Les Sigman turns Tervel Dlagnev at the 2010 World Team Trials. Larry Slater photo.

How deep is the U.S. heavyweight class this season in freestyle wrestling?

You start with 2010 World Team member Les Sigman.

And then there is 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev and 2008 Olympian Steve Mocco.

And don’t forget about Tommy Rowlands, who placed fifth in the World in 2007. You also have Dom Bradley, a Junior World champion who placed third in the World Team Trials last year at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

So you don’t want to miss what transpires at next weekend’s U.S. Open in Cleveland. It is going to be something to see.

“It’s a great weight class – it’s pretty loaded,” Dlagnev said. “You are going to have to be a complete wrestler to win it. It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to it.”

Sigman was a surprise winner of the U.S. Open last year. He beat Dlagnev in the finals last year and went on to sweep Dlagnev in the final-round series at the U.S. World Team Trials. Sigman placed ninth at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia.

Sigman (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) has placed in two international events this season. He was fifth in the Buryatia Republic President’s Cup and fifth in Ivan Yarygin Memorial in Russia.

“I’m going to have to be at my best to win this again,” Sigman said. “It’s going to be a tough weight class on both sides of the bracket. It’s going to be a fun tournament. It’s going to be a real good challenge.”

Dlagnev (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) has wrestled well this season. Dlagnev won the New York AC International. He also won the Buryatia Republic President’s Cup and was third in the Alexander Medved and Ivan Yarygin events.

Dlagnev has placed second at the Open the last two years. Dlagnev and Rowlands train together at the Ohio Regional Training Center in Columbus.

“It’s been great to train with someone of Tommy’s caliber,” Dlagnev said. “He’s making me better. He’s back now and he’s wrestling really well. He’s always had good skills and he moves really well.”

Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) took 2009 off before returning to competition last year. He was third at the 2010 U.S. Open and fourth at the World Team Trials.

Rowlands has won three tournaments this season after capturing titles at the Cerro Pelado in Cuba as well as the Hargobind and Sunkist events.

“It’s going to take anyone’s best effort to win the tournament,” Rowlands said. “Obviously, there are a lot of guys who have proven themselves internationally in this weight class. Whoever makes the World Team better have plans to win a gold medal at the World Championships because it’s going to take a great effort to win in the U.S.”

Rowlands took more than a year off after finishing second in the 2008 Olympic Trials. He won the U.S. Open in 2007 and 2008.

“I’m a lot better this year,” Rowlands said. “My timing is back now and my conditioning is a lot better. I feel good now. I have no excuses. I’m going to step into the tournament with the expectation to win based on my results this season. It took me a while to come back. It took six months to come back to where I was when I stopped wrestling in 2008. I’m real motivated and confident going into this tournament.”

Mocco (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC) took most of last season off before returning in February to win the Dave Schultz Memorial International. He won the U.S. Open in 2009.

“Mocco obviously is very tough,” Dlagnev said. “He is big and strong. Having him back makes the weight class a lot tougher and deeper.”

Bradley recently placed third at the NCAA Championships for Missouri. He beat Rowlands at last year’s World Team Trials.

Aaron Anspach (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) also is a wrestler to watch. He placed second at the Dave Schultz event this season.

NCAA champion Zach Rey of Lehigh is another wrestler who could be in the mix. Rey placed eighth in the University World Championships and seventh in U.S. Open last year. Rey trains with Mocco at Lehigh.

Dlagnev and Sigman have had their share of battles, dating back to their college days in Nebraska.

“Sigman is a tough wrestler,” Dlagnev said. “He has some good skills. He has some funky rolls and techniques, and he has some good shots. He’s been wrestling well.”

Winning the U.S. Open is a key step to making the World Team, since the champion earns a spot in the final-round series at June’s World Team Trials in Oklahoma City.

“Winning the Open definitely helps when you get to the Trials,” Sigman said. “It’s a deep weight class, so having to battle it out in the mini-tournament at the Trials is tough. Sitting out is definitely an advantage.”