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Burroughs and Chamizo, Snyder and Sadulaev Headline Biggest Rivalries of the Year

Wednesday, December 19, 2018 - 13:05 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 19) -- United World Wrestling has named four of the Biggest Rivalries of the Year. There were two in freestyle, and one in Greco-Roman and women's wrestling.

The freestyle season saw more than one top-level rivalry, so a pair were selected for this category. The first freestyle rivalry selected was the 74kg showdown between Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), and the second was Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) and Kyle SNYDER (USA).

The 74kg rivalry was kickstarted on social media when Burroughs, the five-time world and Olympic champion, posted an Instagram photo that was captioned, “If you want to be the king, you have to beat the king.” The message was of course directed at two-time world champion, Chamzio, who was coming up to 74kg after winning the 2017 world title at 70kg.

After trading social media blows, May’s Beat the Streets in New York City was the stage selected to host the first match between the pair of superstars. Chamizo commanded the early 4-0 lead in that Beat the Streets match but was outscored 6-1 in the final four minutes of the bout, losing the match, 6-5. Chamizo scored his revenge in the second match, outlasting the London Olympic champion in front of a sold out Bağcılar Olympic Sports Hall at the Yasar Dogu in Istanbul, Turkey, evening the series at one match apiece. 

The rubber match took place in the bronze-medal bout of the World Championships and not in the gold-medal bout as everyone expected heading into Budapest. In that match, Burroughs edged Chamizo, 4-4 on criteria and took the 2-1 series lead.

The second biggest freestyle rivalry of the year was between Russia’s four-time world and Olympic champion, Abdulrashid Sadulaev and Kyle Snyder, the three-time world and Olympic champion. Snyder scored the 6-5 come-from-behind win when the pair battled for the 97kg individual world title in Pairs in 2017. More importantly, Snyder's win gave the Americans their first team title in 22 years. 

Sadualev got his revenge in the finals of the 2018 World Championships by pinning the returning world champion and put the icing on the cake for the Russian Federation to win the freestyle team title. 

Perhaps no weight category was more competitive in 2018 than women’s wrestling’s 76kg. Lead by reigning world champion, Yasmin ADAR (TUR), four-time world champion, Adeline GRAY (USA), and Rio Olympic champion, Erica WIEBE (CAN). It was the American Adeline Gray who prevailed and won her fourth world title. 

In Greco-Roman, Kyrgyzstan’s Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) was looking for redemption coming into the Junior World Championships the American Kamal Ameer BEY (USA) was victorious in the 2017 junior world finals. Makhmudov dominated the bronze-medal bout at the Junior World Championships and picked up the 8-1 win. 

We had to wait an entire year to see some of the rivalries, but that may not be the case heading into 2019. Snyder wasted no time in letting the wrestling world know when a potential #SnyderLaev3 could happen, announcing that he'll head to Krasnoyarsk, Russia, in January to compete at the 2019 Ivan Yarygin - a tournament in which Sadulaev is expected to be entered. 

The next award to be released will be the Comeback Athletes of the Year which will come out on Saturday. 

2026 World Championships

Maroulis, Dake, Snyder Make U.S. Team for 2026 World Championships

Saturday, June 20, 2026 - 08:53 By United World Wrestling Press

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NEWARK, New Jersey, United States -- Four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) returned to the United States team for the World Championships after three years after beating defending world champion Zahid VALENCIA (USA) in best-of-three series at 86kg on Friday.

Dake overcame a round one loss to take two straight matches from Valencia at the 2026 Final X, the World Championships selection tournament for the U.S.

Apart from Dake, world champions Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Helen MAROULIS (USA) also made the team and will look to defend their gold medals in Astana, Kazakhstan from October 24 to November 1.

Paris Olympic champion will also be eyeing her third world title after she got a forfeit in her matches to make the team the at 72kg. Now a mother of four-month old child, Elor has not wrestled internationally since the gold medal win in Paris in August 2024.

United StatesThe eight winners of Final X on Friday. (Photo: USA Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Dake, who lost the first bout to Valencia 3-2, returned to win 4-1 and 4-0 in second and third bouts to lock up his place at 86kg.

Snyder also had to go the distance to beat Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) at 97kg. Buchanan snuck in a 5-5 criteria win in round two, before Snyder rebounded with a controlled 9-3 decision in round three.

For a second-straight year, Maroulis faced Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) at 57kg in Women's Wrestling and it was much closer this time around. Maroulis defeated Martinez, 8-1 and 6-0, for two straight wins.

A few young stars also made the team and will be taking their first trip to the senior World Championships.

Among the top battles was at 61kg in which U20 world champion Marcus BLAZE (USA) defeated U23 world champion Jaxen FORREST (USA) in three bouts.

Blaze managed a 2-2 criteria win over Forrest in the first bout before the latter bounced back with a 6-1 win in the second. Blaze locked the third bout with a 5-2 win.

United StatesThe eight Final X winners in Women's Wrestling on Friday. (Photo: USA Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

At 50kg in Women's Wrestling, U17 world champion Morgan TURNER (USA) took out Katie GOMEZ (USA) in three bouts. The 18-year-old won the first bout over Gomez 7-2 before dropping the second 3-2. However, dictated the third one and finished as an 8-2 winner.

With the win, Turner has qualified to represent the U.S. at the U20, U23 and Senior World Championships this year.

A second 18-year-old high school graduate, Everest LEYDECKER (USA), won at 55kg in straight matches. The U20 world champion defeated Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA), 2-1 and 3-1, to make her first senior-level world team.

In other Women's Wrestling matches, former world medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) got the better of Jennifer PAGE (USA) in two matches, 7-2 and 5-1.

At 59kg, Abigail NETTE (USA) dominated Alexis JANIAK (USA) in both matches, beating her via fall in first and 10-0 in the second. Former U20 world champion Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) also dominant in her bouts at 53kg, beating Elena IVALDI (USA), 10-0 and 9-0.

The 62kg series went back-and-forth as Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) defeated Macey KILTY (USA). She pinned Kilty in the first bout before losing the second 4-0. In a thrilling third bout, Nwachukwu held on to a 4-3 win.

In Freestyle, Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) will being once again look to win his first world medal after making the team at 57kg. He won 7-1 and 8-4 over Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) who had defeated Lee at the U.S. Open.

World silver medalist Levi HAINES (USA) went 6-1 and 6-3 against Chance MARSTELLER (USA) at 79kg to secure his spot. He will look to change the colour of his medal that he won in his debut World Championships last year.

Veteran James GREEN (USA) will represent the U.S. at 74kg after he defeated David CARR (USA), two bouts to one. James won the first bout 6-3 before Carr levelled it with a 6-5 win. But Green defeated Carr 4-1 to secure his spot.

At 70kg, former world champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA) will also return to the mega event after blanking Ridge LOVETT (USA), 2-1 and 8-2.

Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) will wrestle at 125kg after he defeated former world medalist Mason PARRIS (USA), 9-5 and 7-1.

World champion Trent HIDLAY (USA) had already secured his spot at 92kg spot last week with a series win over Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA) as the series was rescheduled earlier due to Hidlay's wedding.

The 65kg selection between 2025 world bronze medalist Real WOODS (USA) and Bowen BASSETT (USA) has been delayed and will be contested at a date and location to be determined.

In a similar case, 2025 world bronze medalists Kennedy BLADES (USA) and Kylie WELKER (USA) requested and received medical delays for their match-ups against Isabella MIR (USA) at 68kg and Dymond GUILFORD (USA) at 76kg, respectively.