2025 Big Ten Tournament thread
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165-Pound Final - Mitchell Mesenbrink VS Michael Caliendo (IA)
Period 1:
Here we go! Circling & faking by Mitch. He presses forward, then Caliendo circles back to center. Mitch shoots, but Caliendo blocks him off. Stoppage & restart. Caliendo reaches for a leg. Mitch is hand fighting hard. Caliendo shoots, but Mitch circles away. Not even close. Stoppage & restart. Mitch is faking & fainting with lots of head & body movement. Tying up again, then they break, 90-sec left. Caliendo tries a duck, but Mitch fights it off. Back to tying up & hand fighting, 1-min left. Mitch gets to a leg, but Caliendo fights him off. Mitch reaches for another leg, but can't get there, 45-sec left. Stoppage for something illegal, then restart. Caliendo with a front headlock & it's a stalemate. Mitch shoots, gets a leg & finishes the TD, 3-0. Mitch rides out the last 15-seconds. Relentless. 3-0 Mitch
Period 2:
Caliendo takes down & gets a quick escape, 3-1. Caliendo bulls forward, but just can't get Mitch down. Back to center circling & tying up. Mitch is herking & jerking around. Caliendo with a front headlock. He dries a duck. Mitch counters, but it's a stalemate. Neutral restart, 1-min left. Circling & tying up. Mitch shoots, but no luck, 45-sec left. Caliendo with some hard clubs. A little back & forth, but no scoring. Half shots only. More of the same until time expires. 3-1 Mitch, +13-sec RT
Period 3:
Mitch takes down. He gets to a quadpod, then his feet & gets the escape, 4-1. Mitch shoots, but no luck. He snaps & gets to a leg. Caliendo is working to fight him off & gets his leg free. Great defense by Caliendo. Back to circling. Mitch shoots, but no luck, 1-min left. Back to tying up in the center, 30-sec left. Caliendo shoots, but no luck. Caliendo charges forward, then tries a super duck, but nothing works & time expires.
Mitchell Mesenbrink DEC Michael Caliendo 4-1
Mitchel Mesenbrink is the 2025 Big 10 165-Pound Champ!
Period 1:
Here we go! Circling & faking by Mitch. He presses forward, then Caliendo circles back to center. Mitch shoots, but Caliendo blocks him off. Stoppage & restart. Caliendo reaches for a leg. Mitch is hand fighting hard. Caliendo shoots, but Mitch circles away. Not even close. Stoppage & restart. Mitch is faking & fainting with lots of head & body movement. Tying up again, then they break, 90-sec left. Caliendo tries a duck, but Mitch fights it off. Back to tying up & hand fighting, 1-min left. Mitch gets to a leg, but Caliendo fights him off. Mitch reaches for another leg, but can't get there, 45-sec left. Stoppage for something illegal, then restart. Caliendo with a front headlock & it's a stalemate. Mitch shoots, gets a leg & finishes the TD, 3-0. Mitch rides out the last 15-seconds. Relentless. 3-0 Mitch
Period 2:
Caliendo takes down & gets a quick escape, 3-1. Caliendo bulls forward, but just can't get Mitch down. Back to center circling & tying up. Mitch is herking & jerking around. Caliendo with a front headlock. He dries a duck. Mitch counters, but it's a stalemate. Neutral restart, 1-min left. Circling & tying up. Mitch shoots, but no luck, 45-sec left. Caliendo with some hard clubs. A little back & forth, but no scoring. Half shots only. More of the same until time expires. 3-1 Mitch, +13-sec RT
Period 3:
Mitch takes down. He gets to a quadpod, then his feet & gets the escape, 4-1. Mitch shoots, but no luck. He snaps & gets to a leg. Caliendo is working to fight him off & gets his leg free. Great defense by Caliendo. Back to circling. Mitch shoots, but no luck, 1-min left. Back to tying up in the center, 30-sec left. Caliendo shoots, but no luck. Caliendo charges forward, then tries a super duck, but nothing works & time expires.
Mitchell Mesenbrink DEC Michael Caliendo 4-1
Mitchel Mesenbrink is the 2025 Big 10 165-Pound Champ!
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Has Caliendo shot yet in 2 periods? Where is the stalling?
Credit Caliendo. Dude is too good to always get bonused by Mitchell.
Worst take of the day
I was going to suggest before the match that I somewhat hoped Mitch would allow Caliendo to keep it close, just for the drama, but I didn't want you guys mad at me if it really happened. Never a doubt. Has Caliendo ever taken Mesenbrink down? I think he may have gotten one takedown against him last year.
That was a good match..
Fun to watch
Fun to watch
I agree there was no stalling in that match even at the end mm kept circling and showed some class with some words with caliendo
Here comes the "he's closed the gap" narrative for the next two weeks.
Was not expecting a one TD bout in MM versus Caliendo, who put up much more resistance than in previous matches.
I love it. The Iowa board will have hope just for Mitch to destroy him in the NCAAs.
That’s hardly fair, haven’t you been reading this board?
Lolz
Caliendo didn’t do much the 1st but brought it after that for sure
“You can’t always gauge success on results.”
Doesn’t Northwestern have any students who could have done the commentary for the finals?
Doesn’t Northwestern have any students who could have done the commentary for the finals?
I hope in the future, PSU locks Mitchell up for a position and he's here for the next 40 years.
