I don't like to overdue it with the hyperbole but these Big Ten Championship semifinals are going to literally shatter the earth into a million pieces. There are only two wrestlers who aren't in the top 20 in the entire round. The meatgrinderest of all tournaments powers through the semifinal round, and we've got live updates for you, right here, right now!

Semifnal Updates

125 Pounds

#1 Nick Suriano (Rutgers) vs #8 Ethan Lizak (Minnesota)

Suriano medical forfeits. :(

#4 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State vs #3 Spencer Lee (Iowa)

NaTo vs Lee is the first semis match to get started. They are rolling the starts as the consolation bloodround ends. No score after a minute of wrestling. Tomasello is looking for his 4th Big Ten title, but he is the number 3 seed, as Lee beat him 3-2 in a dual meet this season. NaTo has a single leg in the air. It's the same leg that Lee has in a brace. They go out of bounds before NaTo can convert. The periods ends with no scores. 

We go to the second and they start in neutral. Now Lee is in on a shot half way through the 2nd. A whizzer defense and the edge of the mat saves NaTo this time. The period ends with no scores and no riding time for either wrestler. 

Lee chooses down to start the the third. They're in a scramble early. Lee appears to have leverage, and no he gets an escape. Lee leads 1-0. NaTo gets a takedown with 20 seconds to go! They go out of bounds and restart with 7 seconds left. NaTo holds on to win 2-1! The Buckeyes have the first finalist of the 2018 Big Tens. 

133 Pounds

#2 Stevan Micic (Michigan) vs #17 Jason Renteria (Nebraska) 

Micic gets the first takedown but Renteria escapes quickly. Another takedown for Micic runs it to 4-1. An escape in the 2nd makes it 5-1 for Micic. We head to the 3rd, Micic leading 7-1. Renteria escapes quickly to make it 7-2. A cradle from neutral becomes a 6 point moved and 13-2 lead late in the third. A late takedown and four more back points as time expires makes it a tech fall for Micic, a spot in the finals and 1.5 more bonus points for the Wolverines. 

#12 Mitch McKee (Minnesota) vs #3 Luke Pletcher (Ohio State)

133 semis get underway. McKee locks up a cradle in neutral but Pletcher avoids back points. The period ends 2-0. The second starts with McKee on bottom. He escapes to make it 3-0. We start the third in neutral, same score. Pletcher finally gets on the board with a TD and immediately lets McKee up. Its 4-2 with a minute left, McKee just over a minute of RT. Pletcher with a clutch TD in short time. He gets the rideout to force sudden victory. A quick double and Pletcher completes the come from behind win! The Buckeyes are 2 for 2!

141 Pounds

#4 Joey Mckenna (Ohio State) vs #12 Nate Limmex (Purdue)

A quick takedown for McKenna makes it 2-0. McKenna with a tough ride on Limmex now. McKenna with 2 minutes of RT as we stop for blood. McKenna rides out the 1st for 2:55 of RT. Maybe he's trying to set a record? McKenna escapes after 10 seconds and their in neutral. 2nd period ends with no scores. They'll start in neutral (a wise choice) in the third. McKenna gets a takedown and ride out to win 6-0. Ohio State has 3 finalists!

#11 Michael Carr (Illinois) vs #8 Nick Lee (Penn State)

Lee in on a single and finishes in his relentless style for the first points of the match. Carr and Lee scramble their way to a 3-3 score. They restart in neutral with a minute left in the 1st. Carr somehow avoid a takedown at the end of the 1st. They head to the second, Lee taking down. Lee escape but it's Carr who fires right back with a TD and 5-4 lead. He's got double boots in now and over a minute of RT. Carr rides out the period and will start the 3rd underneath. Lee cuts him and Carr goes right back with a shot, converting and running the score to 8-4. Carr riding with legs in but Lee shakes him and gets 2 for a reversal. Lee cuts Carr to make it 9-6 and now Carr is back in on a shot with 30 seconds to go. Time expires and Carr secures the upset! The Illini have a finalist!

