2018 US Open Wrestling Championships

So, Who's Changing Weights In Freestyle?

So, Who's Changing Weights In Freestyle?

Now that there are 10 weights, which freestyle stars could be moving up or down for the 2018 U.S. Open?

Apr 5, 2018 by Wrestling Nomad
null

The freestyle world changed dramatically this year now that we have 10 weights and same-day weigh-ins. This forced some guys to go up in weight and opened up new opportunities for "tweeners."

In case you got wrapped up by the college season, we're here to get you caught up on some of the biggest game-changing weight classes ahead of the U.S. Open on April 25-28 in Las Vegas.

Watch the 2018 U.S. Open LIVE on FloWrestling

Tony Ramos: 61kg

The two-time world teamer made four consecutive trials finals at 57kg, but at 27 years old, he may have finally outgrown the weight. Given just the 4 kilo difference between the two lightest weights, this was always going to be the one with the most question marks about guys moving up. That includes 2016 national team member Tyler Graff, 2015 national team member Joe Colon, and 2016 NCAA champs Nahshon Garrett and Nico Meglaudis.

Logan Stieber: 65kg

For a guy like Stieber, it's hard to justify staying down at 61kg. Even though he won a non-Olympic weight world title at the end of 2016, Stieber is back close to his college weight—plus 65kg is an Olympic weight and 61kg is not.

Frank Molinaro: 70kg

The 2016 Olympian was in the trials finals last year at 65kg, so it's reasonable to believe he can make the team. However, he'll have to get through two-time world medalist James Green to get there, with Green already sitting at Final X in June.

null


Nazar Kulchytskyy: 74kg

Last year's Open runner-up at 70kg, Kulchytskyy qualified early for WTT by winning the Dave Schultz and is Titan Mercury's #1 option at this weight. Can he beat Burroughs? It's not likely, but it shouldn't shock anyone if he stands opposite the world and Olympic champ at Final X.

Kyle Dake: 79kg

Dake was injured for years after his fourth NCAA title for Cornell. When he wasn't injured, Jordan Burroughs stood in his way. So, for the 2016 Olympic Trials, Dake went up to 86kg and lost to the next wrestler we'll discuss. Then last year, Burroughs did not medal at Worlds and had to go through the U.S. Open. There's none of that this year: Dake is fully in control of his own destiny.

But he won't be alone, as guys like Alex Dieringer, Jon Reader, Mark Hall, and Zahid Valencia will all be joining him at the new weight.

J'den Cox: 92kg

Only one member of last year's world team won a medal in Paris and is moving up in weight: J'den Cox. That means he's not qualified for Final X yet, so he'll have to go to the U.S. Open in Vegas if he wants to avoid the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in May.