In case you have never seen Anthony Robles wrestle, I’ve put a video from YouTube here so that you can see him. You can also do a YouTube search for him or check out Anthony’s bio on ASU’s site.
[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGiQodgxFg0 /]
Now, before I begin this post, I don’t want to take away from any of his stats or what he’s been able to do for the sport of wrestling. I think back to when I wrestled and I know without a doubt that if I were in his shoes, I would NOT be on the mat. Having said that, I want to take a look at a wrestling match with Robles from the eyes of the dude wrestling him.
Anthony Robles upends Stanford's Tanner Gardner (photo from DailyLife.com)
First off, the most obvious. He’s missing a leg. That brings us to the second thing: just because he’s missing a leg doesn’t mean he’s disabled. Robles has the upper body strength of AT LEAST a 150 or 157 lb wrestler. He can bench – repping the bar – around 300 lbs. That’s a grip I do NOT want to tango with! So him not having a leg is his benefit at this point: he weighs 125 lbs but can grapple with Metcalf. Scary thought if your toe is on the line with him. He’s got the grip of an ox, and like the commentator said on the video, once he has it, he doesn’t let go.
Another thing that he has to his advantage is that he stays low to the mat. This makes it very hard, nearly impossible to shoot on him. As any coach knows, the first step to shooting in is setting up. The next thing is to change levels by dropping your hips to get under the dude’s hip. But how can you change level to get under when the dude is almost laying on the mat?
The other – very obvious thing – is you can’t do a double very well. You would just have to pick him up and turn the corner. Assuming of course that you solved to problem of changing levels. And how about a single? I think it would be better just to tackle the dude, or spear him. If you do that, though, be sure to bring him to the mat safely and to get your two points.
But how can someone use a one legged wrestler to their advantage. Well first off, Robles does a very good job at using it to HIS advantage. The first thing he does in all the matches I’ve seen is he drops to one knee. Now, if his opponent were to somehow draw Robles to him, and make him stand up, that would create two things. First, he would be a little off balance. Keep in mind, the kid played football, so he knows how to get around with just one leg. The other thing is something not so obvious but the commentator on the video brings out.
Anthony Robles escapes from a hold by Columbia's Brandon Kinney (photo from DailyLife.com)
When Robles is on the ground, he’s coiled up like a snake, using his back leg to spring forward. When his opponent gets within “striking range” he reaches out and grabs him, just like a snake. Only this snake isn’t going to let go. So if you get Robles to stand up, it takes away his ability to coil himself up on his leg like that.
So what sayest thou? Am I full of crap on all of this or are there really some things that puts Robles at a disadvantage because of his missing leg?
Again, I don’t want to take away from anything that Robles has done; he’s an All American wrestler and rightfully so. He deserves it. But if I had to go up against him, these are the things that I would try and do to have some sort of chance against him… Let me know what you think!
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I know from experience that wrestling someone with out legs is very tough. The kid i wrestled had no legs at all so all of his body weight was in his torso and so he was three times as strong as me just because he didn’t have a third of his body weight. Also what you said about shoot is correct it really makes for a tough match when you can only work front head’s or just try to jump around to get two points.