Les Gutches vs. Cael Sanderson - 2000 U.S. National Open

2000 U.S. National Open Les Gutches vs. Cael Sanderson

[@sharonsweat6078]

Chael sonnen brought me here. Les the toughest man he ever knew.

[@joshhegarty1820]

Same

[@Taijhrobnson]

Same

[@sharonsweat6078]

First rule of fight club . Is there is no fight club. Chael sonnen the 21st century mark twain .. Seriously great story teller.

[@jake66]

Same

[@cliffworks748]

same

[@ToddMargolisBJJ]

What an amazing match!! Gutches is a beast. Cael is a beast. WOW! One of the sickest throws I've seen in a high level match in a long time. This was a clinic that can be watched over and over again for learning. Thanks to both of these guys for giving us this treat!!

[@dlake145]

For those of you who don't know the points system for Freestyle wrestling, take downs are only worth one point. That one throw, (Suplex), by Les Gutches gave him 5 points. That pretty much decided the match. Its been awhile since I've been in the freestyle loop, but that's how I remember it. I've met Cael and his brothers and they are all great men.

[@tlapower]

To me Cael pretty much shows greatness all the time, always moving gracefully, attacking and getting his target, flowing from position to position, never stalemating.

[@brianegal2286]

Kyle Dake now has more than 40 losses. People need to realize just how much it means to beat a guy like Sanderson. Les Gutches is a MONSTER!

[@s-plannone9605]

that throw was sick!! glad gutches won..oregon represent

[@chrislaverick6413]

Damn it must have been exhausting wrestling cael, every 10 seconds he is in on your leg, what a machine

[@purpleheartscott8553]

I had the pleasure of wrestling Les when I was in high school and like everyone else, he made short work of me. He was a great wrestler and from what I remember, he was respectful and didn’t humiliate me even though he could have.

[@SBayne762]

The problem is a lot of people have no idea about Greco or freestyle. You have to be technical to be good. Just because somebody is fast, aggressive and exciting to watch doesn't mean they are any good or are going to win. This match is evidence of that. I believe we should scrap folkstyle and just be purely freestyle and greco just like the rest of the world, but take that with a grain of salt.

[@canadianbacon451]

Sanderson is a four time national champion and a three time outstanding wrestler award winner(first to ever do that). and gold in the olympics

[@jukeydude]

I play football, rugby, and I wrestle. wrestling is the hardest practice I have no doubt

[@jmbzrx1200]

Didn’t watch Les later in his career, it was interesting to see this in how patient he was throughout the match. Even more so with how relentless Sonnen was pressing the pace. I kept waiting for the unreal explosion and speed from Les. The stuff that guy could do….got one of those suplex throws once, for his size man he was just unreal quick. Nice guy too.

[@Rider.WhiteHorse]

Sonnen?

[@eyedyllist4540]

they both are legends in the sport- I used to go watch Les at Oregon State- I grew up in Utah wrestling in 3A with the Sanderson boys- all stand up guys

[@TheJustinminks]

these two are some the greatest wrestlers of all time them and dan gable i think are the best

[@Roarke6]

I wrestled with Les, and I know you all can say Cael Sanderson was and is better than Les Gutches, but i assure you Les is the and will always be the better wrestler. Even though Cael has more Accolades.

[@coach.jakobnyc]

both are great wrestlers. Super good action moves and true wrestling match...-!

[@pureblood3388]

Best Beaver wrestler ever. Les was my hero when I was a HS grappler!

[@DWQJVB]

What he did with the ladies isn’t important. How don’t care how many beavers he wrestled with.

[@larrybaxter6881]

A great example of how the old method of scoring really hurt the sport of freestyle wrestling. Cael technically dominated this match 6 take downs to only 2 by Les. BUT, that one 5 point move completely pulled off the upset - for Les. (No pun intended.)

[@sanitary103]

incorrect. Cael got 5 takedowns and Gutches got one 1 pt takedown, one 2 point exposure and one 3 point exposure. with today's scoring of 2 pts for a takedown instead of 1 pt, it would have changed the outcome no doubt. I would say Cael dominated on the feet but Les got more exposure points when it counted.

