#WrestleBuenosAires

Cuba and USA each collect three Greco-Roman golds at #WrestleBuenosAires

By Taylor Miller

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – After day one of the 2019 Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Cuba and the USA earned six of seven Greco-Roman gold medals, each winning three.

Leading the way for Cuba was 2015 World and 2016 Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA, who claimed the crown at 67 kg.

In the finals, Borrero Molina bested 2012 Olympian and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Ellis COLEMAN (USA) with an 11-1 technical fall.

Other Cubans winning on Thursday included reigning Pan Am champion Luis ORTA SANCHEZ and returning Pan Am bronze medalist Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN.

Orta Sanchez finished atop the 60 kg podium after a dominating 9-0 finals performance against Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX).

At 97 kg, Rosillo Kindelan shut down 2016 Junior World bronze medalist G’Angelo HANCOCK (USA) with a 10-2 technical fall victory, which started with a four-point throw.

Winning titles for the USA was Max NOWRY, RaVaughn PERKINS and Adam COON.

2018 World silver medalist Coon registered his third pin of the day in the 130 kg finals, sticking Luciano DEL RIO (ARG) in the first period. Trailing on a passivity call, Coon steamrolled Del Rio to his back for the pin at the 1:59-mark.

Nowry went 3-0 on the day, winning a round robin at 55 kg. His finals match only lasted 34 seconds, as he scored a pair of takedowns, coupled with gut wrenches, for an 8-0 win over Marcelo TORRES (ARG).

Perkins had already clinched the title at 72 kg in the morning session, going 2-0 in a three-man round-robin bracket.

Winning the other gold medal was Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU), who emerged victorious from the 63 kg round-robin. In his last match of the day, Montano Arroyo knocked off 2018 Pan American champion Ryan MANGO (USA), 9-0.

Competition continues tomorrow at 10 a.m. local time (9 a.m. EST) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

2019 SENIOR PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 18-21

Finals results
55 kg
GOLD - Max NOWRY (USA)
SILVER - Sargis KHACHATRYAN (BRA)
BRONZE - Joshua MEDINA (PUR)

60 kg
GOLD - Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) TF Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX), 9-0
BRONZE - Anthony PALENCIA PUENTES (VEN) dec. Dalton ROBERTS (USA), 1-1
BRONZE - Dicther TORO CASTANEDA (COL) dec. Maikol JOSEFA (DOM), 4-3

63 kg
GOLD - Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
SILVER - Ryan MANGO (USA)
BRONZE - Jose DAVILA CABELLO (PER)

67 kg
GOLD - Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) TF Ellis COLEMAN (USA), 11-1
BRONZE - Shalom VILLEGAS REQUENA (VEN) TF Cristhian RIVAS CASTRO (ECU), 8-0
BRONZE - Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) dec. Manuel LOPEZ SALCERO (MEX), 3-1

72 kg
GOLD – RaVaughn PERKINS (USA)
SILVER - Kenedy MORAES PEDROSA (BRA)
BRONZE - Francisco BARRIO (ARG)

97 kg
GOLD - Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) TF G’Angelo HANCOCK (USA), 10-2
BRONZE - Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) wins by injury default Jose ARIAS PAREDES (DOM)
BRONZE - Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN) dec. Oscar LOANGO SOLIS (COL), 3-1

130 kg
GOLD - Adam COON (USA) fall Luciano DEL RIO (ARG)
BRONZE - Angel PACHECO ROMERO (CUB) TF Diego ALMENDRAS RODRIQUEZ (CHI), 8-0
BRONZE - Edgardo LOPEZ MORELL (PUR) dec. Charles THOMS (CAN), 11-7

 

#WrestleBudapest

Higuchi, Kiyooka reach finals at Budapest Ranking Series

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- The final Ranking Series before the Olympics kicks off in Budapest. Seven weight classes in Freestyle will be in action with top wrestlers in all the weight categories. The ranking, and ultimately the seeds for the Olympics will be determined after this Ranking Series.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

13:25: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) blanks Haji ALIYEV (AZE) 6-0 in the 65kg semifinal. Top win for the Iran wrestler who will now wrestle Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) for the gold medal. Kiyooka defended well against a storming Austin GOMEZ (MEX) in the second period to win 12-6.

