Tim Hands of 5 Point Move is back again to preview the Greco-Roman weight classes at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Raliegh, NC.

Is it time to reel in the chaos? Or has the chaos not even arrived yet?

The five lightest weight classes at the 2019 US Greco-Roman World Team Trials Challenge Tournament involve a lot of moving parts. Three of the first five brackets on Friday include reigning World Team members who will need to survive a litany of dangers to even have a shot of summiting the mountaintop once again. Their collective experience, an obvious presumed advantage to be sure, would seem to come in handy most years -- but 2019 isn’t just any other year. 

Watch World Team Trials Live On Flo

May 17-19 | 10:00 AM Eastern

With the Tokyo Olympics about to cascade into view, Greco’s participation has been strengthened, thanks in large part to a recent influx of youth competitors who are fast developing into established Seniors. Most of these dudes can be found among the lightweights. Several have shown they can press the more well-known of the lot, while others are still scratching the surface in terms of what they might have to offer down the road. 

Hunger is the preeminent variable separating contenders from champions, and those willing to take risk have a tendency to be rewarded at a Trials tournament. And if there is one thing the American light guys like to prove, it’s that when face to face with one another, they’ll take the risks. They’ll bring their swords and their shields, and swing mightily so as to impart a vanquishing that leaves no doubt. 

You saw that at the US Open. But that was just a dress rehearsal. 

This week in North Carolina, they’re playing for keeps. A berth in the Final X Series, the first year that sees Greco’s inclusion, means not only potentially making the World Team, but also becoming part of history. That’s more than enough incentive to bring out the best in every athlete worth his salt. 

55 Kilograms

Final X Entrant: Max Nowry (Army/WCAP)

2019 US Open runner-up: Dalton Duffield (NYAC/OTS)

As is the case for most of the weight classes, 55 kilos’ National runner-up, Duffield, is projected by most as the favorite to earn a rematch with the champ (Nowry) at Final X. The trio of Jabari Moody (NYAC), Jemone Carter (Marines), and Sean Sesnan (WBU) are capable of putting a wrench in the works, but the real wildcard here is Senior newcomer Ibrahim Bunduka (INWWTC), who gave Nowry a bit of a test in the Open quarterfinal. Despite his rawness, Bunduka never appeared rattled in Vegas and displayed surprisingly stout positional mechanics. Maybe there hasn’t been enough time between the Nationals and the Trials for him to pull off what would be a monumental upset, but a bout between he and Duffield could wind up closer than you might think. 

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60 Kilograms

Final X Entrant: Mike Fuenffinger (Army/WCAP)

2019 US Open runner-up: Ildar Hafizov (Army/WCAP)

At 60 kilograms, the seeding will work out to where Hafizov and reigning World Team member Dalton Roberts (NYAC/OTS) are going to be setup for another chapter in their min-saga from a year ago. Randon Miranda (NYAC/OTS) also figures to have a say in the argument, as does Taylor LaMont (Sunkist), and both have shown they are right there with the top two seeds. And should those seeds hold, the semifinals in this weight class will likely be the most-watched of the entire tournament. Roberts is going to come in with more rest than he had prior to Vegas, and that could spell trouble for the others given the fact he has been far more active competitively compared to the field. However, Hafizov is the most polished and experienced Greco wrestler in the country; Miranda and LaMont, like Roberts, represent the future. Any combination of these four advancing to the final is as predictable as the sunrise. 

63 Kilograms

Final X Entrant: Ryan Mango (Army/WCAP)

2019 US Open runner-up: Sammy Jones (NYAC/OTS)

2016 Olympian Jesse Thielke (NYAC/LOG) missed out on both the Pan Ams and the US Open due to injury but should be good to go this week in Raleigh. Such is Thielke’s standing that his presence instantly elevates him to favorite status. National Team member Xavier Johnson (Marines) defaulted out of his Open semifinal against Jones, a minor injury to blame there, as well. Again, health isn’t the question for Johnson, he’s okay. 63 is a little top-heavy. Jones and Travis Rice (IRTC) are clearly ready to take their respective steps up the ladder, and Johnson is one of the most electrifying prospects in the sport. Plus, they’ve all basically beaten each other’s brains in before. Senior newbies Kyle Evans (Western Wyoming) and Nate Cervantez (CYC) both impressed in Vegas, and for different reasons -- Evans for his bullish toughness and Cervantez for his old-school flair and lockdown lift. Neither are expected to actually press any of the top dogs here, but they might. 

