Headercolor: | orange |
Isaiah Martinez | |
Fullname: | Isaiah Alexander Martinez |
Nickname: | Imar |
Birth Date: | 2 September 1994 |
Birth Place: | Lemoore, California, U.S. |
Height: | 5 ft 7 in |
Weight: | 74kg (163lb) |
Country: | United States |
Sport: | Wrestling |
Event: | Freestyle and Folkstyle |
Collegeteam: | Fighting Illini |
Club: | The Dam RTC |
Coach: | Jim Heffernan |
Medaltemplates: | Illinois Fighting Illini |
Show-Medals: | yes |
Isaiah Alexander Martinez (born September 2, 1994) is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 79 kilograms. In freestyle, Martinez is a two-time US Open National champion (three-time finalist) and was the 2017 US U23 World Team Member. As a folkstyle wrestler, he was a two-time NCAA Division I National champion (four-time finalist) and a four-time Big Ten Conference champion.
Martinez was born and raised in Lemoore, California. He started wrestling at a young age and became a three-time CIF champion[1] and four-time placer with a 205–7 record as a high schooler at Lemoore High School.[2] [3]
Martinez attended the University of Illinois to wrestle as a collegiate athlete.
Junior; Bumped up a weight class and competed at 165 pounds. He became the UNI Open & Midlands champion and compiled an 11–0 record at duals, ending regular season unbeaten.[14] [15] [16] Became a three-time Big Ten Conference champion and entered as the top-seeded wrestler at the NCAA championships.[17] At the tournament, he made his way to the finale in where he faced Vincenzo Joseph, whom he was 2-0 prior to the match. He lost by fall and claimed runner-up honors.[18]
Overall, Martinez is a two-time NCAA champion, four-time NCAA finalist, and four-time Big Ten Conference champion, which makes him the most accomplished Fighting Illini in the history of the wrestling team.[21]
As a youth level wrestler, Martinez was a Junior National runner-up and Junior Fargo National champion in both, freestyle and Greco-Roman.
Martinez made his senior freestyle debut at the University National Championships. He defeated all of his opponents by technical fall until the best of three, where he won on points and then by technical fall to win the championship.[22]
A year later, he competed at the Last Chance Qualifier for the World Team Trials. He defeated three opponents, outscoring them 34-1 and qualifying for the World Team Trials Challenge tournament.[23] There, he passed the quarterfinals with a technical fall win but subsequently lost to four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake on points and faced three-time NCAA champion Alex Dieringer at the true second match. He also lost the bout by points, placing third at the World Team Trials Challenge.[24]
After failing to make the World Team, Martinez, who was 23 years old at the time, competed at the U23 World Team Trials. He defeated his opponent on points twice and earned his shot at the U23 World Championships.[25]
At the U23 World Championships, he was defeated in the first round by the eventual winner of the championship Gadzhi Nabiev and was thrown to the consolation bracket. There, he defeated two opponents by technical fall and performed at the bronze medal match, where he was defeated by technical fall himself, placing fifth.[26]
In his first freestyle competition of the year, Martinez attended the US Open. He defeated his first opponent by fall and the other four by technical fall, without getting scored once through the tournament and winning the championship.[27]
After winning the US Open, Martinez automatically advanced to the best-of-three finals of the World Team Trials Challenge. He defeated three-time NCAA Division III champion Nazar Kulchytskyy twice by technical fall and advanced to Final X.[28] At Final X: Lincoln, he faced Olympic gold medalist and four-time World Champion Jordan Burroughs in a best-of-three. He lost the first match by points and the second by technical fall.[29]
He then competed in his first non-world championship international tournament at the senior level, the Medved Prizes. He defeated two opponents to advance to the semifinals but was beaten on points. At the bronze medal match, he defeated his opponent 11 points to 2, claiming the bronze medal.[30]
To start the year, Martinez competed at the prestigious Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin. He was eliminated in the first round in a close 10–11 loss.[31]
In March, Martinez competed at the World Cup along with the US team. He competed in four matches and defeated all of his opponents (two by technical fall), winning the crown at the 74 kilograms division, even though Team USA placed third as a team.[32]
