Burroughs Makes 10th Senior World Team

Monday, September 13, 2021 - 14:34 By Gary Abbott

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) won five matches over the weekend and punched his ticket to an eighth World Championships. (Photo: Sam Janicki)

LINCOLN, Nebraska (September 13) -- Jordan BURROUGHS of the Sunkist Kids won a new weight class to qualify for his 10th career U.S. World or Olympic Team, with an impressive victory at the World Team Trials in his college hometown of Lincoln, Neb. on Sunday.

Burroughs has made his eighth Senior World teams, along with two U.S. Olympic Team berths. In his previous nine World or Olympic appearances, he has won eight medals, five gold and three bronze.

He defeated talented Alex DIERINGER of the Titan Mercury WC/CKWC in the finals series to the delight of his local fans. He secured a 10-5 victory in the first match, winning the key positions, then got an early lead and scored a 4-3 win over Dieringer in match two. Burroughs was a Hodge Trophy winner for Nebraska, then trained there during his international career until recently moving back to his Jersey roots with the Pennsylvania RTC.

Two-time World champion J’den COX ox of the Titan Mercury WC/NJRTC secured a spot on his fourth Senior World team with two-match sweep over Kollin MOORE of the Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC at 97kg. Cox shut out Moore in both matches, winning 5-0 in the first match and 4-0 in the second bout. Cox boasts two World titles, an Olympic bronze and a World bronze in his four World-level appearances, winning a medal every time.

James GREEN of the Titan Mercury WC/SERTC is making his sixth trip to the Senior World Championships, after claiming the 70kg weight class with a two-match sweep over Ryan Deakin of the Titan Mercury WC/Wildcat WC. Green scored late in the first match to secure a 6-6 criteria decision over Deakin in bout one. He took the lead and kept the edge for a 4-2 win in bout two. Like Burroughs, he was a star for Nebraska and trained here for years, before moving to his new location at Virginia Tech.Green has won a World silver medal in 2017 and a World bronze medal in 2015.

Two-time World bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI of the Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC qualified for his fourth Senior World Championships, with a two-match sweep over 2019 Junior World champion Mason PARRIS of the Cliff Keen WC at 125kg. Gwiazdowski had an edge on power and technique, winning the first match 6-0, then adding more offense in a 10-3 win in bout two.

Making a second career Senior World Team was Daton FIX of the Titan Mercury WC/CWC, who secured a two-match sweep over Nathan Tomasello of the Titan Mercury WC/OKRTC at 61kg. Fix was aggressive in both of his wins, taking bout one by an 8-3 margin and bout two with a 7-0 shutout.

The only new Senior World Team member was Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS of the Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat WC, who needed three matches to defeat tough Joey MCKENNA of the Titan Mercury WC/PRTC) at 65kg. It was McKenna who had late heroics with a counter exposure for an 8-7 win in bout one. Diakomihalis rallied for a 5-2 victory in match two. In the deciding third bout, Diakomihalis opened up his scoring attack for a 12-2 technical fall and the team berth.

Four 2020 Olympic medalists chose to compete at the World Championships also, and their weight classes are not being contested this weekend: Olympic champion David Taylor (86kg), Olympic silver medalist Kyle Snyder (97kg), Olympic bronze medalist Thomas Gilman (57kg) and Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Dake (74kg).

*For more articles and recaps from USA Wrestling, please visit https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling.

Men’s freestyle Champions Series results

61kg
1st - Daton Fix (Titan Mercury WC/CWC) vs. Nathan Tomasello (Titan Mercury WC/OKRTC), two matches to none
Bout One –Fix dec. Tomasello, 8-3
Bout Two – Fix dec. Tomasello, 7-0
3rd – Carter Young (Cowboy WC) dec. Seth Gross (Sunkist Kids), 15-12

65kg
1st - Yianni Diakomihalis (Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC) dec. Joey McKenna (Titan Mercury WC/PRTC) , two matches to one
Bout One –McKenna dec. Diakomihalis, 8-7
Bout Two – Diakomihalis dec. McKenna, 5-2
Bout Three – Diakomihalis tech. fall McKenna, 12-2
3rd –Evan Henderson (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) tech. fall Luke Pletcher (Titan Mercury WC/Pitt RTC)

