RUDIS Wrestling Podcast

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#82: Yianni vs Zain Wrestle Off with Kyle Snyder & Logan Stieber Sep 04, 2019

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RUDIS Wrestling Shoes and Stieber Elite Wrestling Academy
On this special episode, Kyle Snyder and Logan Stieber join Matt Dernlan as they discuss the brand new 2019 RUDIS Wrestling Shoes. Stieber and Snyder breakdown the process of making, developing, and everything that goes into making a shoe. Snyder will also be giving away 2 free pairs of KS Infinity Shoes on his Instagram: @Snyderman45 and his Twitter @Snyder_man45
Stieber and Dernlan get into how the official first week of Stieber Elite Wrestling Academy went. They also talk about the future of Stieber Elite such as tournament season and what the future looks like for a Stieber Elite Dual Team. Stieber explains his ideology on leading and coaching these kids and how it also ties into coaching the parents.
Yianni Diakomihalis vs Zain Retherford Wrestle Off
Dernlan mentions how he can’t think of anyone better to get their insight and opinion on the Yianni vs Zain than Logan Stieber who was the U.S. world representative at 65 kg last year. Stieber gives Zain a lot of credit and talks about how cool it was to see Zain’s emotion after his win. He breaks down Zain and Penn State’s gameplan and Zain’s ability to adapt quickly. He talks about Yianni’s offense and his future looking forward to next years Olympic run.

#81: Exclusive Interview with Daton Fix Aug 22, 2019

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Daton Fix Podcast
On this special edition of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Ben Askren sits down with 4x Oklahoma State Champion, 2017 Junior World Champion, NCAA Finalist, 2019 Senior World Team Member, and 7x World Team Member Daton Fix. Fix holds many, many more accolades including the most recent Gold Medal at the Lima Pan American Games. Despite Fix’s reputation of winning, he didn’t start wrestling until 5th grade and had to catch up to the other kids who had been wrestling since they were 5. Fix says his dad was a great coach for him and set the foundation for him to succeed. He was told not to focus on results but on progression and if you do that the results will follow. He’s kept that mindset since and is something he claims has helped him throughout his career. Askren talks about how he can’t think of anyone else that wrestles in as many events, tournaments, or duals as Fix. They breakdown Fix’s decision to commit to Oklahoma State as well as his battle in the NCAA finals against Nick Suriano. Fix and Askren also breakdown his U.S. Open and Final X series with Thomas Gilman. Wrapping up the podcast Fix gives an inside look at his training for this year’s World Championships in Kazakhstan and Askren talks John Smith.

#80: Kyle Dake vs Alex Dieringer Wrestle Off Recap Aug 20, 2019

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Team USA - One Step Closer to Final Form
This episode, Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan detail and breakdown Dake vs Dieringer, Diakomihalis vs Retherford, wrestling protocol, Junior Greco, and Daton Fix joining Askren on the podcast. Askren commends Dake on his gameplan, execution, and all-around wrestling. Dernlan talks about Dake's ability to adapt to his opponent. He says he has one of the best pushouts in the world, he's great at controlling center and wrestling from space as well as controlling tempo and pace. Next, they get into the topic of Yianni vs Zain and wrestling rules protocol. They mention Cholton Schultz and acknowledge his tremendous potential at the next level. The last topic they discuss is Daton Fix and how the wrestling community has been able to witness his career from such a young age.
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#79: 2019-20 Olympic Redshirts & Junior Worlds Recap Aug 15, 2019

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Olympic Red Shirt and Jr. Worlds
This episode Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan cover Yianni Diakomihalis / Zain Retherford arbitration process being dragged out, Mekhi Lewis taking an Olympic redshirt, Vito Arujau at Junior Worlds, and Collegiate rosters for next season. Askren and Dernlan First get into Yianni vs Zain. They believe by the length of time the arbitration process is taking that there will a wrestle-off. What the board is trying to figure out most likely is if they count the second Final X match for Yianni and the series is tied 1-1 or if they call it a nullified match and force Yianni to win two straight matches. They’ll also have to decide when the match will happen with limited time remaining before the World Championships. The next topic they discuss is the domestic battle in the U.S. at the 57kg weight class for the Olympics. The list of elite wrestlers filtering into 57kg is extremely long from Daton Fix, Spencer Lee, Thomas Gilman, Nick Suriano, to Tyler Graff, Nathan Tomasello, and the list goes on and on. For Daton Fix it’s extremely important for him to medal in order to put himself in a final wrestle-off for the Olympic team spot. They also announce they will be going LIVE on YouTube from the RUDIS Wrestling HQ this Saturday, August 17th as they watch the Kyle Dake vs Alex Dieringer wrestle-off. Lastly the breakdown Junior Worlds and the potential of these amazing wrestlers.

