2026 Senior World Predictions

[vhsalum]

U23 winner was 2nd choice in the past. Not this year. They changed the process AND announced it beforehand.

And I agree with that decision. As I stated above, U23 has always been the least competitive tournament of the the world team qualifiers. There have been plenty of guys that rep'd the USA at U23 worlds in the past that would surprise you and are not commensurate with the talent level represented at the other levels.

I'm not sure why that is and don't care to do a deep dive about it, but suspect that it is because if you age out of U20 and you're a guy that's going to compete to be on a world team one day, you're competing at SRs and focus your training for that event. U23s is a consolation prize. USAW doesn't want to treat it as such anymore.

This is a terrible argument. U23s have been treated quite well in the past 5 years. PSU having their guys compete, even though it affects their folkstyle season shows you that it is treated with the respect that it is deserved. USA Wrestling giving the spot to a top 3 Senior guy who is of age, shows that respect as well.

Guys would decline to compete in U23s, like the first 3 years it was created. Now? Nobody is turning down the spot unless they're injured. IF that is the reason you are saying USA Wrestling made the decision, that's not even true.

"picking" the guy for ANY world team is unAmerican and ridiculous. There's no way around it, there's no sugar coating it, and it's just wrong. It's on american soil for god's sake. College coaches weren't not going to send their guy (which hasn't happened in the last 5 years at least).

 

[CarolinaFan1]

If you don’t want it to be left up to the committee, place in the top 4 in senior process. Problem solved.

 

[vhsalum]

If you don’t want it to be left up to the committee, place in the top 4 in senior process. Problem solved.

We already had a plan in place that worked pretty dang well and, you know, placed our values as a society atop of it.

 

[dicemen99]

This is a terrible argument. U23s have been treated quite well in the past 5 years. PSU having their guys compete, even though it affects their folkstyle season shows you that it is treated with the respect that it is deserved. USA Wrestling giving the spot to a top 3 Senior guy who is of age, shows that respect as well.

Guys would decline to compete in U23s, like the first 3 years it was created. Now? Nobody is turning down the spot unless they're injured. IF that is the reason you are saying USA Wrestling made the decision, that's not even true.

"picking" the guy for ANY world team is unAmerican and ridiculous. There's no way around it, there's no sugar coating it, and it's just wrong. It's on american soil for god's sake. College coaches weren't not going to send their guy (which hasn't happened in the last 5 years at least).

This is BS.

Some names in the past 3 years:
Garavous Kouekabakilaho
Daniel Herrara
Max Gallagher
Josh Saunders
John Gunderson
Lucas Stoddard
Cooper Flynn
Julian Chlebove
Doug Zapf

And I'm leaving out guys that are never going to sniff being a Sr. National Team member, but maybe had an AA in college.

 

[vhsalum]

This is BS.

Some names in the past 3 years:
Garavous Kouekabakilaho
Daniel Herrara
Max Gallagher
Josh Saunders
John Gunderson
Lucas Stoddard
Cooper Flynn
Julian Chlebove
Doug Zapf

And I'm leaving out guys that are never going to sniff being a Sr. National Team member, but maybe had an AA in college.

And that's not an entire roster of 10. And it wasn't a U23 on US soil.

My point is regardless of who comes out the winner, it should absolutely be decided on the mat. Not in Bender's backroom.

 

[dicemen99]

And that's not an entire roster of 10. And it wasn't a U23 on US soil.

My point is regardless of who comes out the winner, it should absolutely be decided on the mat. Not in Bender's backroom.

I said in my post that I left guys out.

Is Yahya Thomas the guy you think is the best representative for the US at the world level? There are at least 10 more guys like him, including a PSU guy, Aaron Nagao.

It is decided on the mat - at the US Open. None of you guys seem to get this. If nobody gets it done there, then they pick a guy. There hasn't been a tournament yet that did a good job of it beyond this. U23 certainly didn't. My guess is they are going to pick the best guy.

 

[tullfan68]

If the shoe was on the other foot the complaining would be 10 pages long. If Henckel wouldve won at 79 U23 trials and UsaW was gonna pick Hamiti at 79 you would say ok and have no problem with it ?

LOL I just asked a question??

