#WrestleBuenosAires

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

Sunday, April 21, 2019 - 19:25 By Taylor Miller

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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)

#UWWAwards

UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:29 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."