[@evanpete]

I'm just glad wrestling is back in Olympics and kudos to FILA for making the changes that needed to be made.

[@Jns27j]

Thank goodness they have changed the scoring. I've got 12-8 Cael with the current scoring

[@chopstyx141]

Jns27j how did they used to score because Sanderson took him down like 5+ times

[@chadsdadbrad]

Josh Nesbitt takedowns used to be only 1 point

[@slucchesislucchesi]

8-5 Les at the brick toss... 12-11 Les by the end with the current rules NOW? :)

[@SanLewy]

What a great counter to an ankle pick. No one fucked with Gutches and got away with it!

[@MAMP]

Watch your ankle son.

[@cougarfanparkingonly]

Quickness, strength, flexibility, determination, endurance, knowledge are attributes that make a good wrestler. Cael's the best at all of them. Gutches got lucky here.

[@cookiesncreme7]

PERFECt High-C 3:45

[@Crapperz]

in december of 08 me and my team went to hawaii for a wrestling tournament. and a kid by the name of brock gutches (which i found out quick that day was les gutches nephew) was their. that kid was crazy good. never seen anyone (let alone on varsity) take someone down 12 times in one period let alone the first period.

[@Rush66crp]

Thank you, I know who Cael Sanderson is...I was just pointing out the credentials of "This guy," for Coach5k. I'm hoping you understand that I was implying that Les Gutches wasn't some scrub...a point that clearly many other people who watched this video seem to grasp.

[@hotzpizza10]

He was in College. This is a freestyle match, and I'm not sure if Cael is in college or not. Les is a few years older than him, and had a lot for freestyle experience.

[@philipj.sherman2987]

What was the score at the end?

[@garyisasavage]

im going to penn states camp this summer cant wait to meet cael

[@nigritobandito]

what did he put in his singlet in the beginning

[@SuperTrollercoaster]

@cunnarattus people usually do folk or highschool wrestling and dont know how the scoring on freestyle works

[@IrishxCarey]

@Darrylsacct same here take downs should be two they arent the easiest to get sometimes.

[@smizzlebdemented]

Rules are rules, in freestyle the key point is to expose the back, which is very very hard thing to do against a well trained athlete, let alone an Olympic champ. Yes if this were a collegiate match Sanderson would have won for sure. It wasn't and toss might have looked easy, but it's not especially against someone of sanderson's ability.

[@stage1media247]

it also looks weird for a spectator, because it seems Cael dominated it

[@scottab140]

2 sweet duck under by Les... great match

[@AnythingForState]

When he threw cael for five...I almost shit my pants.

[@frankiebee3828]

I believe we All Know the rules, stop reiterating from the manual. Even you can't say ONE Nice throw. Rules are rules lol Robot. If one didn't know the rules and just watched one, would say Ceal Won. Their both Excellent, Sanderson is a Living Legend.

[@micahlee78]

its from the movie conan.....his other two brothers have them too in different places

[@evansusmc]

That match confused the crap out of me. Very difficult to tell those 2 apart.

[@Rascaltastic]

That was a great match. Les wrestled smarter. Cael gassed himself with all the shots. He gets in on the legs easy enough but Gutch was able to turn him and get that throw when Cael got a little too aggressive and went over top. It's one of those tough matches when being too aggressive didn't pay off. Either one of those guys would f up just about anyone out there though.

[@Jwokk4Atl]

Thats a wierd referee's position, cael just went down to the mat.. they didnt base up or anything back then?

[@michaeldeangelis6542]

Was that dan Henderson in Cael’s corner?!?

[@juntjoonunya9216]

Ah man I wish I coulda seen the scoring. Les must've got a lot of points on that throw or something right? Epic match How many times these guys wrestled and what's the score anyone know?

[@number3stunner118]

That had to be a 5 point throw. I would've thought he'd have scored more points earlier, though with the back exposures - so I was confused when the scoreboard said 3-3.

