Wrestling News and Updates

Gavin vs Ruth & Molinaro vs Maynard Slated for FPL 2

Gavin vs Ruth & Molinaro vs Maynard Slated for FPL 2

Oct 22, 2014 by Nickolas Velliquette
Gavin vs Ruth & Molinaro vs Maynard Slated for FPL 2
4 days ago at Lehigh Unversity's Grace Hall, Flowrestling debuted its newly establised professional wrestling league, the Flo Premier League, with an all star match featuring 2x NCAA runner-up Robert Hamlin and 2x NCAA champion Chris Perry.  The highly anticipated "revenge" match proved to be worth the hype as Hamlin,  considered a heavy underdog going into the match, beat Perry for the second time in his career (this time via a 4-1 decision).  

Amidst an atmosphere of excitement and in front of a sold out "Snake Pit" crowd, the FPL was born. 

The Flo Premier League is now following up its FPL 1 debut with another match between two former NCAA superstars and current senior level athletes: Keith Gavin and Ed Ruth are slated for the FPL 2 main event, which will be held at the Journeymen Northeast Duals on Saturday, November 29th. Also on the card and serving as the co-main event is a match between NCAA champion Frank Molinaro and UFC superstar Gray Maynard (a 3x All American from Michigan State). 

"I'm very excited to be a part of the FPL and I'm looking forward to wrestling Ed Ruth again," said 2013 World Team member Keith Gavin. "Ed is a tough competitor that will present a fun challenge. I expect to have an entertaining match that people will enjoy." 

The always cool, calm and collected Ruth responded, "I'm always excited for an opportunity to put myself against elite competition." 

FPL 2 will mark the fourth time these two competitors have faced each other since Ruth's graduating from Penn State.  The two first faced off back in June with an 86kg World Team spot on the line.  Ed Ruth won that best-of-three series to make his first US World Team. World Team Trials finals results: 

Match 1: Keith Gavin (TMWC/Ohio RTC) over Ed Ruth (NLWC) (Dec 7-5)
Match 2: Ed Ruth (NLWC) over Keith Gavin (TMWC/Ohio RTC) (Fall 3:44)
Match 3: Ed Ruth (NLWC) over Keith Gavin (TMWC/Ohio RTC) (Dec 11-7)

Both wrestlers will compete at 190lbs and will operate under the same Flo Premier League rules format that Robert Hamlin and Chris Perry followed at last weekend's Who's #1.

The Frank Molinaro vs Gray Maynard match should also be fun, but undoubtedly favors Frank "The Tank" in their 165lb match up. 

Molinaro is coming off a hot summer and a hot 2013-14 competition season in general: he took 1st at the 2013 NYAC, he placed 3rd at the US World Team Trials at 65kg (check this highlight!), and he placed 5th at at the USA World Team Trials at 70kg, competing a weight class up.  

Expect Maynard, FPL's first ever UFC competitor, to make a real scrap out of the match though. "The Bully" is known for his relentless pace and his warrior-like nature.  The 3x d1 All American competes with a "run through a wall" type of mentality and should enter the bout with somewhat of a size advantage over Molinaro, who is accustomed to competing at ≈145lbs...and if Hamlin/Perry taught us anything, it's: don't count out the underdog.

For more information on this and other Flo Premier League match ups, follow our Flo Premier League Facebook and Twitter pages as well as our up-to-date posting on Flowrestling.com and associated social media channels.