KOLAT BACKFLIP
I have been asked this question at least a thousand times now, “how did you come up with a back flip defense to a single leg?” I like to think I was creative in all aspects of my wrestling especially on my single leg defense, but the truth is I stole the back flip from someone else. I guess I get the credit for move since the age of youtube but seeing the move live myself was highly impressive.
My sophomore year in high school I went and competed in the Midlands Tournament at Northwestern University. During that event, I was in the stands watching two well-put together wrestlers get after each other. They were 142lb I think and were really brawling it out. One of the wrestlers was Towsend Saunders of ASU, who would later go on to take a silver medal in the 1996 Olympic games. The other and I just learned his name from one of my members about a year ago was Rich Bailey of Cal-Bakersfield.
Now, I’m watching this match unfold and finally Towsend gets a single leg on Bailey and has it up in the air. Bailey all of the sudden hits probably the most perfect back flip I have ever seen and slides right down to Towsend’s ankles. I jumped out of my seat when he hit the counter but to my amazement nobody else seemed to be impressed by what just happened. Being a high school kid at a prestigious event surrounded by college wrestlers who probably wanted to tear my head off, I tried to play it off acting cool and sat back down in my seat.
The position was finally stalemated and Bailey had saved himself from giving up the takedown. The match continues and probably about a minute later (it’s been a long time ago) Saunders once again has Bailey hopping around on one foot. Seeing it done once was amazing to me but Bailey hit the flip a second time in the same match. He gave me and instant replay that I will never forget!
I have always had a passion for technique and hitting the unusual or the unthinkable so the counter Bailey left imprinted in my mind stuck with me. I never practiced the back flip, it wasn’t about could I do the move since I was able hit a back flip easily, it was more about did I have the guts to flip upside down and not break my neck in the process.
We had a tri-meet about two weeks later my sophomore season, which was when I first hit the back flip during a match. The next time I hit the flip was my senior year in the state finals, which is the one many of you have viewed on youtube. The term “Kolat Flip” is used a lot now when referring to that move but now you know the truth; I stole the move from Rich Bailey back in 1990.
I guess my question to Rich is did he create the move or did he steal it?
Back Flip
Kolat,
Just stumbled across this post today. Thanks for the acknowledgement. Not totally sure if I learned it or just made it up. Had never hit it until about 2 weeks before that Midlands. We were dualing U. of Oklahoma, I had a hurt knee from stretching too far on an inside trip earlier in the season (Las Vegas Tourn.). My leg was taped from my hip to my ankle, so my opponent went right after it and lifted my foot over his shoulder. I figured WTF & just went for it. It worked. So 2 weeks later, wrestling Townsend (my old college roommate, before he transferred to ASU) got in the same horrible position and did it again. Then got in horrible position a second time, and did it again. It's different I guess, but probably best not to let your leg get up in the air like that! Probably the only 3 times I ever had that happen, never used the move again.
I've watched your video of the back flip, and if I can give one technical critique: I always made sure the guy had both arms under my leg (in a "Table top" position)before I flipped, otherwise it was too hard to spin. I always thought of it as throwing my free leg over my opponent's head (kind of like a head kick), and less of a back flip, but I guess it really just looks like a back flip.
Had fun watching you that year at Midlands too. Amazed to see a high school wrestler seeded 3rd, then lose you first match and come all the way back and take 3rd! What blew me away was that a high school kid could come back in consolation like that, and making college guys scream (in pain) as you torked on them.
I do Jiu Jitsu now and I use that front head lock that you choked Purler out with (in the semis of Midlands). The one that you slide to the side and kind of lasso it through and then twist his neck, what's that called anyways? I works awesome in Jiu Jitsu.
Rich Bailey
Haha, we are eve then you
Haha, we are even then you stole my front headlock. Nice to hear from you good luck with the Jiu Jitsu!
Cary
Back Flip
Cary,
This post is funny. I was an ok wrestler, grew up in Las Cruces, NM, so didn't have the kind of access to the sport back in the 70s and early 80s that kids have today. I ended up walking on at New Mexico. Luckily, I had some really good camp experiences that got me to a level where I could hold my own in the room. I was wrestling a kid from Oklahoma in our room one day. I had gotten to a point where i had a very good single / high crotch and my finish was often a tree top and even aggressively taking his ankle to the ceiling across the mat. It was working pretty well for me. Until I did it to this wrestler. I throw the leg and to my surprise he did a back flip and ended up almost perfectly behind me in control. I was amazed and learned fast.
Ended up at Northern Arizona on Scholarship after that red shirt season at New Mexico and they dropped our program in 87. The backflip was in '86 so he had certainly done it in high school I would think. Wish I could remember his name.
Vidpro
Thanks for the post so the
Thanks for the post so the move has been around longer than I thought.