by submission. At 120 kg/275 lbs., Monson stopped Brandon Ruiz (West Jordan, Utah/Grappler’s Edge) in the finals, 6-1. Both were rematches from the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials.

Lundell defeated Nicolas Renier of France in the finals by submission. Volkmann stopped Marcello Salazar Mousinho of Brazil in the finals, 4-1.

The U.S. won a total of nine medals in men’s Grappling. Along with the five champions and two silver medalists, the U.S. also brought home bronze medals by Brian Peterson, (Valencia, Calif./Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Center) at 62 kg/136.5 lbs. and Tom LeCuyer (Plano, Ill./Atlas Xtreme Team, Torres Martial Arts) at 70 kg/154 lbs. The only losses by Peterson and LeCuyer were to their American teammates.

In the women’s division, the U.S. placed four athletes in the finals. Capturing a gold medal was Lisa Ward (Olympia, Wash./United Fight Team) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., who defeated Lisa Newton of Great Britain in the finals by submission.

Ward was also a World champion at the 1997 World Wrestling shoes Games in Antalya, Turkey.

Three U.S. women won silver medals: Felicia Oh (Valencia, Calif./Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Fitness Center) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Molly Helsel (San Diego, Calif./North County Fight Club) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Miesha Tate (Olympia, Wash./Victory Athletics) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. All three were defeated by submission in the finals.

Complete information on the women’s results from the World Grappling Championships is not currently available and will be posted when received.

Grappling, also known as submission wrestling, was recognized as an international style of wrestling in 2006. FILA held its first major international event in Grappling in 2007 at World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey. The United States swept all nine World titles in Antalya, with gold medals in the five men’s weight classes and four women’s weight classes.

This year, FILA will hold both a No-Gi and a Gi competition at the Grappling World Championships. The U.S. team qualified in No-Gi Grappling, and all of the team members competed in the No-Gi tournament on Saturday, December 20.

Many of the U.S. team members are also expected to enter the Gi tournament on Sunday, December 21.

For more information on the FILA Grappling World Championships, visit the official website at:
http://www.d4-world.com/

2008 USA GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Lucerne, Switzerland

62 kg/136.5 lbs.
Gold – Matt Sanchez (USA)
Silver – Tom Barlow (Great Britain)
Bronze – Brian Peterson (USA)
Bronze – John Louro (Canada)
5th – Jose Zapater (Spain)
5th – Fabian Brechetelle (France)

70 kg/154 lbs.
Gold – Ricky Lundell (USA)
Silver – Nicolas Renier (France)
Bronze – Tom LeCuyer (USA)
Bronze – Jose Fernando Ferreira (Spain)
5th – Joao Catisti (Brazil)
5th – Peter Mettler (Switzerland)

80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold – Jacob Volkmann (USA)
Silver – Marcello Salazar Mousinho (Brazil)
Bronze – Tomasz Michalowski (Poland)
Bronze – Davied Pierre-Louis (France)
5th – Ivalo Andreeve Kemnov (Bulgaria)
5th – Miguel Campos (Spain)

92 kg/202.5 lbs.
Gold – Raphael Davis (USA)
Silver – Ian Murphy (USA)
Bronze – Takanori Kuno (Japan)
Bronze – Nick Ring (Canada)
5th – Piotr Baginski (Poland)
5th – Stefan Osinski (Poland)

125 kg/275 lbs.
Gold – Jeff Monson (USA)
Silver – Brandon Ruiz (USA)
Bronze – Ioannis Arzoumanidis (Greece)
Bronze – Rodrigo Munduruca (Canada)
5th – Svetoslav Samoilov Zahariev (Bulgaria)
5th – Vlado Pilipovic (Croatia)

U.S. Men’s results

62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Matt Sanchez, Sacramento, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness), 1st
WIN Volkan Icki (Switzerland), submission
WIN John Louro (Canada), submission
WIN Jose Zapater (Spain), submission WIN Tom Barlow (Great Britain), submission

62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Brian Peterson, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Center), 3rd
WIN Patrick Oppliger (Switzerland)
LOSS Tom Barlow (Great Britain)
WIN Herminio Garcia (Spain)
WIN Fabien Brechetelle (France)

70 kg/154 lbs. - Ricky Lundell, Ames, Iowa (Grappler’s Edge), 1st
WIN A. Panoussis (Canada)
WIN Tom LeCuyer (USA)
WIN Aleksandar Milicevic (Serbia)
WIN Joao Catisti (Brazil)
WIN Nicolas Renier (France), submission