13:00: AMAN (IND) moves into the final of the 57kg after a 14-4 technical superiority win over Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN). He will wrestle world silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) for the gold medal. Higuchi was in all sorts of trouble in his semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) when the Azerbaijan wrestler used a high chest wrap to lead 8-0. But Higuchi managed to defend the last turn. He scores a takedown and uses a gut wrench to finish the bout 18-8 inside the first period.

12:45: An upset from Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) as he pins Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final. Petriashvili looks in some trouble with his elbow and has called for a medical timeout. But the pin takes him out of the final. 

12:40: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) with a stunning late exposure takedown to beat Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) 3-2 and enter the 97kg final. On Mat C, the 92kg world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) looked like entering the final when he led 5-0 against Magomedkhan MAGOMEDGOV (AZE) but the Azerbaijani world silver medalist came back to beat him 15-7.

12:30: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) with a fall over Nahshon GARRETT (USA) after building a 10-1 lead in the 61kg semifinal. He will wrestle the winner of Shahdad Ali KHOSRAVI (IRI) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) for the gold medal.

12:15: That will sting Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) for some time. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) pins Abdullaev in the 57kg quarterfinal and sets up a semifinal against Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) who defeated Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) 11-0 in the quarterfinal.

12:12: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) cannot find a way past Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) at 65kg! After building a 4-1 lead at the break, he hits a huge four-pointer on Aliyev to steer clear and win 9-3.

12:00: Mason PARRIS (USA) was checked by Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) on different occasions but Parris won the 125kg bout 9-2. The Georgian, who qualified for the Paris Olympics at 97kg, is wrestling at 125kg in this Ranking Series.

11:45: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who got a walkover in his first bout, works to a technical superiority win over Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) at 125kg. Moments later, at 57kg, AMAN (IND) rolls to an 11-1 win over Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)

11:35: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) drops his Round 2 bout! Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) scores three technical points to lead 3-0 but Muszukajev's takedown cuts the lead to 3-2 with 30 seconds left on the clock. Kiyooka defends well and hits a counter takedown in the end, adding lace to win 7-2.  

11:27: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) does not show up for his Round 2 bout against Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg. A big result for Aliyev who is now poised to finish at the top of group A.

11:25: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) dominates Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO) at 61kg and wins 18-5 to advance. Harutyunyan will come down to 57kg for the Paris Olympics.

11:20: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), wrestling at 70kg instead of his preferred 65kg, rolls to an 11-0 victory at Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ). The ranking points won at 70kg will not be added to the ranking points of Tevanyan at 65kg.

11:15: Paris-bound wrestler Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) comes back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Ali Hossein MOMENIJOUJADEH (IRI) 6-2 at 57kg. He will wrestle Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) in the quarterfinals.

11:00: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) with a top 9-2 win over Evan HENDERSON (USA) at 70kg. The Armenian controlled the bout throughout for the win. 

10:50: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAKEV (HUN), wrestling for the first time since winning the World Championships, begins with a solid 6-2 win over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). He keeps it under control despite many attacks from Jalolov.

10:45: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) felt like a long bout! Aliyev got a 1-0 lead at the break for Kiyooka's inactivity. Kiyooka got one point in the second period but Aliyev scored a counter just after the clock expired to lead 3-1. A stepout for Kiyooka with 17 seconds left on the clock. He needed a takedown to win and tried for one but Aliyev bodylocked for a takedown to win 5-2.

10:35: Austin GOMEZ (MEX), qualified for the Olympic Games at 65kg, begins with a 10-0 rout of Gyoergy SZILAGYI (HUN). The 65kg wrestlers are drawn in round-robin and will be wrestling again.

10:30: The first bouts in Budapest are crazy. Austin GOMEZ (MEX) is on Mat C but on Mat B, it's world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and on Mat C, it's Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) vs Haji ALIYEV (AZE).