#Fortaleza2018

USA Finishes Team Sweep with Nine Freestyle Champions at #Fortaleza2018

Monday, August 20, 2018 - 00:35 By Taylor Miller

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FORTALEZA, Brazil – The United States ran away with its third team title of the week, producing nine freestyle champions at the 2018 Junior Pan American Championship in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Piggybacking off the team titles in Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle, the U.S. men’s freestyle team scored 240 points for the top spot on the podium, followed by Canada with 147 points and Mexico with 100 points.

Four of USA’s champions won gold in the Greco-Roman tournament earlier this weekend.

Dylan GREGERSON (USA) spent less than a period on the mat in the 61 kg final, defeating Marco PALMERO (CAN), 10-0, in 2:41.

At 97 kg, Austin HARRIS (USA) picked up his second gold medal with a fall over Emiliano PRADO GUZMAN (MEX), locking up a cradle halfway through the first period to get the fall at 1:42.

Two other U.S. wrestlers, Anthony CASSIOPPI and Cameron CAFFEY, already claimed Junior Pan American freestyle titles to double up on 2018 Pan Am golds after successful morning sessions, with each wrestler going 4-0.

Cassioppi, who won the Golden Boot in Greco-Roman, secured the crown at 125 kg, while Caffey won at 92 kg.

The U.S. dominated in its other four finals, tallying two tech falls, one pin and one come-from-behind decision.  

Andrew ALIREZ (USA) recorded his third 10-0 technical fall of the day, defeating 2015 Cadet Pan American freestyle champion Cristian SANTIAGO PEREZ (MEX) in the 65 kg finals.

Following his teammate’s lead, Austin O’CONNOR (USA) rattled off 14 unanswered points against Jose VARELA GARCIA (GUA) for at 14-4 tech fall and the crown at 70 kg.

At 79 kg, Anthony MANTANONA (USA) capped off an impressive day, which included two tech falls and two pins.

His championship bout only lasted 21 seconds as he stuck Miguel ORNELAS REYNOSO (MEX).

Surviving a thrilling match in the 74 kg final was Jeremiah MOODY (USA), who scored seven points in the last 60 seconds to edge out Ty BRIDGEWATER (CAN), 12-10.

At 86 kg, Kordell NORFLEET (USA) snagged his fourth first-period technical fall, finishing off Connor PATTISON (CAN), 10-0, in 1:12.  

At 57 kg, 2017 Cadet South American champion Jonathan PRATA ALAS (ARG) won the title in a thrilling victory over Kevin CHAVEZ BETANCUR (COL) that saw multiple points scored in the final 30 seconds. Prata had his hand raised in a 10-6 win.

His performance earned Prata the freestyle Golden Boot.

Team scores (top five)
1. USA – 240
2. Canada – 147
3. Mexico – 100
4. Brazil – 96
5. Colombia - 75

Final results

57 kg
GOLD - Jonathan PRATA ALAS (ARG)
SILVER - Kevin CHAVEZ BETANCUR (COL)
BRONZE- Brandon COURTNEY (USA)

61 kg
GOLD - Dylan GREGERSON (USA)
SILVER - Marco PALMERO (CAN)
BRONZE - Angel TINOCO TORRES (PER)
BRONZE - Oscar CALVOPINA CANCIO (ECU)

65 kg
GOLD - Andrew ALIREZ (USA)
SILVER - Cristian SANTIAGO PEREZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Connor MCNEICE (CAN)
BRONZE - Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)

70 kg
GOLD - Austin O'CONNOR (USA)
SILVER - Jose VARELA GARCIA (GUA)
BRONZE - Gunnar SALES (CAN)

74 kg
GOLD - Jeremiah MOODY (USA)
SILVER - Ty BRIDGEWATER (CAN)
BRONZE - Marcos QUESADA MARTINEZ (PER)

79 kg
GOLD - Anthony MANTANONA (USA)
SILVER - Phelipe DOS SANTOS RIBEIRO (BRA)
BRONZE - Miguel ORNELAS REYNOSO (MEX)

86 kg
GOLD - Kordell NORFLEET (USA)
SILVER - Nicolas BAEZ (ARG)
BRONZE - Jhon CARMONA ALCANTARA (COL)