Next, he competed at the US Open. He won his second straight title at the event by defeating all four of his opponents.[33]
By winning the US Open title, Martinez was automatically set to compete at the finals of the World Team Trials Challenge. The man who won the bracket until the finals was his former collegiate rival Jason Nolf, whom he had to face in a best-of-three. He won the first match by points but subsequently lost by the same method, leading to a third and final match. Despite the earlier bouts being fairly close, he defeated Nolf by technical fall, qualifying for Final X.[34]
A month later, he competed at Final X: Lincoln against Olympic Gold medalist and four-time World Champion Jordan Burroughs in a best-of-three, just like last year (18'). As a big underdog, he lost the first match in a close 4-5 but came back with an upset in the second match, beating Burroughs by criteria with 5 points to 5. At the third and final match, Martinez couldn't hold up and lost the match on points (1-7).[35] This gained him recognition as a top prospect, as he was expected to lose two matches in a row against the 19' World Team Member.[36]
After his failed attempt of making it to the World Championships, he competed at the Continental Cup. He defeated three opponents to make the finals, where he lost by technical fall and earned runner-up honors.[37]
In his last competition of the year, he attended the Bill Farrell Memorial. He opened up with a fall and a technical fall and won his next two bouts on points to make it to the finals. At the finale, he faced collegiate and now international rival Jason Nolf, whom he defeated by technical fall.[38]
Martinez was scheduled to compete at the US Olympic Team Trials on April 4, 2020, at State College, Pennsylvania.[39] However, the event was postponed for 2021 along with the Summer Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving all the qualifiers unable to compete.[40]
After a year and a half of no competition, Martinez was expected to compete at the rescheduled US Olympic Trials in April 2–3, 2021, as the number one seed (aside from Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Dake, both sitting out), but was forced to pull out due to an injury.[41]
Martinez came back to competition from May 1 to 2 at the US Open National Championships as the number one seed, while also moving up to 79 kilograms.[42] After four victories to reach the finals, Martinez was forced to forfeit, claiming runner–up honors.[43]
! colspan="7"| Senior & U23 Freestyle Matches|-! Res.! Record! Opponent! Score! Date! Event! Location|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|||align=left| Carter Starocci|style="font-size:88%"|FF|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|September 11–12, 2021|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2021 US World Team Trials|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Lincoln, Nebraska|-|Loss|50–13|align=left| Alex Dieringer|style="font-size:88%"|1–6|-|Win|50–12|align=left| Taylor Lujan|style="font-size:88%"|10–7|-|Win|49–12|align=left| Branson Ashworth|style="font-size:88%"|11–10|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|48–12|align=left| Devin Skatzka|style="font-size:88%"|Fall|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|May 1, 2021|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2021 US Open National Championships|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Coralville, Iowa|-|Win|47–12|align=left| Travis Wittlake|style="font-size:88%"|9–3|-|Win|46–12|align=left| Hunter Mullin|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-|Win|45–12|align=left| Shane Gantz|style="font-size:88%"|TF 12–0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|44-12|align=left| Jason Nolf|style="font-size:88%"|TF 12-0|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5| November 16, 2019|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|2019 Bill Farrell Memorial International Open|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=5| New York, New York|-|Win|43-12|align=left| Thomas Gantt|style="font-size:88%"|8-7|-|Win|42-12|align=left| Nazar Kulchytskyy|style="font-size:88%"|12-5|-|Win|41-12|align=left| Nick Incontrera|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|-|Win|40-12|align=left| Gantulga Shijir|style="font-size:88%"|Fall|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|39-12|align=left| Atsamaz Sanakoev|style="font-size:88%"|TF 0-10|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|October 14, 2019|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2019 Intercontinental Wrestling Cup|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Khasavyurt, Russia|-|Win|39-11|align=left| Zhiger Zakirov|style="font-size:88%"|TF 