Looked like he started taking desperation shots when it was 4-2. I was surprised to see it because he had plenty of time. I think you are right, more experience will make him more comfortable taking his time in those situations.
At 34, Dake is having a harder time going 6 hard and full minutes against a 25 year old.
Carter has a tough decision to make. He can be a beast in freestyle if he gives it his full attention in the coming years, but if he wants to be great in MMA he needs to start now. A good problem to have!
Word on the street is that he wants a shot at 2028 in LA. If he wants it, I think he'll get it. Lots of great competition at 86 but today showed he is right with Dake after a relatively short time being fully immersed in freestyle. He and Dake posted on X after the match. Seems they are friendly.
It amazes me that Hamiti can wrestle at this level with what appears to be very little freestyle technique. In collegiate he was a hammer on top, his freestyle skills seem virtually nonexistent from the top position. His short offence is much more limited in freestyle as well. He has a harder time finishing shots for fear of giving up back exposure. His transition offence is limited. After all this, he's still the 3rd best guy at his weight in the U.S. His shots and hips are just so good.
True. To me it also appears he chose the wrong weight class. Aftet going up two weight classes he is small for this weight. His offence, in the past has relied a lot on being the stronger more physical wrestler - he is not stronger than Valencia or Starocci at this weight. Going up one weight class instead of two would have made more sense to me.
Unfortunately 79 is not an Olympic weight. I think his bet is to grow into 86 over the next couple years and see what happens.
Maybe I guess, but the next Olympics is over 3 years away.
Hamiti said in an interview after NCAAs that he sees himself getting bigger similar to how DT did. He has the frame for it and he's only 21.
I know the score made it appear lopsided but I think he may already a better freestyler than Levi. His shots changed noticeably when he got down 4-2. That doesn’t happen, I think he beats Levi. I could be looking through orange colored glasses and might be even more biased because he is one of my favorite wrestlers to watch. I follow freestyle bc of OSU and USA wrestling but I’m not a huge fan of the style. But I am excited to watch his freestyle matches.
I definitely think Hamiti has an overall higher ceiling than Haines but I think Haines wins 6-7/10 matches today. Dean just did not look comfortable in freestyle (either in the open or WTT). Him making finals in both simply speaks to how great of a wrestler he is. He's hungry, however and I expect him to be our 79kg rep the next two years.
It'll be between those two I think. I just don't see Dake being able to do it at age 38.
If Dake can gain 15 lbs in the next couple years it could be different. Yesterday he couldn't move Carter at all when they locked up