I think Mitch likes the mental side of this more than the physical. He will find a way to tech him again so caliendo has to keep improving
Mesenbrink disagrees with you. I will take his opinion over yours.
I’m going to miss Kasak when he’s at Rutgers next year
Seemed like MM gave a subtle jab at anOSU. "Some guys don't want to show up and scrap, but he always brings it." Or something to that nature.
He wrestled differently this time and I think he will wrestle the same way next time. He's absolutely afraid of MMs reattacks and ability to work into position to score. Caliendo was just keeping it close and hoping to steal one late.
174-Pound Final - Levi Haines VS Lenny Pinto (NEB)
Period 1:
Here we go! Pinto wants to be Rocky. Eye of the Tiger time it is not. Tying up & circling. Levi presses forward. Pinto tries a hard underhook & charges forward, but Levi fights him off. Heavy collar ties & pushing in the center. Pinto explodes forward, snatches a leg & is in deep. He tries to switch to a double, but Levi fights him off. Wow! Great defense by Levi! Out of bounds & restart. I can't believe Levi fought that off. More circling & tying up. Levi is working the head & pushing forward. Levi shoots, but no luck, 30-sec left. Levi drops in on a leg, elevates it & gets the TD with 6-sec left, 3-0. Levi rides Pinto out.
Period 2:
Levi takes down. He gets to his feet & gets the escape, 4-0. Back to tying up, pushing & head tapping. Levi hits to a low single & is trying to lock up a cradle. He lets the cradle go & finishes the TD, 7-0. Levi has a leg turk & then switches to a bow & arrow. Levi is getting swipes. Pinto is in trouble, almost a minute left. Levi lets go of the leg & Pinto rolls to his belly. 4 NF for Levi, 11-0. Levi has Pinto bellied out now. Levi gives up an escape at the end of the period, 11-1. Levi +1:26 RT
Period 3:
Pinto takes down. Pinto sits out & tries to turn, but Levi sucks him back. Pinto tries a roll, but Levi gets him bellied out. Pinto gets back up & tries a switch, but Levi is riding tough. Stalemate & restart, 1:17 left. Pinto is still down. Levi has secured RT. Pinto sits out & turns. Levi drops to a leg & gets a count. Stall warning Levi, restart. Pinto is still down. Casey & Cael in the corner. Pinto sits out, 1-min left. Levi is riding heavy. Pinto tries another switch, but Levi is suffocating with his ride & gets Pinto bellied out again, 30-sec left. Pinto turns, but Levi stays with him & rides out the period. Levi adds a RT point for the 12-1 Major! Sparks just said Levi was recently engaged? Anyone else hear that? Congrats Levi!!! He's winning on multiple levels!!!
Levi Haines MD Lenny Pinto 12-1
Levi Haines is the 2025 Big 10 174-Pound Champ!
Period 1:
Here we go! Pinto wants to be Rocky. Eye of the Tiger time it is not. Tying up & circling. Levi presses forward. Pinto tries a hard underhook & charges forward, but Levi fights him off. Heavy collar ties & pushing in the center. Pinto explodes forward, snatches a leg & is in deep. He tries to switch to a double, but Levi fights him off. Wow! Great defense by Levi! Out of bounds & restart. I can't believe Levi fought that off. More circling & tying up. Levi is working the head & pushing forward. Levi shoots, but no luck, 30-sec left. Levi drops in on a leg, elevates it & gets the TD with 6-sec left, 3-0. Levi rides Pinto out.
Period 2:
Levi takes down. He gets to his feet & gets the escape, 4-0. Back to tying up, pushing & head tapping. Levi hits to a low single & is trying to lock up a cradle. He lets the cradle go & finishes the TD, 7-0. Levi has a leg turk & then switches to a bow & arrow. Levi is getting swipes. Pinto is in trouble, almost a minute left. Levi lets go of the leg & Pinto rolls to his belly. 4 NF for Levi, 11-0. Levi has Pinto bellied out now. Levi gives up an escape at the end of the period, 11-1. Levi +1:26 RT
Period 3:
Pinto takes down. Pinto sits out & tries to turn, but Levi sucks him back. Pinto tries a roll, but Levi gets him bellied out. Pinto gets back up & tries a switch, but Levi is riding tough. Stalemate & restart, 1:17 left. Pinto is still down. Levi has secured RT. Pinto sits out & turns. Levi drops to a leg & gets a count. Stall warning Levi, restart. Pinto is still down. Casey & Cael in the corner. Pinto sits out, 1-min left. Levi is riding heavy. Pinto tries another switch, but Levi is suffocating with his ride & gets Pinto bellied out again, 30-sec left. Pinto turns, but Levi stays with him & rides out the period. Levi adds a RT point for the 12-1 Major! Sparks just said Levi was recently engaged? Anyone else hear that? Congrats Levi!!! He's winning on multiple levels!!!
Levi Haines MD Lenny Pinto 12-1
Levi Haines is the 2025 Big 10 174-Pound Champ!
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With your shield or on it. Kid is ready to wrestle to his last breath. Got to love Mitch.
Caliendo attempted nothing from neutral until last minute of match
Levi vs Tyler in the room… I imagine everyone stops drilling… the dodge ball game pauses… everyone stops what they are doing and watches
Expecting a brick from Manning ... the PSU guy was making my wrestler very uncomfortable.
Damn, that was an effing beat down of Pinto. Retherford-like.
11-1 down and you go under a guy who can ride? You deserve to be ridden for the entire period. Lose taking some shots.
