Grappler Fall Classic - 125-140 Preview
Continuation of the Previews … look for Episode 21 of 6 Minutes to drop tomorrow with JJ Johnson (Michigan Grappler) who joins me for an overall look at the Grappler Fall Classic and the weight classes he’s most interested in watching. Let’s take a look at 125-140 in this post.
Outstanding weight class … probably the best one at the GFC in 2020. Carlos Negrete of Cali comes in as the top pre-seed, but the top end talent as well as the depth here is superb. Expect outstanding matches to take place as early as the round of 32 and certainly by the round of 16. Tampa Jesuit’s Basile, Hough’s Treanor, and Baylor’s Bond headline the group from the SE. I’ve included Cole Thomas (even tough we don’t include KY in the usual coverage because I think he has a real chance to take the title back home to the Bluegrass State).
130 has 4 that are ranked by either TOM or FLO … including TN’s Hunter Mason who comes in pre-seeded #4. The SE is deep at 130 with FL’s David McClelland, Danny Nini, and Sebastian Melguizo, GA’s Eli Knight, Joey Robinson, and Colton Bishop, and the Carolinas (SC) Dylan Layton and (NC) Ethan Shell.
#1 Nic Bouzakis steps in after Crookham was unable to wrestle at WNO this weekend and he is obviously the top seed at 135. OH’s Davin Rhoads and FL’s Tom Crook are both ranked by TOM and FLO and are #2 and #3 … VA’s Evan Holloway is pre-seeded #4. Panone, Couto, and Dalyrmple round out the top 8 with PA’s Pierson Manville. I’m surprised SC’s Thomas Snipes isn’t pre-seeded … assuming he doesn’t Bouzakis first - he is a bad draw for anyone else in the bracket.
Woodland’s (GA) Caden McCrary comes in as the top pre-seed at 140. This is probably an ideal weight for McCrary and on paper this looks like a McCrary vs. Gomez final. But 140 is deep and should feature some great matches from the quarterfinals on in. Crook comes in as the 4 seed with NC’s Jeremiah Price #12, Caban #13, Pitts #15, and Neco-Rodriguez #16. I’m a bit surprised that Cordell White isn’t seeded in the top 16 … don’t be surprised to see him unseat someone in the top 8 on his way through the bracket.
145-170 will either be later tonight or in the morning