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Burroughs Makes 10th Senior World Team

By Gary Abbott

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) won five matches over the weekend and punched his ticket to an eighth World Championships. (Photo: Sam Janicki)

LINCOLN, Nebraska (September 13) -- Jordan BURROUGHS of the Sunkist Kids won a new weight class to qualify for his 10th career U.S. World or Olympic Team, with an impressive victory at the World Team Trials in his college hometown of Lincoln, Neb. on Sunday.

Burroughs has made his eighth Senior World teams, along with two U.S. Olympic Team berths. In his previous nine World or Olympic appearances, he has won eight medals, five gold and three bronze.

He defeated talented Alex DIERINGER of the Titan Mercury WC/CKWC in the finals series to the delight of his local fans. He secured a 10-5 victory in the first match, winning the key positions, then got an early lead and scored a 4-3 win over Dieringer in match two. Burroughs was a Hodge Trophy winner for Nebraska, then trained there during his international career until recently moving back to his Jersey roots with the Pennsylvania RTC.

Two-time World champion J’den COX ox of the Titan Mercury WC/NJRTC secured a spot on his fourth Senior World team with two-match sweep over Kollin MOORE of the Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC at 97kg. Cox shut out Moore in both matches, winning 5-0 in the first match and 4-0 in the second bout. Cox boasts two World titles, an Olympic bronze and a World bronze in his four World-level appearances, winning a medal every time.

James GREEN of the Titan Mercury WC/SERTC is making his sixth trip to the Senior World Championships, after claiming the 70kg weight class with a two-match sweep over Ryan Deakin of the Titan Mercury WC/Wildcat WC. Green scored late in the first match to secure a 6-6 criteria decision over Deakin in bout one. He took the lead and kept the edge for a 4-2 win in bout two. Like Burroughs, he was a star for Nebraska and trained here for years, before moving to his new location at Virginia Tech.Green has won a World silver medal in 2017 and a World bronze medal in 2015.

Two-time World bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI of the Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC qualified for his fourth Senior World Championships, with a two-match sweep over 2019 Junior World champion Mason PARRIS of the Cliff Keen WC at 125kg. Gwiazdowski had an edge on power and technique, winning the first match 6-0, then adding more offense in a 10-3 win in bout two.

Making a second career Senior World Team was Daton FIX of the Titan Mercury WC/CWC, who secured a two-match sweep over Nathan Tomasello of the Titan Mercury WC/OKRTC at 61kg. Fix was aggressive in both of his wins, taking bout one by an 8-3 margin and bout two with a 7-0 shutout. 

The only new Senior World Team member was Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS of the Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat WC, who needed three matches to defeat tough Joey MCKENNA of the Titan Mercury WC/PRTC) at 65kg. It was McKenna who had late heroics with a counter exposure for an 8-7 win in bout one. Diakomihalis rallied for a 5-2 victory in match two. In the deciding third bout, Diakomihalis opened up his scoring attack for a 12-2 technical fall and the team berth. 

Four 2020 Olympic medalists chose to compete at the World Championships also, and their weight classes are not being contested this weekend: Olympic champion David Taylor (86kg), Olympic silver medalist Kyle Snyder (97kg), Olympic bronze medalist Thomas Gilman (57kg) and Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Dake (74kg).

*For more articles and recaps from USA Wrestling, please visit https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling.

Men’s freestyle Champions Series results

61kg  
1st - Daton Fix (Titan Mercury WC/CWC) vs. Nathan Tomasello (Titan Mercury WC/OKRTC), two matches to none
Bout One –Fix dec. Tomasello, 8-3
Bout Two – Fix dec. Tomasello, 7-0
3rd – Carter Young (Cowboy WC) dec. Seth Gross (Sunkist Kids), 15-12

65kg 
1st - Yianni Diakomihalis (Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC) dec. Joey McKenna (Titan Mercury WC/PRTC) , two matches to one
Bout One –McKenna dec. Diakomihalis, 8-7
Bout Two – Diakomihalis dec. McKenna, 5-2
Bout Three – Diakomihalis tech. fall McKenna, 12-2
3rd –Evan Henderson (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) tech. fall Luke Pletcher (Titan Mercury WC/Pitt RTC)