 

[CarolinaFan1]

If I recall correctly, McDanel didn’t even compete at Senior US Open. If he really wanted the spot, go take it there and the committee wouldn’t be involved. To me “societal values” would say win the spot under the rules so no question. He didn’t even try.

 

[vhsalum]

If I recall correctly, McDanel didn’t even compete at Senior US Open. If he really wanted the spot, go take it there and the committee wouldn’t be involved. To me “societal values” would say win the spot under the rules so no question. He didn’t even try.

Because USA wrestling made the wrong call. Period. I'll die on this hill. It's a World Team. Our country has literally never had a some backroom politicking for any team that gets to wrestle with USA on the singlet - and somehow what i'm saying is contrarian???

 

[dicemen99]

If I recall correctly, McDanel didn’t even compete at Senior US Open. If he really wanted the spot, go take it there and the committee wouldn’t be involved. To me “societal values” would say win the spot under the rules so no question. He didn’t even try.

This 100%. He and Manning knew the qualification process. They knew up front he wasn't getting the spot.

Then after he won U23, the decision to whine about it on social media.

 

[dicemen99]

Because USA wrestling made the wrong call. Period. I'll die on this hill. It's a World Team. Our country has literally never had a some backroom politicking for any team that gets to wrestle with USA on the singlet - and somehow what i'm saying is contrarian???

You would have a leg to stand on if someone earned it on the mat and politics robbed him of the spot. That is not what happened here. They didn't. You're trying to portal back in time.

 

[vhsalum]

You would have a leg to stand on if someone earned it on the mat and politics robbed him of the spot. That is not what happened here. They didn't. You're trying to portal back in time.

No way. I'm calling out USA Wrestling for making a bad decision that they have literally NEVER done in their entire history.

 

[amattaro]

Because USA wrestling made the wrong call. Period. I'll die on this hill. It's a World Team. Our country has literally never had a some backroom politicking for any team that gets to wrestle with USA on the singlet - and somehow what i'm saying is contrarian??

 

[Coastal2]

My nephew recently won a 10 and under karate tournament. He has just as good an argument that he "earned" a U23 wrestling spot even though he also knew that that tournament would not qualify him. The only difference is that there are not whiny little wusses complaining that he wasn't chosen.

Back to Worlds predictions.

57 Spencer- Bronze or not placing. A known choker at every big tournament he's entered in the last few years has to prove that he's no longer a choker.

61 Blaze Gold Defense wins

65 TBD

74 Green DNP Doesn't have the horsepower at 74. Made the team at a undermanned weight.

79 Haines - Gold. Weak weight improves his chances

86 Dake - DNP I don't think he has the power at this weight yet

92 Hidlay Gold. The only one in the world who could beat him at this weight is suspended

97 Snyder - DNP He can beat anyone in the world but will take strange losses. I think he'll take a strange one here

125 Hendrickson DNP Going to need a good draw to bronze.

 

[vhsalum]

Tall hill. come get me buddy.

 

[dicemen99]

Because USA wrestling made the wrong call. Period. I'll die on this hill. It's a World Team. Our country has literally never had a some backroom politicking for any team that gets to wrestle with USA on the singlet - and somehow what i'm saying is contrarian???

There is no backroom politicking. The manner to qualify for the U23 team was laid out before the Sr. Open.

Nobody qualified at 79 or 97. Period. Hard stop.

They will pick the best candidate to fill those spots. BTW, did Robie get on social media and make a statement about Burton?

 

[vhsalum]

There is no backroom politicking. The manner to qualify for the U23 team was laid out before the Sr. Open.

Nobody qualified at 79 or 97. Period. Hard stop.

They will pick the best candidate to fill those spots. BTW, did Robie get on social media and make a statement about Burton?

They are LITERALLY backroom politicking to make choices to fill the U23 team. Hard stop.

We can discuss the facts and separate Manning's whine.

 

[dicemen99]

They are LITERALLY backroom politicking to make choices to fill the U23 team. Hard stop.

We can discuss the facts and separate Manning's whine.

What Manning is doing is politicking. Hard stop.

Again. Nobody qualified. Nobody qualified. Nobody qualified. At 79 or 97. If we don't have a guy that is U23 eligible that can make top 4 at the US Open, then the correct process would be to just pick the best guy available unless a suitable alternative manner of settling it on the mat is found.

