Best US Open Semis - Men's Freestyle
Best US Open Semis - Men's Freestyle
A breakdown of some of the best semi-finals in men's freestyle at the 2022 US Open.
The US Open men's freestyle semi-finals will go down at 9 pm (ET) and will feature some of USA's best wrestlers. Take a look below at a breakdown of some of the best semi-final matches.
Seth Gross vs Nico Megaludis, 61kg
Gross vs Megaludis should be highly entertaining and could result in a number of points going up on the board. Both Gross and Megaludis have been lighting up the scoreboard this tournament with techs in all three of their respective bouts - Gross has put up 41 points in his three matches while Megaluids has scored 38. Megaludis will likely get in on the legs of Gross but will he be able to solve the puzzle Gross presents when finishing? That will be the story of this semi-final match and should be fascinating to watch.
Megaludis’ quarter-final win over Brandon Wright:
Evan Henderson vs Matt Kolodzik, 65kg
This matchup is a true clash of styles between Henderson and Kolodzik. Henderson is one of the most unorthodox wrestlers while Kolodzik is one of the most fundamental. Kolodzik will want to slow the match down and limit the scoring positions. Henderson’s game plan will likely be the opposite - get in as many scoring flurries as possible. However the match unfolds, expect a competitive bout considering the last time these two wrestled, Henderson came away with a close, 7-6 victory.
Henderson’s win over Kolodzik from 2019 Senior Nationals:
Kendric Maple vs Pat Lugo, 65kg
Despite taking a few years off the mat, Kendric Maple hasn’t missed a beat. He’s 3-0 on the day with an impressive pin over #3 seed Luke Pletcher in the quarter-finals. Lugo will be looking to stop Maple’s run and might have the style and strength to do it. Lugo’s solid positioning and ability to control the center of the mat will be a puzzle Maple needs to solve in order to make the finals.
Maple’s pin over Luke Pletcher in the quarter-finals:
Jordan Oliver vs Tyler Berger, 70kg
Oliver and Berger have been equally impressive today in making it to the semi-finals. Oliver opened his day with a pin and tech-fall to set up a quarter-final match against Ohio State’s Sammy Sasso. In that match, Oliver took control from the start and won decisively - 7-1. Berger started his day with 2 tech falls before taking out All-American Will Lewan in the quarter-finals, 7-0. Coming off a gold medal performance at the Bill Farrell, Berger has established himself as a legitimate contender at 70kg. Can he challenge to make the world team? This match with Oliver will help answer that question.
Oliver’s win over Sasso in the quarter-finals:
Vincenzo Joseph vs Taylor Lujan, 79kg
Vincenzo Joseph pulled the upset of the tournament when he hit a late late drop for 4 points in his quarter-final victory over top-seeded Alex Dieringer. Taylor Lujan presents an entirely different set of skills for Joseph to deal with and Lujan showed those off when he pinned Evan Wick in his quarter-final. Both Joseph and Lujan have the ability to pull off big moves and will surely entertain in their semi-final bout.
Joseph’s win over Dieringer:
Chance Marsteller vs David McFadden, 79kg
Had Joseph not upset Dieringer, McFadden’s pin over Isaiah Martinez would have been the upset of the tournament. McFadden will have to pull off another upset in the semi-finals against a tough Chance Marsteller. Over the past few months, Marsteller has been wrestling as good as ever - he took home a silver medal at the Yasar Dogu in February where he defeated world champion Khetik Tsabolov and his semi-final opponent McFadden. The match between McFadden and Marsteller was highly competitive and ended in a high-scoring, 10-7 victory for Marsteller.
Marsteller’s win over McFadden from the 2022 Yasar Dogu:
