#WrestleBuenosAires

Cuba and USA each collect three Greco-Roman golds at #WrestleBuenosAires

Friday, April 19, 2019 - 01:26 By Taylor Miller

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Martin Gabor

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – After day one of the 2019 Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Cuba and the USA earned six of seven Greco-Roman gold medals, each winning three.

Leading the way for Cuba was 2015 World and 2016 Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA, who claimed the crown at 67 kg.

In the finals, Borrero Molina bested 2012 Olympian and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Ellis COLEMAN (USA) with an 11-1 technical fall.

Other Cubans winning on Thursday included reigning Pan Am champion Luis ORTA SANCHEZ and returning Pan Am bronze medalist Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN.

Orta Sanchez finished atop the 60 kg podium after a dominating 9-0 finals performance against Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX).

At 97 kg, Rosillo Kindelan shut down 2016 Junior World bronze medalist G’Angelo HANCOCK (USA) with a 10-2 technical fall victory, which started with a four-point throw.

Winning titles for the USA was Max NOWRY, RaVaughn PERKINS and Adam COON.

2018 World silver medalist Coon registered his third pin of the day in the 130 kg finals, sticking Luciano DEL RIO (ARG) in the first period. Trailing on a passivity call, Coon steamrolled Del Rio to his back for the pin at the 1:59-mark.

Nowry went 3-0 on the day, winning a round robin at 55 kg. His finals match only lasted 34 seconds, as he scored a pair of takedowns, coupled with gut wrenches, for an 8-0 win over Marcelo TORRES (ARG).

Perkins had already clinched the title at 72 kg in the morning session, going 2-0 in a three-man round-robin bracket.

Winning the other gold medal was Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU), who emerged victorious from the 63 kg round-robin. In his last match of the day, Montano Arroyo knocked off 2018 Pan American champion Ryan MANGO (USA), 9-0.

Competition continues tomorrow at 10 a.m. local time (9 a.m. EST) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

2019 SENIOR PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 18-21

Finals results
55 kg
GOLD - Max NOWRY (USA)
SILVER - Sargis KHACHATRYAN (BRA)
BRONZE - Joshua MEDINA (PUR)

60 kg
GOLD - Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) TF Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX), 9-0
BRONZE - Anthony PALENCIA PUENTES (VEN) dec. Dalton ROBERTS (USA), 1-1
BRONZE - Dicther TORO CASTANEDA (COL) dec. Maikol JOSEFA (DOM), 4-3

63 kg
GOLD - Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
SILVER - Ryan MANGO (USA)
BRONZE - Jose DAVILA CABELLO (PER)

67 kg
GOLD - Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) TF Ellis COLEMAN (USA), 11-1
BRONZE - Shalom VILLEGAS REQUENA (VEN) TF Cristhian RIVAS CASTRO (ECU), 8-0
BRONZE - Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) dec. Manuel LOPEZ SALCERO (MEX), 3-1

72 kg
GOLD – RaVaughn PERKINS (USA)
SILVER - Kenedy MORAES PEDROSA (BRA)
BRONZE - Francisco BARRIO (ARG)

97 kg
GOLD - Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) TF G’Angelo HANCOCK (USA), 10-2
BRONZE - Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) wins by injury default Jose ARIAS PAREDES (DOM)
BRONZE - Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN) dec. Oscar LOANGO SOLIS (COL), 3-1

130 kg
GOLD - Adam COON (USA) fall Luciano DEL RIO (ARG)
BRONZE - Angel PACHECO ROMERO (CUB) TF Diego ALMENDRAS RODRIQUEZ (CHI), 8-0
BRONZE - Edgardo LOPEZ MORELL (PUR) dec. Charles THOMS (CAN), 11-7

 

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series 2026 Women's Wrestling Preview: 53kg Wide Open

Friday, July 10, 2026 - 12:03 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 9) -- Preview for United World Wrestling Budapest Ranking Series 2026.

The 53kg weight class will crown a new world champion in Astana later this year after 2025 world champion Haruna MARUYAMA (JPN) failed to qualify through Japan's domestic trials and Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) moved up to 57kg.

The Budapest Ranking Series, scheduled for July 15-19, will offer an early look at the contenders as many of the world's top wrestlers at 53kg gather for the final Ranking Series event of the year.