70kg  
1st - James Green (Titan Mercury WC/SERTC) dec. Ryan Deakin (Titan Mercury WC/Wildcat WC), two matches to none
Bout One – Green dec. Deakin, 6-6
Bout Two – Green dec. Deakin 4-2
3rd – Zain Retherford (Titan Mercury WC/NLWC) tech. fall Tyler Berger (Titan Mercury WC/California RTC), 11-0, 2:49

79kg  
1st - Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids) dec. Alex Dieringer (Titan Mercury WC/CKWC), 4-3
Bout One –Burroughs dec. Dieringer, 10-5
Bout Two – Burroughs dec. Dieringer, 4-3
3rd – Carter Starocci (Titan Mercury WC/NLWC) dec. Jason Nolf (Titan Mercury WC/NLWC), 4-3

92kg 
1st - J’den Cox (Titan Mercury WC/NJRTC) dec. Kollin Moore (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC), two matches to none
Bout One – Cox dec. Moore, 5-0
Bout Two – Cox dec. Moore, 4-0
3rd – Trent Hidlay (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Drew Foster (Panther WC RTC), 8-1

125kg 
1st - Nick Gwiazdowski (TMWC/Spartan Combat RTC) dec. Mason Parris (Cliff Keen WC), two matches to none
Bout One – Gwiazdowski dec. Parris, 6-0
Bout Two – Gwiazdowski dec. Parris, 10-3
3rd – Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC RTC) dec. Dominique Bradley (Sunkist Kids), 4-2

Women’s freestyle championship series results

53kg 
1st - Amy Fearnside (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC) dec. Ronna Heaton (Sunkist Kids), two matches to none
Bout One – Fearnside dec. Heaton, 5-3
Bout Two – Fearnside dec. Heaton, 3:29
3rd – Arena Villaescusa (Army WCAP) by forfeit over Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids)

55kg 
1st - Jenna Burkert (Army WCAP) dec. Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC), two matches to one
Bout One –Burkert dec. Winchester, 7-6
Bout Two – Winchester dec. Burkert, 9-8
Bout Three – Burkert dec. Winchester, 4-3
3rd – Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa WC) pin Amanda Martinez (Cardinal WC), 4:49

59kg 
1st - Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids) dec. Megan Black (Army WCAP), two matches to none
Bout One –Nelson dec. Black, 5-4
Bout Two – Nelson pin Black, 5:13
3rd – Xochilt Mota-Pettis (Rise RTC) tech. fall Michaela Beck (Sunkist Kids), 10-0, 1:59

62kg  
1st - Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids) vs. Mallory Velte (Titan Mercury WC/Beaver Dam RTC) 
Bout One – Miracle dec. Velte, 5-3
Bout Two – Miracle dec. Velte, 10-2
3rd – Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury WC/NLWC) dec. Gracie Figueroa (Titan Mercury WC), 8-6

65kg  
1st - Forrest Molinari (Sunkist Kids) dec. Emma Bruntil (Titan Mercury WC/Bearcat WC), two matches to none
Bout One – Molinari dec. Bruntil, 4-3
Bout Two – Molinari dec. Bruntil, 9-0
3rd – Alara Boyd (McKendree Bearcat WC) dec. Skylar Grote (NYAC/Beaver Dam RTC), 7-4

72kg 
1st - Kylie Welker (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Kennedy Blades (Sunkist Kids), 2 matches to 0
Bout One – Welker dec. Blades, 4-4
Bout Two – Welker inj. dft. Blades, 4:02
3rd – Yelena Makoyed (Cardinal WC) dec. Dymond Guilford (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC), 10-8

Greco-Roman Championship Series results

55kg 
1st - Max Nowry (Army WCAP) dec. Brady Koontz (TMWC), two matches to none
Bout One – Nowry dec. Koontz, 2-1
Bout Two – Nowry dec. Koontz, 3-1
3rd – Dalton Duffield (Army WCAP) pin Jacob Cochran (Florida), 1:52

