The USA wrestler J’den Cox will be vying for the Tokyo Olympics in the 97kg weight category. It is the same weight class in which world champions Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev competes. Cox says that the two wrestlers are the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the world and he made sure to watch them wrestle for the first time in 2017 world championship in Paris. “I was there in the stands. It is hard to explain the feeling and atmosphere to the people who were not there but I was great,” he said in an interview with United World Wrestling (UWW).
The 2017 world championship was the first time Sadualev and Snyder had locked horns on the mat. While The Russian wrestler had moved two classes from 86kg where he won gold at the Rio Olympics, the US grappler was the king of the 97kg weight category. And it is there, Snyder ended Sadulaev’s four-year-long unbeaten run.
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Cox or Snyder:
Cox is the current world champion in 92kg and the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist in 86kg men’s freestyle. He will now be competing in the 97kg for the Tokyo Olympics. However, in order to get the top spot in Team USA, he needs to beat Snyder at the national championship. While there is a long debate on who will emerge victoriously, Sadulaev believes, Snyder has a better chance to do so. Cox has specific wrestling style, however, Snyder will not be easy to beat. He is the current Olympic champion in 97kg freestyle and he is a lot bigger than Cox,” the Russian giant said.