[@HellNaught]

ughh I like freestyle and all but some of the scoring is terrible. I lost a round (match due to the round) where I got the only take down, and then stepped out of bounds in neutral position later (1point for him) and they told me since he was the last to score the round was his. I felt robbed =x

[@winfever9074]

Chael Got hit with a five pointer dang great suplex though

[@Hayden12398]

Les is my cousin, or some wierd thing for how im related to him. Im 13 years old, but i wrestle and my family say we have wrestling in our blood. Pretty wierd.

[@Trackstar121football]

yaa okay bud

[@jake66]

I wanted the Les gutches wrestling shoes when I was in high school. When I joined the air force, I bought my brother the Cal's

[@XxOffTonexX]

@cunnarattus the match ended 8-6 Gutches didn't score 11 or 13, he had 1 takedown! and he had a back exposure making the score 3-3, then a 5 point move, the score is now 8-3 and then Cael scored 3 unanswered takedowns and thats it.

[@ChadLowman]

He does have a point though.. with takedowns worth two as they are today this would have been a different match

[@001snipe]

@boosterts iight, thanks man!

[@iverson25allen]

@SBayne762 I personally enjoy wrestling Folk. Very good base for children coming up.

[@TheMundleBundle]

@Sam10830 that is why there are different colored singlets...

[@tylernicholson5319]

I didn't know Jordy Nelson wrestled.

[@MSdapiedpipa]

@ahmed0529 this is freestyle, not college.

[@DukeRules04]

yup....straight to his back cael went.

[@John_James21]

Just shows everyones intelligence level here when you all think that Sanderson won this. Do you not think that if the point system were different that Gutches would not have adapted to that situation and not allowed so many take downs? He let Sanderson wear himself out. Sanderson shows his frustration at the end of the match. Gutches was totally calm and just simply pats him on the back as to say nice job and nice try.. Les Gutches knew he was going to win before the match started. That was his game plan to allow Sanderson to wear himself out and get a throw or pin. He didn't even care about the take downs. He wasn't even worried. Before the throw he completely trapped Sanderson. Sanderson wanted to play aggressor against a World Champion and thought that he could somehow throw Gutches with his arms around him. And Sanderson even helps Gutches to the throw by grabbing Gutches right foot and pulling it in. Gutches says thanks, I don't mind if I do, and drops his right knee to the ground, the whole time laughing in his head that Sanderson was that stupid to try that move on him, and continues to throw him to the mat. Gutches just gets up like it was nothing. No hint of happiness or anything. He makes Sanderson look like an idiot. He was too fast for Sanderson.

[@SanLewy]

Too fast AND too strong...

[@willischirling2145]

Dude did you even wrestle ? you might let someone attempt a take down to counter and not let him take you down so many times

[@FraldinhoBJJ]

Matt London what you just said is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard in my life . In your rambling , incoherent , answer , you at no point game close to anything one could consider a valid response . Everyone here is dumber for having read it. I award you no points , and may god have mercy on your soul .

[@RyanSmith-si4ck]

ive personaly wrestled with the gutches family, there is a reason they have been as successful as they have, hard work dedication and no remorse, in Oregon they were on a level set aside from any other.. I can throw out names all day but what does that prove? Kent and his boys proved that...

[@tannerroland9052]

@@FraldinhoBJJ fucking exactly what I was thinking. This dude is an idiot and doesnt give any respect to the best NCAA wrestler we've ever had. It was a tough fought match both guys are animals. But it amazes me that this cheeto fingered loser has time to talk mad trash about an Olympic gold medalist.

[@Jaime_Woods11]

good macth

[@timothymiller7831]

U don’t have to baby step back man just watch and learn man

[@frankiebee3828]

Wow, even thou your being taken down repeatedly and have less control, and your not the aggressor though out the whole match in freestyle scoring One nice throw you win. Oh well Cael"s still the best ever and the Best takedown artist ever. Hey you guys think freestyle can throw one off when returning back to Folk Style? P/S Nice upload.