#78: Exclusive Interview with Spencer Lee Aug 08, 2019

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Spencer Lee Before Iowa
On this special episode of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Ben Askren sits down with 2x NCAA Champion and Iowa Hawkeye Spencer Lee for an exclusive interview. Askren first met Lee at Young Guns Camp when Lee was a sophomore or junior in high school. Even at that time, Lee was a wrestling prodigy with 3 Pennslyvania State Titles a Cadet World Title and 2 Junior World Titles. They talk about Lee’s beginning experiences with the sport of wrestling, how he developed his skills and the mindset ingrained in him from his father. Next, they get into Lee’s experience winning Cadet Worlds. Askren and Lee also talk recruitment and how it was between Iowa, Iowa State, and Penn State when he was deciding where he wanted to wrestle in college. Lee talks about the process of getting back into competition and rehabbing his knee injury.
Austin DeSanto and Wrestling Conditioning
Askren brings up the topic of Austin DeSanto. Ever since high school and DeSanto beat Lee at states they had mutual respect. Lee talks about wanting DeSanto to come to Iowa and how it all worked out in the end. The next topic Askren and Lee get into is wrestling conditioning and lifting weights. Lee works with Iowa’s strength and conditioning coach but overall doesn’t stress strength and is more focused on being a technician with a gas tank that won’t fail him during the crucial moments of a match.
Freestyle Career and Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling Style
Askren asks Lee to talk about his future plans competing in freestyle and chasing Olympic Gold. Lee says he does not have plans set in stone. He will continue to discuss with the people around him and his coaches to figure out what’s best for him and his career. The last topic is about the Iowa Hawkeyes and their style of wrestling. Askren has picked Iowa to win next years team title. Lee agrees that they have more than enough talent and the opportunity is there for the taking they just have to execute and avoid injury to the best of their ability.

#77: The Future of Regional Training Centers Aug 07, 2019

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RTCs
On this episode, Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan discuss the main topics from the NWCA coach’s convention including changes/recommendations for how RTCs are being run, monitored, regulated and enforced by the NCAA. They kick off the podcast by bringing up current news of Zain Retherford not wrestling at the 2019 Pan Ams. They also briefly discuss the news of Yianni Diakomihalis officially announcing he will taking an Olympic redshirt year. Next, Askren and Dernlan talk 2019 Cadet Worlds held in Sofia, Bulgaria. Notably our women’s team performance.
The Future of the Sport
Getting into the discussion of RTCs, Askren asks “Do we care more about elevating and growing the sport as well as bringing up the level of competition for the US senior-level athletes to compete internationally? Or do we care more about the fairness of the college competition?” The answer to this question will help determine the future state of RTCs. Next years NCAA Championships being held in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the U.S. Bank Stadium will be the first time in its history the championships are held in a stadium as opposed to an arena. Dernlan talks about how he heard at the NWCA Coach’s Convention that they have sold close to 20,000 seats and are working on unveiling a plan to grow it to close to 40,000.
One Semester Season
Another hot topic surrounding last weekends convention is switching the college wrestling season to a one-semester sport. This would benefit the academic side of the sport by not pulling athletes away from the classroom over two semesters and allowing them to schedule their classes easier. It would also allow wrestling to bump the national championship back to April instead of “competing” against basketballs march madness. Lastly, there was talk about two types of championships stretched over two semesters. One would be a dual meet champion season and the other would be a tournament championship. Askren talks about when you can win a team race with 4 wrestlers that is probably not the best way to judge the best overall team. Coming up on the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast Askren will be interviewing 2x NCAA Champion, Spencer Lee.

