TEMPE, Ariz. -- Ali Naser was off the wrestling grid -- an Afghani immigrant, by way of Russia and Uzbekistan, who was wrestling at Fresno City College while his father, Aziz and older brothers, Nasim and Amir (Mo), worked to support a family torn and altered irreparably by the Taliban takeover of his birth nation.
Ali's anonymity vanished at the 2015 U.S. Open in Las Vegas when he made the quarterfinals against 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and No. 1 seed Coleman Scott, the 2008 NCAA champion and four-time All-American from Oklahoma State.
"Everyone is floating around the gym watching matches and then Ali takes a 4-0 lead," Jones said.