Livingston Merritt vs Bruce Stepp

[userdaddy 0]

I gave this some thought, and i think that this would be a much better match up at 215 or 275.  The other option would be Stepp vs Miguel Merritt at 189, but its hard to see anyone that could stay with Miguel at the hight of his days. .......  So if we could make this match happen in our magic matchup mat..........  who would it be...  Would Livingston Merritt die out in the 3rd or would his speed and strength over power Stepp...  Being a former Western Ky wrestler myself, it might surprise you that i'd give the edge to Stepp in THIS match-up.  But not the 189... Livingston got lazy towards his senior year and lost a little of his fire..

[va07 0]

I agree with you that Bruce was a little better thab Livingston. Mainly based on his conditioning he was in great shape for a Heavy.

As far as at 189 with Miguel not sure that would even be close Miguel was unreal on the mat my personal opinion the best 189 pounder ever in Kentucky not trying to disrespect any other wrestlers just my opinion.

[userdaddy 0]

trust me!!!!!!  you are totaly right...  Miguel Merritt was a man wrestling with boys...  not Jason Detre not Bruce Stepp not Tendi Charsika, not Desmond Wilford.....  In my opinion  Miguel would run threw them all/    if you saw his 2 state runs you would agree

[Olympic_wish 0]

I agree with you that Bruce was a little better thab Livingston. Mainly based on his conditioning he was in great shape for a Heavy.

As far as at 189 with Miguel not sure that would even be close Miguel was unreal on the mat my personal opinion the best 189 pounder ever in Kentucky not trying to disrespect any other wrestlers just my opinion.

Better than Richard Starks?

Elaborate.

[userdaddy 0]

read  my lips  lil guy........  Miguel Merritt was the best wrestler to ever come out of ky....  no disrespect to joe joe,  ian horn, all those other cats.....  if u seen this man  u would understand...  This is the same MAN that took Grissom's  Alabama 2x state champ and played with him the 1st period and then pinned him like he was his saturday night mary jane up against that mat ......  love ya sweet heart.....

[Olympic_wish 0]

Lil guy?  Sweetheart?  Ok.... now this is getting weird.

So what did Merritt do after high school?

When was his gold medal?  2000,2004,2008?

[tekejew 19]

trust me!!!!!!   you are totaly right...  Miguel Merritt was a man wrestling with boys...   not Jason Detre not Bruce Stepp not Tendi Charsika, not Desmond Wilford.....   In my opinion   Miguel would run threw them all/    if you saw his 2 state runs you would agree

Your right about Miguel being a good wrestler but, I think Desmond and Miguel wrestled a couple of times and it was never a blow out. 

[userdaddy 0]

Miguel was a 10th grader  Dez was a senior... 

[userdaddy 0]

Lil guy?  Sweetheart?  Ok.... now this is getting weird.

So what did Merritt do after high school?

When was his gold medal?  2000,2004,2008?

Played 2 years of football in a california j.c. ( won defense player of the year) then played 2 years at Alabama,  than drafted real late in the NFL draft... got cut played Arena ball... now Works as a prison guard in Atlanta..  Football was his passion like soccer was Ian Horns

[grapplehed 8]

Don't think I would bet my retirement on Miguel being the best to ever come out of KY, sounds a little biased toward Hoptown boys and lacks an era of fine wrestlers since his time especially in other areas.  Don't get me wrong but Miguel was a stud and perhaps one of the best and Grissom is a bad example of wiping someone up even he was a 2 timer.  I have seen Grissom and yes they are solid but Grissom is not on the national level. 

[Wrestling Dad 99]

I happened to live in Western Kentucky when Miguel was at Hoptown and saw that match against Grissom's wrestler.  This was a quality wrestler Miguel destroyed.  I also lived in Central Kentucky and saw both Starks and Tendi wrestle.  I have also spent time with kids wrestling high school in Missouri and Tennessee.