The Way #20 | A RUDIS Wrestling Podcast: Make Your Bed: Never Ever Quit Aug 02, 2019

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You Will Always Regret it
This episode Cary Kolat and Matt Dernlan discuss Ch. 10 “Never Ever Quit” from the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. This chapter talks about not giving up on your dreams and having the fortitude to stick to the process. Refusing to give up and standing tall against the odds makes life what you make of it. Kolat talks about the part in the book during SEAL training where the drill instructor tells the trainees if they quit now they will live with that regret forever. Kolat thinks this is a powerful statement and one many people don't bring up when motivating others to not give up.
Bear the Burden on Your Own (2:34)
Being self-sufficient is crucial. Kolat talks about how he prepped for competitions and what he took with him so even if no one had Gatorade/snacks or dry clothes for him he was prepared. When you do get help it's a welcomed relief but you have to be mentally and physically prepared for life. Dernlan talks about the role wrestling plays in teaching kids self-reliance. In a day and age of helicopter parents watching and fixing every problem or lawnmower parents knocking down obstacles in their children's way it's no wonder, kids haven't learned to be self-sufficient. This ties back to essentially teaching kids to quit. Instead of allowing them to figure it out all they have to do is step back and allow the parents/teachers/adults to fix all problems. This is not to be confused with abandoning or not helping but rather it's leading.Be
Brutally Honest with Yourself First (11:34)
Kolat and Dernlan break down the role of a coach specifically a college coach preparing their athletes for the rest of their lives. While coaching one of Dernlan's priorities was to prepare kids for the non-cushioned real life after college. If he could get them to hold themselves to a high standard with a strong sense of self-honesty he knew they would be successful.

#76: Exclusive Interview with University of Maryland Head Coach Alex Clemsen Jul 30, 2019

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Why Maryland?
On this special edition of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Matt Dernlan sits down with newly named University of Maryland Head Wrestling Coach Alex Clemsen. Dernlan asks Clemsen why Maryland was the right choice for him to take his storied coaching career to the next level. Clemsen speaks about the close relationships he has with many of the instrumental administration and staff surrounding Maryland. He also mentions just how good of a school it is academically on top of being in the BIG 10 wrestling the best schools in the country. When you combine great people, great education, and great competition you can’t go wrong.
The Difference (6:42)
Dernlan asks Clemsen about the things that have jumped out to him immediately as the difference moving from an associate head coach position to head coach. Coming from a unique four-year position at Missouri, Clemson was empowered with a lot of responsibility and included in decision making that most coaches in that position wouldn’t be. This had made the transition to head coach seamless.
Learning from Legends (13:22)
Since Clemsen’s athletic career at Edinboro being coached by Tim Flynn and Lou Roselli where he was an All-American and 4x NCAA qualifier he has been surrounded by legends in the sport. Clemsen goes on to tell how Flynn and Roselli played a crucial role in shaping him as a young man and ingraining into him many of the principles he lives by today. He also speaks about his time at Oregon coaching under Troy Steiner. Overall Clemsen is thankful he’s had the opportunities to be around not just good wrestling minds but good human beings.
Recruiting (26:45)
The topic of recruiting is brought up and Clemsen gives his thoughts on the ongoing trend of recruiting kids at a younger and younger age. He doesn’t believe it’s healthy for a few reasons. One reason is pushing kids to compete more is not good for their bodies or minds. From weight cutting to injuries to mental fatigue, too many repetitions and competitions are not beneficial. Another unspoken about factor about competing more is the money and time required to travel to and compete in tournaments and showcase events. Lastly, the younger you recruit the harder it is to divide your scholarships into a team without holes in the roster. You may recruit a kid thinking they’ll be a 125 lbs wrestler but they grow and become a 144 lbs.
What’s to Come (35:09)
Clemsen talks about the task ahead of him at Maryland and all that he’s excited for. He speaks on the culture he is building, the type of wrestler he is recruiting, and what it means to be a Terrapin.
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The Way #19 | Make Your Bed: Rise to the Occasion & Give People Hope Jul 26, 2019

