Bailey and Block

Sabula

All-Conference
Oct 24, 2001
1,501
1,565
113
Block is the real deal. Bailey so far is giving off serious Richie Figs vibes. Not good and nobody else to help.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HellerballFTW

HawkAlum2002

Senior
Oct 18, 2017
313
669
93
Bailey is just not strong enough at 141, but the good news is we have probably have our 133 for next year on the roster already.
 

Sabula

All-Conference
Oct 24, 2001
1,501
1,565
113
Bailey has lost to 3 of the top 5 guys in the nation realistically. He will be fine, just gotta keep chopping away and improving. This type of competition is tough to get used to.
I love the take "he will be fine". Have heard it quite a bit lately. Always used when someone's not performing up to expectations and gets whipped. Seems more of a hope and a prayer than a strategy. Personally I don't think " he will be fine". Maybe I'll be wrong... hope so. More of that "hope" thing, which isn't great to build around.
 

SpacemanSpifff

Sophomore
Jul 18, 2025
37
106
17
Morningstar style. The recruits will love it
player record GIF by South Park
 
  • Like
Reactions: jayridescarbon

Sdwrestler_20

Junior
Dec 21, 2021
53
206
33
It looks to me like Bailey cannot grab well with his hands. Two years ago he was the guy that took your wrist and would give it back to you when he was done with it - impressive grip strength. Now he looks like he can't hang on to a wrist at all. Anyone know exactly what his hand problems are? Does he need surgery and a med-shirt year? Maybe I am overreacting...
 

Corby2

All-American
Jul 14, 2025
3,006
6,165
113
It looks to me like Bailey cannot grab well with his hands. Two years ago he was the guy that took your wrist and would give it back to you when he was done with it - impressive grip strength. Now he looks like he can't hang on to a wrist at all. Anyone know exactly what his hand problems are? Does he need surgery and a med-shirt year? Maybe I am overreacting...
He's now at 141 and the strength advantage he had at 133 is now gone
 

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
962
2,463
93
It looks to me like Bailey cannot grab well with his hands. Two years ago he was the guy that took your wrist and would give it back to you when he was done with it - impressive grip strength. Now he looks like he can't hang on to a wrist at all. Anyone know exactly what his hand problems are? Does he need surgery and a med-shirt year? Maybe I am overreacting...
It could be as simple as going up a weight. PSU has pulled it off a bunch lately, making it look much easier than it actually is. But, normally, each weight you move up, comes with a considerable strength increase for the competition...
 

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
962
2,463
93
Not a sustainable strategy.
There are plenty of guys that could argue otherwise. Heil and Tsirtsis are 2 that come immediately to mind. Having great defense and being nearly perfectly sound in positioning are absolutely the most important traits. Definitely not entertaining to most, but it wins a VAST majority of matches. Yes, more offense pads leads and takes the pressure off, but so very few actually have that type of skill set...
 

AndreTheHawk

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
864
1,676
93
Not a sustainable strategy.
Strategy? I would guess after the things he's had to deal with for the last couple of years, just being out there and winning is his strategy.
So far so good I would say.

Appears to be the same "strategy" our #1 ranked 184 lber utilizes. I like bonus points too, but I'll take the W where we can get them. We only have 1 guy that you can count on to light up a scoreboard, Mikey Caliendo.

Ryder Block is a bright spot on this team right now, and he certainly appears to give a damn, which I like. Hope he keeps up the really good work he's done so far.
 

VakAttack

All-Conference
Jun 30, 2025
332
1,209
93
I understand the frustration with Bailey in terms of the on-mat product, but not so much with Williams. He's out there throwing haymakers. The brainfart at the end of the match w/ Zerban was bad, admittedly, but the focus of much of the criticism seems to be about effort, and I don't think that's a valid description of Williams so far.
 

Scrubby

All-American
Jul 2, 2025
7,016
9,369
113
When it comes time for tournament seeding I doubt offensive points are very high on the to be considered list - wins trump all. Wins matter.
Yes that's what my friends who are missouri fans have told me for years actually
 

Libertylover

All-Conference
Dec 17, 2020
770
1,280
93
It could be as simple as going up a weight. PSU has pulled it off a bunch lately, making it look much easier than it actually is. But, normally, each weight you move up, comes with a considerable strength increase for the competition...
But his hands have been all wrapped and taped up. Can’t believe he can grip anything.
 

Gusaford1

Junior
Jul 1, 2025
69
357
53
There are plenty of guys that could argue otherwise. Heil and Tsirtsis are 2 that come immediately to mind. Having great defense and being nearly perfectly sound in positioning are absolutely the most important traits. Definitely not entertaining to most, but it wins a VAST majority of matches. Yes, more offense pads leads and takes the pressure off, but so very few actually have that type of skill set...
Block did a great job of holding center, keeping Johnson from his legs, and wrestling smart. All true.

But he didn't really commit to a single shot -- a few times he dropped to a knee and swiped for a leg that was a foot beyond his reach -- and he rode Johnson for only three seconds.

I'm rooting for the guy but I'd feel a lot better if he showed more offense and mat wrestling.

Agree it was a great win.
 

