#WrestleOttawa

USA Wins Six Gold Medals, Cuba Claims Two in Last Day of #WrestleOttawa C'ships

By Taylor GREGORIO

Photo of Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) by Tony Rotundo. 

OTTAWA, Canada – The United States claimed six gold medals on Monday night, and Cuba collected two in the final session of the Pan American Championships in Ottawa, Canada.

Among those winning gold for USA were Olympic champions Jordan BURROUGHS (74 kg) and Kyle SNYDER (97 kg).

Burroughs went toe-to-toe with 2011 World silver medalist Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) in the finals bout at 74 kg. Burroughs led 2-0 at break and kicked up his offense in the second period with a pair of takedowns and a leg lace for an eventual 8-1 victory.

The win marks Burroughs’ fourth Pan Am Championships title. He is also a three-time Pan Am Games champion.

For gold at 97 kg, Snyder looked solid against three-time World medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB), using a series of takedowns and gut wrenches for a dominant 11-1 win.

The United States produced back-to-back falls in the finals at 65 kg and 70 kg.

John Michael DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) pinned Mauricio SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU), locking up a cradle from a snap-down to end the bout in 49 seconds.

Reigning Pan American champion at 70 kg Anthony ASHNAULT (USA) barely spent any longer on the mat, when he faced Hugo DE LIMA VIANA DE SOUZA (BRA) in round five of round-robin action.

Ashnault scored on a takedown, then from a gut wrench, pinned de Lima in 51 seconds for his second Pan Am title. It was Ashnault’s third pin of the day and he was named the Outstanding Wrestler.

Tyler GRAFF (USA), who was fifth at the 2019 World Championships, secured the crown at 61 kg, beating Scott SCHILLER (CAN) in the finals with a decisive 11-0 tech fall. It was the only bout of the day contested at 61 kg.

At 125 kg, Anthony NELSON (USA) won the title with an injury forfeit from Amarveer DHESI (CAN). It is his first Pan Am gold.

Photo of Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) by Tony Rotundo. 

Two-time U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) claimed his second Pan American Championships title, emerging from the 57 kg bracket.

In the finals, Andreu trailed Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN) at the break, but broke away in the second period with a pair of takedowns for an eventual 4-2 victory.

Also winning a gold medal for Cuba was Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA at 86 kg.

Taking on Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) in the gold medal match, Torreblanca went up 6-0 before Ambrocio suffered an injury that kept him from completing the match.

The Pan American Olympic Qualifier will take place March 13-15 in Ottawa, Canada.

Freestyle team results
1. USA – 205
2. Canada – 120
3. Cuba – 100
4. Venezuela – 66
5. Mexico – 59
6. Puerto Rico – 57
7. Dominican Republic – 44
8. Peru – 35
9. Argentina – 35
10. Brazil – 30

Final men’s freestyle results
57 kg
GOLD – Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) df. Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN), 4-2
BRONZE – Darian CRUZ (USA) df. Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA), 10-0
BRONZE - Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM) df. Ligrit SADIKU (CAN), injury default

61 kg
GOLD – Tyler GRAFF (USA)
SILVER – Scott SCHILLER (CAN)

70 kg
GOLD – Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) df. Mauricio Javier SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU), fall
BRONZE – Sixto AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER) df. David DOS SANTOS MOREIRA (BRA), 9-0
BRONZE - Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Jose Javier RODRIGUEZ COLON (PUR), 10-0

74 kg
GOLD – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Franklin GOMEZ (PUR), 8-1
BRONZE – Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN) df. Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA), 12-2
BRONZE - Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB) df. Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG), 11-0

86 kg
GOLD – Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) df. Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER), injury default
BRONZE – Alex DIERINGER (USA) df. Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL), 11-1
BRONZE – Clayton PYE (CAN) df. Ricardo Adrian BAEZ (ARG), 11-0

97 kg
GOLD – Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB), 11-1
BRONZE – Luis Miguel PEREZ SOSA (DOM) df. Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN), 5-3

125 kg
GOLD – Anthony NELSON (USA) df. Amarveer DHESI (CAN), injury default
BRONZE – Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) df. Brandon AGUIANO FLORES (MEX), 10-0

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.