Who knows how his MMA career will turn out. Injuries and mindset will be really important.
But he is the single most talented wrestler I have ever seen. I mean that very sincerely.
Yep, very bright future for this guy imo. I also liked Liam McGeary
That was really fun to watch and hell yeah, I want to see him more. Especially someone else with some mat skills. I went right away and looked for other fights of his last night. 
touch -The only thing I dont understand about Liam is that they kept saying hes a "young guy" but he's 31. I mean he's a talented guy and has some crazy power whether it be standing or with his ground and pound but he's not really young. Either way I'm excited to see him fight again.
Yep, very bright future for this guy imo. I also liked Liam McGeary
Bossk -touch -The only thing I dont understand about Liam is that they kept saying hes a "young guy" but he's 31. I mean he's a talented guy and has some crazy power whether it be standing or with his ground and pound but he's not really young. Either way I'm excited to see him fight again.Yep, very bright future for this guy imo. I also liked Liam McGeary
With a slew of 19 to 24 year olds, 31 ain't young anymore. It seems like reference is a lot of times, aimed at experience or cage age and not chronological age with a lot of pbp and announcers. Lol, they weren't last night, but that's what others are referencing.
ttt
Wiggum can you tell us a bit more about Darion's wrestling background / career?
The answer is yes. I absolutely can. But what I'd REALLY prefer is for a blue namer to dig back into my old thread, "Darion Caldwell: Some background info"
That would be awesome.
raags - Wiggum can you tell us a bit more about Darion's wrestling background / career?NCAA champion for NC State university, defeated Metcalf in national finals... The next year had to injury default out of nationals with shoulder injury
^^That's the basics.
I gave a lot of context in my other thread. Would love if a blue could search and bump.
wiggum - ^^That's the basics.http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/6/27/3119175/mma-darrion-caldwell-wrestler-ncaa-champion-prospect).
I gave a lot of context in my other thread. Would love if a blue could search and bump.
That there were no threads on this announcement indicates to me that not nearly enough people know just how big a deal this might be. Simply put, Darrion Caldwell may be the most talented person to ever enter mixed martial arts. He's also the best wrestler I've ever seen.
Here comes the background info and the qualifications:
Caldwell had a fantastic high school career. Were it not for Mike Grey (and maybe Jimmy Conroy), he would have been the New Jersey's first ever four time state-champion. He ended up with three titles. Despite the fact that Mike Grey was the first ever four time state champion in NJ history, I think Caldwell was the better high school wrestler; probably the best NJ has seen since Damion Hahn.
The problem was that he was so inconsistent. In many of his mid-season matches, he'd be sluggish and uninspired. Even in the early rounds of state tournaments he'd look beatable. But when the lights shined on him in the finals, he became something special. His senior year, he wrestled John Mangini, who I believe was ranked 16th in the nation, and absolutely tooled him. Caldwell was literally jumping in the air to avoid Mangini's. He made an excellent wrestler look like a little boy (see highlights here: http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2009/03/2006_wrestling_152lb_champions.html). Even then, though, there were rumors (and I emphasize that these were just rumors on which I had zero confirmation) that he was stoned for his match with Mangini.
Caldwell went to NC State – a school not known for producing champions. Initially, he wanted to play football and wrestle and NC State allowed it. His freshman year, he wrestled Ryan Lang in the NCAA tournament and was on the losing side of wrestling’s version of Daley-Diaz. Something like 19 points was scored in the first period, but Caldwell was on the losing end. Given that Lang was ranked #1 in the country, the rest of the wrestling world now knew what NJ fans had known for a while: this kid was something special.
The rest is pretty well known. Caldwell beats Brent Metcalf, who at the time was seen as the second coming of Dan Gable (or third, if you count the Brands brothers as the second coming) in Vegas via a controversial spladle. He comes up short that year at nationals, losing to Bubba Jenkins.
His junior year was the pinnacle of his career. Most people who tangentially follow wrestling knows how thoroughly he dominated Brent Metcalf, who people thought was going to be the best wrestler of his generation. What fewer people know is that he wrestled 4X All-American Lance Palmer earlier that year and just destroyed him, pinning him early. That year, I think Darrion Caldwell was unbeatable. Seriously.
