Flo Announces Second 8 Man Bracket
Wrestling is kind of back now. With multiple events having taken place, from Wrestling Underground and Flo cards that are a sort of wrestling equivalent to an MMA Pay Per View, and staples like Who’s Number One, Senior Nationals and Super 32 are either greenlit, or in the case of Who’s Number 1, also have happened. At Who’s Number 1, FloWrestling announced a 150lb 8 man bracket, in the same vein as the 8 man 195lb bracket they announced earlier.
Those who are avid listeners of FloWrestling Radio Live may not be entirely surprised (it was discussed as by the logic of Senior Editor and Contact Director, the next most stacked weight bracket in terms of possible competitors) but for it to be organized so soon is a pleasant surprise during a time when wrestling is making a very strong return relative to many sports. I’ll be looking at some names that are either already confirmed (the 8man bracket at 195 has been set), and in the case of the newly announced 150lb bracket, take a look at confirmed athletes and those who have thrown their name in the metaphorical hat.
195
- Nate Jackson
- Drew Foster
- Gabe Dean
- Sammy Brooks
- Shakur Rasheed
- Taylor Lujan
- Myles Martin
- Keith Gavin
For one, this bracket is not only full to the brim with studs, there’s several Fanatic Wrestling athletes. Nate Jackson, Gabe Dean, and Myles Martin have all contributed instructionals to the site, providing detailed approaches to the neutral game of wrestling.
Check out some New Releases HERE! Click Learn More!
These events are freestyle, and the first place winner pockets a cool 20k for their victory. With this many NCAA Champs (4, not counting repeat wins) and multiple time all Americans, in addition to those with national title potential in both freestyle and folk during their collegiate careers, it’s truly anyone’s bracket to win. Sammy Brooks and Shakur Rasheed recently clashed at Wrestling Underground, with Brooks pulling away with the victory, and a rematch would be very compelling. Nate Jackson and Gabe Dean are both currently coaching, at Princeton and Cornell respectively, and it’s a great surprise for Dean to come out of what was seemingly retirement from competition.
The reason I mention both is I sincerely look forward to when or if they meet in the bracket. Gabe and Jackson present entertaining styles in a clash of body types and styles, with Jackson specializing at distance and using his reach to get to legs when most couldn’t, and Gabe Dean is always going to come forward. This matchup will have zero passivity calls, you could bet on that. Myles Martin vs Nate Jackson or Gabe Dean would be rematches from college or freestyle respectively, and presents the similar matchup debate, with both likely to be high scoring matches as neither competitor is going to stop trying to work their leg attacks. Every one of these competitors are the 1% of their weight class, and the logistical nightmare of boiling a bracket down to 8 when the 195lb range has so many competitors was sorted out nicely by Flo.
150lb
- Jordan Oliver
- James Green
- Anthony Ashnault
- Pat Lugo
We get two brackets, and even with only half confirmed this 150lb bracket is set to be filled with compelling matches. Fanatic Wrestling partners Jordan Oliver and Anthony Ashnault, Pat Lugo and James Green are all at the top of their weights in either freestyle or folkstyle. Ashnault could get his rematch from Beat The Streets, and run it back with Green. Jordan Oliver has always been a favorite at any domestic freestyle event, and at 150lb he will be far from outsized, as he could meet a former rival at 65kg in Green as well. Lugo getting in is especially fun, as he was a contender for a national title this past season at 149, but the unfortunate cancellation due to COVID robbed him of the shot. Many other athletes have thrown their name in, with Reece Humphrey, fanatic wrestling’s resident expert on highlight reel throws, tuned in on twitter to let Flo know he wants in. Far from his prime, Reece would add a lot of umph to this impressive bracket.
Wrapping Up
There are a ton of Fanatic Wrestling’s partners competing and who possibly could compete, make sure to look them up on the site to get hours and hours of instruction in both neutral, mat wrestling and fundamental techniques (and some nasty throws to boot).
Check out New Releases HERE! Click Learn More!