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67  Kilograms

Final X Entrant: Ellis Coleman (Army/WCAP)

2019 US Open runner-up: Hayden Tuma (Army/WCAP)

Tuma, a Trials runner-up in ‘17 at 60 kilos before bumping (back) up to 67 last year, is the most explosive athlete in this bracket, and also, maybe the one most capable of threatening Coleman at Final X. Therefore, you have to wonder what kind of tweaks Jamel Johnson (Marines) and Austin Morrow (NYAC/OTS) have made over the past two weeks in acknowledgement of that concept. Johnson, for some reason, has been unable to solve the Tuma puzzle thus far, even though everything he does on a mat suggests that it’s his name everyone should be talking about. As for Morrow, he’s the sleeper. He has also been to hell and back stemming from two major shoulder injuries and has worked himself into becoming quite the intriguing candidate. Now include Jarod Verkleeren (NLWC), who wowed everyone with his fifth in Vegas, and ‘18 Open silver Jessy Williams (NYAC/FLWC), who absolutely has a point to prove after coming in seventh. You’ve got the makings of a beastly weight class here with its own story to tell, even if most think they already have the ending figured out. 

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72 Kilograms

Final X Entrant: Ray Bunker (Marines)

2019 US Open runner-up: RaVaughn Perkins (NYAC)

Out of the US Open’s ten finals bouts, Perkins’ loss to Bunker was the only upset -- and aside from Spencer Woods defeating Cheney Haight in the 82-kilo semis -- it was the biggest upset of the tournament, period. That’s not a slight to Bunker; the concept of favorites and upsets reside in mere perception, anyway. But still, it was a defeat for Perkins that didn’t digest very well, so he’ll probably be ramped up come showtime this week. Hot on his heels is Alex Sancho, making his triumphant return to competition following basic training for Army WCAP. Michael Hooker (Army/WCAP), who took third in Vegas, is deserving of a place at the table, as well, and now that Colin Schubert (NYAC/OTS) is finally done with school he’s had more time to train, which is something to look forward to. As far as sleepers go, Lenny Merkin (NJRTC) has to be the guy. Still not all the way there in terms of classical feel and approach, but he certainly has the chops to do something big here, though for now that might look more like fighting for the National Team spot. 

When you split Senior Greco’s ten weight classes in half, it works out like this: the lighter weights, the “ninjas” of the sport, are best known for speed, technique, and throws. Right off the bat you might think, ‘Ah, okay, well that’s all you need’, at least when it comes to entertainment. But such a stream of thought is foolhardy, and that’s because the mid to upper weights, especially at the 2019 US Greco-Roman World Team Trials, have something just as important to offer -- drama. 

Only one weight class out of the remaining five offers discernible distance between the top guy and everyone else right now, and that’s 97 kilograms. The other four, beginning with 77 kilos and ending at heavyweight, feature hearty depth and a gaggle of contenders who are knocking on the proverbial door. 

The Trials challenge tournament observes the above concept and stands to deliver, even at 97, since that aforementioned “top guy” (G’Angelo Hancock) enjoys the honor of sitting out until the Final X Series. Each of these weight classes appears too close to call, which should make for a thrilling two days of action beginning Friday morning from Raleigh, North Carolina. 

77 Kilograms

Final X Entrant - Kamal Bey (Sunkist, world no. 5)

2019 US Open runner-up - Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm)

What do the people want? Going by the mood, most seem to feel there is unfinished business between Bey and Smith given how their Open final panned out. It also feels like Smith is the next best guy due to how consistently he has performed this season, making another crack at Bey a natural fit for what would be a seething Final X matchup. But Mason Manville (NLWC) in a much more pronounced sample size than he put forth a year ago has delivered the goods thus far, and Corey Hope (NYAC) will be even sharper in Raleigh than he was in Vegas. What this all means is that athletes like Peyton Walsh (Marines), Jesse Porter (NYAC/OTS), and Brandon Mueller (AFRTC) better have their games stepped up, especially in par terre.

At the highest level, this is a “turn and not be turned” game. Prolonged pummel stalemates on the feet just aren’t going to cut it in this weight class domestically. Smith is big on pressure, but he has blossomed at 77 because he is creating workable opportunities off of what largely used to be control ties.That approach, or one just like it, has a much better chance of getting it done than waiting for the refs to sort it out. This is a bottlenecked bracket where the winner will need to be someone who never stops asserting himself. Since they’re all so close in skill-level, look for par terre to enter in as the great equalizer. 

