Ohio State wrestler hits rare spladle move, makes for awkward TV

Wrestling fans tuning into ESPN’s coverage of the NCAA quarterfinals Friday were treated (if that’s the right word) to something some mix of fun, awkward, impressive and weird. That came as Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez hit a rare move known as the spladle against his opponent, Nebraska’s Brock Hardy.

https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1771256427719409793

The extremely rarely attempted or seen move closed out the final minute of the match and locked Mendez’s victory up while also locking Hardy into just a very uncomfortable and exposed position.  Once the shock of the move was processed and explained, announcers Shawn Kenney and Tim Johnson, more or less had to laugh as the match was going to end with forty seconds of two men stuck in a crazy pretzel position and Hardy getting the worst of it in terms of being taken down and giving up back points (which were not called for some reason) but also just the general aesthetic of his butt stuck up in the air and being completely locked up with nothing he can do but just look at the ceiling in defeat.

Here are a couple other of angles of the move.

https://twitter.com/NCAAWrestling/status/1771223370513752506

Mendez would later explain that he has actually never practiced the move. And yet, somehow, here we are.

Those watching certainly had fun with the move.

https://twitter.com/jtp2106/status/1771230867462979875

The NCAA Wrestling National Championships continue Friday night with the semifinals. The finals air Saturday. Though, if you’re tuning in to look for another spadle, it’s very, very unlikely.

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