Miguel was the best 189 wrestler on his feet I have ever seen in high school.  OK on top, extremely quick to his feet on the bottom, and had a duck under series he would take to a single, double, throw by, elevate to a throw...he was amazing.  By the way, this was a time when Hoptown travelled to tough tournaments in Missouri and attended Mater Dei in Evansville.  I think Miguel won Mater Dei three times.  As mentioned, he was a D1 linebacker at Alabama and the second best all-around athlete I have ever seen wrestle in high school.  The best was Dan Alexander, a heavyweight at Wentzville High School in Missouri.  Alexander was a Missouri state champion heavyweight at about 240 pounds, and later an all big 12 running back at Nebraska (when they were good) under Tom Osborne.

Miguel was the best I ever saw at 189 in high school.  Tendi might have kept the match close because of his strength, but he was not anywhere as quick or as technically sound as Miguel.  Starks might have stalled the match close (not a critique - this would be a good strategy with Miguel), but Miguel might win that match 12 -6 with 6 takedowns and releases.

[danmoody 1]

I would have liked to have seen Miguel wrestle David Moore (Henry Clay).  Dave was a lot faster and more technical than what people might give him credit for, but he was a methodical and intelligent wrestle that would have made it a tough match with anyone.  Dave also went on to wrestle for Wisconsin for a year or two before he was (if I remember correctly) forced to give up wrestling due to his knees.

[119Rider 61]

I was fortunate enough to watch both these guys throughout their careers. I would have to give the advantage to a motivated Merritt. Bruce was a beast of a man but Livingston had a raw talent that was not every truely tapped into. I watched him wrestle Shelton Benjamin in college where he went into overtime. He threw Benjamin early on and turned a lot of peoples heads at the National Duals. A lack of motivation was his downfall. We could easily be having the discussion of was Livingston the best wrestler ever from Kentucky if he would of just realized his own potential. No offense to Bruce who was a great champ as well but I would say Merritt in a 9-5 scrap.

[userdaddy 0]

I was fortunate enough to watch both these guys throughout their careers. I would have to give the advantage to a motivated Merritt. Bruce was a beast of a man but Livingston had a raw talent that was not every truely tapped into. I watched him wrestle Shelton Benjamin in college where he went into overtime. He threw Benjamin early on and turned a lot of peoples heads at the National Duals. A lack of motivation was his downfall. We could easily be having the discussion of was Livingston the best wrestler ever from Kentucky if he would of just realized his own potential. No offense to Bruce who was a great champ as well but I would say Merritt in a 9-5 scrap.

Agree 110%

[shakeandbake 0]

Wasn't Tendi 171?

[119Rider 61]

I think so. Didn't Jason have to wrestle him or you when you were younger Shake. I'll be down this weekend by the way to watch my nephew Justin. See ya soon.

[pioneer_pride 1]

I don't remember which one of the Merritts were considered best, but based on the posts here, it sounds like Miguel.  I remember watching both of these guys wrestle back then.  My impression as a spectator was I was always worried for Miguel's opponents.  Like they have said on this thread, physically he was amazing.  On his feet he did what he wanted (at least against Kentucky competition at the time).  When the whistle blew, you felt like you were about to watch a very bad injury occur.  He was that quick and powerful.  I really can't remember seeing another wrestler anywhere like him physically.  Mason Reid last year was very quick & explosive, but still not quite as quick and powerful as this guy.  That's just the way I remember this guy in my old age.

Tendai I'm pretty sure he would pin....even though they weren't the same weight.  No way would Tendai be able to out muscle this guy.  No chance at all.  Starks was great, and I'm a big fan of his, but I think the strength and quickness difference would be hard to overcome. 

[shakeandbake 0]

I think so. Didn't Jason have to wrestle him or you when you were younger Shake. I'll be down this weekend by the way to watch my nephew Justin. See ya soon.

I don't know about Jason, but I never did. I was at 152 when Jason was a Senior at 160. Good seeing you this weekend.

[VisionQuest 64]

Bruce Stepp in my opinion was 1 of the best wrestlers to ever come from the state of Kentucky....Period..