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Burroughs Makes 10th Senior World Team

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

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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

Stadnik retires: Europe's best who rewrote history

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 11:06 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (February 4) -- Four Olympic medals, six World Championships medals, 10 European titles, two European Games golds, many triumphs and heartbreaks later, Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has called it a day.

Stadnik, who debuted 22 years ago in 2003, announced her decision to retire from wrestling in an event organized by Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Baku on Monday. In an emotional video, Stadnik can be seen removing her shoes on the mat in front of a crowd and then speaking about her career.

"I recorded my name in the history of Women's Wrestling. Thank you to everyone who created this story together with me," Stadnik wrote on Instagram. "Now it's time to close this page of my life and write a new history."

Back in 2003, Stadnik began with a gold medal at the U17 European Championships, won a U20 world title two years later, added senior one as well and had a storied Olympic career which was laden with heartbreaks.

"I always had the motivation and will to win," Stadnik said last year. "I have had this will since early childhood, and this is endless."

READ MORE: Stadnik, 34, remains unbeaten in Europe

Though her will has stretched her career over two decades, Stadnik's decision to retire came after a lot of thought.

"In wrestling, I used all my chances," Stadnik said. "Now I understand that the time has come when I can be useful for wrestling in another role."

The 36-year-old, who was born in Ukraine but competed for Azerbaijan, will be moving into a caretaker role with the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Women's Wrestling and will be responsible for churning out new stars.

When Stadnik made her debut in 2003, Japan, China, United States and Canada were top nations. However, Stadnik changed that. She won her first World Championships medal in 2007 and qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in which she won a bronze medal as an 18-year-old.

Soon, she won her first world title in 2009 and emerged as the new force from Europe. She went on to win the European Championships as well. Stadnik brought competition to Women's Wrestling.

"For these countries, the competition with me was always serious," she said. "We always had tense and intriguing fights that were followed by the whole world. Mariya Stadnik from Azerbaijan was always a danger for them."

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Perhaps it was no surprise that she was in the final of 2011 World Championships and 2012 London Games. However, she came up short both times to Hitomi OBARI (JPN).

"I give a lot of respect to Obara because she was stronger than me at that moment and the London gold was hers," she said. "She was my strongest opponent whom I respect very much."

Barring those Japanese hurdles, Stadnik was unstoppable. She added more medals at the continental level and always stood on the podium at the World Championships.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)A dejected Mariya STADNIK (AZE) at the 48kg medal ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Then came the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Stadnik was at the peak of her wrestling her. A Olympic gold would take so much off her back. She was in the final of the 48kg in Rio and the gold medal was within touching distance as she was leading Eri TOSAKA (JPN) 2-1 in the final. But Tosaka crushed those dreams in the final five seconds, beating Stadnik 3-2.

Stadnik till today has no explanation as to what happened in those last five seconds of the final against Tosaka.

"I didn't watch my match from Rio for two years and still can't find an explanation why that competition ended like that," Stadnik said. "I knew and felt that the Rio gold should have been mine."

Stadnik geared up for one more time. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics would have been perfect ending for her. But by then, wrestling had changed with two-day weight ins, a newer generation of wrestlers had come up and Yui SUSAKI (JPN) was on a mission.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) lost her first meeting with Yui SUSAKI (JPN) 2-2 at the Klippan Lady Open in 2018. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Max Rose-Fynn)

The first time Stadnik and Susaki faced each other was in the Klippan Lady Open final in 2018. Stadnik was winning the final but Susaki scored a stepout in the final second to shock Stadnik.

People doubted Stadnik and her mental strength. The 2019 World Championships gave a huge boost of confidence for Stadnik who won her second of the two world titles in Astana, exactly ten years after winning her first.

The Tokyo Olympics were just 10 months away and Stadnik was ready for it. However, with COVID-19 pandemic, it got pushed to 2021 and Susaki went on to win the gold medal with a 41-0 record in four bouts including a 10-0 rout of Stadnik in the semifinals.

Stadnik still managed to win a bronze medal, her fourth of the Olympics, tying her with Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Saori YOSHIDA (JPN). Icho was four golds and Yoshida has three silver and one bronze.

"I know people talk about the gold medal but I am so happy with this bronze. It's satisfying," she said back in 2021.

But Stadnik wasn't satisfied with wrestling. After being away from the mat in 2022, she returned in 2023 and won her ninth European title, the most in Women's Wrestling, extending her unbeaten streak in European Championships to 34 bouts.

Then she made a run for the Paris Olympics and though that meant taking losses to opponents she used to toy with in the past, the mother of two secured her place for Paris in the final qualifiers in Istanbul. Her body was ageing, reducing weight was becoming gruesome and her opponents were becoming quicker.

She returned home without a medal but became the first female wrestler to compete at five Olympics. Soon after Paris, Stadnik reflected on what she has left for wrestling and decided that a role off the mat was more suited now. Letting go off something so big in her life was hard and emotional for her.

"When I watched the video in which I take my shoes off, I had tears," she said. "This is the end of an important part of my life. What I loved so much for many years is ending."