Freestyle World Cup

USA, Azerbaijan Finish 2-0 on Day 1 of Freestyle World Cup

Saturday, April 7, 2018 - 23:12 By United World Wrestling Press

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IOWA CITY (April 7) - The United States of America freestyle wrestling team, led by Olympic champions Kyle SNYDER and Jordan BURROUGHS, fed off the home crowd on the opening day of the Freestyle World Cup, picking up two convincing victories. 

USA opened the two-day competition with a 10-0 shutout over India in the Saturday morning session. The Americans outscored their opposition 54-3 in the dual meet and registered seven technical falls. 

In the afternoon session, USA faced a hungry Japan team fresh off beating Georgia 7-3. The dual meet opened with a rematch of last year's gold-medal match at 57kg between Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Thomas GILMAN (USA). Gilman scored first off a passivity in the opening period, but Takahashi scored two takedowns in the final 1:30 to take the victory, 4-1.

Japan rode the momentum created by Takahashi to get victories at 61kg and 65kg by Kazuya KOYANAGI and Takuto OTOGURO respectively to grab a 3-0 lead. Otoguro's victory came over 2016 world champion Logan STIEBER, 10-5. 

James GREEN, a two-time world medalist, stopped the bleeding for the Americans as he held on to defeat Kirin KINOSHITA 8-5. Green led 6-0 early in the match, but Kinoshita battled back to keep it competitive. 

But it was all USA the rest of the way. Burroughs (74kg), Kyle DAKE (79kg), David TAYLOR (86kg), J'den COX (92kg), Snyder (97kg) and Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (125 kg) claimed victories to give USA a 7-3 victory over Japan. 


Burroughs, a four-time world champion and 2012 Olympic champion, improved his Freestyle World Cup record to 25-0 with his two victories on Saturday. 

"I've wrestled in a lot of World Cups, but I've never been a part of a team that's won it," Burroughs said. "I really want to win this thing. Our team is competing at a high level. It’s our time. I don’t think there is anybody in the world that can compete with what we’ve got going on right now."

USA is looking to capture its 14th Freestyle World Cup title, but first since 2003. 

In Pool B, Azerbaijan finished 2-0 on the opening day of the Freestyle Cup. 


In arguably the most anticipated dual meet of the morning session, Azerbaijan dominated Cuba, winning eight of 10 matches. Azerbaijan opened with victories at 57kg and 61kg. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) picked up perhaps the most impressive win of the day, earning a fall over three-time world champ Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg. The Cuban had built an 8-2 lead prior to the fall. 

After Valdes Tobier's victory, Azerbaijan claimed victories in six of the final seven matches to win the dual meet 8-2. 

Azerbaijan followed up its victory over Cuba with a 9-1 win over Kazakhstan.

Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. CT on Sunday. The bronze-medal match is slated for 2:15 p.m., while the gold-medal match is set for 4 p.m. 

Saturday Results

10 a.m. 
USA 10, India 0
Mongolia 6, Kazakhstan 4

11:15 a.m.
Japan 7, Georgia 3 
Azerbaijan 8, Cuba 2

2:30 p.m.
USA 7, Japan 3

4:30 p.m.
Cuba 7, Mongolia 3

5:45 p.m. 
Georgia 8, India 2
Azerbaijan 9, Kazakhstan 1

Pool A:
USA 2-0
Japan 1-1
Georiga 1-1
India 0-2

Pool B:
Azerbaijan 2-0
Cuba 1-1
Mongolia 1-1
Kazakhstan 0-2

Sunday Schedule

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Session III
10 a.m. - USA vs. Georgia on Mat A, Mongolia vs. Azerbaijan on Mat B
11:15 a.m. - Japan vs. India on Mat A, Cuba vs. Kazakhstan on Mat B
12:30 p.m. - 5th Place Match at Mat A, 7th Place Match on Mat B
2:15 p.m. - Bronze Medal Match on Mat A
4 p.m. - Gold Medal Match on Mat A
 

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2026 Day 2 Results & Highlights

Thursday, June 4, 2026 - 17:14 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 5) -- The second day of the Ulaanbaatar Open will feature three Greco-Roman and five Women's Wrestling weight classes. Iran, Bulgaria and India won two Greco-Roman gold medals each on day one of the competition.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

Semifinals with Greco-Roman

12:40: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) stuns Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) in Round 3 at 63kg! Sharshenbekov did not score from par terre in the first period. On the other hand, Keshtkar scored an exposure from par terre to lead 3-1 and Sharshenbekov committed a defensive foul to give two more points to Keshtkar which Iran got only after a challenge. As the bout restarted in par terre, Keshtkar lifted Sharshenbekov and threw him for two points while the Kyrgyzstan wrestler committed a leg foul. Kyrgyzstan challenged for no foul but lost it and Keshtkar got another point, taking his score to 10-1.

12:30: Solid match between European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) and MUSKAN (IND). Ana with a takedown and then two trap arm guts to lead 6-0. Muskan got one back and scored a takedown to make it 6-2. But Ana scored another takedown before the break to lead 8-2. Both kept exchange takedowns in the second period but Ana managed to keep her lead at 10-6 with 1:33 left. She then scored a stepout and three different takedown to complete her victory.

12:15: MEENAKSHI (IND) is no match for world champion Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) who gets a 10-0 victory in just over a minute. She scores a takedown and lace to lead 6-0 before scoring another counter takedown and a roll for four more points.

12:10: World silver medalist Il Sim SON (PRK) begins with a 11-0 victory over Danielle LIM (SGP) at 57kg. She needed only a minute and 36 seconds to roll Lim

11:45: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) secures his places in the semifinals with Round 2 victory over Sunny KUMAR (IND). Sharshenbekov did not score from par terre but managed to bring down Kumar for four points using a body lock. He then defended par terre in the second period to complete the win at 63kg

11:35: All-Iranian bout at 63kg in Round 2 between Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) and Erfan JARKANI (IRI). Keshtkar gets the first par terre and he lifts Jarkani, tosses him for four points. Jarkani cannot do the same when he gets the par terre in the second period. He challenges for something not evident but loses it and Keshtkar leads 6-1. Jarkani gets a point for Keshtkar's foul but the latter wins 6-2. The win also confirms Keshtkar's spot on the Iran team for the 2026 World Championships

11:20: World champion at 55kg, Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) was a little rusty in the first period against Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) at 53kg. She tripped the Mongolian for a four-pointer but also gave up for four on a cutback. However, she switches gears in the second period and rolls to a 14-4 victory.

11:05: European silver medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) with a fall in Round 1 of the Nordic bracket at 72kg against HARSHITA (IND). Choler led 4-0 before countering a deep attack from the Indian and sticking her to the mat for the fall.

10:55: Out comes the lace from Pyol HONG (PRK) against Enkhtuvshin BALJINNYAM (MGL) and she rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority win at 59kg.

10:52: Bediha GUN (TUR) scored the opening takedown in her Round 1 bout against Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) at 59kg. But the Mongolia uses an arm-bar to secure the fall over Gun in the second period.

10:45: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) returns to the mat for close to two years and begins with a win. In his 63kg Round 1 bout, Sharshenbekov was up against Erfan JARKANI (IRI) and holds off the Iranian 1-1 on first-point criteria. Jarkani was given par terre twice in the second period, one with 30 seconds remaining, but Sharshenbekov defended both times. Since it's a Nordic bracket, the two can face each other again in the final.

10:30: Ulaanbaatar Open will enter the second day with five Women's Wresting weight classes and the remaining three Greco-Roman weights. Here are the results from day one of the tournament.