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The Harsh Reality
This episode Cary Kolat and Matt Dernlan discuss Ch. 8 “Rise to the Occasion” and Ch. 9 "Give People Hope" from the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. Ch. 8 deals a lot with giving respect to those soldiers who don't make it home, the realities of war, and the true dangers involved. Kolat and Dernlan don't entertain the idea that this is comparable to wrestling. They move on to Ch. 9 that covers a topic many people are fascinated with when it comes to SEAL training, Hell Week. Kolat relays what some of his SEAL friends have told him about Hell Week and that is that Hell Week is actually not the hardest part of BUD/S but getting through the entire 6 months of being wet, cold, and sandy is.
Hell Week (8:50)
Dernlan talks about how wrestling programs draw from the idea of a "Hell Week". You have to make sure the athlete understands what they're getting into entering a collegiate program right away. The worst thing for both the program and the individual would be if they had a false reality of what they were getting into and end up quitting. Everyone's going to question if going through this is really worth it, or if they're getting out what they're putting in but that's normal. Dernlan would remind his athletes this and tell his team to lift up their teammates when they're on the edge or ready to give up. Admiral McRaven talks about how it only takes one individual to be the change in everyone's attitude, morale, and motivation. This is true in wrestling as well. Kolat says one guy becoming a national champ can motivate the entire program to be great and achieve their goals. It also only takes one guy to quit to allow others to rationalize in their head to quit.
You're Always Under Attack (17:20)
Kolat speaks on how you're always going to be mentally tested. Who you surround yourself with is extremely important. If you're serious about your goals surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals is crucial for your success.

#75: Exclusive Interview with Yianni Diakomihalis Jul 25, 2019

Show notes

Developing a Wrestling Prodigy
On this special edition of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Ben Askren is joined by Yianni Diakomihalis for an exclusive interview. Diakomihalis explains how he started wrestling at the young age of five and by ten began training seriously with his father former Rochester Institute of Technology All-American Ilias Diakomihalis. They would watch film on YouTube of all-time greats like Buvaisar Saitev, learn what they're doing successfully, and practice their moves. Ilias's philosophy was to help Yianni become the most skilled wrestler he could possibly be and let speed and strength come secondary to skill and technician.
U.S. Recent Success on International Level (10:56)
Askren brings up the recent news of Artur Taymazov testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs for a second time after re-analysis of stored samples. He asks Diakomihalis if he believes some of the United State's recent success on the international level could be due to the fact other countries like Russia have potentially stopped using PEDs and the competition is more level now. Diakomihalis says while that isn't the only reason it is for sure a contributing factor. The next question Askren has is if Diakomihalis believes the restructure of weight classes at the Olympic Level has helped our hurt the United States. Adding 79 kg and 92 kg couldn't have been better for the U.S. For example, Kyle Dake was able to find a home and went unscored upon last year at Worlds.
Middle School and High School Success (17:10)
Diakomihalis' first high-level national success came in 2013 when he won Super 32. Sophomore Year of high school Diakomihalis won UWW Cadet Nationals against one his close friends and teammates Vitali Arjua. That year he went on to win his first UWW Cadet Gold. Diakomihalis didn't let the fact he admired many of these wrestlers impact the way he wrestled against them. In his mind, he understood and used their moves so he had the best skills from all of them so how could they beat him? After losing to Daton Fix in the 2015 Flo Nationals, Diakomihalis began training at the NY RTC. He wanted high-level training partners and prepare himself for college while also preparing for the best wrestlers in high school. Diakomihalis broke his elbow attempting a collar tie in practice near the beginning of his senior year season. He also had preventative surgery on his other elbow right after and was forced to sit out for 4-5 months.
Freshman Year of College (28:37)
During Diakomihalis' true freshman year of college at Cornell, he won the 141 lbs NCAA Title. He only lost one match and ended his rookie season 37-1. Diakomihalis breaks down his matches from the 2017-2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships. He tells the story of him tearing his ACL at the beginning of the quarterfinals and asking his trainer to spare him the details and let him wrestle without knowing how bad it was. He goes on to win two tough matches on a blown ACL and secure his first NCAA Title.
Sophomore Year of College (36:05)
Sophmore season Diakomihalis goes undefeated 29-0 securing his second NCAA Title. After the college season, Diakomihalis then moves into freestyle and wins the U.S. Open defeating Zain Retherford. Diakomihalis talks about getting his weight down post knee surgery and how once he dialed it in it all manifested at the Open.
Yianni vs Zain Announcement (40:27)
Askren asks for an update on the ongoing arbitration over the Final X controversial second match between Diakomihalis and Retherford. Diakomihalis says the decision was scheduled for last Friday but was pushed back to July 29th. There are three possible outcomes that could be announced. One would be they do not reverse the call and Retherford remains the representative at 65 kg. Another could be they decide Diakomihalis, in fact, won match 2 and the series is tied 1-1 requiring a third match. Lastly, they could decide that match 2 was an illegitimate match and require them to re-wrestle match 2 with the possibility of Diakomihalis forcing a match 3 if he wins.

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