70kg
1st - James Green (Titan Mercury WC/SERTC) dec. Ryan Deakin (Titan Mercury WC/Wildcat WC), two matches to none
Bout One – Green dec. Deakin, 6-6
Bout Two – Green dec. Deakin 4-2
3rd – Zain Retherford (Titan Mercury WC/NLWC) tech. fall Tyler Berger (Titan Mercury WC/California RTC), 11-0, 2:49

79kg
1st - Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids) dec. Alex Dieringer (Titan Mercury WC/CKWC), 4-3
Bout One –Burroughs dec. Dieringer, 10-5
Bout Two – Burroughs dec. Dieringer, 4-3
3rd – Carter Starocci (Titan Mercury WC/NLWC) dec. Jason Nolf (Titan Mercury WC/NLWC), 4-3

92kg
1st - J’den Cox (Titan Mercury WC/NJRTC) dec. Kollin Moore (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC), two matches to none
Bout One – Cox dec. Moore, 5-0
Bout Two – Cox dec. Moore, 4-0
3rd – Trent Hidlay (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Drew Foster (Panther WC RTC), 8-1

125kg
1st - Nick Gwiazdowski (TMWC/Spartan Combat RTC) dec. Mason Parris (Cliff Keen WC), two matches to none
Bout One – Gwiazdowski dec. Parris, 6-0
Bout Two – Gwiazdowski dec. Parris, 10-3
3rd – Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC RTC) dec. Dominique Bradley (Sunkist Kids), 4-2

Women’s freestyle championship series results

53kg
1st - Amy Fearnside (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC) dec. Ronna Heaton (Sunkist Kids), two matches to none
Bout One – Fearnside dec. Heaton, 5-3
Bout Two – Fearnside dec. Heaton, 3:29
3rd – Arena Villaescusa (Army WCAP) by forfeit over Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids)

55kg
1st - Jenna Burkert (Army WCAP) dec. Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC), two matches to one
Bout One –Burkert dec. Winchester, 7-6
Bout Two – Winchester dec. Burkert, 9-8
Bout Three – Burkert dec. Winchester, 4-3
3rd – Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa WC) pin Amanda Martinez (Cardinal WC), 4:49

59kg
1st - Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids) dec. Megan Black (Army WCAP), two matches to none
Bout One –Nelson dec. Black, 5-4
Bout Two – Nelson pin Black, 5:13
3rd – Xochilt Mota-Pettis (Rise RTC) tech. fall Michaela Beck (Sunkist Kids), 10-0, 1:59

62kg
1st - Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids) vs. Mallory Velte (Titan Mercury WC/Beaver Dam RTC)
Bout One – Miracle dec. Velte, 5-3
Bout Two – Miracle dec. Velte, 10-2
3rd – Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury WC/NLWC) dec. Gracie Figueroa (Titan Mercury WC), 8-6

65kg
1st - Forrest Molinari (Sunkist Kids) dec. Emma Bruntil (Titan Mercury WC/Bearcat WC), two matches to none
Bout One – Molinari dec. Bruntil, 4-3
Bout Two – Molinari dec. Bruntil, 9-0
3rd – Alara Boyd (McKendree Bearcat WC) dec. Skylar Grote (NYAC/Beaver Dam RTC), 7-4

72kg
1st - Kylie Welker (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Kennedy Blades (Sunkist Kids), 2 matches to 0
Bout One – Welker dec. Blades, 4-4
Bout Two – Welker inj. dft. Blades, 4:02
3rd – Yelena Makoyed (Cardinal WC) dec. Dymond Guilford (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC), 10-8

Greco-Roman Championship Series results

55kg
1st - Max Nowry (Army WCAP) dec. Brady Koontz (TMWC), two matches to none
Bout One – Nowry dec. Koontz, 2-1
Bout Two – Nowry dec. Koontz, 3-1
3rd – Dalton Duffield (Army WCAP) pin Jacob Cochran (Florida), 1:52

60kg
1st - Dalton Roberts (Army WCAP) dec. Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP), two matches to one
Bout One –Hafizov dec. Roberts, 3-2
Bout Two – Roberts dec. Hafizov, 5-3
Bout Three -Roberts tech. fall Hafizov, 9-0
3rd – King Sandoval (Bandits WC) tech. fall Dylan Koontz (Titan Mercury WC)

