That One Match

Episode 5 of That One Match takes us to 2017 NCAA Champion Darian Cruz of Lehigh University. We chat with Darian about his semifinal match that year where he knocked off Iowa's top-seeded, undefeated 125 lber Thomas Gilman. Cruz shares with us his in-match thoughts and adjustments after getting held in check for the better part of two periods. In that third period and sudden victory overtime, Darian managed to get a pair of remarkable takedowns against the Hawkeye. Cruz also shares his interactions with Gilman when training together long after the match. 

On episode 4 we talk to the University of Virginia's three-time All-American Jack Mueller about his 2019 NCAA Semifinal match against Sebastian Rivera. Mueller scored early and often on the top-seeded Rivera and dominated on the mat. Find out Jack's mentality heading into the match and what he saw from Rivera that he felt he could exploit. 

In episode 3 we talk with Michigan State's four-time NCAA All-American and 2011 World Team member Nick Simmons. The match in question is his 2012 Olympic Trials Semifinal at 55 kg when he defeated Henry Cejudo. Henry was the 2008 Olympic gold medalist and prompted retired after the loss to Simmons. Nick walks us through some of the exciting sequences (and there were a lot) in the match. Was Nick much of a game-planner based on his opponent? Nick talks about that and much more as we're also joined by Bloodround host Kevin Claunch. 

On episode 2 we're talking to the double-leg ninja himself, 2012 Olympian, Jake Herbert. Jake discusses how he spent his 21st birthday. Not partying but pinning Iowa's Mark Perry in the 2006 Big Ten finals. Herbert talks about his mentality before the match, how he approached the dangerous Perry, and winning the major scramble in the bout. 

We talk with Bubba Jenkins about all things related to his 2011 NCAA finals stunner against undefeated freshman David Taylor. The two were briefly teammates after the arrival of Cael Sanderson as head coach at Penn State. Bubba talks about his time in the room with Taylor and the relationship with Cael. Jenkins goes through the match itself and some of the action leading up to the pin heard around the wrestling world. He also tells us how he almost ended up in the seats if it were up to his assistant coach Brian Stith. 

Welcome to That One Match! This teaser episode lets the listener know what to expect from our forthcoming podcast That One Match.