Wrestling Blogs - Joe Williamson

Alright guys, the season has begun and we got our first taste of wrestling from the super 32, the Buffalo Open, and the Iron Horse. Now this Sunday we bring you the first dual of the year. We could not be more excited to kick off the dual season with Maryland traveling to the Lehigh Valley to wrestle the Mountain Hawks. Besides that fact that two great teams will be stepping on the mat to battle through ten weight classes head to head, this dual has an interesting background story. Pat Santoro was the assistant coach for the Hawks for… more »

I am sitting in a cafe thinking about the one day I have spent with Iowa. It has been amazing. Growing up, I had this idea about how intense and tough Iowa wrestling was. My brother and I used to watch Gable Supreme before school. My Dad would tell us about the "in your face" Iowa style of wrestling, and I would see them at tournaments pushing the pace. It was not until yesterday that I truly understood, and even now I am only beginning to understand because I am watching from the side with a camera in my hand.… more »

An excerpt out of Nick Hopping's book about soon to be four time olympian Buvaysa Saitiev. more »

As I sit back and think about the Russia trip, I realize that I have only scratched the surface with what I have shared with you. It was a crazy trip filled with new experiences, people, food, everything was different. These experiences started when I got off the plane in Russia. It was a great trip, but it is great to be sitting here on my couch. So here is a compilation of things that come to mind when I look back at the trip. Mullets are in. I think about one in five people sport a mullet in Russia… more »

Glory Is Nice, So Is Cold Hard Cash I am sure that the feeling of winning a national, world, or Olympic title can go unmatched. Even being a witness to it gives me the chills. I am willing to bet that some people believe it to be the best feeling of their life. Think about it, if one dedicates most of their time, energy, life to a single thing, the thought of being the best would be sweet. What if that feeling was paired with a giant bankroll of cash, a flat (similar to an apartment), and a steady salary… more »

Well, I just got back from a trek to find some internet. After several subway rides and walks I found a McDonalds. They said they had free wifi. Unfortunately it kicks you off after 30 minutes and that is not enough time to get even a match up. This trend has made me very frustrated all trip. Luckily the wrestling was so fun to watch, it was like therapy. This experience was amazing and I urge anyone who can to check it out. Just remember to bring your own interpreter. The one part of this trip that I am really… more »

Well, the first two days of Russian Nationals are complete. I am exhausted. It is hard to sleep because it is light 24 hours a day right now. Three weight classes will compete tomorrow. The setup is interesting. On the first and second days, two weight classes wrestle all the way through on the third day the last three weight classes compete. The more a wrestler wins, the quicker the matches come. It looks tiring. I have gotten about thirty matches a day, but the internet is slow here and it takes time to get anything up, I cant wait… more »

I am lying here in bed anxious for what I might do today. Yesterday was a very long day of traveling, I could not sleep on any of the planes and by the time I got to Russia, I could hardly hold my head up. Exiting the plane I knew that I was not going to waste my day asleep so I convinced myself that I was wide awake. Not knowing who I was meeting at the airport made me a little nervous.

My guide for the trip will be Maksim Monolov, but I will not meet… more »