60kg 
1st - Dalton Roberts (Army WCAP) dec. Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP), two matches to one
Bout One –Hafizov dec. Roberts, 3-2
Bout Two – Roberts dec. Hafizov, 5-3
Bout Three -Roberts tech. fall Hafizov, 9-0 
3rd – King Sandoval (Bandits WC) tech. fall Dylan Koontz (Titan Mercury WC)

63kg 
1st - Sam Jones (NYAC) dec. David Stepanian (NYAC), two matches to none
Bout One –Jones tech fall Stepanian, 9-0, 2:01
Bout Two – Jones dec. Stepanian, 10-6
3rd – Dylan Gregerson (Brunson UVRTC) tech. fall We Rachal (Illinois RTC/Illini WC)

67kg 
1st - Peyton Omania (NYAC) dec. Alejandro Sancho (Army WCAP), two matches to none
Bout One –Omania dec. Sancho, 6-3
Bout Two – Omania dec. Sancho, 3-2
3rd – Hayden Tuma (Suples WC) tech. fall Jesse Thielke (Army WCAP), 8-0, 1:08

72kg 
1st - Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm) dec. Benjamin Peak (Sunkist Kids), two matches to none
Bout One – Smith dec. Peak, 3-3
Bout Two – Smith dec. Peak 6-4
3rd –Jamel Johnson (Marines) dec. Michael Hooker (Army WCAP), 7-4

77kg 
1st - Jesse Porter (NYAC) dec. Fritz Schierl (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC), two matches to none
Bout One – Porter tech. fall. Schierl, 9-0
Bout Two – Porter dec. Schierl, 9-7
3rd – Britton Holmes (Army WCAP) tech. fall Peyton Walsh (Marines), 14-6, 3:57

82kg 
1st - Ben Provisor (NYAC) dec. Spencer Woods (Army WCAP), two matches to none
Bout One – Provisor dec. Woods, 7-1
Bout Two – Provisor dec. Woods, 4-2
3rd - Richard Carlson (Minnesota Storm) dec. Tommy Brackett (Gator WC), 6-4

87kg 
1st - Alan Vera (NYAC) dec.. Ryan Epps (Minnesota Storm), two matches to none
Bout One – Vera tech. fall Epps, 9-0
Bout Two – Vera tech. fall Epps, 8-0
3rd – Tanner Hannah (Combat WC School of Wrestling) dec. George Sikes (NYAC), 4-3

97kg 
1st - G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nicholas Boykin (Sunkist Kids) , two matches to one
Bout One –Hancock dec. Boykin, 8-2
Bout Two – Hancock dec. Boykin, 5-0
3rd – Khymba Johnson (NYAC) tech. fall James Souza (Army WCAP), 9-0

130kg 
1st - Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids) dec. Jacob Mitchell (Army WCAP), two matches to one 
Bout One – Mitchell dec. Schultz, 4-2
Bout Two – Schultz tech. fall Mitchell, 8-0 in 1:00
Bout Three – Schultz dec. Mitchell, 6-0
3rd – Tanner Farmer (NYAC) tech. fall Donny Longendyke (Minnesota), 8-0, 2:03

Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 Day 4: Tazhudinov, Ghasempour lose

By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 21) -- The final day at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 will see four Freestyle weight classes in action -- 74kg, 86kg, 97kg and 125kg. Every weight class has a world champion wrestling today.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

12:50: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) drops his semifinal against Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) 15-3. Aitmukhan with three exposure for six points in the second period. Tazhudinov struggled to finish his attacks. We have a Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) vs Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) final.

12:40: World silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) with a lace to beat Rifat GIDAK (TUR) 11-0 and enter the final at 97kg.

12:37: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) reaches the 86kg final with an 5-1 win over Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) in the semifinal. Dzhioev will now take on Saipudunov for the gold medal.

12:33: Another Bahrain wrestler in the final as Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) survives an late onslaught from Osman GOCEN (TUR) and wins 8-6 at 86kg. Gocen got a four-pointer which kept him in the match which was otherwise dominated by Saipudinov

12:30: Top match at 74kg semifinal as Younes EMAMI (IRI) holds off Norkhoza KAIPONOV (KAZ) 6-5. Kaiponov was up 4-1 and scored a stepout to make it 5-1. Emami got a stepout to make it 5-2 and a beautiful duckunder to close it to 5-4. He continued the action and used a gut-wrench to make it 6-5 with less than a minute remaining. He defended his lead to enter the final in which he will take on Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE)

12:22: Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) with a takedown in the final 10 seconds to upset Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) who was leading 5-2 till the last 30 seconds. The takedown gave Novruzov a 5-5 criteria lead before Asluev tried to hit exposure. Novruzov got an counter exposure for the 7-5 win. 

