Ramos looks for second straight World Team Trials title

MADISON, Wis. - Plenty can change in a year.

At this time last year, Tony Ramos was a newlywed, who had just finished college and hadn't wrestled a senior level freestyle match. Now, he is a father, a headliner for upstart promotions and the man to beat for the top 125.5-pound spot in the country.

Ramos will look to defend his freestyle title at the USA Wrestling World Trials Saturday at the Alliant Energy Center. The Hawkeye Wrestling Club member will compete in a best-of-3 series against a challenge tournament winner to represent the country at the World Championships in September.

The hunter has become the hunted, but the ever-confident Ramos doesn't share that view.

'A lot of people talk about it,” said Ramos, who was a three-time All-American and two-time national finalist for the University of Iowa. 'Nobody expected me to win the trials last year, coming out of nowhere, but the whole time I expected myself to be there. I expect myself to be the one who everyone is trying to beat or who they are worried about.

'For me mentally, it doesn't change that perspective.”

The change comes in the process. Ramos made a huge splash here in 2014, returning from more than a two-month break after his NCAA title for the Hawkeyes to win the challenge tournament and sweeping a pair of matches from Sam Hazewinkel to become a U.S. World Team member.

Instead of battling through a mini-tournament, where he had to beat wrestlers like Angel Escobedo and Nico Megaludis, he will be a spectator in the morning. Ramos plans to work out, preparing mentally and physically for the championship series. He will have a simulated match to work out the kinks before pre-match warm-ups about an hour before the finals.

'I have to be ready to wrestle them,” Ramos said. 'I have to be ready to go.”

Ramos has proved to be perched atop the national heap. He captured the U.S. Open crown in May. Ramos also beat former Olympic champion Henry Cejudo in an exhibition match during Agon V: Iowa against the World in April at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids.

Success has been harder to come by internationally. He didn't win a match in the 2014 World Championships and suffered a big loss to a Cuban opponent at a recent Beat the Streets event in New York City. Another opportunity to meet World goals begin here.

'If I am going to achieve what I want internationally, I have to win this or there is no chance of it,” Ramos said. 'I have to go out, perform and perform at my best.”

Fatherhood has become a new dynamic. Ramos and his wife, Megan, welcomed a son, A.J., on April 25. Adding a new member to the family has added more fuel to the fire.

'I have to go out there and I have to wrestle and compete hard, because I have to set a good example for him,” Ramos said. 'I have to go out and perform and win it. If I want to keep bringing home nice things for our family and myself, then winning is the only thing that matters.”

Former Hawkeye two-time NCAA champion and three-time finalist Brent Metcalf will attempt to earn his third straight World Team Trials title and fourth overall Sunday. Metcalf claimed the U.S. Open title and also will await a challenge tournament winner for a best-of-3 series at 143.

Other wrestlers with Hawkeye ties in the field are Matt McDonough, Daniel Dennis, Derek St. John and Phil Keddy.

Iowa State will be represented by Cyclone assistant Angel Escobedo, Jon Reader, Jake Varner, Deron Winn and David Zabriskie.

Former University of Northern Iowa wrestlers in the field are Joe Colon, Joey Lazor and Moza Fay.

The United World Wrestling World Championships will be held Sept. 7-12 in Las Vegas.

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