WATCH LIVE | BUDAPEST RANKING SERIES ENTRIES

UWW+

Asian champion Jin ZHANG (CHN) headlines the field, which also includes world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND), 55kg European champion Andreea ANA (ROU), former European champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) and United States world team member Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA).

While two leading contenders for the world title, Lucia GUZMAN (ECU) and Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), are not entered, the rest of the field is expected to play a significant role in the medal race in Astana in one of the year's most open weight classes.

Zhang put together a dominant performance at the Asian Championships, highlighted by a victory via fall over Kiyooka. Antim has previous wins over both Zhang and Malmgren and will face another stern test in Budapest while Ana brings considerable international experience. Rodriguez, a former U20 world champion, lost to Guzman at the Pan-American Championships, but her aggressive style continues to make her a difficult opponent.

Joining Zhang on China's team is Yuxuan LI (CHN), a two-time 55kg Asian silver medalist with the ability to upset the favorites. Veteran Roksana ZASINA (POL) is also entered, adding another experienced challenger to the field.

 

Tough 68kg Bracket

The 53kg weight class isn't the only one which is offering early insights. The 68kg competition is expected to be equally competitive despite the absence of world champion Ami ISHII (JPN) and bronze medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA).

The field includes Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), former world champion Jia LONG (CHN), 72kg world silver medalist Nesrin BAS (TUR), and former European champion Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR).

Zhumanazarova claimed the Asian title in April and enters Budapest as the favorite, with Long expected to be her biggest challenger. Bas and Shauchuk were set to meet in the European Championships final before the latter withdrew, handing Bas the title.

U23 world champion Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS) will look to win her second consecutive Ranking Series medal after taking silver at the Ulaanbaatar Open. Both European bronze medalists, Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) and Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE), also add depth to the field.

Bullen vs Tandelova II (WATCH: Bullen's Insane Comeback)

A rematch of this year's European Championships final could take place at 62kg after Grace BULLEN (NOR) produced one of the most remarkable comebacks of the season, rallying from a 9-1 deficit to pin Amina TANDELOVA (RUS).

They will be joined by a strong field that includes former world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN), world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), and European medalists Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR). The field also includes Pan-Am champion Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) and former U20 world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN), who will have the backing of the home crowd.

Read More: Bullen's Move - Outside Trip

At 76kg, world silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) has had a mixed season with win at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series but finished with a silver medal at the Asian Championships. She will have a chance to win another gold in Budapest.

She, however, faces a difficult field led by Dymond GUILFORD (USA) who has a previous win over Medet Kyzy. Other challengers include Indian youngsters KAJAL (IND) and PRIYA (IND), former European champion Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) and big-throwing Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ), another wrestler who has beaten Medet Kyzy previously.

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) marks her return to the mat in Budapest. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Nichita Returns

Olympic silver medalist Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) will compete for the first time in nearly two years. Nichita, who became a mother after the Paris Olympics, returns at 59kg as she begins another Olympic cycle.

While she will be expected to win, making her return challenging will be Asian bronze medalist NEHA (IND), former world medalist Othelie HOEIE (NOR), European champion Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), veteran Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), among others in the field.

Wrestling Kexin HONG (CHN)Kexin HONG (CHN) is the Asian champion at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

China's Depth

Two Chinese wrestlers, Kexin HONG (CHN) and Mengyu XIE (CHN), could dominate the 57kg bracket. Both Asian champions, at 57kg and 59kg respectively, Hong and Xie will be challenged by European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR), European bronze medalist Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), and Amanda MARTINEZ (USA).

India is sending age-group world medalist Neha SHARMA (IND) and U20 world champion TAPSYA (IND).

European champion Oksana LIVACH (UKR) enters as the favorite at 50kg but Olympic and Asian bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) is among the strongest wrestlers in the weight class and will be a marquee match-up if the two meet.

Other top wrestlers include Pan-American champion Katie GOMEZ (USA) and Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS), capable of upsetting the favorites. Canada has an interesting entry with former 53kg U17 world champion Kaura COLES (CAN), who is making her senior UWW debut at 50kg.

Four extremely talented wrestlers are entered at 72kg with former world silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), European silver medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), Zagreb Open silver medalist Diksha MALIK (IND) and U23 Asian champion Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ). With only three medals available, one of those four contenders will leave Budapest empty-handed.

Note: This preview was uploaded before Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) pulled out of the competition.