Most Dominant and Influential Wrestler?

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Most Dominant and Influential Wrestler?

I’ve seen so much media hype about the last three contestants in American Idol (AI). Every media website clearly has their AI featured headlines and many television broadcasts are constantly running AI advertisements throughout the day. I even found AI articles in the entertainment section of my local newspaper. With so much attention placed on the next American Idol, I started thinking of my favorite idols… idols in amateur wrestling.

Below are four extremely talented wrestlers who I admired for years. Each wrestler has their own unique style and training regiments. Despite their differences, one thing is apparent, these wrestlers dominated their competition and made great contributions to the sport.

Dan Gable
During Gable’s prep and college careers, he compiled an unbelievable record of 182-1. He was undefeated in 64 prep matches, and was 118-1 at Iowa State. His only defeat came in the NCAA finals his senior year. Gable was a three-time all-American and three-time Big Eight champion. He set NCAA records in winning and pin streaks.

Alexander Karelin
Karelin competed at the heaviest weight class of his day, 130 kg (286 lb). His conditioning, quickness, and incredible physical stature for his weight, perhaps combined with his dominance of the sport, led to him being known as “The Experiment” by much of the rest of the world. Karelin is the most successful Greco-Roman wrestler of the modern era, having won 12 European Championships, 9 World Championships, and 3 Olympic gold medals during his reign. Karelin’s dominance is unparalleled: he won every match he entered for thirteen years and went ten years without giving up a single point.

Cael Sanderson
Sanderson is one of the nation’s most accomplished wrestlers. Sanderson finished his college career perfect record 159 victories and no losses throughout his college career at Iowa State. Honorable mentions include 4 Time NCAA Champion (1 at 197 lbs. & 3 at 184 lbs.), 4 Time NCAA Outstanding Wrestler, 2 Time Hodge Award Winner, 2 Time Academic All-American, Cael Sanderson Named 2001-02, and Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year.

John Smith
Smith presently a coach at Oklahoma State University where his teams have won five national titles and have set records for total margin of victory in the NCAA national wrestling tournament. Smith is a distinguished 1997 member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, 2 Time NCAA Division I champion, 4 Time FILA SeniorFreestyle champion, 5 Time USA SeniorFreestyle champion, 1985 USA FILA Junior WorldFreestyle champion, 3 Time NCAA Division I all-American, 1992 Olympic Freestyle Gold Medalist, and 1988 Olympic Freestyle Gold Medalist.