70 kg/154 lbs. - Tom LeCuyer, Plano, Ill. (Atlas Xtreme Team, Torres Martial Arts), 3rd WIN Patrick Berisha (Kosovo)
LOSS Ricky Lundell (USA)
WIN A. Panoussis (Canada)
WIN Aleksandar Milicevic (Serbia)

80 kg/176 lbs. - Jacob Volkmann, White Bear Lake, Minn. (Minnesota Martial Arts Academy), 1st
Preliminary match results unavailable
WIN Marcello Salazar Mousinho (Brazil), 4-1

80 kg/176 lbs. - Mike Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Gilbert Grappling), dnp/22nd
LOSS Hiroshi Tsuruya (Japan)

92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Raphael Davis, Lomita, Calif. (Team Caique), 1st
WIN Takanori Kuno (Japan)
WIN Kevin Webb (Great Britain)
WIN Piotr Baginski (Poland)
WIN Ian Murphy (USA), submission

92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Ian Murphy, Fullerton, Calif. (Alpha Male/Ultimate Fitness), 2nd
WIN Kemal Tajic (Bosnia and Herzoginiva)
WIN Stefan Osinski (Poland)
WIN Nick Ring (Canada)
LOSS Raphael Davis (USA), submission

125 kg/275 lbs. - Jeff Monson, Olympia, Wash. (American Top Team), 1st
WIN Hermann Binek (Germany)
WIN Vlado Pilipovic (Croatia)
WIN Ioannis Arzomanidis (Greece)
WIN Brandon Ruiz (USA), 6-1

125 kg/275 lbs. - Brandon Ruiz,West Jordan, Utah (Grappler’s Edge), 2nd
WIN Svetoslav Samoilov Zahariev (Bulgaria)
WIN Mohammed Cherif (France)
WIN Rodrigo Munduruca (Canada)
LOSS Jeff Monson (USA), 1-6

Women’s results (Incomplete at this time)

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold – Lisa Ward (USA)
Silver – Lisa Newton (Great Britain)

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Laurence Fouillat (France)
Silver – Felicia Oh (USA)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Sheila Bird (Canada)
Silver – Molly Helsel (USA)
Bronze – Sara DeLuna (France)
Bronze – Caolimhe McGill (Great Britain)
5th – Sonia Raeber (Switzerland)
5th – Rosa Wellenzhon (Italy)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold – Romy Ruyssen (France)
Silver – Miesha Tate (USA)

U.S. women’s performances

48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Lisa Ward, Olympia, Wash. (United Fight Team), 1st

55 kg/121 lbs. - Felicia Oh, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Fitness Center), 2nd

63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Molly Helsel, San Diego, Calif. (North County Fight Club), 2nd
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Miesha Tate, Olympia, Wash. (Victory Athletics), 2nd

55 kg/121 lbs. - Tara LaRosa, Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia Fight Factory) results unavailable at this time

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Angela Poe, Craig, Colo. (Grappler’s Edge) results unavailable at this time

Team Standings
1 United States, 135
2 France, 53
3 Canada, 43
4 Great Britain, 36
5 Poland, 34
6 Spain, 23
7 Brazil, 15
8 Switzerland, 14
9 Bulgaria, 14
10 Germany, 13

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 6:49 PM | Permalink

Fort Hays State University announced on Thursday, June 26, 2008, the hiring of Chas Thompson as Head Wrestling Coach. Thompson becomes the 13th coach in the wrestling program's history.

Thompson comes to Fort Hays State from Pratt Community College, where he served as head coach for two years from 2006-2008. In his time at PCC, Thompson led the Beavers to 10th and 21st place finishes at the NJCAA National Tournament and coached two NJCAA All-Americans. He also coached 11 Academic All-Americans. His 2006-07 team was ranked as high as 6th in the nation and his dash 2007-08 team was ranked as high as 10th in the nation.

Thompson is no stranger to the Fort Hays State program, where he served as an assistant coach for three years prior to becoming the head coach at Pratt Community College. Thompson was a graduate assistant coach for two years at FHSU from 2003-2005. He was a student assistant coach during the 2002-03 season. Thompson had the privilege of helping coach five NCAA Division II All-Americans as an assistant at FHSU.

Outside his collegiate coaching experience, Thompson has also served in several other coaching roles. He was a coach for the Cadet National Team in Fargo, N.D., the past three years and a coach for the Southern Plains Wrestling Team the past four years. Thompson also served as a summer wrestling coach from 1999-2008 in the Freestyle, Folkstyle, and Greco Roman disciplines.

Thompson wrestled for Fort Hays State University from 1999-2002. He was a national qualifier during his junior season (1999-2000) after winning his weight class at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Championships/NCAA Division II West Regional.

