There is no mom like a wrestling mom. They may go a little crazy watching their kids wrestle, but we love them none the less.

Sometimes, all it takes is some determination. Never give up.

When any sport is contested on the global stage, it serves to further legitimize the impact of the sport as well as introduce it to new audiences. There is no bigger stage than the Olympics. With competition occurring only once every four years, the entire world focuses its attention on the events.

After more than 100 years of holding the games, many sports have come and gone. However, sports such as wrestling and boxing have been staples since the very beginning. Both of those sports—as well as judo and taekwondo—are disciplines that are commonly used in the sport of mixed martial arts and are currently contested as Olympic sports. So why not MMA?

Without a doubt, MMA has grown exponentially over the past 20 years. It’s reach goes far beyond the borders of one nation—as evidenced by the UFC currently having three Brazilians, three Americans and one Canadian as champions. The sport is certainly deserving of consideration, and the added exposure would only fuel its growth on the global level.

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as one might think.

Someday, you’ll have to defend Kyle Dake, or David Taylor, or Cael Sanderson.

No, not in a street fight — I’m sure these guys can more than handle themselves that way — but in a future discussion of all-time great amateur wrestlers.

You laugh, but… imagine having to make a case for Dan Gable vs. some untested high school phenom. A decade ago, this was the topic of discussion on an unofficial state wrestling forum — “Who’d win, Gable or The Kid?” And, in the thread, the 1972 Olympic gold medalist and near-perfect wrestler at Iowa State was getting trounced by The Kid in a mythical match-up.  (I’m not naming the young wrestler, because his identity isn’t that important to the point of the story… and he had nothing to do with the online discussion.)

Now, it’s possible the folks weighing in on Gable vs. The Kid were joking around, picturing a then 50-something, “I’ve had my hips replaced” Gable going up against some 18-year-old stud on the mat. There are two more likely explanations: 1. Fans have a lack of knowledge and appreciation of all-time greats or 2. Fans think any current wrestler would beat even the greatest grapplers of the past.

ASICS Athlete and champion freestyle wrestler Jordan Burroughs shares his thoughts on training, the future, and what Stop At Never means to him.

The wrestling shoes Jordan has on are ASICS Men’s Omniflex Pursuit.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Wrestling coach Henry Harmoney was scouting physical-education classes for talent at Arlington High School when he came across . . . a future Olympian?

It’s good to be lucky.

Tervel Dlagnev was a pudgy sophomore, barely getting by in his classes at Arlington (Texas) High School a decade ago. By the end of the day Sunday, he could be an Olympian.

Dlagnev, 26, goes into the U.S. Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday as the top seed in the freestyle division at 264.5 pounds.

“It’s like winning the lottery. I’ll never win the lottery, because I’ve already won it,” said Harmoney, the Colts coach since 1985. “Very few people make this level. He’s reached the pinnacle of amateur wrestling. They talk about living the dream. Well, he’s living the dream. He wasn’t a guy they would have picked, but he’s there.

“As a coach, you don’t really know. You plant seeds, and once in a while they’ll grow.”

Dlagnev’s family moved from Bulgaria when he was 4, and he became a U.S. citizen a few years later. Dlagnev was going through the motions in high school when Harmoney off-handedly asked one of the coaches about possible talent in the PE classes. Dlagnev’s name came up.

Andrew Herbage-Farough wore an ice pack over his left eye like a badge of courage.

Oh sure, the 10-year-old was on the receiving end of an inadvertent elbow during one of his three matches Friday at the Gord Garvie Wrestling Festival held at Lakehead University’s C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse. But he also accepted his fate like a true wrestler.

“I got a black eye for the win,” said Herbage-Farough, a first-year competitor with the Lakehead Wrestling Club (LWC). “I knew I was going to get hit a lot.”

He was one of over 275 students between the fourth and eighth grades taking to the mats at the all-day tournament. For many, like Herbage-Farough, Friday’s meet was a first taste of competitive grappling.

A few other young wrestlers had fallen awkwardly and were being checked on by trainers.

“It’s absolutely nail-biting when your child is out on that mat,” said Joanna Herbage, Andrew’s mother.

LWC youth division coach Harry Curtis said he enjoys the Garvie because the enthusiasm that comes with the newcomers to the sport is so raw.

“These kids are pretty good on their feet and getting better on the ground,” said Curtis, who has coached wrestling for almost 40 years. “They’re learning.

With lingering bitterness, Nick Newell recalls the day he drove four hours to New Hampshire in anticipation of his fourth professional bout as a mixed martial arts fighter. He was limiting his diet to meet a contracted weight of 155 pounds; vacation days had been docked at his day job.

When Newell arrived from Connecticut, his opponent was nowhere to be found. There would be no fight, no chance to improve his record to 4-0.

“He was one of the top-ranked guys in the region at the time,” Newell said. “I guess he got cold feet and didn’t want to show up.”

Just 26 and with a creditable — if unexceptional — pedigree in amateur wrestling, Newell is not so fearsome that professional fighters should cower. Yet the list of fighters who have canceled or rejected bouts with him is about two dozen long, and the reason is clear: it can be difficult to persuade able-bodied athletes to fight a man with one hand.

If you haven’t heard of Chris Honeycutt yet, you soon will. The two-time All-American out of Edinboro University and second-place finisher at this year’s 2012 NCAA national wrestling championships at 197 pounds is the most decorated and high-profile collegiate wrestler who has openly declared his intent to compete in mixed martial arts from this year’s graduating class.

There’s an open debate about what kind of style and athletic background in wrestling allows for the most seamless transition to MMA. However, there is evidence to suggest the physically bruising wrestler who finishes takedowns with authority will, on balance, find himself right at home in the confines of the MMA cage. And that is precisely the sort of athlete and wrestler Honeycutt has shown himself to be.

In this exclusive interview with MMA Fighting, Honeycutt opens up about his interest in fighting, why he was so open with declaration and intent to participate in the sport, which fighters he admires and names a famous alumnus from his university he plans to train with after graduation

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Cael Sanderson accomplished just about every notable achievement during his illustrious career as an amateur wrestler and collegiate coach.

However, there’s one notable exception.

In nine tries as a wrestler and coach at Iowa State, and now the coach of Penn State, Sanderson has never defeated Iowa in a dual meet.

“Is that true? Is that right?” Sanderson deadpanned this week during practice.

“I think there are a lot of coaches who probably haven’t beaten Iowa during their careers. Iowa’s just had some great teams, some great coaches, a lot of great athletes. It’s not something that I’m worried about.”

Sanderson’s next chance comes Sunday when the second-ranked Hawkeyes visit the No. 3 Nittany Lions at Rec Hall.

Penn State, the defending NCAA champion, is 3-0 in its last three dual meets, all against Big Ten foes on the road. The Nittany Lions won 28 of 30 individual bouts and outscored their opponents 117-9.

“I think we’re a more talented team. I’m proud to say that,” said Penn State’s 149-pounder Frank Molinaro. “We’ve got more athletes on our team and we’ve got guys who are better wrestlers, I believe. I believe we’re going to win.”