Episode 6 Preview
This Sunday’s episode of Real Pro Wrestling, which will air on PAX TV at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), will feature competition in the 211-pound weight class. Action from the quarterfinal and semifinal matches will be shown, with the finals set to air in episode nine.
This weight class is comprised of a unique mix of young stars and savvy veterans. All eight competitors were multiple time collegiate All-Americans, with three of them being four-time All-Americans. What makes this weight class even more intriguing, though, is the fact that both wrestlers who represented the United States at the Olympic Games at 211 pounds will be competing.
In the first quarterfinal match, top-seeded Daniel Cormier of the Oklahoma Slam will take on eighth-seeded Nick Preston of the Pennsylvania Hammer.
Cormier, a 2004 Olympian, has been the top freestyle wrestler in the U.S. at this weight class for the past two years. He just missed earning a medal at both the 2004 Olympics (4th place) and 2003 World Championships (5th place). Cormier is a two-time U.S. Nationals champion, and also won a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games. As a collegiate wrestler, he won two junior college national titles, before transferring to Oklahoma State, where he finished runner-up to Cael Sanderson in his senior campaign.
Preston, at age 25, is still considered a newcomer on the senior level. He has continued to make strides in his wrestling every year. He placed seventh at the U.S. Nationals in 2003 and improved to fourth in 2004. Also on his resume is a fourth place finish at the 2003 Clansmen International in Canada, which was his first international competition on the senior level. Preston was a two-time All-American in at Ohio State University.
What to expect: Cormier is the total package. He’s quick (especially for a big man), strong, and technically sound. He will be looking to keep the intensity high in this match, and score with single-leg takedowns, high crotches, and go-behinds. Preston is tough with his snatch single, and possesses good overall skills, but might have trouble matching Cormier’s intensity. Barring the unexpected, Cormier should roll in this one.
The second quarterfinal match will pit fourth-seeded Damion Hahn of the Minnesota Freeze against fifth-seeded Chad Lamer of the Iowa Stalkers.
Hahn brings an impressive list of credentials to RPW. He was a four-time NCAA All-American and two-time national champion at the University of Minnesota. On the senior level, he placed third at the 2004 U.S. Nationals, and is currently ranked fifth in the U.S. Hahn placed twice at the FILA Junior World Championships (3rd and 8th), and finished fourth at the University World Championships.
Lamer, a former national team member, is a tough veteran who has been around the freestyle game for a long time. He has finished runner-up at the U.S. Nationals twice, and placed numerous times. In 2000, Lamer won a title at the University World Championships. He also claimed a silver medal at the 2002 World Cup. Lamer was a four-time NCAA All-American and two-time national champion for South Dakota State University.
What to expect: Hahn is an active upper weight who can score with a variety of different attacks. He is lighting quick and can match anyone’s strength in this weight class. On his feet, Hahn will mostly look to score with high crotches and low singles, but has the ability to throw as well. Lamer is a strong, solid wrestler, but isn’t flashy as a Hahn. Look for Lamer to attempt to slow the pace of this match, wear Hahn down, and try to win it in the second period.
In the bottom bracket, third-seeded Garrett Lowney of the California Claw will take on sixth-seeded Ryan Tobin of the Texas Shooters.
After winning an Olympic Bronze Medal at the 2000 Olympics at age 20, Lowney looked to be well on his way to becoming one of the greatest Greco-Roman wrestlers in U.S. history. Since the Olympics, however, injuries have slowed him. In 2004, after coming back from a severe neck injury, Lowney qualified for his second Olympic team, but missed reaching the medal rounds in Athens. Lowney is a three-time U.S. Nationals champion. While in college, at the University of Minnesota, Lowney was a two-time All-American at heavyweight.
Tobin, a former three-time All-American at the University of Nebraska, is solid veteran who has proven throughout his career that he can compete with anyone in the country. In 1997, Tobin won both the Pan American Games and the University Nationals. His highest finish at the U.S. Nationals is third in 2001. Tobin is currently an assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania.
What to expect: Anytime you match a young and talented Greco-Roman star against an accomplished freestyle veteran, the match suddenly becomes very intriguing because anything could happen. Lowney’s style of wrestling translates well into the RPW style because of his recent experience in all three styles. Lowney knows how to control the center of the mat, which could prove to be crucial with getting in the bonus situation and scoring with his throws. Tobin wrestles hard and will try to keep the pressure on Lowney. If Tobin can get to his Lowney’s legs, stay out of the big moves, and score in the par terre position, he has a shot to win this match.
The final quarterfinal match will be a battle between second-seeded Tommy Rowlands of the New York Outrage and seventh-seeded David Rechul of the Chicago Groove.
Rowlands, at age 23, is one of the young, rising stars in the U.S. at this weight class. In 2004, he placed fourth at both the U.S. Nationals and the Olympic Team Trials. He also claimed titles at the Sunkist Kids International and the New York AC Christmas Open at the end of last year. In college, he was a four-time NCAA All-American and a national champion at Ohio State University.
Rechul, a former All-American heavyweight at Harvard, has continued to make steady progress on the senior level. He has medaled in his last two major international events, the Dave Schultz Memorial (gold) and Sunkist International Open (silver). Also on his resume is a silver medal at the 2002 Clansman International in Canada.
What to expect: This is a match-up pitting two young, future stars against one another. Rowlands is an agile big man who wrestles well both on his feet and in the par terre position. Look for Rowlands to come out and set the pace in this match, and score with a variety of different attacks on his feet and on the mat. Rechul has good defense and can scramble well, so Rowlands might have to work hard to put points on the scoreboard in this match. Rechul has good overall technical skills, but can’t match Rowlands in the athleticism department.
Quarterfinals:
#1 Daniel Cormier (Oklahoma Slam) vs. #8 Nick Preston (Pennsylvania Hammer)
#4 Damion Hahn (Minnesota Freeze) vs. #5 Chad Lamer (Iowa Stalkers)
#3 Garrett Lowney (California Claw) vs. #6 Ryan Tobin (Texas Shooters)
#2 Tommy Rowlands (New York Outrage) vs. #7 David Rechul (Chicago Groove)
Semifinals:
Cormier/Preston winner vs. Hahn/Lamer winner
Lowney/Tobin winner vs. Rowlands/Rechul winner
Finals match will air in episode nine.
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