12-2|-|Win|38-11|align=left| Adam Khasiev|style="font-size:88%"|9-9|-|Win|37-11|align=left| Davlat Khodjiev|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|36-11|align=left| Jordan Burroughs|style="font-size:88%"|1-7|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|June 15, 2019|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|2019 Final X: Lincoln|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=3| Lincoln, Nebraska|-|Win|36-10|align=left| Jordan Burroughs|style="font-size:88%"|5-5|-|Loss|35-10|align=left| Jordan Burroughs|style="font-size:88%"|4-5|-|Win|35-9|align=left| Jason Nolf|style="font-size:88%"|TF 12-2|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|May 19, 2019|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|2019 US World Team Trials Challenge|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=3| Raleigh, North Carolina|-|Loss|34-9|align=left| Jason Nolf|style="font-size:88%"|5-7|-|Win|34-8|align=left| Jason Nolf|style="font-size:88%"|9-4|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|33-8|align=left| Thomas Gantt|style="font-size:88%"|6-4|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|April 27, 2019|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2019 US Open Wrestling Championships|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Las Vegas, Nevada|-|Win|32-8|align=left| Brian Murphy|style="font-size:88%"|TF 13-0|-|Win|31-8|align=left| Joey Lavallee|style="font-size:88%"|TF 13-2|-|Win|30-8|align=left| Dillon Ulrey|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|29-8|align=left| Yuto Miwa|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|March 17, 2019|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2019 Wrestling World Cup|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Yakutsk, Russia|-|Win|28-8|align=left| Bat-Erdene Byambadorj|style="font-size:88%"|TF 11-0|-|Win|27-8|align=left| Reza Afzali|style="font-size:88%"|6-2|-|Win|26-8|align=left| Zurabi Erbotsonashvili|style="font-size:88%"|10-6|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|25-8|align=left| Azamat Nurykau|style="font-size:88%"|10-11|style="font-size:88%"|January 24, 2019|style="font-size:88%"|2019 Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;"| Krasnoyarsk, Russia|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|25-7|align=left| Magoma Dibirgadzhiev|style="font-size:88%"|11-2|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|September 15, 2018|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2018 Alexander Medved Prizes Ranking Series|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Minsk, Belarus|-|Loss|24-7|align=left| Azamat Nurykau|style="font-size:88%"|5-8|-|Win|24-6|align=left| Andrius Mazeika|style="font-size:88%"|11-9|-|Win|23-6|align=left| Ivan Kusyak|style="font-size:88%"|8-0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|22-6|align=left| Jordan Burroughs|style="font-size:88%"|TF 1-11|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|June 9, 2018|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|2018 Final X: Lincoln|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=2| Lincoln, Nebraska|-|Loss|22-5|align=left| Jordan Burroughs|style="font-size:88%"|1-4|-|Win|22-4|align=left| Nazar Kulchytskyy|style="font-size:88%"|TF 13-2|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|May 20, 2018|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|2018 US World Team Trials Challenge|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=2| Rochester, Minnesota|-|Win|21-4|align=left| Nazar Kulchytskyy|style="font-size:88%"|TF 13-2|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|20-4|align=left| Dan Vallimont|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|April 28, 2018|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|2018 US Open Wrestling Championships|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=5| Las Vegas, Nevada|-|Win|19-4|align=left| Jake Sueflohn|style="font-size:88%"|TF 11-0|-|Win|18-4|align=left| Jacen Petersen|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|-|Win|17-4|align=left| Connor Keating|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|-|Win|16-4|align=left| Jacob Thalin|style="font-size:88%"|Fall|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|15-4|align=left| Avtandil Kentchadze|style="font-size:88%"|TF 0-11|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|November 25, 2017|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2017 World U23 Wrestling Championship|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Bydgoszcz, Poland|-|Win|15-3|align=left| Yerkebulan Tileu|style="font-size:88%"|TF 11-0|-|Win|14-3|align=left| Andrius Mazeika|style="font-size:88%"|TF 13-2|-|Loss|13-3|align=left| Gadzhi