ONO

Jun 26, 2025
240
538
93
I don't think there has been an announcement, but my expectation is that Davis is not currently in play for a starting role on the team (I think that should be the correct wording).
He definitely is still at PSU (not saying that anyone said he was not) and was spotted out recently, but have no idea what his status is with the team and potentially cracking the lineup
 

PUR158

All-Conference
Feb 11, 2025
540
1,883
93
I'm excited to see Ono finally get his opportunity. In my mind I keep going back to Ono vs Davino in RAF. Neither were really close to scoring a TD. Ono won with 3 push outs and a shot clock point. While I'm simply stating the obvious, his matches against the elite very well could come down to him being able to escape. It makes me nervous, but nervous in the best kind of fan way.
I feel like it may take him some time to fine tune his folk strategy. He could beat Davino at RAF wrestling freestyle, in folk he will need 2 takedowns to beat Davino. I absolutely think he can do that, but there could be a learning curve against the top tier.
 
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jack66

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
3,597
4,055
113
Agreed, which is why Byers saying, this morning, that "I think fans will be very happy with what they see Thursday night against Bloomsburg."

and

"I think he's just going to get going and make sure he at least gets the most out of this season, which he knows he does have, and then we'll go from there."

is so compelling!

I mean, that from Byers *has to eclipse all the no-info, misinfo & disinfo out there, right?
Right
 
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SkiSkiSki

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
4,015
1,584
113
I feel like it may take him some time to fine tune his folk strategy. He could beat Davino at RAF wrestling freestyle, in folk he will need 2 takedowns to beat Davino. I absolutely think he can do that, but there could be a learning curve against the top tier.
With no push out, I think Ono is quickly going to hate guys wrestling the edge to try to avoid being taken down so they can turn it into a riding contest.

Hopefully, the refs will liberally be calling stalling. Ha-ha, can't believe I typed that like it would ever happen! I guess it actually did happen for the Princeton 125 last year.
 

JA1339

All-Conference
Feb 5, 2016
260
1,023
93
According to locked on nittany lions wrestling it's Ono at 133 ,Desmond at 141 and Blaze putting on weight to go 141/65kg.
I’m curious what the purpose was for the Ono-Desmond wrestle off at 141, if the plan was for Ono to go at 133 and Desmond to hold down the fort at 141 until Blaze is ready. 🤔
 
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Matter7172

All-Conference
Oct 30, 2021
416
1,416
83
I’m curious what the purpose was for the Ono-Desmond wrestle off at 141, if the plan was for Ono to go at 133 and Desmond to hold down the fort at 141 until Blaze is ready. 🤔

I just listed to the podcast, according to them the wrestle off was for 133.
It could have been a wrestle-off for 133, with the loser having to bump up to 141.
 

Scam likely

Senior
Nov 3, 2022
337
695
93
I’m curious what the purpose was for the Ono-Desmond wrestle off at 141, if the plan was for Ono to go at 133 and Desmond to hold down the fort at 141 until Blaze is ready. 🤔
Yea maybe it was for 133 and they both were over weight? But Seyko sounded pretty confident about seeing Ono in the lineup vs Bloomsburg.
 

JA1339

All-Conference
Feb 5, 2016
260
1,023
93
According to locked on nittany lions wrestling it's Ono at 133 ,Desmond at 141 and Blaze putting on weight to go 141/65kg.
Desmond holding down 141 until Blaze is ready reminds me of situation with PJ entering the lineup after Seniors last season.

I believe PJ missed the first dual of the season last year as he was transitioning from free to folk. Appears the difference with Marcus is he’s transitioning while working up to 141, whereas Pj was transitioning while working down to 157.
 

Joejitsu

Senior
Jun 10, 2025
500
701
93
Desmond holding down 141 until Blaze is ready reminds me of situation with PJ entering the lineup after Seniors last season.

I believe PJ missed the first dual of the season last year as he was transitioning from free to folk. Appears the difference with Marcus is he’s transitioning while working up to 141, whereas Pj was transitioning while working down to 157.
IT will be fun to watch Desmond at 41 for a little bit this year. Blaze will be able to take his time bc Desmond will be much more than an adequate fill in~!
 

watoos

All-Conference
Oct 31, 2021
658
1,275
93
I’m curious what the purpose was for the Ono-Desmond wrestle off at 141, if the plan was for Ono to go at 133 and Desmond to hold down the fort at 141 until Blaze is ready. 🤔
Maybe the wrestle off was really for 133? Oops this was already said numerous times.
 

Lil Nicky Scarfo

All-American
Jul 1, 2025
2,074
5,867
113
I don’t know about you guys, but I take all RAF results with a grain of salt. It’s like the results of Russian guys during out of season tournaments (when their guys go through the motions against the Desantos of the world)
 
Oct 31, 2021
144
480
63
Desmond holding down 141 until Blaze is ready reminds me of situation with PJ entering the lineup after Seniors last season.

I believe PJ missed the first dual of the season last year as he was transitioning from free to folk. Appears the difference with Marcus is he’s transitioning while working up to 141, whereas Pj was transitioning while working down to 157.
Will Desmond keep his weight down to be able to go 133 in December while Ono is in Japan?
 