82 Kilograms

Final X Entrant - Kendrick Sanders (NYAC/OTS)

2019 US Open runner-up - Spencer Woods (NYAC/OTS)

We specifically mentioned Woods in the first preview because it was as if he got shot out of a cannon in Vegas only to land in the consciousness of a bracket badly in need of some spice. And that’s precisely what Woods offers -- a penchant for unorthodox positions, sick athleticism, and a youthful zeal that gets your attention. Thing is, Cheney Haight (NYAC) has been in one too many rodeos not to have made proper adjustments by now, and John Stefanowicz (Marines) is the best fighter in the bracket. Both understand what this tournament demands, and both are once again seen as the favorites this time around. It’s up to the next-gen trio of Chandler Rogers (CRTC), Junior World silver Andrew Berreyesa (NYAC/FLWC), Terrence Zaleski (Marines), and Carter Nielsen (Minnesota Storm/OTS) to wreck the narrative. They can do it, too. With how the seeding is expected to unfold, the money round should be the quarterfinal. Watch out for an upset in the round-of-eight, because the smart money says you’ll see one. 

87 Kilograms

Final X Entrant - Joe Rau (TMWC/Chicago RTC)

2019 US Open runner-up - Patrick Martinez (NYAC)

87 is the headline bracket, but it’s dichotomistic. Here is where you’ll find the longest list of combined credentials (six World-level appearances including two Olympiads, five National titles), so that’s nice. But it is also where the most brutality lies in store. These bouts almost always center around rib-punching underhooks and whiplash-giving snaps, but not a ton of points. 

Along with Provisor and Patrick Martinez (NYAC), who comprised both halves of last year’s Trials best-of-three final, you’re getting the returns of multi-time National Teamer Jon Anderson (Army/WCAP) and ‘16 Open champ Kevin Radford (Sunkist). Right there, that’s more than bonus material. If either, or better yet both, come correct and ready to throw down, there’s no telling how that will tip the balance. Barrett Stanghill (Minnesota Storm) needs to make a statement here, and with James Souza (Army/WCA) now a legit fixture, one of the glossier names could get knocked off. Violence is the name of the game at 87. We’re not even in the Olympic Year yet and the intensity surrounding this bracket’s potential couldn’t be ramped up any higher. 

97 Kilograms

Final X Entrant - G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist, world no. 3)

2019 US Open runner-up - Lucas Sheridan (Army/WCAP)

It’s an interesting landscape at 97 kilos. Sheridan, who jumped up to this weight class in ‘18 before winning the Bill Farrell Memorial and earning his first-ever National Team spot, has made three straight domestic finals when you count last year’s challenge tournament. Marine Captain Daniel Miller won the ‘18 Open and later provided Hancock a stiff test in the Trials best-of-three series. Naturally, these two profile as the main event on Saturday, and both are 1-1 against each other this season, with Sheridan blowing past Miller via tech in the Open semis too tough to ignore. Minnesota Storm rep Eric Twohey, despite his newness, is, perhaps surprisingly, not to be discounted. While Twohey has yet to collect the scalp of a bigger name, he has progressed rapidly and his ability to negotiate the tie-ups and work to favorable positions keeps growing. What you want to see is ‘16 Open runner-up Khymba Johnson (NYAC/OTS) get himself into the argument. This is where he needs to be, this weight class, and if he could hone in and attack more consistently -- and confidently -- it would go a long way towards fulfilling some of the potential he’s always had but is yet to fully realize.

130 Kilograms

Final X Entrant - Adam Coon (Cliff Keen WC)

US Open Champion - Jacob Mitchell (Army/WCAP)

The heavyweight field in Raleigh begins and ends with Robby Smith (NYAC/Chicago RTC). Everyone knows this, especially the likes of WCAP teammates Toby Erickson (Army/WCAP) and National champ Jacob Mitchell (who doesn’t receive the Final X bye due to Coon’s World medal and is thus forced to fight it out this week). On one hand, Smith appears more vulnerable than at any other point in recent memory. On the other, that perception has the chance to become nullified immediately should he prevail in his first match on Friday. That’s all it would take. West Cathcart’s (IRTC) return to Senior Greco, which began at the Schultz in January, has been a breath of fresh air, and former Fargo champ Haydn Maley (CARTC) has the makings to develop into a star. 

But the young gun who will get the most attention is Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist), and rightfully so. A Cadet World champ in ‘17 and a Junior bronze last year, Schultz is remaining highly active. He just sealed up his third Junior World Team spot, is entering this tournament, and the U23’s come next. There is no doubt a place for Schultz on the National Team is a possibility (depending on where he winds up in the bracket), and a match between he and Smith would make for adrenalizing theater. That being said, it’s not the main story. Smith’s viability is. The majority of the country wants to run back the 2018 Trials finals and find out whether or not it was a fluke. While that seems likely, it is certainly not a given.