1988 Final Olympic Qualifier John Smith v/s Randy Lewis

1988 Final Olympic Qualifier John Smith v/s Randy Lewis from Topeka, KS setting up a great series of matches for the 1998 Olympic Trials.

[@thetemplar8695]

I went to a Randy Lewis wrestling camp in 87 or 88 and the dude was brutal. However, John Smith’s shots are amazing. The way he “clears” the arms when he shoots is something we had drilled into us as kids in the Midwest. Great match. Either would have won the Olympics that year. 🇺🇸

[@Sammael713]

I don't even see how he's clearing the arms in the first two shots. He's shooting so fast and going "through" Randy, almost like teleporting. Damn, he's fast.

[@cy0078]

Love watching you wrestle Randy. Love to get autograph. Im from Sioux Falls.

[@bobfreeber6813]

1 of the toughest Iowa Hawkeye Wrestlers EVER

[@freddyredfred2387]

The singlets of the 80s were awesome !!!!!!!!

[@imnotabotrlyimnot]

Any singlet that makes the jockstrap public has something wrong with it.

[@WiscoWrestler]

@@imnotabotrlyimnot you're just bitter because you could never pull off that look

[@bradmedchill9851]

Good match. Would have been 10-10 criteria win for JS in today's scoring

[@Yalos80]

Красавчик!! Перехватил инициативу!)

[@us-Bahn]

Smith at 4:50, wow. That’s a rare sight. (The dynamics behind the handshake are explained very knowledgeably in the post below. Thank you.)

[@chriskarsseboom2200]

Pretty normal in freestyle.

[@CJACK1010]

U dont understand the beef that happened before the match and the history

[@Cupid76]

There was a LOT of history building up to this going back to the 1984 Olympic Trials with Randy Lewis against (wait for it...) Leroy Smith, John's older brother and escalated the Iowa- Okie State rivalry for years. Leroy Smith scored at the very end of the match but the refs oddly all gave 3 different scores: one said 1, second said 3 and third said 5 points. Result, ZERO points awarded to Smith when only 1 point would have won him the match. Calamity ensues as Randy Lewis is declared the winner. The Smith Family sues and the US Supreme Court rules that the Team Coach gets to declare which wrestler he wants on the team. The US Freestyle Coach that year was Dan Gable. Randy Lewis wrestled for Gable. Randy Lewis was chosen and went on to become the 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist. This match was The Smith Family's Revenge for Leroy getting screwed 4 years before. Lots of emotion to say the least.

[@retrobill3094]

Incredible Hulk vs. Spiderman. There, I said it (but you know you were thinking it!).

[@АбдурагимСунгуров-с9е]

Хорошая схватка

[@altiyoltercume4861]

John Smith lost the olympic qualifier match? So how he could partğcipate in seoul 1988?

[@shawndoig4392]

It was a best of 3

[@kansasarcherycenter1004]

This was a qualifier for the trials. They wrestled each other best 2/3 at the trials, with John winning the first, and Randy injury defaulting in the 2nd. John was winning when Randy blew his knee out.

[@braznartn5176]

Title is deceiving!! John W. Smith won best of 3 matches. Went on to win GOLD in 1988 Olympics.

[@glennrogerbergland3984]

Stillingen er 7 og 7

[@machoman961]

It’s called a John Mith single leg for a reason. Best take down artist ever. Period.

[@braznartn5176]

Two powerful men!!!!