149 Pounds

#1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) vs #5 Ke-Shawn Hayes (Ohio State)

No scores after a minute as Zain will look for bonus in a pivotal team race match. After a stall call, Retherford gets a takedown with 30 seconds left in the 1st. Retherford gets two back points but Hayes reaches back and puts Zain in danger. Coach Ryan was howling for a pin. He says the ref was out of position. But to no avail. They go out of bounds, Retherford up 4-0. The period ends and Retherford starts the 2nd on bottom. he escapes to make it 5-0, then runs Hayes down for a takedown with 50 seconds left in the 2nd. The match gets a little chippy but Zain dominates and wins 10-0. PSU gets their first finalist and tOSU is denied for the first time in the semis. 

#7 Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) vs #2 Brandon Sorenson (Iowa)

No scores after two minutes of wrestling. The 1st ends 0-0, Deakin starts the 2nd on bottom. Deakin escapes for the first point of the match. Sorensen with a TD in shortime to get a 2-1 lead. He'll start the 3rd on bottom. Sorensen escapes to make it 3-1. 60 seconds to go, RT not a factor. Another takedown for Sorensen and he's in the driver's seat, 5-1 with 30 to go. Sorensen wins 7-2, and the Hawkeyes finally get their 1st finalist of the tournament!

157 Pounds

#2 Michael Kemerer (Iowa) vs #7 Micah Jordan (Ohio State)

Kemdawg and Micky in a big one. No scores after 2 minutes. Slow match through two periods. And in the third out of nowhere Jordan catch Kemerer and flattens him! Jordan with the pin and a huge upset! Ohio State with their fourth finalist!

#6 Alec Pantaleo (Michigan) vs #1 Jason Nolf (Penn State)

Nolf medical forfeits :( :(

165 Pounds

#1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) vs #5Richie Lewis (Rutgers)

Lewis with the first takedown over the three time NCAA finalist and two time champ. IMar with a quick escape. A scramble but no score. Now a headlock attempt by Lewis that almost lands but almost scores no points. And it's IMar that answers with a throw, this time for 6 points! It's now 8-2 halfway through the second. No more scores and Lewis starts on bottom trailing 8-2 in the third. Lewis escapes, RT not a factor but he trails by 5. He gets a big double for 2 but it's too late in the match and IMar survives 8-5. IMar will go for a fourth Big Ten title tomorrow!

#3 Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) vs #11 Logan Massa (Michigan)

Cenzo gets the first takedown, leads 2-0. It's 4-1 now deep in the second. That's how we'll start the third, and with Massa on bottom. Massa escapes quickly and is in on a shot. He's deep, Cenzo's hips are unreal though. Massa gets two at the edge! Or does he? The referees will take a closer look.  2 is confirmed! Optional start makes it 5-4, RT not a factor with 1:20 to go in the 3rd. A scramble but nothing, 20 seconds to go now. A stall on Cenzo, 12 seconds. Massa in on a shot but Cenzo slaps on a front head and grinds down the clock. Joseph advances to the finals!

174 Pounds

#2 Mark Hall (Penn State) vs Johnny Sebastian (Northwestern) 

Marky trying to keep the Nittany Lions' rolling. It's scoreless after 2 minutes. Hall converts on a single and the period ends 2-0 in favor of Hall. Sebastian gets dinged with an illegal hold soon after the 2nd period started (sorry, didn't see what it was for), and then Hall escapes to make it 4-0. We go to the third, still 4-0, Sebastian on bottom. Sebastian is out, and after a lot of hand fighting comes close to a takedown but Hall wins comfortably 4-1. Another finalist for Penn State!

#5 Myles Amine (Michigan) vs #6 Bo Jordan (Ohio State)

BoJo trying to reverse the upset he suffered at the heads of Amine in their last meeting. The first period ends scoreless. Quick escape by Amine to start the second but BoJo answers with a quick TD. A flurry ensues but Jordan maintains control and a 2-1 lead. Amine gets out after the restart to tie the score. We go to the third tied 2-2, BoJo on bottom. Jordan sits out, tries to turn but Amine is waiting with a pancake and he sticks Jordan. Don't call it an upset, Amine pins his way to the finals!