[@ods1ODS]

It definitely shows who is more suited to each style. Obviously they are both great at free and folk, but Cael was way better in folk and Gutches was probably better in free and definitely better in Greco. The match played out accordingly.

[@TampaFloridaJudo]

its about TECHNICAL proficiency. So, yes, the nice throw wins.

[@poolboyinla]

That's the problem with freestyle. You get point without even having control and there is a lot of luck involved.

[@e2go]

Hope Cael paid Les for this wrestling lesson😂🤣

[@nicolelykins2073]

can't expose your back to the mat, it happened to cael twice, the latter, he went from his feet to his back= 3/5 pts

[@ods1ODS]

Feet to back is 3? or 5? And is it the same with the current rules as it was at the time of this video?

[@chade1983]

DSdouble At the time that was a 5 point throw. You get a bonus point for lifting your opponent, you get a bonus point for making your opponent's feet fan through the air. Then you get 3 points for the throw itself. Although, if the ref didn't feel the throw was high enough, the wrestler may only be awarded 3 points, instead of 5. When you perform such a move you get rewarded for taking the risk of performing it at this level of competition. These guys are the elite of the elite. No one at this level should ever get thrown like that. That's why you get bonus points when you perform it effectively. And the rules have changed several times since this video. The current system is different. The scoring system seems to change every year, there was actually a time when the rings on the mat were considered multipliers. So, if you threw your opponent in the center of the mat, it was like a bullseye and you got two times as many points, so basically, you could tech fall your opponent simply by completing a 5-point throw on the bullseye. Effectively scoring 10 points with one move. Of course, this system was abandoned shortly after implementation. The scoring system used at all levels of wrestling evolve over time. Slight changes occur pretty regularly year to year.

[@sanitary103]

gutches was rewarded for 3 on the throw

[@bisquaJ15]

damn that lady was still announcing then?

[@T3hTroll]

Guessing without watching... Cael wins?

[@underdogs247]

So odd to see Cael not winning

[@robertweatherspoon4422]

Cael won the battle but lost the war.

[@3waymore]

There was only one battle and it was the war

[@logandavis9622]

Does Gutches have the emblem of the Klingon Empire tatooed on his left shoulder? If he does, that is so awesome.

[@jasonstockman406]

Yes its a klingon warrior. His brother Jason has the same tatoo

[@surreptitiouswritings]

youre describing freestyle rules of today, which are NOT the same rules dictating the match in the video.

[@grgeorges]

when cael rolls out [6:10], did Cael do it or did Les do it to Cael? Congrats to both!

[@steve9007]

snaderson did the funk roll on gutches but couldnt quite finish properly

[@akryan11]

Yeah, freestyle and Greco are kind of weird. It's a quality vs quantity thing with the moves. The overall scoring is even weirder. It's like tennis. You win individual rounds. A guy can win the first 6-0 and then lose the next two 1-0 and he'll lose. Overall though, most matches aren't highlight reels. They come down to the same stuff that you see in folkstyle. Doubles work just as well for 6 year olds as they do for Olympians.

[@hazardroll1]

@ilift247 yep. dont know why ppl are freaking out on here

[@iistyleszii]

@Darrylsacct thats the game buddy

[@tellmestraight]

I am no wrestling expert but it seemed to me that other than the "throw" ,Cael was in control much more.

[@tellmestraight]

@Les Gutches Like I said I do not know the rules and point values of all the moves. No disrespect intended. I was arguably the best athlete in a highly competitive high school but my wrestling buddies threw me around like a rag doll. Humbling and embarrassing to say the least. But it was fun and then we drank beer.

[@tellmestraight]

@Les Gutches :)

[@Frecklephuck]

What does basketball have anything to do with a wrestling video? I came here to watch wrestling, not read comments about basketball.