63kg
1st - Sam Jones (NYAC) dec. David Stepanian (NYAC), two matches to none
Bout One –Jones tech fall Stepanian, 9-0, 2:01
Bout Two – Jones dec. Stepanian, 10-6
3rd – Dylan Gregerson (Brunson UVRTC) tech. fall We Rachal (Illinois RTC/Illini WC)

67kg
1st - Peyton Omania (NYAC) dec. Alejandro Sancho (Army WCAP), two matches to none
Bout One –Omania dec. Sancho, 6-3
Bout Two – Omania dec. Sancho, 3-2
3rd – Hayden Tuma (Suples WC) tech. fall Jesse Thielke (Army WCAP), 8-0, 1:08

72kg
1st - Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm) dec. Benjamin Peak (Sunkist Kids), two matches to none
Bout One – Smith dec. Peak, 3-3
Bout Two – Smith dec. Peak 6-4
3rd –Jamel Johnson (Marines) dec. Michael Hooker (Army WCAP), 7-4

77kg
1st - Jesse Porter (NYAC) dec. Fritz Schierl (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC), two matches to none
Bout One – Porter tech. fall. Schierl, 9-0
Bout Two – Porter dec. Schierl, 9-7
3rd – Britton Holmes (Army WCAP) tech. fall Peyton Walsh (Marines), 14-6, 3:57

82kg
1st - Ben Provisor (NYAC) dec. Spencer Woods (Army WCAP), two matches to none
Bout One – Provisor dec. Woods, 7-1
Bout Two – Provisor dec. Woods, 4-2
3rd - Richard Carlson (Minnesota Storm) dec. Tommy Brackett (Gator WC), 6-4

87kg
1st - Alan Vera (NYAC) dec.. Ryan Epps (Minnesota Storm), two matches to none
Bout One – Vera tech. fall Epps, 9-0
Bout Two – Vera tech. fall Epps, 8-0
3rd – Tanner Hannah (Combat WC School of Wrestling) dec. George Sikes (NYAC), 4-3

97kg
1st - G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nicholas Boykin (Sunkist Kids) , two matches to one
Bout One –Hancock dec. Boykin, 8-2
Bout Two – Hancock dec. Boykin, 5-0
3rd – Khymba Johnson (NYAC) tech. fall James Souza (Army WCAP), 9-0

130kg
1st - Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids) dec. Jacob Mitchell (Army WCAP), two matches to one
Bout One – Mitchell dec. Schultz, 4-2
Bout Two – Schultz tech. fall Mitchell, 8-0 in 1:00
Bout Three – Schultz dec. Mitchell, 6-0
3rd – Tanner Farmer (NYAC) tech. fall Donny Longendyke (Minnesota), 8-0, 2:03

#WrestleTirana

Paris Olympic medalists in Tirana: An overview

Saturday, February 22, 2025 - 14:24 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 22) -- Tirana is quickly becoming a wrestling puller. After the thrilling World Championships in October, the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series will also prove to be a fan-favorite with the depth of field that in taking the mats in Tirana.

Given no further drop outs, 10 Paris Olympic medalists are expected to participate in Tirana including one champion -- Semen NOVIKOV (BUL).

Overall, five medalists are in Freestyle and three in Greco-Roman while two medalists are in Women's Wrestling. Here's a deep dive into the 10 Paris medalists heading to Tirana for the February 26 to March 3 event.

Greco-Roman

Semen NOVIKOV (BUL): Stuck behind Ukraine's legend Zhan BELEBIUK (UKR) at 87kg in Ukraine, Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) switched to Bulgaria. The change of countries brought change of fortunes for Novikov.

A world medal, Olympic qualification and a gold medal in Paris all gave Novikov a just reason to explain his switch. And the run in Paris included wins over David LOSONCIZ (HUN), Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) and Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI).

Tirana will test Novikov as some of the biggest names at 87kg are wrestling at the Muhamet Malo and the Olympic champion will be up for it.

Alireza MOHAMADIPIANI (IRI) won a silver medalist in his debut Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI): One of the top prospects in Greco-Roman for Iran is Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI). He may have lost the World Championships and Olympic finals but Mohmadipiani should be well settled at 87kg till Los Angeles 2028.

He will get a chance to wrestle Novikov in Tiran, depending on the draw. And a win for Mohmadipiani over Novikov will boost his confidence.