92 kg
GOLD - Cameron CAFFEY (USA)
SILVER - Hunter LEE (CAN)
BRONZE - Pedro GARAY LOPEZ (MEX)

97 kg
GOLD - Austin HARRIS (USA)
SILVER - Guilherme PRADELLA LIMA (BRA)
BRONZE - Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN)

125 kg
GOLD - Anthony CASSIOPPI (USA)
SILVER - Aly BARGHOUT (CAN)
BRONZE - Andrew GUNNING (PER)

 

 

2026 World Championships

Yazdani Returns to World Championships After Beating Azarpira

Friday, June 19, 2026 - 11:56 By Vinay Siwach

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KEMRAN, Iran (July 19) -- Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) made his World Championships debut at 70kg in 2015. The Olympic champion will be at 97kg for his eighth World Championships, 11 years later.

Yazdani, a three-time world champion, booked his spot on Iran's team for the 2026 World Championships after beating world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) in two straight matches in Kemran on Friday.

Azarpira needed to win only one bout to earn his spot as he was a returning world medalist but Yazdani secured two wins, 4-2 and 5-3, to end Azarpira's hopes. 

According to selection criteria set by Iran, a returning world medalist needed to win only one bout while the opponent needed two straight wins to claim the spot.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), blue, shakes hands with Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) after beating him in the second bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the first bout, Yazdani scored three stepouts and a point for passivity while Azarpira managed a takedown to the lead but he could not find another takedown or two one-point scoring actions needed to win.

An hour later, the two wrestlers returned for their second bout. Azapira, needed just a win to secure his place, led 3-3 on criteria in the second period. After Yazdani led 3-0, Azarpira fired back a takedown and stepout to earn the criteria.

In the final minute, Azarpira pressured Yazdani towards the zone and just went it seemed that he has scored a stepout, Yazdani circled back and scored a takedown to take a 5-3 lead. A shocked Azarpira protested the decision but he had no challenge left as he had used and lost the challenge in the first period.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) tries to score on Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) during the 97kg bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Yazdani, with all his experience, managed to hold on to his two point lead and confirm that he will return to the World Championships three years later. The Iranian will be chasing his eighth medal as he already has medals from every edition he has participated in.

The 31-year-old began with a silver medal at 70kg in 2015, won gold at 86kg in 2017, 2019 and 2021, and won bronze in 2018. At the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, he finished silver medals, losing those finals to David TAYLOR (USA).

This, however, won't be Yazdani's debut at 97kg. He wrestled at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in February and reached the final before Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) defeated him, 13-3.

Yazdani's next challenge will be to win a medal at the October 24-November 1 World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. The 97kg weight class will most likely have returning world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA), Paris Olympic champion and world bronze medalist Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) and world bronze medalist Arash YOSHIDA (JPN).

Former Olympic and world champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) will also be in the mix if he makes the Russian team. Olympic silver medalist Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), former world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), will also be challenging for the three-time Olympic medalist Iranian.

Yazdani, Firouzpour Win

Two other weight classes, 74kg and 97kg, were also contested to confirm the Iran Freestyle team for the World Championships.

Former world silver medalist Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) defeated Yones EMAMI (IRI) in two straight bouts to clinch the spot at 74kg, a weight class that Emami has ruled in Iran for quite a few years now.

In two high-scoring bouts, Yazdani won 10-6 and 11-7, mostly using his counters in the zone to book his spot.

At 92kg, world bronze medalist Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) defeated Mobin AZIMI (IRI), 2-1, in the second bout of the series to claim the spot. As he was the returning world medalist, Firouzpour needed only one win to qualify.

Azimi won the first bout 2-2 on criteria, scoring a late stepout after three points were awarded for passivity. However, there was no such comeback in the second bout as Firouzpour kept his lead.

On Tuesday, a wrestle-off was held in Greco-Roman in which Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) defeated world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI), 5-1, at 130kg to secure his spot for the World Championships.

Iran's Freestyle Team for 2026 World Championships

57kg: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI)
61kg: Ahmad JAVAN (IRI)
65kg: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
70kg: Sina KHALILI (IRI)
74kg: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI)
79kg: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)
86kg: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)
92kg: Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI)
97kg: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
125kg: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)