Prior to competing at FHSU, Thompson wrestled for two seasons at Labette Community College under his father Jody Thompson. His father is a member of the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, NJCAA Coaches Hall of Fame, Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Hall of Fame, and National Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Thompson earned NJCAA All-American honors as a sophomore and was a two-time national qualifi er for LCC.

A native of Parsons, Kan., Thompson compiled a record of 133-14 in his prep career at Parsons High School. He was named the Kansas Class 4A Wrestler of the Year after winning the state championship as a senior. He was a four-time state placer at PHS.

Thompson earned a bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Fort Hays State in 2003, and is currently working towards completion of his master's degree in Sports Administration at FHSU.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 2:27 AM | Permalink

John Smith

Aleks Emelianenko

James Thompson

Dustin Schlatter

Cael Sanderson

Dan Gable

Tom Brands

Jayson Ness

Charlie Falck

David Taylor

Zack Esposito

Buvaisar Saitiev

Saitiev

murtazaliev

Adam Saitiev

Ketoev

Gatsalov

Muradov

flowrestling

Mike Zadick

Brent Metcalf

Bubba Jenkins

Eric Tannenbaum

Saytiev

Mike Houck

Dennis Hall

Steve Fraser

Joe Warren

Kudukhov

Farniev

Kimbo Slice

Brett Rogers

Frank Shamrock

College Football

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 4:05 AM | Permalink

TheWrestlingTalk released major update to its community about 2 weeks ago. I waited to detail the update until most of the finishing touches were completed. Check out how TWT is revolutionizing how wrestlers communicate:

Personal Profiles: (Here's Mine) This isn't just a wrestler's Facebook/MySpace. Complete your recruiting profile and get noticed by college coaches, add your highlight video from TWT Videos. If you put yourself on YouTube, you can add those videos to your profile as well.

Social Groups / Free Team Sites: Create your own team site with a forum, ability to add photos, videos, and more. Use the social groups feature to promote a cause (Save X's Wrestling Team, Donate to X's recovery fund) or connect with people who have a niche interest you share.

Free Wrestling Blog: Keep track of your daily workout regimen or keep your fan base up to date on your latest wrestling tournament.

Photo Albums: Wrestling is not your only interest, show off what else you enjoy. An excellent way to get to know your forum mates!

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 7:59 PM | Permalink

The official website for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling and Judo, has been re-launched, and will be a great resource for fans who wish to follow and attend this event.

Wrestling fans seeking to purchase tickets, receive updated information on the event, and be eligible for regular prize drawings, should visit.

http://www.usawrestlinglasvegas.com

The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling and Judo will be held June 13-15, 2008 at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The website will have regular updates and features about the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, including information on the athletes who earn the right to compete in this historic event.

This website was also used to help promote and support the 2007 World Team Trials event. It will now exclusively provide information on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling and Judo.

Las Vegas Events, the local organizers for the competion, will again provide prize drawings for those who sign up with their “On The Mat Club.�

Fans who go to the website and sign up for the On The Mat Club will be eligible for monthly prize drawings, where a “six pack� of great gifts are given to a lucky prize winner.

On The Mat Club members will also be eligible to win the Grand Prize, which includes round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations and two All-Session tickets to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling and Judo.

There will also be regular updates on competition, athletes and activities at the U.S. Olympic Trials which will be sent exclusively to the On The Mat Club.

The website also allows fans to buy tickets directly for the event.

During all three days of the tournament, the preliminary session will be held at 10:00 a.m., with the U.S. Olympic Team Trials finals series and third place matches set for 5:00 p.m. There will be six weight classes contested each day, with the U.S. Olympic Team position determined in each division in a one-day competition format.

The Thomas & Mack Center has a seating capacity of 12,500. Tickets have been made available equally to both Wrestling as well as Judo fans on a first come, first serve basis. This major sports arena provides outstanding seating locations where fans can truly enjoy watching all of the Olympic-caliber action.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 8:20 PM | Permalink

Five athletes earned new #1 rankings on the USA Judo Senior Elite National Roster following their medal wins over the weekend at the U.S. Open Championships in Duluth, Ga.

U.S. athletes competing at the Open were fighting not only for gold, but also for valuable points toward berths at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo, June 13-14 in Las Vegas.

Although athletes will not be announced for the Trials until April 13, the U.S. Open was a large enough point tournament that players who reached the podium could virtually guarantee themselves trips to the Trials.

Also at stake was jockeying for the #1 position on the roster. While seeding at events is always important, whomever is the top seed in each division at the Trials will have a significant advantage over his or her opponents as if the #1 athlete wins the Trials, he or she is nominated to the Team. If that athlete loses a match, he or she then earns the right to a best-of-three fight-off with the winner of the Trials.