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) won a bronze medal at 130kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI): Sometimes the bracket it out like that. Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) was stuck behind Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) and Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in Tokyo at 130kg. He defeated Kayaalp at the World Championships. But in Paris, he ran into Lopez again.

While he lost, Mirzazadeh captured the bronze medal that he missed in Tokyo. With Lopez retired and Kayaalp unclear about future, Mirzazadeh is undoubtedly the best 130kg wrestler. That is if Fardin HEYDAYATI (IRI) doesn't take his spot.

Tirana will be his first test and Heydayati the second when the two meet domestically.

Grace BULLEN (NOR) won the first wrestling medal at Olympics for Norway. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women's Wrestling

Grace BULLEN (NOR): At 62kg, Grace BULLEN (NOR) has finally found her mojo. After struggling to qualify at 57kg, she not only qualified but won a bronze medal at 62kg in Paris. She could have well been in the final but Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) produced the move of the tournament to flip over and pin Bullen.

Bullen is also the European champion at this weight and will begin her season in Tirana with a lot of expectations. There will be a few challenges but Bullen will be favorite to win this weight class.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is a two-time Olympic medalist. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR): Silver medalist at 62kg in Paris, Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) will at 65kg in Tirana. Koliadenko is an underrated wrestler in the world. She has bronze from Tokyo and silver from Paris, a European gold medal and world medals as well. Koliadenko will no doubt be the top wrestlers in Tirana.

In the new Olympic cycle, Koliadenko will take her own time to lean towards 62kg or 68kg as Ukraine's superstar Iryna BONDAR (UKR) is making quick strides. Tirana will give some idea which way Koliadenko leans.

Islam DUDAEV (ALB) won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Freestyle

Islam DUDAEV (ALB): Albania's history-maker in Paris is wrestling at home. Dudaev won the first-ever medal for Albania in Olympic history in any sport in a thrilling bronze medal bout against Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), pulling off a 13-12 win.

Dudaev had an incredible 2024 in which he also became the European champion at 65kg, qualified for the Paris Games in Istanbul, and etched his name in history.

However, he will have his task cut out in Tirana. Also entered in the field in Olympic silver medalist Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI).

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) is a silver medalist at 65kg from Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI): Among the many superstars that Iran produces, 65kg had to endure a wait long. Amouzad changed that in 2022 when he won the World Championships. He qualified for the Paris Games from the 2023 World Championships but his run was dismal as he did not win a medal.

But come Paris, Amouzad was in red-hot form. He blanked Dudaev and Muszukajev. The final did not go his way as he lost to Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) as his comeback was cut short. Amouzad-Dudaev rematch will be one bout to watch out for.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB) won bronze in a tough 74kg bracket in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Chermen VALIEV (ALB): Along with Dudaev, Valiev was the other Olympic medalist for Albania. He too will be wrestling at home at 74kg. Valiev had a remarkable run in Istanbul where he qualified for Paris after a win over Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR).

And Valiev almost had a similar in Paris but a challenge turned his victory to defeat against Razambek JAMALOV (UZB), who went on to win the gold medal and Valiev the bronze. Still, Valiev defeated Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) and Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) en route his bronze.

Valiev, in an interview with UWW last year, told that he is ready to avenge his loss to Jamalov however that opportunity will be later in the year.

Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) won a silver medal in Paris at 97kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO): In an excellent at the Paris Olympics, Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) made it to the 97kg final. He ran into Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) and a failed arm-spin attempt resulted in a pin and Matcharashvili ended up with a silver medal.

The season will begin with Matcharashvili wrestling at 125kg in Tirana but that doesn't mean he will be at 125kg. He wrestled a few times at 125kg last year as well but returned to 97kg. In Tirana, he will face quite a few challenges at the super heavy weight class.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) returned with a silver medal from the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI): One of the top matches of Paris Olympics was the 125kg in which Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI), who has past wins over Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), lost to Petriashvili after getting caught in a gut-wrench. Down 8-0, Zare mounted a comeback but as time ran out, he fell short 10-9.

Zare will be full of motivation to begin his new year with a gold medal. He may not get a hand on Petriashvili soon but Zare must look at the bigger picture of 2028 LA Olympics.

Burroughs Makes 10th Senior World Team

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Paris Olympic medalists in Tirana: An overview