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
962
2,463
93
Block did a great job of holding center, keeping Johnson from his legs, and wrestling smart. All true.

But he didn't really commit to a single shot -- a few times he dropped to a knee and swiped for a leg that was a foot beyond his reach -- and he rode Johnson for only three seconds.

I'm rooting for the guy but I'd feel a lot better if he showed more offense and mat wrestling.

Agree it was a great win.
I get that most fans want “shots”, but it’s actually much more about creating openings vs forcing shots. Iowa simply doesn’t wrestle from space so the fast twitch shots are almost non existent. Instead they need to be patient and rely heavily on shrugs looking for missteps or re-shots.

I get that it can often be hard for many fans to watch, but it isn’t that he isn’t working hard it is just that he isn’t going to make a mistake forcing something that really isn’t there. Today’s wrestlers are simply so damn sound holding great position in ties that it can be really hard to create openings, especially early in the match when the opponents are fresh…
 

TarpHawk1

Senior
Jul 6, 2025
80
896
83
Block did a great job of holding center, keeping Johnson from his legs, and wrestling smart. All true.

But he didn't really commit to a single shot -- a few times he dropped to a knee and swiped for a leg that was a foot beyond his reach -- and he rode Johnson for only three seconds.

I'm rooting for the guy but I'd feel a lot better if he showed more offense and mat wrestling.

Agree it was a great win.
My take on Block's match against ISU was that he looked like he was in it to win it. He was relatively aggressive, he was moving forward, he was pushing the pace without making mistakes. He is not among my major concerns. I'm more worried about Bailey, Williams, Kueter, even Peterson and Ayala.

Block and Endene have been unexpected bright spots. I wasn't expecting points from those two weights. But I was expecting more from some others.
 

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
962
2,463
93
Corby deserves some serious credit for sticking with Block when almost no one else had. I was starting to think they were related!😉

All joking aside, he knew the potential was there if he could get healthy and into the best suited weight class. Hopefully he gets onto the podium and gets all the Iowa fans behind him just as much!
 

Libertylover

All-Conference
Dec 17, 2020
770
1,280
93
Corby deserves some serious credit for sticking with Block when almost no one else had. I was starting to think they were related!😉

All joking aside, he knew the potential was there if he could get healthy and into the best suited weight class. Hopefully he gets onto the podium and gets all the Iowa fans behind him just as much!
I honestly think 149 is still small for Block, but if he could cut to 141, I’m sure he can hold 149 this year. If 149 wasn’t a killer cut for Williams, like 141was for Block, then I would like Block to hit the weights this off season and switch weights with Williams next year. I think Estrada has a ton of potential at the right weight, but that may never come at Iowa unless he beats out Williams or Bailey. Maybe Bailey should use his redshirt this year if Estrada can cut to 141. If the strangler can do it, he can.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bobhaywood

Corby2

All-American
Jul 14, 2025
3,006
6,165
113
Corby deserves some serious credit for sticking with Block when almost no one else had. I was starting to think they were related!😉

All joking aside, he knew the potential was there if he could get healthy and into the best suited weight class. Hopefully he gets onto the podium and gets all the Iowa fans behind him just as much!
I watched him train in HS at Sebolt a bunch and have been around him and know his mindset. I saw the talent and work ethic and knew he would be good. Not saying I'm a guru but I have a good eye for that kind of stuff. Not everyone translates to D1 as you know. I was high on Endene as well I know many didn't think he would be good in D1 I never had a doubt that he could compete with most guys.
 

Corby2

All-American
Jul 14, 2025
3,006
6,165
113
I honestly think 149 is still small for Block, but if he could cut to 141, I’m sure he can hold 149 this year. If 149 wasn’t a killer cut for Williams, like 141was for Block, then I would like Block to hit the weights this off season and switch weights with Williams next year. I think Estrada has a ton of potential at the right weight, but that may never come at Iowa unless he beats out Williams or Bailey. Maybe Bailey should use his redshirt this year if Estrada can cut to 141. If the strangler can do it, he can.
Bailey can't RS this year. The 5 date rule is only for true freshman. Bailey should think about cutting back to 133 next year. Block is a 149 and it fits him well he's not a 141 or 157 currently. Also you gotta be able to cert at a weight before you can compete at it and certs already happened
 
  • Like
Reactions: UNIHawk

98lberEating2Lunches

All-Conference
Feb 11, 2018
765
1,334
93
you gotta be able to cert at a weight before you can compete at it and certs already happened
Yeah, in NCAA D1 there's no such thing as recertification mid-season to a lower weight than the minimum weight set initially for the season.

But do we know for sure what Estrada (or Bailey) have as their certified minimum weight?
 

MVPFAN

Senior
Mar 10, 2003
3,228
670
113
I honestly think 149 is still small for Block, but if he could cut to 141, I’m sure he can hold 149 this year. If 149 wasn’t a killer cut for Williams, like 141was for Block, then I would like Block to hit the weights this off season and switch weights with Williams next year. I think Estrada has a ton of potential at the right weight, but that may never come at Iowa unless he beats out Williams or Bailey. Maybe Bailey should use his redshirt this year if Estrada can cut to 141. If the strangler can do it, he can.
He is totally sucked in at 141.