U23 team trials is obviously not that given it's history. It has shown to have a marginally better than 50/50 chance of putting a top 5 at the weight U23 candidate on the team. Marginally. USAW identified this and corrected it.

Usually you can cut straight through the theoretical argument BS, with the practical application of the source of debate. I ask you - who do you think is our best representative (available) for 79 and 97 - no process involved? Do you think those will be the guys selected? I do.

 

[Coastal2]

There is no backroom politicking. The manner to qualify for the U23 team was laid out before the Sr. Open.

Nobody qualified at 79 or 97. Period. Hard stop.

They will pick the best candidate to fill those spots. BTW, did Robie get on social media and make a statement about Burton?

Someone qualified at 79. Has there been any official word that he declined U23. We are all making that assumption due to how close they are but....

 

[backdrft76-1]

Did you save that video before Rivals demise? Please say yes. That was one of the best.

 

[dicemen99]

Someone qualified at 79. Has there been any official word that he declined U23. We are all making that assumption due to how close they are but....

My bad. You are correct. But no way he’s taking it. It would make no sense.

 

[El_Jefe]

Same Mark Manning who whined that Bubba Wilson should've been selected ahead of Carter Starocci by a committee using criteria, after failing to qualify at B10s. Right?

 

[amattaro]

Did you save that video before Rivals demise? Please say yes. That was one of the best.

I thought the same when I posted this. Unfortunately, don’t have it

Pretty sure I called it my Mona Lisa if the board gods could be kind of enough to search for it.

 

[McScoreley]

Same Mark Manning who whined that Bubba Wilson should've been selected ahead of Carter Starocci by a committee using criteria, after failing to qualify at B10s. Right?

Then implied Starocci was never going to wrestle (claiming Suriano never was going to) before he won the whole thing beating former 2 champs along the way.

 

[McScoreley]

I swear we have this discussion every year about U23s, either it's someone opting into a spot because they qualified through entering Seniors (and is CLEARLY a better option) or now it's because the coaches want to select a better option.

Where was the outrage when it was listed? If you aren't bringing it up then, you don't care about fairness, you care when it affects your guy so SPARE me.

BOTH cases it was spelled out ahead of time. The coaches are NOT moving the goalposts, moving the goal posts would be saying "well Barr got hurt at Seniors and he MFFed and that's why Shumate got the spot so we're going to actually give Barr 92 anyways" no Shumate is getting the spot as normal per the PREDETERMINED rules, the coaches are evaluating maybe Barr is a better option at 97 than McDanel.

 

[McScoreley]

They are LITERALLY backroom politicking to make choices to fill the U23 team. Hard stop.

We can discuss the facts and separate Manning's whine.

The coaches have made it clear, if you want the U23 spot that bad, you MUST enter seniors. That is the only way to GUARANTEE your spot. They have made that clear for YEARS. This year, they're just adding another layer on top of it.

 

[Sunshine88!]

Dake is on a mission

 

[nerfstate]

Is it too late to add a match to the next RAF card? It doesn’t even have to be officially for the spot. But it would be nice to see Josh put a hurtin on McDanel again for giggles.

 

[vhsalum]

The coaches have made it clear, if you want the U23 spot that bad, you MUST enter seniors. That is the only way to GUARANTEE your spot. They have made that clear for YEARS. This year, they're just adding another layer on top of it.

not true. has never been true.

 

[vhsalum]

I swear we have this discussion every year about U23s, either it's someone opting into a spot because they qualified through entering Seniors (and is CLEARLY a better option) or now it's because the coaches want to select a better option.

Where was the outrage when it was listed? If you aren't bringing it up then, you don't care about fairness, you care when it affects your guy so SPARE me.

BOTH cases it was spelled out ahead of time. The coaches are NOT moving the goalposts, moving the goal posts would be saying "well Barr got hurt at Seniors and he MFFed and that's why Shumate got the spot so we're going to actually give Barr 92 anyways" no Shumate is getting the spot as normal per the PREDETERMINED rules, the coaches are evaluating maybe Barr is a better option at 97 than McDanel.

Yeah. you can miss me with that, "where was the outrage when it was listed," bullsht.

