Beat The Streets Lineup Announced

On May 21st, USA Wrestling will host Cuba as part of the annual Beat The Streets fundraiser in Times Square. It's a star studded lineup for the USA featuring some of the best wrestlers the country currently has to offer. 

Cuba is no slouch themselves after a solid 5th place showing at the 2014 World Championships and a good fight at the World Cup. It's hard to forget the Ed Ruth/Salas matchup that nearly broke the scoreboard. 

The special challenge match is actually happening! I thought I got duped by a tweet that mentioned Oklahoma State 2-time National Champ Alex Dieringer taking on undefeated 3-time D2 Champ Joey Davis (Notre Dame College). Since the tweet and me mentioning it on the podcast there was no talk of it and thought it was even possibly a figment of my imagination but the match is actually happening!  Pretty cool stuff. 

The event will be broadcast on two television networks. Universal Sports Network will air a same-day 90-minute show on Thursday, May 22 at 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time. NBC Sports Network will broadcast its 90-minute show on Wednesday, May 27 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. All of the matches from Times Square will also be webcast live by Flosports. 

I really do like what Beat the Streets is doing and support them. I hope to see more efforts like this in venues to bring the star wrestlers in front of crowds whether it is USA vs another country or club vs club. I think Cliff Keen Wrestling Club could take on anybody in a dual right now, but I am a homer. 

SALSA IN THE SQUARE, USA VS. CUBA DUAL PAIRINGS
Men’s freestyle
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Tony Ramos (USA) vs. Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez (Cuba)
65 kg/143 lbs. – Brent Metcalf (USA) vs. Franklin Maren Castillo (Cuba)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Luis Esteban Quintana Martinez (Cuba)
74 kg/163 lbs. – David Taylor (USA) vs. Livan Lopez Azcuy (Cuba)
86 kg/189 lbs. – Jake Herbert (USA) vs. Reineris Salas Perez (Cuba)
97 kg/213 lbs. – Kyle Snyder (USA) vs. Javier Cortina Lacerra (Cuba)
125 kg/275 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev (USA) vs. Andres Ramos Dinza (Cuba)

Women’s freestyle
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Clarissa Chun (USA) vs. Yusneylis Guzman Lopez (Cuba)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Helen Maroulis (USA) vs. Yamilka del Valle Alvarez (Cuba)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Rosemary Flores (USA) vs. Yekelin Stornell Elastigue (Cuba)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Randi Miller (USA) vs. Yudari Sanchez Rodriguez (Cuba)

Greco-Roman
59 kg/130 lbs. – Spenser Mango (USA) vs. Maykel Anache Lamout (Cuba)
75 kg/165 lbs. – Andy Bisek (USA) vs. Yurisandi Hernandez Rios (Cuba)

Special Challenge Match
NCAA Div. I champion Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) vs. NCAA Div. II champion Joey Davis (Notre Dame College)