Taylor Takata (Colorado Springs, Colo./USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) won a silver medal at the Open which moved him from #2 up to #1 in the 66kg division, overtaking Justin Flores (Glenville, N.Y./USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) who moved down to #2. Flores, the 2006 U.S. Open silver medalist, did not compete at the Open over the weekend, but is expected to be back in action this coming weekend at the Rendez-Vous Canada in Montreal .

Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y./USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) and Aaron Cohen (Buffalo Grove, Ill./ NYAC / Cohen’s Judo) were ranked first and second going into the weekend in the 81kg division. Just like at the 2006 U.S. Open, both athletes went undefeated on their respective sides of the draw to advance to the final where Cohen beat Stevens to win his first U.S. Open title, avenging his loss in last year’s final. The win moved Cohen ahead of Stevens who moved down to #2.

Rick Hawn (Wakefield, Mass./USA Judo National Team FORCE) may have been the third highest ranking American in the 90kg division at the Open, but after consistent placings at tournaments throughout the year, his bronze medal was all Hawn needed to advance to the #1 ranking in the division, moving one point ahead of Garry St. Leger (Brooklyn, N.Y./NYAC/Starrett Judo) who moved down to #2.

Katie Mocco (Glenville, N.Y./NYAC/USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) advanced to the finals in her new 78kg division after being a former National Champion and Pan Am medalist at 70kg. Coming into the event as the third-ranked player in the United States, Mocco’s silver medal win moved her into the #1 ranking in the division. Former #1 Marina Lambert (Chesapeake, Va./ Washington Judo), a 2006 U.S. Open medalist, did not compete this weekend and, consequently, lost her B-Level status and fell to the #4 ranking in the division.

Heidi Moore (Englewood, Colo./Denver Judo) entered the Open as the #2 seed in the +78kg division and advanced to the final where she fought 18-year-old top seed Brittni Bradford (Live Oak, Texas / Universal Judo). Moore won the match giving her the gold and the #1 ranking.

Other athletes making significant moves on the roster include:

* Brian Olson (Boulder, Colo./NYAC/USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) moved up to #3 in the 90kg division after winning gold at the U.S. Open. Olson, who retired after the 2004 Olympic Games, is attempting to qualify for his fourth consecutive Olympic Team, and was competing in his first tournament out of retirement.

* Thirty-four-year-old James “Brewster� Thompson (Las Vegas, Nev./San Jose State University Alumni) placed fifth in the +100kg division – a finish high enough to move him into the #6 ranking in the United States. Thompson, a member of the 1975 World Team and six-time Senior Nationals medalist, is a professional entertainer and ventriloquist who is often billed as “the world’s strongest jump roper.�

* Natalie Lafon (Harlingen, Texas/USA Judo National Training Site at Harlingen) just moved down from 52kg to 48kg over the summer and placed fifth in her new division, moving her into the #4 ranking.

* Anna Palmer (Colorado Springs, Colo./USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) moved from #4 to #2 in the 52kg division when she won a silver medal – her first at the U.S. Open. Although only ranked #2, Palmer is the highest actively competing athlete in the division just behind Franchesca Durand (Coral Springs, Fla.) who is not presently competing.

* Carrie Chandler (Glenville, N.Y./NYAC/USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) competed in her first point tournament since moving up to 57kg after fighting in the 52kg division at the World Championship in September. A 2004 Olympic Team alternate in the heavier division, Chandler won bronze and instantly moved up to #2 behind Pan Am Champion Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas /USA Judo National Training Site at Harlingen).

* Kayla Harrison (Wakefield , Mass./ NYAC/USA Judo National Team FORCE) moved up to #2 in the 63kg division after winning her first U.S. Open title. Harrison, a silver medalist in the 70kg division last year, is ranked behind Ronda Rousey (Wakefield , Mass./ NYAC/ USA Judo National Team FORCE); however Rousey is no longer competing in the division, having moved up to 70kg earlier this year.

* Thirty-year-old Christian Aarona (Waimanalo, Hawaii/Makiki Seidokan Judo Club) competed in the 100kg division, winning a bronze medal after a sabbatical of several years and moving into the division’s #2 slot. Aarona was the highest placing American in the division and defeated 2004 U.S. Olympic Team alternate Mark Fletcher (Atlanta, Ga./ Ultimate Challenge Judo) before throwing top-ranked Adler Volmar (Coral Springs, Fla./USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami) for one of the day’s largest ippons.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 7:34 PM | Permalink