Get To Know The Toughest Weight At Senior Nationals

Bratke breaks down why he believes that 70kg is the toughest weight at the 2021 Senior Nationals.

Apr 29, 2021 by Kyle Bratke

Get To Know The Toughest Weight At Senior Nationals

A two-time Senior level world medalist, a former U23 world team member, two former Junior world team members, a former Cadet world medalist, and a three-time NCAA All-American. The credentials of the 70kg field at this weekend's Senior Nationals in freestyle and folkstyle are impressive to say the least.

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Friday-Sunday, April 30-May 2, 2021

Top Contenders

James Green, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club

Tyler Berger, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club

Alec Pantaleo, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club

Yahya Thomas, Wildcat Wrestling Club

Brayton Lee, Gopher Wrestling Club

Jacori Teemer, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club

James Green

After wrestling at 65kg since December, James Green will return to the weight where he won two world medals and made five straight world teams. Since 2015, Green has only lost to two Americans at 70kg. Those losses came to Kevin LeValley on criteria at the 2015 U.S Open and Ryan Deakin at the 2019 U.S. Open. Both year's Green would avenge the loss, make the world team, and in 2015, bring home a bronze medal from the World Championships.

Green has some familiarity with a couple of the other favorites at this weight, including Alec Pantaleo, who he beat in the semifinal of the 150-pound 8-man bracket. Green also shared the Nebraska wrestling room with Tyler Berger during Berger's entire Cornhusker career.

Watch Green beat Pantaleo at the 150 lbs 8-man bracket.

Tyler Berger

While Berger didn't qualify for the Olympic Trials up at 74kg at the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier, he beat Ryan Deakin, Alec Pantaleo, and Joey Lavallee on his way to a third-place finish.

Going back to November, the three-time NCAA All-American and national finalist also picked up a win over 2021 NCAA finalist Sammy Sasso on the Burroughs-Zahid card.

Watch Berger beat Pantaleo at the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier.

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Alec Pantaleo

Like Berger, Alec Pantaleo failed to qualify for the Olympic Trials up at 74kg, where he is undersized. However, The former Michigan three-time All-American has been his best at 70kg or around the area. In December at the 150 lbs 8-man bracket, Pantaleo knocked off Olympic Trials champion Jordan Oliver in the opening round. Pantaleo has also made a U23 world team member at the weight and the Cerro Pelado and the Matteo Pellicone last month.

In the Pellicone finals, Pantaleo knocked off Daulet Niyazbekov who was a world silver medalist in 2019 and beat Bajrang Punia to make the finals in Nur-Sultan.

Watch Pantaleo beat world finalist Niyazbekov in the Matteo Pellicone finals.

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Yahya Thomas

Arguably the hottest wrestler coming into the tournament is Yahya Thomas. Thomas entered the NCAA Championships as the #25 seed and beat Legend Lamer, Jaden Abas twice, Mitch Moore, Brock Mauller, and Boo Lewallen to finish third.

The Northwestern hammer is accomplished on the freestyle scene as well. In 2019 at the Junior Open, Thomas beat Keegan O'Toole, Josh Saunders, and Andrew Alirez before beating O'Toole again in the best of three finals to make the Junior world team. Thomas also finished fourth at the 2020 Senior Nationals.

Watch Thomas beat Matt Kolodzik at the 2020 Senior Nationals.

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Brayton Lee

Another former Junior world team member looking to make his mark on the Senior level is, Brayton Lee. The Golden Gopher finished sixth at the NCAA Championships, but had two big wins over Jacori Teemer and Kaleb Young, and only lost to the top three seeds: Ryan Deakin, Hayden Hidlay, and David Carr.

Lee was a 2019 Junior world teammate of Thomas' after he beat Sammy Sasso in straight matches to be the United States representative at 70kg. Lee wrestled two Senior level matches at the RTC Cup, but fell to Pantaleo and Green.

Watch Lee beat Sammy Sasso to make the 2019 Junior world team.

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Jacori Teemer

Former Cadet World bronze medalist, Jacori Teemer, will look to build off his outstanding performance at the NCAA Championships where he picked up a massive win over Hayden Hidlay on his way to a fourth-place finish.

Teemer most recently wrestled freestyle at the 2020 U23 Nationals where he finished sixth, but picked up a big win over NCAA finalist Jake Wentzel.

Watch Teemer beat eventual NCAA finalist Jake Wentzel at U23 Nationals.