Ramos and Metcalf set to take on the world

Tony Ramos has always backed his attitude with his actions.

The former University of Iowa three-time All-American and NCAA champion has some work ahead to match his current expectations against the best in the world. He wants to send an additional message with his results as well.

'I want to win but I want to win in dominating fashion,” Ramos said in an interview with USA Wrestling at a recent training camp. 'I don't want these close matches (or) questionable calls here or there. I want to make a statement and show people I'm here, I'm here for good and I'm going to be here for a while.”

Ramos will make his debut at the World Senior Men's Freestyle Championships on Sept. 8-9 at Tashkent, Uzbekistan, representing Team USA at 125 1/2 pounds. He will be competing with Hawkeye Wrestling Club teammates Brent Metcalf, who will be looking for his first medal in his third World Championship appearance.

Ramos has had freestyle success in the past. He had been removed from the discipline until the U.S. World Team Trials at the end of May. The focus during pre-travel training was positions, since they vary from folkstyle he wrestled in college.

'Guys do different things,” Ramos said. 'Different ways to counter stuff, so I'm trying to get feels of all the different types of things that might happen and how to counter them or how to improve in areas I'm already good.”

Ramos won gold at Canada Cup, learning he had to make opponents wrestle hard the entire match. At this level, he will have to be strong in all positions, especially since officials are allowing more time for the top wrestler to attempt turns with the new match format.

'If no one can take you down and no one can turn you that's how you're going to win,” Ramos said. 'I think the biggest separation is going to be if I get to my attacks and score and if I control and dictate the pace of the match.”

Ramos has tapped the experience of Metcalf, Matt McDonough, who was a bronze medalist for the U.S. at the University World Championships and Thomas Gilman, a bronze medalist for the U.S. Junior World Team in August. The Hawkeyes are well-represented on the World stage.

'It's good,” Metcalf told USA Wrestling about having Ramos on the team. 'It's fun.

'It's a good feeling to have more Hawkeyes.”

Metcalf will compete in his second straight World Championships, competing at 143. Metcalf won gold at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals in Azerbaijan in July, continuing an impressive year leading up to now.

'It was good to get a big-tournament win,” Metcalf said. 'That's FILA's premiere event, so it was good to win that.”

Metcalf has concentrated on staying sharp in practice and managing his weight for the upcoming event. Unfortunately for Metcalf, he has earned a World medal yet. He learned from last year's performance.

'I feel I did a pretty good job last year,” Metcalf said. 'I had a pretty good opponent. I didn't get to him early enough, often enough.

'I've got to be able to do that against the best guys in the world,” Metcalf added. 'I feel like I've made progress there and continue to add to that.”

Former Iowa State two-time NCAA champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner also will compete. Varner is the 213-pound representative for Team USA.

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