Freestyle World Cup

USA, Azerbaijan Finish 2-0 on Day 1 of Freestyle World Cup

Saturday, April 7, 2018 - 23:12 By United World Wrestling Press

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IOWA CITY (April 7) - The United States of America freestyle wrestling team, led by Olympic champions Kyle SNYDER and Jordan BURROUGHS, fed off the home crowd on the opening day of the Freestyle World Cup, picking up two convincing victories. 

USA opened the two-day competition with a 10-0 shutout over India in the Saturday morning session. The Americans outscored their opposition 54-3 in the dual meet and registered seven technical falls. 

In the afternoon session, USA faced a hungry Japan team fresh off beating Georgia 7-3. The dual meet opened with a rematch of last year's gold-medal match at 57kg between Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Thomas GILMAN (USA). Gilman scored first off a passivity in the opening period, but Takahashi scored two takedowns in the final 1:30 to take the victory, 4-1.

Japan rode the momentum created by Takahashi to get victories at 61kg and 65kg by Kazuya KOYANAGI and Takuto OTOGURO respectively to grab a 3-0 lead. Otoguro's victory came over 2016 world champion Logan STIEBER, 10-5. 

James GREEN, a two-time world medalist, stopped the bleeding for the Americans as he held on to defeat Kirin KINOSHITA 8-5. Green led 6-0 early in the match, but Kinoshita battled back to keep it competitive. 

But it was all USA the rest of the way. Burroughs (74kg), Kyle DAKE (79kg), David TAYLOR (86kg), J'den COX (92kg), Snyder (97kg) and Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (125 kg) claimed victories to give USA a 7-3 victory over Japan. 


Burroughs, a four-time world champion and 2012 Olympic champion, improved his Freestyle World Cup record to 25-0 with his two victories on Saturday. 

"I've wrestled in a lot of World Cups, but I've never been a part of a team that's won it," Burroughs said. "I really want to win this thing. Our team is competing at a high level. It’s our time. I don’t think there is anybody in the world that can compete with what we’ve got going on right now."

USA is looking to capture its 14th Freestyle World Cup title, but first since 2003. 

In Pool B, Azerbaijan finished 2-0 on the opening day of the Freestyle Cup. 


In arguably the most anticipated dual meet of the morning session, Azerbaijan dominated Cuba, winning eight of 10 matches. Azerbaijan opened with victories at 57kg and 61kg. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) picked up perhaps the most impressive win of the day, earning a fall over three-time world champ Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg. The Cuban had built an 8-2 lead prior to the fall. 

After Valdes Tobier's victory, Azerbaijan claimed victories in six of the final seven matches to win the dual meet 8-2. 

Azerbaijan followed up its victory over Cuba with a 9-1 win over Kazakhstan.

Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. CT on Sunday. The bronze-medal match is slated for 2:15 p.m., while the gold-medal match is set for 4 p.m. 

Saturday Results

10 a.m. 
USA 10, India 0
Mongolia 6, Kazakhstan 4

11:15 a.m.
Japan 7, Georgia 3 
Azerbaijan 8, Cuba 2

2:30 p.m.
USA 7, Japan 3

4:30 p.m.
Cuba 7, Mongolia 3

5:45 p.m. 
Georgia 8, India 2
Azerbaijan 9, Kazakhstan 1

Pool A:
USA 2-0
Japan 1-1
Georiga 1-1
India 0-2

Pool B:
Azerbaijan 2-0
Cuba 1-1
Mongolia 1-1
Kazakhstan 0-2

Sunday Schedule

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Session III
10 a.m. - USA vs. Georgia on Mat A, Mongolia vs. Azerbaijan on Mat B
11:15 a.m. - Japan vs. India on Mat A, Cuba vs. Kazakhstan on Mat B
12:30 p.m. - 5th Place Match at Mat A, 7th Place Match on Mat B
2:15 p.m. - Bronze Medal Match on Mat A
4 p.m. - Gold Medal Match on Mat A
 

#WrestleSamokov

Shkarin, Javadov complete Worlds and Europeans U20 golden double

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 16:31 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 22) -- Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) managed to pull off a continental and world double by winning the gold medal at the World U20 Championships on Friday. He won the gold medal at the European U20 Championships in July.

This is the second straight year that Shkarin has done that as he won the world and European U17 last year.

Wrestling Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) in the 82kg final, Shkarin came out with his best defense in par terre to defend his 4-1 lead and win the gold medal.

"Last year I won Worlds and Europeans U17s, now Worlds and Europeans U20s," Shkarin said. "I don’t see anything supernatural in this. Everything is just working out for me."

Shkarin was in top form throughout the tournament with three technical superiority wins in three bouts and it was only in the final that he was test and did not manage to finish his bout before time.

In the semifinals, Shkarin blanked Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) while Seitkaliyev defeated Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) in the other semifinal. However, Shkarin was hoping to get a rematch against Yoshida who had defeated Shkarin in the 2023 world U17 final.

"The motivation for me at this World Championship was that I really wanted to take revenge on the Japanese wrestler," Shkarin said. "I even told my friends that I could leave this championship upset only if I lost to the Japanese again. Nothing else would upset me as much. But it’s not my fault, it’s his -- he didn’t reach the final."

With the World U20 gold won, Shkarin will look to move to the Olympic weight class -- 87kg -- next year and plan his journey towards winning the Olympic medal in the future.

"Next year I want to move up to the 87 kg weight category," he said. "I’ll start working on my physical shape, try to gain muscle mass, and gradually settle into the 87 kg weight class. I want to try competing at seniors level."

Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE)Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The last time the World U20 Championships were held in Bulgaria, Azerbaijan won crowned three champions in Greco-Roman. However, at the next two editions, the country failed to win gold.

The 2025 edition of the U20 Worlds, back in Bulgaria, seems to have brought luck back for Azerbaijan as the nation won its first gold in Greco-Roman in the first final.

European U20 champion and two-time world U17 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) added a gold at the U20 level in his first year by beating Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) in the 60kg final.

The 18-year-old showed no signs of discomfort in the new age-group and won three out of his five bouts via technical superiority or fall. In the final, he maintained a good lead throughout and defeat Mkhitaryan, also 18 years old, 12-5.

Javadov was put in par terre in he first period and Mkhitaryan scored two turns using gut0-wrench for a 5-0 lead but as he was trying to complete the third one, Javadov blocked him and scored two points. Armenia challenged the call but it was clear block and two points and Mkhitaryan led 5-3 at the break.

Javadov got the par terre in the second period but he failed to score any points. It was the third passivity with which the momentum of the final changed. Javadov asked for par terre after third passivity, which doesn't award any points. But Javadov managed to turn him for two and then a reverse lift for another two points to lead 8-5.

Mkhitaryan tried to jump over the head but it did not work out as Javadov controlled him and slammed him on mat for four points. He ultimately won 12-5.

"Since childhood I have been very self-confident," Javadov said. "Age makes no difference, I always believe I deserve first place."

Javadov has now not faced defeat for three years and the gold medal in Samokov. But the debut at U20 Worlds made him a little nervous.

"I couldn’t fully prepare mentally for the final bout, most likely my opponent wasn’t that good either," he said. "I made a couple of mistakes and gave up points, but then I managed to pull myself together. In the second period I realized that my opponent was very tired, and I understood that I could take the advantage and win."

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) df. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), 12-5

BRONZE: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Omer ALTAS (TUR), 9-0 (victory via cautions)
BRONZE: SURAJ (IND) df. Lucas LO GRASSO (FRA), 1-1

82kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) df. Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) df. PRINCE (IND), 11-0
BRONZE: Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) df. Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 8-0