184 Pounds

#1 Bo Nickal (Penn State) vs #7 Emery Parker (Illinois)

The fearless Bo Nickal is looking for yet another rendevouz with Myles Martin (who has to win his next match first) against the stout Emery Parker. A wild but very much expected scramble ends with Nickal getting 2 and putting Parker in danger, but no swipes. An escape and takedown later and it's 4-1 as the 1st period ends. Parker escapes to make it 4-2 but thats all the happens in the second Nickal escapes immediately in third to make it 5-2, RT not a factor. Some flurries but nothing else and Nickal wins by decision but comfortably nonetheless. Penn State upper weights marches along!

#4 Dom Abounader (Michigan) vs #2 Myles Martin (Ohio State)

Myles gets on the board first with his otherworldly combination of strength and speed. An escape and TD in short time makes it 4-1 after 3 minutes. Abounader starts the second underneath trailing by 3. An escape, TD and rideout by Martin makes it 6-2 going into the 3rd frame. Martin chooses neutral. Abounader in deep on a single but Martin uses his alien powers to escape, then almost get a counter on the edge. The scramble to the finish but no more scores. Martin advances to the finals with a 7-2 victory!

197 Pounds

#6 Kollin Moore (Ohio State) vs #14 Kevin Beazley (Michigan)

Moore and Beazely underway. No scores after 2 minutes. Until Beazley collects two of Moore's legs on the edge and the first points of the match. Moore escapes with 30 seconds left in the period. That's how the period ends and Moore will start the 2nd on bottom. He escapes quickly to knot the score. A scramble as Beazley is in deep but Moore comes out on top and makes it 4-2 with a minute left in the 2nd. The period ends 4-2. Beazley's turn on bottom, and he escapes to make it 4-3. Clock ticking down. Beazley in on a shot. They're scrambling. RT is now locked up for Moore. Still scrambling. Time expires! Moore survives 5-3 and the Buckeyes get yet another finalist!

Christian Brunner (Purdue) vs #7 Shakur Rasheed (Penn State)

Shak and Brunner underway. Rasheed with the takedown in the first minute of action. An escape and another Rasheed TD makes it 4-1, RT over a minute now. A full set of back points makes it 8-1 in the second now. Brunner in the top position for the first time in this match. He gets RT under a minute but still trails by 7. A reversal makes it 10-2, and Rasheed marches on to the finals!

285 Pounds

#1 Adam Coon (Michigan) vs #5 Sam Stoll (Iowa)

Coon and Stoll underway. Coon with a quick takedwon, Stoll with the escape. Coon whirls Stoll around like a top and then slams him to the mat! It's a pinfall for Coon! Michigan will have 4 finalists!

#3 Nick Nevills (Penn State) vs #2 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State)

The final semifinal match gets going. Ohio State looking for their 7th finalist. Penn State has 5, wants 6. After a minute of wrestling Snyder gets 2, then cuts Nevills on the restart. It's 2-1 halfway through the 1st. It's 4-2 now in Snyders favor after one period. A much more typical Snyderman match, unlike the last time they met in a dual, where Snyder needed either a pin, tech, or a 13 point major to win the match, and came out looking for a lat drop against Nevills. It's 6-2 with a minute left in the second. 8-3, now, though Nevills close to a reversal. Snyder scrambles to maintain control and we head to the third same score. Nevills will start on bottom. Front head to a single to a go behind and Snyder makes it 11-4 after Nevills escaped (and got dinged for stalling). Another catch and release and it's 13-5 with 20 seconds left. And you can put it in the books! Snyder gives the Buckeyes 7 in the finals. 

We'll see you tomorrow for more insanity. Thanks for following along and apologies for the typos. There must be so many typos. I can't bring myself to even look at them. 

Enjoy your Saturday evening awesome wrestling fans!