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SurgeOne

Senior
Sep 3, 2005
526
828
93
It sucks but I think Ono is an Olympic Tweener.
When I become Olympic chair, i’m going to put it back to 10 weight classes. I’m going to get rid of Grec-Roman wrestling and insert folk style.
Then I’m going to kill all the ******** that exists now like skateboarding, BMX biking, flag football, 3 on 3 basketball, break dancing, synchronized anything, rhythmic gymnastics…. there’s quite a few more.
 

APSPSUwrestlingfan

Sophomore
Jun 13, 2021
103
142
43
When I become Olympic chair, i’m going to put it back to 10 weight classes. I’m going to get rid of Grec-Roman wrestling and insert folk style.
Then I’m going to kill all the ******** that exists now like skateboarding, BMX biking, flag football, 3 on 3 basketball, break dancing, synchronized anything, rhythmic gymnastics…. there’s quite a few more.
How about changing water polo rules so the Polish team's horses don't drown?
Bored Still Waiting GIF
 

KH1984

Sophomore
Mar 18, 2026
81
156
33


To hear Desmond got "both" a reversal and a rideout is not a glowing endorsement for Ono's mat wrestling, especially up a weight. Granted room familiarity and all of that.....

Maybe just maybe Cael intends to validate just how well Ono handles strange opponents during November and December up at 141, before the firm decision to firmly set 133 and 141. I am not a big fan of what that does to seeding if the switch is made in January.

I share the concern that against the gauntlet of Jax, Crookham, Davino, Seidel and even VanDee, it's a pretty tall ask for an undersized guy new to Folkstyle. Even Nolf was ridden out a time or two.

Stanich is tough but I have little doubt Marcus is the huge favorite to be national champ up at 141, and I don't think it's a stretch for Ono to be considered close to a lock for top 4 at 141 a well. 3 point takedowns are going to be huge for Ono and if he can catch and release, including against the better guys he will win regularly with 2-3 TDs, even if controlled while on the mat.

If you reverse it, Marcus has as strong a case to win 133 as any in the top 6, he might even be considered a favorite to make the finals. Nonetheless, anything could happen to any of the top 6, it's the craziest most talented weight for sure. How will Ono fare at 133? It's impossible to say, but a case could be made he's probably looking at low AA.

So which is better,? 133 seems to make it a crap shoot either way. Somewhat realistically:

133 Ono - 5th-8th
141 Blaze - 1st

133 Blaze - 1st-4th
141 Ono - 1st-4th

One way or another I just want to see Ono finally in blue and white, in neutral doing what he does best.

I disagree with the 5th-8th at 133 Ono prognostication. True, it was freestyle, but the thing with folkstyle is that if you can continually escape from bottom, it becomes a freestyle match. And, at that, Ono is a master. He will be able to give Jax, Davino, Seidel and Crookham all they can handle and possibly more!!!

Time will tell if I am correct, but I'd bet on it (if I were a gambler).
 

BWFight

Senior
Feb 6, 2014
194
783
93
not sure there's really anything left up in the air. with Levi not getting his 5th year, Henckel and Mirasola going on mission, and word that Ono is already in at 33, the lineup seems set already
And it appears unlikely we’ll see a Davis vs Desmond match. That scooter has sailed.
 
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BriantheLion

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2023
1,771
2,544
113
I’m curious what the purpose was for the Ono-Desmond wrestle off at 141, if the plan was for Ono to go at 133 and Desmond to hold down the fort at 141 until Blaze is ready. 🤔

I just listed to the podcast, according to them the wrestle off was for 133.

It could have been a wrestle-off for 133, with the loser having to bump up to 141.

Will Desmond keep his weight down to be able to go 133 in December while Ono is in Japan?
While I’m sure ND would have preferred to be in the starting lineup, being an almost-as-good backup at two weights.,, in which BOTH starters are taking part of the season off… is not a bad gig!
 
Oct 31, 2021
144
480
63
While I’m sure ND would have preferred to be in the starting lineup, being an almost-as-good backup at two weights.,, in which BOTH starters are taking part of the season off… is not a bad gig!
Cael's leaving the door open for Desmond to still compete for the spot at 133. @nerfstate has posted the transcript on Black Shoes Diaries

Status of Masanosuke Ono for Thursday’s Match and Weight Class​

“Possibly. Yeah, possibly. We still haven’t really set who’s wrestling yet. And we’re getting close, so we’re going to have to make those decisions, but yeah, he was wrestling 133 lbs. Yeah.” (02:36 - 02:51)
Oh, it’d be [Nate] Desmond and Masa [Ono] would be the two front runners there. Obviously, and then Dez has been showing he can wrestle any weight. He’s just a beast all the way around. So, but yeah, I think right now 133 lbs.” (04:47 - 05:34)
 
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HikeNatParks

All-Conference
May 12, 2023
228
1,176
93
At 133, my hope for compact Ono is that the two mutant spiders try inserting legs and only end up pretzeling themselves, giving the tiny Lion time to escape and pester them for TDs. As for the Battle Of No (Ono-Davino), I like Masa all day. ;)
 
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