The second I found out about it, i complained about it. And even sent an email to USA Wrestling. It's ridiculous you're actually arguing for this. I get the Senior Team, top 4 thing - that requires competing. And in the past the U23 tournament was the second level of earned participation.

In EVERY SINGLE INSTANCE of EVERY SINGLE "team" that has ever competed in international wrestling with a USA on it, the team was decided by competition. Our ethos as a nation, is literally that everything here is earned. But you're co-signing this foolishness? Weird stance man. Absolutely weird.

 

[Anon1773145118]

I thought the same when I posted this. Unfortunately, don’t have it

Pretty sure I called it my Mona Lisa if the board gods could be kind of enough to search for it.

Penn State wins again

Watching Spencer Lose and having a good laugh at hawkeye report misery

www.captiongenerator.com

 

[vhsalum]

who can bring back the hitler movie generator?

I swear to god don't think i've ever laughed harder in my life.

"Head Hands? How about some fcking offense"

 

[McScoreley]

Yeah. you can miss me with that, "where was the outrage when it was listed," bullsht.

The second I found out about it, i complained about it. And even sent an email to USA Wrestling. It's ridiculous you're actually arguing for this. I get the Senior Team, top 4 thing - that requires competing. And in the past the U23 tournament was the second level of earned participation.

In EVERY SINGLE INSTANCE of EVERY SINGLE "team" that has ever competed in international wrestling with a USA on it, the team was decided by competition. Our ethos as a nation, is literally that everything here is earned. But you're co-signing this foolishness? Weird stance man. Absolutely weird.

I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about Mark Manning.

If he cared so much about this, he would have spoken up about it long before McDanel wasn't the guy.

 

[McScoreley]

I'm sure there are some but I haven't sees any complaints about Connor not getting the U23 spot despite winning the tournament on this board

 

[vhsalum]

I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about Mark Manning.

If he cared so much about this, he would have spoken up about it long before McDanel wasn't the guy.

Ok. That's fair.

 

[Nitlion1986]

I'm sure there are some but I haven't sees any complaints about Connor not getting the U23 spot despite winning the tournament on this board

Can we start. Gee whiz it certainly can't be fair
Mark told me so.

 

[Corby2]

Picking who goes on a world team has never happened prior to this year. Not sure why that change was made . And it wasn't made for u20. When last year we had a few guys make the SR team who were U20 eligible and they had to go through the u20 process to make the u20 team. This change for the u23 team makes now sense and UsaW won't say why they did it

 

[CarolinaFan1]

UsaW has decided that the best chance to get a top u23 team on the mat is to take one of the top Senior performers during a competitive process. I believe a year or so ago they expanded that from top 3 to top 4 placers at the Senior selection process. That worked for all but 1 weight this year (unless enough guys decline the spot) so let’s step back from the ledge. They published the process well in advance and said if the top 4 selection process doesn’t field a weight, the committee will decide. Everyone knew the process in advance. Don’t complain afterwards, especially when your guy didn’t even try to make the top 4 at Seniors.

Would I be ok if they simply said we will go down the highest placers at Seniors (even past top 4) until we fill the spot? Probably. Until then, the process is clear — go earn your spot and it won’t matter.

 

[Sullivan]

Picking who goes on a world team has never happened prior to this year. Not sure why that change was made . And it wasn't made for u20. When last year we had a few guys make the SR team who were U20 eligible and they had to go through the u20 process to make the u20 team. This change for the u23 team makes now sense and UsaW won't say why they did it

We didn't have 5 for 5 before this year. Things change.

 

[dicemen99]

Picking who goes on a world team has never happened prior to this year. Not sure why that change was made . And it wasn't made for u20. When last year we had a few guys make the SR team who were U20 eligible and they had to go through the u20 process to make the u20 team. This change for the u23 team makes now sense and UsaW won't say why they did it

I mean, Kozak just posted the exact same thing that I have said on here, so not sure why you are pursuing this line of thinking. Comparing it to U20 is apples and oranges.

It's fairly obvious to anyone who follows this why they made the change. If you have a gripe with it not being settled on the mat, so be it, but they haven't come up with a good way to do that yet. And why is this just coming up now when everyone knew about it BEFORE the qualification process.