Robby Smith Gets His Medal

Ten years ago in Las Vegas (dang, I’m getting old), Robby Smith (USA) faced Boris Makhov (Russia) in the bronze medal match. The Russian survived a comeback from the American in one of those matches that you would show someone if you wanted them to fall in love with wrestling.

The match has everything you want. One of the things that gets a crowd going most is a size and stature mismatch. The tall, athletic Russian survives early throw attempts from Smith before launching a highlight reel throw of his own. The match seems destined for the 8-point technical fall and as the Russian up 7-0 pushes for the step out to finish the match at the end of the first, Smith body locks for his own two.

With the benefit of watching the match ten times before, I notice how heavily Makhov is breathing coming out of the break. Smith gets to a bear hug quickly for another two-point throw. Smith loses a point when they challenge the reversal should have been a slip to make it 9-4.

Smith digs and gets a bear hug with the arm trapped and I remember yelling for the pin. Makhov slides out of bounds on his shoulders. It’s absurd this wasn’t called.

Smith gives up a step out and Makhov has to hold on for dear life for the last minute to win 10-8. Although Smith lost, he gets up to celebrate with the home crowd as Makhov can barely get up and walk.

Sometimes it’s good in the sports movie if the hero doesn’t win like some of my favorites Tin Cup, Mystery Alaska, and Kingpin. Ten years later, Makhov is shockingly disqualified for doping and Smith gets elevated to bronze. Smith represented the USA at four World Championships and the 2016 Olympics taking over for Dremiel Byers and eventually ceding to Adam Coon.