12:15: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) is into the 125kg final after a 7-0 blanking of Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) in the semifinal. Easy win for the world champion

12:11: World silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) goes down 7-6 against Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in the 125kg semifinal. Sharipov scored a four-pointer and led 5-0. But in Meshvildishvili comes back in the second period to make it 6-4 and needed three points for a win. He scored a takedown to make it 6-6 but was down on criteria. In the final 10 seconds, he was close to scoring two times but Sharipov managed to defend. A lost challenge gave him another point.

12:06: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) downs Olympic bronze medalist Mogomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) 12-2 at 97kg. Aitmukhan with a four-pointer and three takedowns in his victory. Solid defense as well whenever Magomedov seemed threatening.

11:55: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) with a cradle to get the fall over Abossolo CEDRIC (CMR) in the second period of his 97kg quarterfinal.

11:50: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) wins his quarterfinal at 97kg against Muhammad GULZAR (PAK) 11-0 after three rolls from par terre. He will wrestle Rifat GIDAK (TUR) who defeated Oucif HOUSSEM (ALG) 13-2

11:42: After taking out Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), Arsenii DHZIOEV (AZE) continues his winning run and enters the semifinal at 86kg with an 11-0 victory over Benferdjallah FATEH (ALG)

11:30: Younes EMAMI (IRI) with an strong defensive performance as he beats Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 5-2, at 74kg. Emami got a point every time he seemed passive in the match.

11:20: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) powers his way to a 10-0 victory over Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ) at 125kg. World champion Zare is a strong favorite to win gold here.

11:18: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) stops Shams QURAISHI (AFG) from more upsets but not after an incredible match. Quraishi managed to score 9 points on Asluev before dropping his bout 12-9

11:10: Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) opens his 97kg with an 11-1 technical superiority win over 92kg U20 world champion Sherzod POYONOV (UZB).

11:00: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) works his incredible underhook and manages an easy 11-0 victory over Iqbal AHMADI (AFG) at 97kg. Azarpira is a world silver medalist from Zagreb.

10:50: Former world 92kg champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) makes it look easy rolling to a 10-0 win over Mohamed SALAHELDIN (EGY) at 97kg.

10:45: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) takes out Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) in the opening bout at 86kg. In a bout of two halves, Ghasempour got a takedown and passivity point in opening period before Dzhioev scored a takedown during Ghasempour's activity time to lead 3-3 on criteria with just over a minute left. Ghasempour tried a desperate leg attack at the end only to give a takedown and hand the win to Dzhioev

10:37: Osman GOCEN (TUR) hangs on for a 2-2 criteria win over Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB) at 86kg. It was a scramble in which both wrestlers were awarded two points each with Gocen getting it later and holding the criteria. No points were scored in the second period but both wrestler were involved in scrambles. Gocen manages to hold off and win.

10:33: Haider BUTT (PAK) led 3-0 against Farhad MALIK ZADA (AFG) and on the way to give Afghanistan it's first win of the tournament. However, Malik Zada with a comeback and beats the Pakistan wrestler 8-4 at 86kg.

10:25: Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) took his own time but he manages to beat Khaireddine BEN TLILI (TUN), 11-1, in their 74kg. A four-pointer in the first period for Toktomambetov

10:15: Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), one of the four world champs in action today, starts off with an 11-0 victory over Jafar CHULIBOYEV (UZB) at 74kg. He got a stepout before a takedown and four turns.

10:10: Afghanistan is really having a solid Games for itself. After some impressive wins yesterday and a fifth-place finish, Shams QURAISHI (AFG) gets a fall at 74kg against Omar MOURAD (EGY).

10:00: Last day of the ISG 2025 with four weight classes in Freestyle. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) vs Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) likely to face in the 97kg.