Who knows what happened next? Caldwell was battling injuries and only had hints of his old flair. Was it injuries or motivation? I’m not really sure.
What really matters is that is D.C. enters MMA healthy and motivated, he is an athlete on par with Jon Jones and Jose Aldo. If not, he’ll be another what if. But for the people who watched him compete healthy and motivated, they’ll know how special this kid was.
^that was your op if you want I can bump the thread for you so you can get more specific details from throughout the thread.
Thanks dude. VU
VU Bossk. Thanks
I'd love if you could bump the thread.
There you go man.
hopefully Caldwell gets put in into the tourney next time..no reason for prelim or tuner fights for him..
Bossk -Motivated Caldwell = Motivated BJ Pennwiggum - ^^That's the basics.http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/6/27/3119175/mma-darrion-caldwell-wrestler-ncaa-champion-prospect).
I gave a lot of context in my other thread. Would love if a blue could search and bump.
That there were no threads on this announcement indicates to me that not nearly enough people know just how big a deal this might be. Simply put, Darrion Caldwell may be the most talented person to ever enter mixed martial arts. He's also the best wrestler I've ever seen.
Here comes the background info and the qualifications:
Caldwell had a fantastic high school career. Were it not for Mike Grey (and maybe Jimmy Conroy), he would have been the New Jersey's first ever four time state-champion. He ended up with three titles. Despite the fact that Mike Grey was the first ever four time state champion in NJ history, I think Caldwell was the better high school wrestler; probably the best NJ has seen since Damion Hahn.
The problem was that he was so inconsistent. In many of his mid-season matches, he'd be sluggish and uninspired. Even in the early rounds of state tournaments he'd look beatable. But when the lights shined on him in the finals, he became something special. His senior year, he wrestled John Mangini, who I believe was ranked 16th in the nation, and absolutely tooled him. Caldwell was literally jumping in the air to avoid Mangini's. He made an excellent wrestler look like a little boy (see highlights here: http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2009/03/2006_wrestling_152lb_champions.html). Even then, though, there were rumors (and I emphasize that these were just rumors on which I had zero confirmation) that he was stoned for his match with Mangini.
Caldwell went to NC State – a school not known for producing champions. Initially, he wanted to play football and wrestle and NC State allowed it. His freshman year, he wrestled Ryan Lang in the NCAA tournament and was on the losing side of wrestling’s version of Daley-Diaz. Something like 19 points was scored in the first period, but Caldwell was on the losing end. Given that Lang was ranked #1 in the country, the rest of the wrestling world now knew what NJ fans had known for a while: this kid was something special.
The rest is pretty well known. Caldwell beats Brent Metcalf, who at the time was seen as the second coming of Dan Gable (or third, if you count the Brands brothers as the second coming) in Vegas via a controversial spladle. He comes up short that year at nationals, losing to Bubba Jenkins.
His junior year was the pinnacle of his career. Most people who tangentially follow wrestling knows how thoroughly he dominated Brent Metcalf, who people thought was going to be the best wrestler of his generation. What fewer people know is that he wrestled 4X All-American Lance Palmer earlier that year and just destroyed him, pinning him early. That year, I think Darrion Caldwell was unbeatable. Seriously.
Who knows what happened next? Caldwell was battling injuries and only had hints of his old flair. Was it injuries or motivation? I’m not really sure.
What really matters is that is D.C. enters MMA healthy and motivated, he is an athlete on par with Jon Jones and Jose Aldo. If not, he’ll be another what if. But for the people who watched him compete healthy and motivated, they’ll know how special this kid was.
During Caldwell's last season at NC State one of my former state champions burned his redshirt freshman year and started at 149lbs in his place. He talked about Caldwell's talent being of another world...
^^ I think you're dead on with the comparison, actually. Just a true prodigy and a real physical genius.
Oddly enough, the second most talented wrestler I saw come out of Jersey left wrestling for another reason. It was Alex Shaffer - the kid from the movie Win Win. Dominant state champion his sophomore year and an incredible talent.