#WrestleBuenosAires

Cuba battling for fourth and fifth Greco-Roman gold medals at #WrestleBuenosAires

Friday, April 19, 2019 - 17:01 By Taylor Miller

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Cuba put two in tonight’s Greco-Roman finals, including Yosvanys PENA FLORES and Antonio DURAN ROBLES. The country is going for its fourth and fifth gold medals in Greco this week.

Pena Flores will face 2017 Junior World champion Kamal BEY (USA) in the 77 kg bracket, and Duran Robles will take on two-time Pan Am bronze medalist Luis AVENDANO ROJAS.

In position for gold at 82 kg is Cheney HAIGHT (USA) and Carlos ESPINOZA CASTRO (PER). Both won their first-round matches in round robin and will battle for the title tonight.

The first four weights of women’s freestyle was also contested, and USA has already won two gold medals, putting up winning-records in round-robin action.

At 55 kg, Alex HEDRICK began her tournament with a fall and followed it up with a decision, and wrestling at 65 kg, Julia SALATA registered two technical falls for the crown.

The gold medal at 59 kg will be decided between Karoline SILVA DE SANTANA (BRA) and Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN), who are each 2-0 going into tonight.

A similar situation at 72 kg, the title will come down to Rachel WATTERS (USA) and Dejah SLATER (CAN) in a three-man brackets.

Action will begin at 5 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EST) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals pairings

Greco-Roman

77 kg
GOLD - Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) vs. Kamal BEY (USA)
BRONZE - Juan ESCOBAR (MEX) vs. David CHOC HUOC (GUA)
BRONZE - Jair CUERO MUNOZ (COL) vs. Johan BATISTA (DOM)

82 kg – round three matches
Cheney HAIGHT (USA) vs. Carlos ESPINOZA CASTRO (PER)

87 kg
GOLD - Luis AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN) vs. Antonio DURAN ROBLES (CUB)
BRONZE - Carlos ADAMES PALMER (DOM) vs. Alfonso LEYVA YEPEZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Phillip BARREIRO (CAN) vs. Patrick MARTINEZ (USA)

Women’s freestyle

55 kg – round three matches
Elis AZERRAD PARODI (ARG) vs. Jayd DAVIS (CAN)

59 kg – round three matches
Karoline SILVA DE SANTANA (BRA) vs. Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
Andribeth RIVERA BELLIARD (PUR) vs. Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA)

65 kg – round three matches
Jessica BROUILLETTE (CAN) vs. Grabriela PEDRO DA ROCHA (BRA)

72 kg – round three matches
Rachel WATTERS (USA) vs. Dejah SLATER (CAN)

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.