#WrestleBuenosAires

USA Men’s Freestyle Perfect in Morning Session, Sends All Eight to #WrestleBuenosAires Finals

By Taylor Miller

Photo: Joe COLON (USA) defeats World champion Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB). Photo by Lucia Cruz. 

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The USA men’s freestylers went 21-0 on Sunday morning, putting all eight Americans in the gold-medal match in the final day of the 2019 Pan Americans Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Four-time World champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) advanced at 74 kg, where he will take on 2015 Pan American silver medalist Jevon Balfour.

In his quarterfinal match, Burroughs narrowly escaped 2011 World silver medalist Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR), scoring a takedown with 0.5 seconds left in the match to win.

At 97 kg, Kyle SNYDER (USA), 2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion, picked up two technical falls to move on to the finals, where he will face two-time World runner-up and 2010 World bronze medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB).

2018 World champion at 86 kg David TAYLOR (USA) had a strong showing in his first three matches, winning with two pins and a tech fall.

Tonight, Taylor will face 2018 South American Games champion Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN).

At 61 kg, 2018 World bronze medalist Joe COLON (USA) began his day with a 9-3 win over 2018 World champion Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB).

For gold in round-robin action, Colon will face 2009 Junior Pan Am silver medalist Scott SCHILLER (CAN).

Also defeating a World champion this morning was Josh RODRIGUEZ (USA), who opened his day at 57 kg with a 7-2 win over 2017 U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB).

Tonight, Rodriguez will go head-to-head with 2018 Pan American silver medalist Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL).

Two-time World bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) advanced to the finals at 125 kg. In the semis Gwiazdowski shut down two-time Greco-Roman World bronze medalist Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), 11-1.

In the finals, the American will face nine-time Pan American medalist Korey JARVIS (CAN).

Also in position for gold medals are Colton MCCRYSTAL (USA) at 65 kg and Anthony ASHNAULT (USA) at 70 kg.

McCrystal will face Damian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB), while Ashnault will take on Cristian KARLIKOWSKI (ARG).

The finals are set for 5 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EST) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals pairings

57 kg
GOLD - Joshua RODRIGUEZ (USA) vs. Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL)
BRONZE - Daniel ALVES DO NASCIMENTO (BRA) vs. Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN)
BRONZE –  Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) vs. Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN)

61 kg – fourth-round matches
Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) vs. Juan RODRIGUEZ JOVEL (ESA)
Joseph COLON (USA) vs. Scott SCHILLER (CAN)

65 kg
GOLD - Colton MCCRYSTAL (USA) vs. Damian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB)
BRONZE - Mauricio SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU) vs. Daniel BRIOSO (DOM)
BRONZE – Sixto AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER) vs. Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)

70 kg – fifth-round matches
Nicholas ROWE (CAN) vs. Hugo Leonardo DE LIMA VIANA DE SOUZA (BRA)
Cristian KARLIKOWSKI (ARG) vs. Anthony ASHNAULT (USA)

74 kg
GOLD - Jevon BALFOUR (CAN) vs. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)
BRONZE - Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) vs. Adonis ARROYO (VEN)
BRONZE –  Julio RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM) vs. Jorge DESPAIGNE LAGAR (CUB)

86 kg
GOLD - Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) vs. David TAYLOR III (USA)
BRONZE - Meruzhan NIKOYAN (ARG) vs. Lazaro HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB)
BRONZE – Christian ANGUIANO FLORES (MEX) vs. Alexander MOORE (CAN)

97 kg
GOLD - Kyle SNYDER (USA) vs. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB)
BRONZE - Maxwell LACEY GARITA (CRC) vs. Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)
BRONZE – Evan RAMOS (PUR) vs. Jordan STEEN (CAN)

125 kg
GOLD - Korey JARVIS (CAN) vs. Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)
BRONZE - Eduardo GARCIA BETANZOS (MEX) vs. Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB)
BRONZE - Jorge MEDINA ARROYO (ECU) vs. Antoine BRAGA ABOU JAOUDE (BRA)

#BeachWrestling, #BeachWrestlingWorldSeries

With Dakar 2026 Approaching, UWW Ramps Up Beach Wrestling in Africa

By Vinay Siwach

CASABLANCA, Morocco (July 25) -- With Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games less than 500 days away, United World Wrestling is committed to reinforcing wrestling's presence on the African continent.

As a result, for the first time an African city will host the Beach Wrestling World Series. Casablanca, Morocco will see the third leg of the Beach Wrestling World Series from September 6-7, 2025, at the picturesque Ain Diab beach.

There is more in store for Africa. The final of the Beach Wrestling World Series will be held in Alexandria, Egypt on October 18 and 19, 2025.

UWW is calling for participants. REGISTER HERE!

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)

The World Series participants will be provided with top-class facilities including five-star hotel boarding, food in hotels and transportation to the competition venue. The conditions will therefore be exceptional for a Beach Wrestling event.

Prior to the World Series, the African Championships in U15, U17 and U20 age-groups will also be held in the same venue on September 4 and 5. All wrestlers who are 18 years or older from the African Championships can take part in the World Series as well.

This is not the first time UWW has stepped up its commitment to Beach Wrestling. Along with UWW Africa, UWW provided technical assistance to African wrestlers last year and has now decided to continue that for the U15 and U17 groups.

UWW reminds all countries that the participation in these tournaments is important as the same wrestlers can be considered with priority for the Youth Olympic Games while allotting the decided quotas for Dakar 2026.

UWW's vision is to develop the younger groups who will be part of the Youth Olympics in Dakar. And it was a step in that direction to start U15 competitions in Beach Wrestling from 2025.

Irina RINGACI (MDA)World champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) competes in Beach Wrestling in Porec, Croatia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

One of the outcomes of its continued efforts was the participation numbers in the U17 Pan-Am Beach Wrestling Championships in Rio de Janeiro and the U17 Asian Beach Wrestling Championships in Vietnam this year.

The local organizing committee in Rio had to add one more ring to accommodate the participants during the event. At the Asian Championships, India, China, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and other nations participated with full teams.

Similarly, the wrestlers are encouraged to participate in the U17 and U20 World Beach Wrestling Championships in Katerini-Pieria, Greece on September 25 and 26.

Check out beachwrestling.org for all Beach Wrestling News!

UWW's decisions underscore its deep commitment to uplifting and expanding the sport of wrestling across Africa, particularly with the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar on the horizon.

For any queries, wrestlers, NFs or organizers can contact -- sports@uww.org.