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Spencer Lee is excited ahead of his highly anticipated matchup against Japanese freestyle wrestler Masanosuke Ono. The American wrestler won the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, losing to Japan's Rei Higuchi in the 57-kilogram final of the Olympics.
Lee took to Instagram to share his anticipation for the clash against Ono, which is scheduled to take place as an exhibition match at the Xtream Arena in Coralville in February.
"Excited for this opportunity," he wrote in an Instagram story post on Monday.
The fight is part of the "FloWrestling Night in America" event, which will be headlined by a clash between four-time NCAA champion Aaron Brooks and two-time NCAA champion Zahid Valencia, with the two wrestlers representing Penn State and Arizona State respectively.
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Lee, who has won three national titles with Cleveland, Pittsburg, and St. Louis, will kick off his 2025 season at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France on Jan. 17-19. He will compete next in the Zagreb Open on Feb. 5-9 before taking on the Japanese wrestler on Feb. 26.
The 26-year-old enjoyed incredible success in the 2024 season, winning medals at the Pan American Championships and Paris Olympics. He won a gold medal at the Pan American Championships in the 57kg freestyle event before winning the U.S. Olympic Trials and silver at the Paris Olympics.
"I didn't deserve to win today" - Spencer Lee disappointed after losing in the final at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Spencer Lee was disappointed after losing to Japan's Rei Higuchi in the men's freestyle 57kg final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 26-year-old said he didn't put enough effort during the fight and thus didn't deserve to win.
"Just I'm a guy who believes more in wins and losses, it's more about effort, and I don't think I put a lot of effort in that match, so I didn't deserve to win today and that's OK," Spencer Lee said (via USA Today).
Lee was tied with Higuchi towards the end of the match before the Japanese scored an impressive two points after the American's failed takedown effort in the dying seconds.
However, the American wrestler would have lost the gold nonetheless in case of a tie as Higuchi had earned a two-point takedown earlier in the second round while Lee had a point twice from pushing his opponent out of bounds.