Nabiev|style="font-size:88%"|5-6|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|13-2|align=left| Chance Marsteller|style="font-size:88%"|7-6|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|October 8, 2017|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|2017 US U23 World Team Trials|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=2| Rochester, Minnesota|-|Win|12-2|align=left| Chance Marsteller|style="font-size:88%"|8-2|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|11-2|align=left| Alex Dieringer|style="font-size:88%"|2-4|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|June 9, 2017|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|2017 US World Team Trials Challenge|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=3| Lincoln, Nebraska|-|Loss|11-1|align=left| Kyle Dake|style="font-size:88%"|2-9|-|Win|11-0|align=left| Kevin LeValley|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|10-0|align=left| Nick Wanzek|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|May 22, 2017|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|2017 US Senior Last Chance World Team Trials Qualifier|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=3| Rochester, Minnesota|-|Win|9-0|align=left| Alfred Daniel|style="font-size:88%"|TF 11-0|-|Win|8-0|align=left| Michael Schmitz|style="font-size:88%"|TF 13-1|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|7-0|align=left| Chance Marsteller|style="font-size:88%"|TF 15-5|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=7|June 6, 2016|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=7|2016 US University National Championships|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=7| Akron, Ohio|-|Win|6-0|align=left| Chance Marsteller|style="font-size:88%"|14-10|-|Win|5-0|align=left| Tyrel White|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|-|Win|4-0|align=left| Nate Higgins|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|-|Win|3-0|align=left| Raider Lofthouse|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0|-|Win|2-0|align=left| Marquint Bryant|style="font-size:88%"|TF 12-2|-|Win|1-0|align=left| Evan Delong|style="font-size:88%"|TF 13-2|-
! colspan="8"| NCAA Championships Matches|-! Res.! Record! Opponent! Score! Date! Event|-! style=background:white colspan=6 |2018 NCAA Championships at 165 lbs|-|Loss|17-2|align=left|Vincenzo Joseph|style="font-size:88%"|1-6|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|March 17, 2018|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships|-|Win|17-1|align=left|Alex Marinelli|style="font-size:88%"|5-1|-|Win|16-1|align=left|Chance Marsteller|style="font-size:88%"|MD 10-1|-|Win|15-1|align=left|Jonathon Chavez|style="font-size:88%"|10-5|-|Win|14-1|align=left|Zachary Carson|style="font-size:88%"|TF 20-5|-! style=background:white colspan=6 |2017 NCAA Championships at 165 lbs|-|Loss|13-1|align=left|Vincenzo Joseph|style="font-size:88%"|Fall|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|March 18, 2018|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships|-|Win|13-0|align=left|Isaac Jordan|style="font-size:88%"|2-1|-|Win|12-0|align=left|Nick Wanzek|style="font-size:88%"|8-5|-|Win|11-0|align=left|Shaun`Qae McMurtry|style="font-size:88%"|MD 14-4|-! style=background:white colspan=6 |2016 NCAA Championships at 157 lbs|-|Win|10-0|align=left|Jason Nolf|style="font-size:88%"|6-5|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|March 19, 2016|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships|-|Win|9-0|align=left|Ian Miller|style="font-size:88%"|SV-1 7-5|-|Win|8-0|align=left|Nick Brascetta|style="font-size:88%"|6-3|-|Win|7-0|align=left|Markus Scheidel|style="font-size:88%"|MD 15-4|-|Win|6-0|align=left|Robert Henderson|style="font-size:88%"|TF 16-0|-! style=background:white colspan=6 |2015 NCAA Championships at 157 lbs|-|Win|5-0|align=left|Brian Realbuto|style="font-size:88%"|9-2|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|March 21, 2015|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships|-|Win|4-0|align=left|James Green|style="font-size:88%"|3-2|-|Win|3-0|align=left|Nick Brascetta|style="font-size:88%"|10-4|-|Win|2-0|align=left|Spartak Chino|style="font-size:88%"|Fall|-|Win|1-0|align=left|Russell Parsons|style="font-size:88%"|TF 18-2|-
! Season! Year! School! Rank! Weigh Class! Record! Win! Bonus|-|2018|Senior|rowspan=4|University of Illinois|#1 (2nd)|rowspan=2|165|18-1|94.74%|63.16%|-|2017|Junior|#1 (2nd)|31-1|96.88%|68.75%|-|2016|Sophomore|#2 (1st)|rowspan=2|157|32-1|96.97%|66.67%|-|2015|Freshman|#1 (1st)|35-0|100.00%|68.57%|-|colspan=5 bgcolor="LIGHTGREY"|Career|bgcolor="LIGHTGREY"|116-3|bgcolor="LIGHTGREY"|97.14%|bgcolor="LIGHTGREY"|66.79%