#WrestleGuatemalaCity

México Reclama Cuatro Campeones, USA Gana Título de Equipo en #WrestleGuatemalaCity

By Taylor Miller

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – El primer día de competencia del Campeonato Panamericano Juvenil ha terminado con acción en grecorromana.

USA ganó el título del equipo con 190 puntos. En segundo lugar fue Mexico con 130 puntos y cuatro campeones. Colombia terminó en tercer lugar con 122 puntos.

Final results

55 kg: Duvan SANCHEZ CAICEDO (COL) fue el primer campeón del noche de Colombia. Derrotó a Antonio RUIZ MORA (ECU), 4-2, en los finales.

GOLD - Duvan SANCHEZ CAICEDO (COL) dec. Antonio RUIZ MORA (ECU), 4-2
BRONZE – Billy SULLIVAN (USA) TF Luis MENDOZA JIMENEZ (BOL), 9-0
BRONZE – Oseas LORENZO BAUTISTA (GUA) df. Richard GARCIA ANDRADE (PAN), fall 4:41

60 kg: Andres CORTES HERRERA (COL) repitió como campeón panamericano juvenil el miércoles. En su último combate, tuvo un partido cerrado contra Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA).

GOLD – Andres CORTES HERRERA (COL)
SILVER – Haiden DRURY (USA)
BRONZE – Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA)

63 kg: Hunter LEWIS (USA) ganó su primer título Panamericano de juvenil. El año pasado, el ganó medallas de oro en grecorromana y estilo libre masculino en el nivel cadete.

GOLD – Hunter LEWIS (USA) TF Carlos GONZALEZ VAHOS (COL), 8-0
BRONZE - Cristian MEJIA TEPEN (GUA) TF Jose ESPINOSA MOSQUERA (PAN), 8-0

67 kg: Damian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB) fue el primer campeón del noche de Cuba. Derrotó a Diego MARTINEZ (MEX), 8-0, en los finales.

GOLD - Damian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB) TF Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX), 8-0
BRONZE – Benji PEAK (USA) TF Lucas BELTRAN (ARG), 10-1
BRONZE - Julian HORTA ACEVEDO (COL) TF Juan PALMA FRANCIS (ECU), 12-3

72 kg: Evaristo HERNANDEZ REYNA (MEX) ganó cinco combates hoy, incluyendo un 9-0 victoria contra Franco CHIALANZA (ARG) en los finales.

GOLD – Evaristo HERNANDEZ REYNA (MEX) TF Franco CHIALANZA (ARG), 9-0
BRONZE – Ryan CUBAS CASTILLO (PER) TF Haner RAMIREZ RAMIREZ (COL), 16-8

77 kg: Emmanuel BENITEZ CASTRO (MEX) ganó todos de sus combates con technical fall o pin para ganar el oro en 77 kg. El año pasado él fue el subcampeón en el Campeonato Panamericano Juvenil en 72 kg.

GOLD – Emmanuel BENITEZ CASTRO (MEX)
SILVER – Isaiah ALFORD (USA)
BRONZE – Miguel Genaro SILVA COC (PER)

82 kg: Arturo CAMACHO VALENCIANO (MEX) tuvo un gran victoria contra Max WOHLABAUGH (USA), ganando 8-0 en el final en 82 kg. Camacho ganó el Campeonato Panamericano de Cadete en 2016.

GOLD – Arturo CAMACHO VALENCIANO (MEX) TF Max WOHLABAUGH (USA), 8-0
BRONZE – Fabian CASTILLO PAVEZ (CHI) TF Max MADRID DE LEON (PAN), 10-1

87 kg: Jesus LOPEZ NINO (MEX) tuvo una actuación impresionante para convertirse en el cuarto campeón de México esta noche. Lopez fue el campeón panamericano cadete de 2017.

GOLD – Jesus LOPEZ NINO (MEX)
SILVER – Keaton FANNING (USA)
BRONZE - Johan NAVEDA VARGAS (PER)

97 kg: Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) dominó la competencia para ganar su segunda medalla de oro panamericano este ano. También fue victorioso en el Campeonato Panamericano de Mayores.

GOLD – Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUBA) TF Braxton AMOS (USA), 12-4
BRONZE – Fabio CONCEICAO RODRIGUES (BRA) df. Juan CANTILLO TORRES (PAN), fall 0:27

130 kg: En su primera competencia internacional, Lee HERRINGTON (USA) fue dominante y compiló un récord de 3-0.

