Gretest Individual Rivalry

[NCcowboy]

In listening to ESPN this week and hearing the discussion about greatest individual rivalries in other sports, it made me think about wrestling. There have been many individuals who have matched up multiple times with multiple great matches. I don't have all the stats, but from what I can recall in my days of following college wrestling and O State, the best I can remember is Kenny Monday and Nate Carr - Big 8 championships and NCAA championships in addition to the duals. The coverage was different (basically nonexistent back then - maybe back page of Daily Oklahoman), so I only saw a few of these matches.

I remember several others throughout the 90's and 2000's, but none from OSU or other schools that seemed to be on that level. What else is in that category?

 

[poke51]

How about Phil Kinyon and Bob Johnson and Ron Clinton.?Kinyon came back from the Olympic team to wrestle at 157, where OSU already had Bob Johnson. Kinyon took over at 157. Johnson could't oust Ronnie Clinton at 167, so moved up two weights to 177. All three won national championships that year.

Of course, the main action here took place in the basement of Gallagher Hall.

Good memory of the Monday-Carr matches. Those guys were slick and powerful, seemed to be shot from guns onto the mat.

 

[poke51]

Chris Pendleton and Ben Askren were a memorable match-up, with Pendleton dominating Askren until he graduated and Askren took over the top rung.