#WrestleMorelia

USA Gana Ocho Medallas de Oro Para Comenzar #WrestleMorelia

By Taylor Miller

MORELIA, México – El Campeonato Panamericano de Cadete empezó ayer en Morelia, México, con la acción en grecoromana.

Luchadores de los Estados Unidos ganaron ocho de las diez categorías, incluyendo 45 kg, 48 kg, 60 kg, 65 kg, 71 kg, 80 kg, 92 kg and 110 kg.

Dos otro países ganaron una medalla de oro. Enrique HERRERA HUACRE (PER) clamó el título en 51 kg, y Antonio RUIZ MORA (ECU) fue el campeón en 55 kg.

A principios de este mes, Ruiz Mora termino con una medalla de plata en el Campeonato Panamericano Juvenil en Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Joseph FISCHER (USA) recibió la bota de oro por ser el luchador más destacado del torneo. Ganó todos de sus cuatro combates con superioridades técnicas en 48 kg.

45 kg
GOLD – Daniel SHEEN (USA)
SILVER - Fernando PEREZ VAZQUEZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Esteban MORALES MAYANCHA (ECU)

48 kg
GOLD – Joseph FISCHER (USA)
SILVER - Jeremy PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
BRONZE – Diego RODRIGUEZ VIELMA (MEX)

51 kg
GOLD - Enrique HERRERA HUACRE (PER)
SILVER - Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Nico PROVO (USA)

55 kg
GOLD - Antonio RUIZ MORA (ECU)
SILVER - Hector GARZA YEDRA (MEX)
BRONZE - Hernan ALMENDRA (ARG)
BRONZE - Cristian GOMEZ FIGUEROA (COL)

60 kg
GOLD – Jesse MENDEZ (USA)
SILVER - Uvaldo CAMACHO DIAZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Guilherme PIRES NEGREIROS (BRA)

65 kg
GOLD – Robert PEREZ III (USA)
SILVER - Fernando FERRER CIPRIAN (DOM)
BRONZE - Guilheme BARROS DE ARRUDA PORTO (BRA)

71 kg
GOLD – John BEST (USA)
SILVER - Lautaro SEGHESSO (ARG)
BRONZE - Diego MACIAS TORRES (MEX)
BRONZE - Carlos SEVILLANO GONGORA (ECU)

80 kg
GOLD – Jack DARRAH (USA)
SILVER - Juan MONTEMAYOR PEREZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Nicolas ARAYA TAPIA (CHI)

92 kg
GOLD – Michael MISITA (USA)
SILVER - Alexander PEREZ MAYORGA (MEX)
BRONZE - Jhon SANCHEZ SOLIS (ECU)

110 kg
GOLD - Braxton MIKESELL (USA)
SILVER - Diego NOLE AZABACHE (PER)
BRONZE - Angel SANCHEZ FLORES (MEX)

 

#WrestleCoralville

Pan-American Championships 2026 Day 1 Highlights

By Eric Olanowski

CORALVILLE, USA (May 7) -- The opening day of the Pan-American Championships is set to kick off this morning at 10:00 (local time) with Greco-Roman action. The eight weight classes that'll take the mat this morning are 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg and 130kg. 

Start in Action: 
- Luis ORTA (CUB) – Tokyo 2020 gold, Paris 2024 bronze
- Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) - Paris 2024 silver
- Oscar PINO HINDS - Returning Pan-Am champion, World silver
- Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) - Returning Pan-Am champion
- Jeremy Renzo PERALTA (ECU) - Returning Pan-Am champion

BOUT ORDER | SCHEDULE 

1:11: We're going to take a short four-minute break before heading into the semifinal matches. We'll see you over on UWW+ for those at 1:15 (local time).

12:18: Terrible scene here in Iowa. Olympic runner-up Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) went for a throw in his semifinal match and suffered a tournament-end injury to his right knee. He was take off on a wheel chair, ending his day and tournament here at the Pan-American Championships.

12:01:  Eduardo BERNAL MOLINA (CHI) was just about to give up the tech fall when he caught Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) on his back for the fall. He moved into the 77kg semifinals with that fall, and will meet the winner of Justin BOYCE (BAR) and Oscar Antonio BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON).

11:31: U23 world bronze medalist Otto BLACK (USA) earns the 8-0 win in his senior Pan-Am debut, punching his ticket to the 67kg semifinals later today.

11:10: Orta moves into the 67kg semifinals with a fall over Horta after leading 9-0. He awaits the winner of Alejandro VARELA (GUA) and Angelo CAFE DE OLIVEIRA (BRA). That match is underway on Mat B, with the Guatemalan  winning, 9-2

11:01: For a second time today, we have a meeting of Pan-Am champions. This time, it's four-time Pan-Am champ Orta Sanchez taking on Julian HORTA (COL). The Cuban has an early 2-0 lead coming from a pair of step outs.

10:51: As expected when you have two high level Greco guys like Melelashvili and Gregorich, it was a low scoring affair, but in the end it was a 1-1 criteria win for the American. He scored the first point, which gave him the criteria advantage at the end of the bout. I'll tell you what, though, it was weird seeing a Cuban Olympic champion in Borrero, cornering an American, who was beating a Cuban. Borrero certainly knew Gregorich's strengths and helped Melelashvili use them to his advantage.

10:31: We have a pair of Pan-Am champions coming up on Mat B next in Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) and Daniel GREGORICH (CUB). The American is the reigning champ, while the Cuban won the event in 2024. 

10:23: Not wrestling related, but Cuban world and Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) is cornering USA WRESTLING athletes. He is now living in Colorado Springs, USA, where he is an Assistant Greco-Roman Coach.

10:08 - Whistles are ringing through the Xtream Arena here in Iowa, which means wrestling is underway. We're only running two mats here. The first star that'll be in action will be world and Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB). He's currently 16-0 at the Pan-American Championships and is looking for his fifth continental title.