Curtis Glossip feels his 165-pound COC Tournament championship over the weekend is further confirmation he made the right choice to bump up two weight classes.
Glossip, a Nixa sophomore, upped his record to 26-6 after he pinned Carl Junction’s Marcus Lopez-Durman in their title tilt.
A year ago, Glossip was third at 144 at the COC Tournament.
It was by design that he made the jump to 165.
“I bulked up all summer, trying to get some muscle on me and use that to even things out against age (of older opponents),” Glossip said. “I was a little nervous about it at the beginning of the season. But it has worked.”
Glossip actually hasn’t quite tipped the scales at 165 all season.
“I weigh in every tournament about four pounds under,” he said. “But I feel my strength and speed counteract that.”
Glossip was in control of Lopez-Durman.
“I dominated him on my feet. I kind of pushed him around, rode him out and pinned him,” he said.
Glossip has also responded well to not having to cut weight, as he did a year ago.
“I had a steak dinner last night, that was nice,” he said. “I have much more energy now.”
Nixa’s other champion was Malachi Rider at 157.
Finishing runner-up for the Eagles were Aidan Ward (23-10) at 138 and Reed Wilson (24-10) at 144. Taking third were Jax Adams (25-13) at 126, Kaden Young (24-12) at 150 and Josiah Farris (21-13) at 285.