[@stage1media247]

what? it looked like Cael dominated. I guess thats why I like folkstyle better

[@MFeriante]

cael controlled the match...regardless of the outcome

[@lawsonransom8318]

Sanderson out wrestled and owned him the complete match except for one throw. 1:28-29, Sanderson exposed his back, 1:33-34 Sanderson exposed his back....no points either time. With today's point systems Sanderson wins.

[@pureblood3388]

Um what match were you watching??? Gutches out wrestled him. There's no excuses in wrestling.

[@deonwood212]

@DaBearsManiac why

[@wjdomkodomko2201]

8 people played basketball

[@sxyricanking]

Awesome les is coaching with our team

[@kapoguns640]

Uncle sonnen sent me

[@poolboyinla]

They look so much a like I can't even tell them apart.

[@jukesduck9363]

That was a really god throw by Gutches, dang.

[@52000rightwing]

The big throw comes in around 6:00.

[@Rush66crp]

@coach5k16022 Tech Fall 'this guy.' Umm, this guy is Les Gutches who was a 2x National Champion in Folkstyle/Hodge Winner in addition to his world championship in Freestyle. Questionable.

[@airnate2324]

That awkward moment when cael and les are both wearing Gutches lol (Les Gutches Shoe)

[@Sam10830]

wait who won? i couldnt tell, lol they both look alike.

[@cjmusser4996]

Les had such a bad back at this point in his career, I think its so impressive what he did. He never made excuses, he never talked about it, he just dealt with it. Watch him when he gets up off the ground, his back was so tender at this point.

[@Kegtop]

Wow. I just stumbled upon this video. Les Gutches is the man. People please keep in mind that Les was 28 years old in this match and Cael was in his prime at age 21.

[@jamesward6057]

In fairness o would say 25 tp 30 is in your prime 21 your still wet behind the ears theres an adult strength that comes along

[@scarred10]

21 isnt prime in elite wrestling,youre not even long in senior level so 25 to 30 more like it .

[@kaelbrown6053]

Lee gutches's brother is my wrestling coach and a phenomenal one too!

[@kaelbrown6053]

yes sir, I am a freshman and he was my mat club coach for several years as well.

[@DadiusPrime]

I wrestled Brock Gutches from Crater a little over a decade ago (probably related somehow)... Needless to say... I got my shit rocked.

[@Roarke6]

Just so you all know Les was hurt going into this match.

[@senghunter1010]

Coolest name in Wrestling, "Les Gutches".

[@juntjoonunya9216]

True. Never heard the first or last anywhere and they both sound of a bad ass

[@Boredoutofmywits]

Nick Nutter (1996 NCAA All American) beats him to the punch namewise.

[@blakkat4126]

"Mark Ironside"

[@lou4brew]

Back when Freestyle (and Greco) was an actual match instead of a stall-fest!

[@averagejoe1059]

I like how Cael is wearing gutches' signature shoes...lol

[@chade1983]

@6:12 Gutches shows you how to do it right. Just a beautiful example of how to throw without thinking and just reacting to the situation. Great match.

[@eyedyllist4540]

Cael is a beast and even loses with honor. Props to Les for taking on a titan in the sport and winning.

[@norrinradd8923]

If Cael coached himself backed then he would've been an Olympic Champ coming out of college.....

[@xenonmaster6668]

Probably 😂

[@ralphiewigs2208]

I was there, man, right there! I'm a Les Gutches fan for life, but I knew that the times, they were a changin'!

[@littleroots]

Cael just finished his sophomore year at ISU so it makes sense his collegiate style isn't suited here..... But if you're a 1997 World Champion you shouldn't be taken down so many times by a 20yr old lol

[@JohnSmith-jt3bh]

ROOT S you do know Cael is the guy in the blue right?

[@thecop-arazzi653]

John Smith actually its orange

[@JohnSmith-jt3bh]

DAGO 60707 no it's red and blue. You must be color blind.

[@jakp212]

Hold on, After 10+ times Blue take Red down, Red win?, how? i don't get it....

[@chadsdadbrad]

Default Name rules and scoring were different back then

[@timothymiller7831]

Big Dennis hall man