GOLD – Lee HERRINGTON (USA)
SILVER – Diego ALMENDRAS RODRIGUEZ (CHI)
BRONZE –  Samir VARGAS VALOR (COL)

Final team standings
1. USA - 190
2. Mexico - 130
3. Colombia - 122
4. Ecuador - 84
5. Peru – 80
6. Guatemala - 60
7. Cuba - 50
8. Panama - 48
9. Chile - 45
10. Argentina - 30

2026 World Championships

Hedayati Beats World Champ Mirzazadeh to Claim Iran's World Team Spot

By Vinay Siwach

KERMAN, Iran (June 16) -- World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) decided to skip the second bout of the best-of-three series against Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), ending his hopes of defending his world title this year.

Hedayati, who has been knocking on the door of Iran's world team for more than two years, defeated Mirzazadeh, 5-1, in the opening selection bout at 130kg to secure a spot on Iran's Greco-Roman team for the 2026 World Championships, to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1.

Mirzazadeh still had a chance to claim the spot if he won the remaining two bouts, but he chose not to continue in the series, effectively conceding the berth to Hedayati.

Hedayati scored on a passivity point, two pushouts and a two-point go-behind. Mirzazadeh's only point came from passivity as he failed to score from par terre.

"I respect Mirzazadeh a lot as he is a world champion," Hedayati told UWW. "But we worked a lot for one year to beat him."

In the selection bout last year, Hedayati hoped to hang on for a 1-1 criteria victory but Mirzazadeh scored a par terre turn to win 3-1. Hedayati switched his strategy this year and did not wait for the par terre position. He even asked for a standing restart when Mirzazadeh was called passive.

"Last year, I waited for the second period to win 1-1, but now I started to push right off the whistle," he said. "My plan was to push him out because I can do it. When I got passivity advantage, I asked for a start in standing."

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) defeated Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI), 5-1.

The 22-year-old Hedayati, who hails from Amol, the same town as 125kg freestyle world champion Amirhossein ZARE (IRI), will be making his senior World Championships debut in Astana as part of a strong Iran team that features three champions among seven returning medalists.

Zare was present in Kerman to support and coach Hedayati, who calls the Freestyle wrestler 'a brother'.

"I train with Zare because of our weight classes and he came here for my match," he said. "Outside of the mat, we run together, go for hiking, cross country and share a lot of time together to discuss wrestling. We always talk about winning the gold medal together, especially at the Olympics."

The Olympics are still two years away, but Zare and Hedayati can both win gold at the World Championships in Astana.

Hedayati, despite his debut, will enter as the favorite at 130kg. He has already won golds at the U20 and U23 World Championships, the Asian Championships and Ranking Series. He has registered wins over all major 130kg wrestlers including Riza KAYAALP (TUR), Oscar PINO (CUB), Pavel HLINCHUK (BLR), among others.

His only international loss came in 2022 in the U20 World Championships final, 6-4, against Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) that he has since avenged.

"I am training with Ghasem REZAEI (2012 London Olympic champion at 96kg) to improve my par terre offense so I can be a complete wrestler. My defense in par terre is good," he said.

In other weight classes, Iran will be bringing seven medalists including three champions. Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) will be at 67kg and Hadi SARAVI (IRI) at 97kg. Both are defending world champions along with Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) who will be at 82kg.

The returning silver medalists are Payam AHMADI (IRI) at 55kg and Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) at 87kg, while Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) at 63kg and Danial SOHRABI (IRI) at 72kg are returning bronze medalists.

Former U20 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI), who finished 17th last year, will look to win a medal for his team along with Ali OSKOU (IRI) at 77kg who will be making his World Championships debut.

Iran's Freestyle team for the 2026 World Championships will be selected on Friday, June 19 with Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) and Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI), both at 97kg. 

Iran's Greco-Roman Team for 2026 World Championships

55kg: Payam AHMADI (IRI)
60kg: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI)
63kg: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI)
67kg: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)
72kg: Danial SOHRABI (IRI)
77kg: Ali OSKOU (IRI)
82kg: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)
87kg: Alireza MOHMADI (IRI)
97kg: Hadi SARAVI (IRI)
130kg: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)